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

sly_dog_jonah

don0301 wrote: »

very neat install i must say

Indeed, pretty tidy.

Because our CU is in the hallway and not boxed in (yet: it's on my to do list) we didn't want to have any additional equipment on view in the hallway, so we had the installer put the generation meter and isolator on the other side of the wall (directly behind the CU) in the study (it will be hidden but not inaccessible when our study furniture is fitted soon):



The black sensor and transmitter is the GEO Solo PV, and the OWL is outside in the meter box where it's always lived. The trunking takes the cable outside the house and behind the gutter downpipe all the way to the loft. We didn't want to ruin the internals of the house as it was under a year old.

zeupater

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

Hi Dave

The circuit diagram is effectively what I have ..... for 'junction box' read 'henley block' and move the circuit breaker (dedicated consumer unit) to between the 'henley block' and the generation meter and ignore the 'Export Meter' ....

I must therefore be one of the 'lucky' people ..... either that or Seneca was right to state 'Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity' ...

HTH
Z

don0301

my installer ran the cabling between the outer and inner wall, thru the extractor fan housing in my cloakroom, to the unit.

so no visible cabling anywhere.

larkim

I read on another site (or at least I think I did!) how to make the total consumption meter figure on an OWL "work" properly (or at least better than the normal setup).

I think it involved taking a splice out from the solar generation "brown" cable (i.e. the cable that you would normally measure your solar output on with an OWL) and somehow feeding both that cable (on which you know the "direction" of the electricity flow - it is always something to be deducted from your total consumption) as well as the normal mains flow through a second OWL clamp.

"Normal" OWL readings
1.5 solar meter with 1.0 demand = (-)0.5 net meter - but I want it to read 1.0 demand
1.5 solar meter with 2.0 demand = (+)0.5 net meter - but I want it to read 2.0 demand
(The issue is that the net meter doesn't show its +ve or -ve indicator (it can't), but that is the "real" position)

"Revised wiring" OWL readings
1.5 solar meter with 1.0 demand = -0.5 net usage PLUS new wiring 1.5 in the same clamp = 1.0 which equals the demand (which is the figure I'd like to know)
1.5 solar meter with 2.0 demand = 0.5 net usage PLUS new wiring 1.5 in the same clamp = 2.0 which (again) equals the demand figure.

I think that was how it was supposed to work. I don't know whether that is electrically feasible, but it would appear to give two "real" figures to work with (solar generated and household demand) which is what people (like me) with two OWLs are missing.

Hope someone with a better understanding of wiring can make sense of whether this works or not!

Matt

don0301

16.4kWh today

new record :j

larkim

I don't think I saw the sun at all today!

Matt

ctdctd

don0301 wrote: »

.....Pictures of OWL and gen meter

Hi don0301, how come your Owl says total 451 units but the gen meter appears to show only 331?

jackieblack

don0301 wrote: »

16.4kWh today

new record :j

8kWh for us (2.22kWp sytem and 30 degree pitched roof)
but only generated 1kWh over 2 days at the start of the week

don0301

ctdctd wrote: »

Hi don0301, how come your Owl says total 451 units but the gen meter appears to show only 331?

try post 1102

themaverick1953

jackieblack wrote: »

8kWh for us (2.22kWp sytem and 30 degree pitched roof)
but only gemerated 1kWh over 2 days at the start of the week

4.5 units here in East Yorkshire which is as high as weve had since November - surprised as I didbnt notice much sun.

3.96 kWp system