Solar Panel Guide Discussion

KevinG

lanstrom wrote: »

Can this differentiate between incoming and outgoing electric ? My current meter doesn't work any more as it shows the total used and generated now. I have tried putting it around the AC cable coming out of the inverter but it didn't register anything

These things need to be clamped round a live cable, not a combined one. In my case I clamped a monitor round the output from an RCCD protected fuse, where the live and neutral cables are separated.

energysavingexp

hambrook wrote: »

Exactly the same issue I am having. I have 2 x Eco Eyes and the one around the Ac cable going to the fuse box displays £0. The other one shows values but you cant tell if this is power you are importing or exporting......

they need to be clamped to a tail not a twin and earth flex you can clip it on the live or neutral tail then it'll work

Le_Chuck

Hungerdunger wrote: »

Are you sure? I've looked at the British Gas web site and can't see it, but if it is there, they really need to take it down and correct it.

someone must have read this, as its been taken down for improvements
http://www.britishgas.info/energy-efficiency/renewable-energy/clean-energy-cashback-scheme/table.html

anselld

lanstrom wrote: »

Can this differentiate between incoming and outgoing electric ? My current meter doesn't work any more as it shows the total used and generated now. I have tried putting it around the AC cable coming out of the inverter but it didn't register anything

No, it is not directional, but that is not the point. You presumably want to monitor generation as that is what is making the big money.

As those above have said, the clamp must be around a single core cable (tail) not a flat twin/earth. This is usually easy to find in/out of the generation meter.

At this position it will monitor generation, which is exactly what the £500 Fronius box would do.

anselld

hambrook wrote: »

Exactly the same issue I am having. I have 2 x Eco Eyes and the one around the Ac cable going to the fuse box displays £0. The other one shows values but you cant tell if this is power you are importing or exporting......

Are there not individual tails in or out of the generation meter?

-MRS_T-

keith_r59 wrote: »

You can use one of the many calculators available on the internet. Here are a few for you to try.

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Financial-incentives/Cashback-Calculator

http://www.solarguide.co.uk/solar-pv-calculator

http://www.pvsolarpanelcalculator.co.uk/

Thank you for posting this. I am interested to know on the solarguide.co.uk website how they can work out what your system will generate each month as obviously it will generate more in the summer months than in winter.

-MRS_T-

zeupater wrote: »

Hi

Not quite right ... on a retrofit system up to 4kWp you get the 43.3p/kWh for everything you produce and would get an additional 3.1p/kWh for everything you export, this being financed by a levy by the electricity suppliers on all supplies. However, the industry isn't really prepared to go around changing existing meters for those having solar pv unless they are really old and run backwards, this is due to there being a plan to replace all meters with smart meters within a few years anyway. In the meantime the proportion of generated energy exported is 'deemed' to be 50% of total generation, so look at this as being an extra 1.55p/kWh on total generation ... of course, in most areas you can opt to pay for the export meter to be fitted and/or pay a quarterly rental, if you're really lucky your DNO could provide the meter for free, but I believe this is/was done by just one particular supplier.

HTH
Z

I have been reading this thread with interest.

Can I just clarify this as I Am not sure I have read it correctly or are getting myself confused.

You get paid 43.3p (currently) for every kw you produce despite wether or not you use it? (or do you have to use it to get the 43.3p) Then any you do not use you get paid a further 3.1p to export it back to the grid?

anselld

-MRS_T- wrote: »

I have been reading this thread with interest.

Can I just clarify this as I Am not sure I have read it correctly or are getting myself confused.

You get paid 43.3p (currently) for every kw you produce despite wether or not you use it? (or do you have to use it to get the 43.3p) Then any you do not use you get paid a further 3.1p to export it back to the grid?

yes, 43.3 for units generated regardless of how used.

Most domestic installs do not have an export meter so you are "deemed" or assumed to export half what you generate. So this amounts to another 1.65p for every unit generated.

Finally you save money off your bell for everything used and this has no effect on th generation or export payments as you don't have an export meter.

anselld

-MRS_T- wrote: »

Thank you for posting this. I am interested to know on the solarguide.co.uk website how they can work out what your system will generate each month as obviously it will generate more in the summer months than in winter.

They have a database of average sunlight throughout the year.

Hence they can calculate an estimated average for each month.

There are other estimation models Eg PVGIS which allow for more details like exact location, slope of roof, climate, etc.

alterego_2

anselld wrote: »

yes, 43.3 for units generated regardless of how used.

Or, as it used to be known, having your cake and eating it.. :-)