So now I have a solar PV system how do I make the most of it???

don0301

themaverick1953 wrote: »

The cable from my invertor is thick and grey and presumably takes the three seperate cables and I dont seem to be able to measure generate power qwith one of these meters unless someone knows a way?

yes. if you dont know what to do, get an electrician.

Dave_Fowler

themaverick1953 wrote: »

The cable from my invertor is thick and grey and presumably takes the three seperate cables and I dont seem to be able to measure generate power qwith one of these meters unless someone knows a way?

Unless you can find somewhere between the inverter and the consumer unit (where the PV system is connected) where you can connect round just the live or neutral wire it will not be possible to use a clamp type meter to measure the generated power.

edit: Usually where the cable enters the generation meter the individual wires are visible - but they may be too short to fix the clamp.

Dave F

sly_dog_jonah

don0301 wrote: »

if you read the link, they (owl) presume you (the reader) have a setup similar to the diagram. they go on to state:

quote:

Based on this setup the OWL will not only sum the energy used via the meter but will also sum the electricity fed back onto the grid.

they then go on to say how to set it up to read generation only, which is how i have mine setup.

i hope it is now clear to you.

It is clear to me yes. OWLs statements are perfectly valid if such an installation configuration exists. The fact that the diagram is a 'simplification' of the system (eg omitting the generation meter, isolators, etc) will not help readers to understand if their installation is the same. It's probably more useful to point to this other OWL page, with a more detailed diagram:

http://www.theowl.com/index.php?page=using-owl-with-solar-power

Where they say:

OWL Electricity Monitors can be used to monitor consumption when you have PV Solar.
· By placing the sensor on the single live cable into your distribution board / fuse board from the junction box connecting the PV Solar and metered electricity supply. (Note:- when PV Solar is installed not all have the junction box between the consumer unit and PV Solar/Metered supply). OWL Electricity Monitor will add the low level electricity consumed by the inverter ie night time, this consumption may be exaggerated because of the low power levels).

I have my doubts that most people, and hence most readers of this thread, will have a setup that matches (or even closely corresponds) to either diagram on the OWL website. Unless they have a schematic from the installer or a keen interest in electrics, I doubt they will be able to tell if they have the same setup as described in the diagram.

Most new builds (or houses with modern wiring) don't have a circuit breaker, other than the one in the CU itself, so the PV (via a generation meter and probably an AC isolator switch) connects to an unused circuit on the CU, rather than through a junction box. Of course there will be exceptions in some cases, depending on the installer and pre-existing electrics.

Based on my understanding (and past comments by other posters) of what is a 'typical' PV installation (OWL's doesn't appear at all typical), the majority of people with PV will not be able to use a current clamp monitor to measure electrical consumption in their house.

Edit: 9.1kWh generated already today (2nd best day's output since 17/11), despite sporadic cloud cover this afternoon.

zeupater

Dave_Fowler wrote: »

..... There may be a few (Z.) where the connections are different ....

.... it's called foresight Dave ..... when a decent load controlling system becomes available the two clamp sensors (load & generation) can be fitted with ease ....

PPPPPP
Z

don0301

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

It is clear to me yes. OWLs statements are perfectly valid if such an installation configuration exists. The fact that the diagram is a 'simplification' of the system (eg omitting the generation meter, isolators, etc) will not help readers to understand if their installation is the same. It's probably more useful to point to this other OWL page, with a more detailed diagram:

http://www.theowl.com/index.php?page=using-owl-with-solar-power

Where they say:
I have my doubts that most people, and hence most readers of this thread, will have a setup that matches (or even closely corresponds) to either diagram on the OWL website. Unless they have a schematic from the installer or a keen interest in electrics, I doubt they will be able to tell if they have the same setup as described in the diagram.

Most new builds (or houses with modern wiring) don't have a circuit breaker, other than the one in the CU itself, so the PV (via a generation meter and probably an AC isolator switch) connects to an unused circuit on the CU, rather than through a junction box. Of course there will be exceptions in some cases, depending on the installer and pre-existing electrics.

Based on my understanding (and past comments by other posters) of what is a 'typical' PV installation (OWL's doesn't appear at all typical), the majority of people with PV will not be able to use a current clamp monitor to measure electrical consumption in their house.

Edit: 9.1kWh generated already today (2nd best day's output since 17/11), despite sporadic cloud cover this afternoon.

seemed pretty simple and clear to me, but hey ho

i guess if people cant simply understand it, they should get an electrician in

as an aside, my installers screwed a laminated sheet onto the wall next to my unit, with a schematic and including settings, start up and disconnection procedures.

no idea if thats a requirement, or just good practice.

HalloweenJack

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/429228_10151196061095556_675820555_22589820_628602471_n.jpg


^^ hoping it comes out properly as its a facebook link but thats my meter , and fusebox

zeupater

jamesingram wrote: »

Don , sorry to doubt you , did you look at the inverter screen output at the time ? ....

Hi

That's exactly what I would have done to give confidence in the OWL's Power reading as the inverter displays generation, but it seems that there's no interest in the accuracy of OWL's displayed Power (as per manufacturer's tolerance specification), just the inaccuracy of the displayed accumulated Energy (even though there's no tolerance specification to measure this against) ... (http://www.fronius.com/cps/rde/xbcr/SID-479636D3-1573E3C8/fronius_international/42_0426_0062_EA_153720_snapshot.pdf)

HTH
Z

Dave_Fowler

don0301 wrote: »

seemed pretty simple and clear to me, but hey ho

i guess if people cant simply understand it, they should get an electrician in

as an aside, my installers screwed a laminated sheet onto the wall next to my unit, with a schematic and including settings, start up and disconnection procedures.

no idea if thats a requirement, or just good practice.

I think, Don, you may be one of the lucky people who have a circuit set up similar to the OWL schematic. From the (limited) experience I have of seeing several PV set-ups and from the discussions I've had, only one installation has had the junction box pictured in the OWL diagram but have the circuit described by Sly_Dog. Not having the junction box or similar access point makes it impossible to connect to the 'Consumption circuit' as described by OWL.

Dave F
edit: 10kWh & still generating over 1kW at 3pm. (2.96kWp system)

don0301

Dave_Fowler wrote: »

I think, Don, you may be one of the lucky people who have a circuit set up similar to the OWL schematic. From the (limited) experience I have of seeing several PV set-ups and from the discussions I've had, only one installation has had the junction box pictured in the OWL diagram but have the circuit described by Sly_Dog. Not having the junction box or similar access point makes it impossible to connect to the 'Consumption circuit' as described by OWL.

Dave F

it just so happens i got the monitor before the install.

the installers were happy to wire it in however i wanted. i decided i wanted to monitor generation, so they set it up for me for free.






very neat install i must say

sly_dog_jonah

don0301 wrote: »

seemed pretty simple and clear to me, but hey ho

i guess if people cant simply understand it, they should get an electrician in

as an aside, my installers screwed a laminated sheet onto the wall next to my unit, with a schematic and including settings, start up and disconnection procedures.

no idea if thats a requirement, or just good practice.

Most installers give out schematics I believe, here's ours (cropped to reduce size):



(although panels are actually on two strings not one)

We have an OWL between Electricity Meter and the CU (Distribution board) for measuring real-time import/export (have had this since before the PV was installed), and a GEO SoloPV attached to the LED output of the generation meter for real-time generation.