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I have an Eversolar TL4000GB inverter and an Elster 100AC generation meter. My system was commissioned on 27/7/12 since which time the inverter shows 605kWh energy generated and the generation meter 633.4kWh (allowing for the 0.5 showing on installation).
This discrepancy (approx 5%) seems rather large even allowing for differences in the accuracies of the instruments.
I noticed this because I was interested to see if the system was losing anything significant because of the voltage drop in the approx 25m of 6mm2 T&E between the two and was surprised to see the generation meter showing the higher reading!
Is this usual? Explainable?
It is down to the way that the meter and the inverter measure the power. The generation meter will be far more accurate and it is not uncommon to see inverters showing reading which are different.
In other news, why wasn't the generation meter fitted next to the inverter? Would it not have made sense to have the reading taken before any power loss over the 25m of cable?
Thanks for the quick reply - I hadn't realised the inverter readings could be so inaccurate.
As regards to the position of the meter of the meter (and after a quick look in the draft guidance):
"The meter should be located where the consumer can readily observe it."
er well, yes it would have made sense to have put the meter by the inverter.
It's only my second install (and I hope not my last) and I hadn't even considered this possibility - luckily it's my own house so I haven't short-changed anyone.
Isn't it a bit disingenuous/cheeky to charge the electricity company for energy you know is going to be lost as heat before it gets to the grid? (I know it's less than 1% but still ...)
Isn't it a bit disingenuous/cheeky to charge the electricity company for energy you know is going to be lost as heat before it gets to the grid? (I know it's less than 1% but still ...)
Not really. You're measuring generation, not export.
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