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

grahamc2003

already posted

ctdctd

don0301 wrote: »

try post 1102

Fair enough - for comparison, my 2.5Kwp system was installed on 28th of November and my gen meter is reading 160Kwh. SE England SE facing.

So 3.9/2.5 * 160 = 249Kwh

So your 331Kwh means you have got a very good site and system!

don0301

i laid out the maths for the difference in post 1102.

the maths are the same....

pretty easy to extrapolate, mind you graham knowing your history with maths maybe not

at least i havent used zeupater's reasoning, then it would be reading about 506kWh

don0301

grahamc2003 wrote: »

Were the Owl and generation meter initialised to zero at the install, and have both measured the energy generated since? Are the readings currently 482kWh for the Owl, and 331 for the generation meter? If so, that's quite a difference, even with the explanation before of the small nighttime inverter power requirements being registered by the owl at (eg) 35W (leading to a 70W error of course, or about 1kWh error per night).

Edit, just seen someone else said the same, and your referral to post 1201 (you could put a link in).

The bag of fag packet maths there isn't correct, mainly because the error is double the owl night meter reading (which I think you said was 113W(?)). Not sure why it reads such a high value - my owl reads 0W at 0W, but 35W at small loads, but the spec I think says the accuracy is undefiend for loads less than 200W.

post 1102 not 1201

you really aren't good with numbers are you?

don0301

ctdctd wrote: »

Fair enough - for comparison, my 2.5Kwp system was installed on 28th of November and my gen meter is reading 160Kwh. SE England SE facing.

So 3.9/2.5 * 160 = 249Kwh

So your 331Kwh means you have got a very good site and system!

i have a 49 degree pitch roof

thats why its performing so well

grahamc2003

don0301 wrote: »

post 1102 not 1201

you really aren't good with numbers are you?

And you're pretty useless at discriminating between pertain information and the insignificant.

You seem to be trying to explain away a significant error on the Owl by simply saying it has a large error at night (by reading a high value when there shouldn't be a high power usage there). But then you keep posting pictures of the readings from a device for which a large error has been recognised. I'd be concerned of the high reading, knowing that the Owl can display down to 35W (in my case, has anyone else seen a lower value displayed?). The error MAY be explained by the Owl statement about the accuarcy of readings at low current values, but then again it may not.

What puzzles me is why you haven't simply read the generation meter at the time the owl was reading 3.5kW just to confirm the owl is reading correctly (give or take)- presumably that's not impossible to do is it?

don0301

grahamc2003 wrote: »

And you're pretty useless at discriminating between pertain information and the insignificant.

You seem to be trying to explain away a significant error on the Owl by simply saying it has a large error at night (by reading a high value when there shouldn't be a high power usage there). But then you keep posting pictures of the readings from a device for which a large error has been recognised. I'd be concerned of the high reading, knowing that the Owl can display down to 35W (in my case, has anyone else seen a lower value displayed?). The error MAY be explained by the Owl statement about the accuarcy of readings at low current values, but then again it may not.

What puzzles me is why you haven't simply read the generation meter at the time the owl was reading 3.5kW just to confirm the owl is reading correctly (give or take)- presumably that's not impossible to do is it?

lol, calm down dear

i think the word your looking for is pertinent

zeupater

don0301 wrote: »

i laid out the maths for the difference in post 1102.

the maths are the same....

pretty easy to extrapolate, mind you graham knowing your history with maths maybe not

at least i havent used zeupater's reasoning, then it would be reading about 506kWh

Cue Zeupater ...

.... But the issue is that if the voltage was set correctly at least the Power displayed would be accurate and the accumulated energy incorrect as opposed to both being wrong .... have you been in the loft with the OWL and checked the Power reading against the calibrated inverter yet ? ..... remember, you have already stated that the accumulated Energy reading is available on the calibrated TGM, so why the obsession with using the OWL as a meter as opposed to a monitor as most others do ??

I have absolutely no idea where the installers placed the sensor within the Don's consumer unit, but as previously posted, I have experienced similar increased inaccuracy when our sensor is close to the henley block, this likely being a combination of field disruption caused by the block itself & partially sensing the field generated by the current from the load in the house ..... I would therefore anticipate that there would be an equivalent effect from having a similar sensor fitted within the house consumer unit ....

What would I do ? ... simply compare the Power on the inverter to the Power on the OWL and set the OWL's voltage parameter to whatever would give the closest reading, or get the installers back and have them change the wiring configuration to provide the ability to fit the sensor(s) outside the consumer unit. Whichever way, I'd take the manufacturers advice ... "OWL Monitors are intended as educational aids in the understanding of the cost of operating electrical appliances in the home, to stimulate behavioural change in how we use electricity in the home, and not to replace your accurate electricity revenue meter." (http://www.theowl.com/index.php?page=electricity-display-monitor) ... and not attempt to use it as a meter ....

HTH
Z

Cardew

don0301 wrote: »

lol, calm down dear

i think the word your looking for is pertinent

your? or you are? or you're?

i? or I?

pertinent? or pertinent.?

don0301

zeupater wrote: »

Cue Zeupater ...

.... But the issue is that if the voltage was set correctly at least the Power displayed would be accurate and the accumulated energy incorrect as opposed to both being wrong .... have you been in the loft with the OWL and checked the Power reading against the calibrated inverter yet ? ..... remember, you have already stated that the accumulated Energy reading is available on the calibrated TGM, so why the obsession with using the OWL as a meter as opposed to a monitor as most others do ??

I have absolutely no idea where the installers placed the sensor within the Don's consumer unit, but as previously posted, I have experienced similar increased inaccuracy when our sensor is close to the henley block, this likely being a combination of field disruption caused by the block itself & partially sensing the field generated by the current from the load in the house ..... I would therefore anticipate that there would be an equivalent effect from having a similar sensor fitted within the house consumer unit ....

What would I do ? ... simply compare the Power on the inverter to the Power on the OWL and set the OWL's voltage parameter to whatever would give the closest reading, or get the installers back and have them change the wiring configuration to provide the ability to fit the sensor(s) outside the consumer unit. Whichever way, I'd take the manufacturers advice ... "OWL Monitors are intended as educational aids in the understanding of the cost of operating electrical appliances in the home, to stimulate behavioural change in how we use electricity in the home, and not to replace your accurate electricity revenue meter." (http://www.theowl.com/index.php?page=electricity-display-monitor) ... and not attempt to use it as a meter ....

HTH
Z

can't have it both ways lol