Where can I install a private electricity meter?

[Rickenbacker]

I have monitored my electricity usage for a couple of years now and it has enabled me to save electricity several times by being able to detect unusual usage patterns.
Now I’m about to get a solar PV system installed, and when that happens I will be in the dark as to how much electricity I’m actually using, all I’ll know is how much I’m producing and how much I’m importing. One can get meters for about £20, so I asked some of the companies quoting me on installing solar PV if they could add a meter somewhere that would enable me to figure out how much electricity I’m using.
One of them came back and said they could add an unofficial export meter as that would be simpler than putting a meter in to measure usage. An export meter would obviously allow me to work out what the usage is. By unofficial meter was meant that it wasn’t to be a meter whose values would be reported to the electricity company. I would still rely on the deemed export for that. It would simply be a meter that sat in my part of the electricity installation (i.e. not any part owned by the DNO) and measured exported electricity.

In the end I have chosen another PV installer and they have now come back and said they can’t install an export meter for me as they are not allowed to. I am not an electrician, but my understanding is that as long as “stuff” is installed safely by a competent person, I can more or less install what I want on my electricity installation. I guess the question might be, where does MY part of the electricity installation begin?
After the meter and before the consumer unit, or after the consumer unit? Or in other words, could I install my own meter and have it meter exported electricity after the official import meter and before the consumer unit? Or is there another way something like this can be accomplished by putting a meter somewhere else?

 

[Gavin A]

if you're currently using a clamp meter, just get them to install to a henley block splitting the tails, then your current monitoring system will work as it currently does.

also, if the company involved can't tell you that, then this is not a good sign.

 

[Rickenbacker]

I am currently using a clamp meter but would prefer a "real" meter which I'm willing to purchase.

 

[shanky887614]

you get paid if you use generated electricity or not.

i dont understand why you would want another meter?

 

[SolarCity]

Not entirely sure what you are after but you can get a device which monitors usage, export and generation.

Have a look at this: Elios4You - Sibert - automated equipment manufacturer and supplier of process consumables

Very quick to install.

 

[MicraShed]

Is there anything on the market that works with Immersun (or similar) devices?

The clamp meter I use gives spurious readings when the Immersun is feeding the immersion, though it is OK at other times.

 

[t4sltd]

your installation starts after the import meter. as you say they could install an unofficial export meter (between the import meter and the consumer unit) to measure export.
consumption in the house = generation by pv + imports from grid less exports.

 

[Earthstore]

To put in an export meter will only tell you what you are exporting, but unless you stand and watch it constantly you will not know "when" you are exporting, and to make the most of PV this is what you need to know.

At times PV production can be up and down, also energy usage can go up and down too, what you need to do is to try and marry the two together.

There are many ways now to make the most from your PV, reducing any export to a minimum and still getting paid for the deemed 50%.

The company that you have chosen should be able to help you with this, if they can not, I am sorry, but you have chosen the wrong company.

 

[Worcester]

We do it very often especially if the owner has sub-let the building and wants to charge the occupant irrsepctive of source of his electricity!

Done it ar home as well as I wanted to know what we were using / exporting so put my own MID approved bi-directional import / export meter inline with the existing suppliers meter, so irrespective of how your PV / CU is wired you can now measure mport from the offical suppliers meter [G]eneration from your solar PV system on the offical generation meter and [E]xport (inherently it also measures {I}mported energy as well, so acts a check on the suppliers meter)

in practice = {I} within about 0.5%
and my REAL household Consumption [C] = + [G] - [E]

I could in my case have put a meter between the PV / CU / Incoming henley blocks and the CU however the above configuration ( a meter in line with the suppliers meter) will always work.

 

[danesol]

I'm currently looking at whats on offer here in the way of monitoring devices as I have already an Envir.......

Current Cost - Reducing your energy bills so you can live a greener life

 

[Worcester]

I've tested loads and loads,

Current cost cheap, but way to innacurate
Wattson - see the reviews elsewhere on here
Best Ones:
off the shelf:
Elios4U Monitoring & Control - Sibert - automated equipment manufacturer and supplier of process consumables
eco-eye Eco-Eye Products and Online Store

and if you want the ultimate all signing all dancing do whatever you want.
(you'll need a soldering iron though
openenergymonitor Home | OpenEnergyMonitor and you can even build your own proportioanbl controller with the instruction on that site

We have loads of monitors here and the most accurate and flexible with whatever reporting you want is the last one (openenergymonitor.org)
I monitor:
3 x Inverters
1 x House
1 x Immersun
1 x Total Generation
1 x Import Export
1 x eldest son's bedroom (the single biggest consumer exept the oven )
4 temperature monitors (indoors, outdoors, 2 on the hot water tank, top and bottom)
1 x Humidity
1 x Pressure
2 x Light irradiance
1 x Wind Direction
1 x Wind Strenght
1 x Rain (rate and volume)
4 x room monitors, temp, humidity, motion and light.

and display it on simple LCD displays and has unlimited online reporting.

 

[danesol]

Cheers Worcester - I cant use the Elios, for various reasons, so I have a good look at these others....