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

Doc_N

anselld wrote: »

I can recommend this if anyone wants a cost effective way of monitoring and logging PV output.
Its designed for monitoring usage but it works the same for generation.
Remote monitoring, web interface, iPhone app, etc.
And a lot cheaper than the web loggers from the inverter companies.

Interesting - sounds like a good idea. Is it just a matter of clipping it to the cable leaving the inverter?

How well does it work in practice?

anselld

Doc_N wrote: »

Interesting - sounds like a good idea. Is it just a matter of clipping it to the cable leaving the inverter?

How well does it work in practice?

It is similar clip to Owl, Eco-Eye, etc so you need to get it round an individual live wire not a twin/earth cable. Usually easy enough to clip on one of the tails going in or out of the generation meter.

Dead easy to install and it just works. Graphical data via web all logged and stored automatically and accessible (password access) from anywhere on internet.

Doc_N

anselld wrote: »

It is similar clip to Owl, Eco-Eye, etc so you need to get it round an individual live wire not a twin/earth cable. Usually easy enough to clip on one of the tails going in or out of the generation meter.

Dead easy to install and it just works. Graphical data via web all logged and stored automatically and accessible (password access) from anywhere on internet.

Thanks - sounds a much cheaper option than a Sunny Beam. Do you use this facility, and does it work well:


AlertMe creates a wireless Home Area Network (HAN), enabling all the devices to communicate with the SmartHub nano using the Zigbee wireless network. In turn, the SmartHub nano talks to our servers, which feed back the information for you to access (via the AlertMe dashboard and/or mobile phone).

The SmartHub nano should be connected to a spare ethernet port on your router with the ethernet cable provided. It also needs to be connected to mains power using the PSU (power supply unit) provided.

anselld

Doc_N wrote: »

Thanks - sounds a much cheaper option than a Sunny Beam. Do you use this facility, and does it work well:


AlertMe creates a wireless Home Area Network (HAN), enabling all the devices to communicate with the SmartHub nano using the Zigbee wireless network. In turn, the SmartHub nano talks to our servers, which feed back the information for you to access (via the AlertMe dashboard and/or mobile phone).

The SmartHub nano should be connected to a spare ethernet port on your router with the ethernet cable provided. It also needs to be connected to mains power using the PSU (power supply unit) provided.

Yes, I've installed two systems to date - very pleased.
You do need t-Internet of course. (but then how else could you do automatic uploads?)

zeupater

Doc_N wrote: »

Thanks - sounds a much cheaper option than a Sunny Beam. Do you use this facility, and does it work well:


AlertMe creates a wireless Home Area Network (HAN), enabling all the devices to communicate with the SmartHub nano using the Zigbee wireless network. In turn, the SmartHub nano talks to our servers, which feed back the information for you to access (via the AlertMe dashboard and/or mobile phone).

The SmartHub nano should be connected to a spare ethernet port on your router with the ethernet cable provided. It also needs to be connected to mains power using the PSU (power supply unit) provided.

Hi

The added advantage of a sunnybeam is that it also acts as a remote status and event display ... If there is an issue with your inverter the sunnybeam will issue an audible alarm allowing the event to be queried without needing access to the inverter. This should be an important consideration if the inverter is hidden away in the loft ! .....

HTH
Z

[Deleted User]

anselld wrote: »

It is similar clip to Owl, Eco-Eye, etc so you need to get it round an individual live wire not a twin/earth cable. Usually easy enough to clip on one of the tails going in or out of the generation meter.

Dead easy to install and it just works. Graphical data via web all logged and stored automatically and accessible (password access) from anywhere on internet.

I'm sorry to be thick but..... what is a tail?

We went live today with our new solar system - and I;m still getting my head round whtt I'm looking at. I would love to see what we are producing without it being mixed up in the same figures with what we are using.

albyota

Deleted_User wrote: »

I'm sorry to be thick but..... what is a tail?

We went live today with our new solar system - and I;m still getting my head round whtt I'm looking at. I would love to see what we are producing without it being mixed up in the same figures with what we are using.

When referring to the 'tails' they are the thick grey cables that come from the main electricity Meter to your consumer unit, by clamping a CT (current transformer) clamp around the meter tail, it measures current flowing and sends this via RF (radio frequency) to the monitoring device, e.g. OWL monitor.

Did you not get a wireless USB device (SunnyBeam / Fronius personal display etc...) with your SPV setup.

[Deleted User]

We have a Fronius inverter which is now in the loft - the display on that is constantly changing. I'm not sure how to read it to be honest.

We also have a Smartmeter in the same cupboard as the electric meter and if I have understood the installer guy correctly, - this shows how many kws have been produced but not how many have been used.

We were with Eon for our gas and electric (until we changed to npower) but at the time Eon gave us a free monitor, which was clamped onto one of the cables where the electric meter is - and which wirelessly transmitted to a monitor indoors.

The installer today said it would not be any good using it as the current flows both ways now that we are producing electricity.

So if I put this on one of the tails to the smart meter would this not give me a reading of how much we are producing?

We are still with Eon for the FITs and the Smartmeter is apparantly for wirelessly sending Eon the production readings.

albyota

Deleted_User, your installer is correct, most CT clamp type monitors just detect current flow (in any direction) if you really need to know day by day what you are producing, (other than looking at the Elster A100C), generation meter you could buy one of these,

http://www.fronius.com/cps/rde/xchg/fronius_international/hs.xsl/83_4910_ENG_HTML.htm

have a word with your installer, not cheap......they cost £140 + vat your inverter will probably need the Retrofit card aswell at £80 + vat

anselld

Deleted_User wrote: »

We have a Fronius inverter which is now in the loft - the display on that is constantly changing. I'm not sure how to read it to be honest.

We also have a Smartmeter in the same cupboard as the electric meter and if I have understood the installer guy correctly, - this shows how many kws have been produced but not how many have been used.

We were with Eon for our gas and electric (until we changed to npower) but at the time Eon gave us a free monitor, which was clamped onto one of the cables where the electric meter is - and which wirelessly transmitted to a monitor indoors.

The installer today said it would not be any good using it as the current flows both ways now that we are producing electricity.

So if I put this on one of the tails to the smart meter would this not give me a reading of how much we are producing?

We are still with Eon for the FITs and the Smartmeter is apparantly for wirelessly sending Eon the production readings.

Monitoring what you generate is the easy bit.
The thing EON gave you would do that if you move the clip to the generation meter.
The device I posted will also do it.
As will Eco-Eye, Owl, etc likewise.
As will the expensive Fronius logging device.

The more difficult bit with most installs is to measure consumption because now the current can flow both ways through your supply meter and there is usually nowhere convenient to put a clip to measure what you are actually consuming since it all joins up inside the consumer unit.


PS - You can also put a USB stick in the bottom of the Fronius and download data every so often to a the PC Solar Access software.