Solar makes meter run backwards.

hp4020

I have been a lurker on these Forums for years, read with great interest the debates on Solar PV and other great threads.

Had a 4kw system installed (£9390)

16 x Hyundai 250W (Black Frame) Mono Solar Panel HiS-S250MG
Sunnyboy 4000TL ext 10 year Warranty.

The system has generated 40kwh since Friday, however I have the old style "wheel type" meter.

I am overjoyed to see my meter spinning backwards, however I realise that come the summer, if the panels keep producing the way they are, my meter readings could go into negative against the previous reading.

Wife is breaking my ear, saying it cant be legal, you are interfering with the meter etc etc.

What is my position, morally and legally

vax2002

Is that not how it works, wont they owe you the difference if it does go negative.
I would start a daily log of the meter just for your own records.

mardycow

hp4020 wrote: »

I have been a lurker on these Forums for years, read with great interest the debates on Solar PV and other great threads.

Had a 4kw system installed (£9390)

16 x Hyundai 250W (Black Frame) Mono Solar Panel HiS-S250MG
Sunnyboy 4000TL ext 10 year Warranty.

The system has generated 40kwh since Friday, however I have the old style "wheel type" meter.

I am overjoyed to see my meter spinning backwards, however I realise that come the summer, if the panels keep producing the way they are, my meter readings could go into negative against the previous reading.

Wife is breaking my ear, saying it cant be legal, you are interfering with the meter etc etc.

What is my position, morally and legally

Hi, How long ago ws your system fitted? That is a very good price, My best quote for 4KW system - chinese panels- is for £3k more than that, who installed please /

JenR8

You should let your electricity supplier know that your meter is going backwards. At some point (could take months) they will come and change your meter. They will estimate your electricity usage for the backward-spinning time on last years usage. Make sure they adjust this allowing you a reduction in units for the time you have had the panels.

You won't get a 'true' idea of what you are saving until you get digital meter.

We thought it was great to see the meter spinning backwards, but Scottish power didn't give much away!

energysavingexp

you need to get it sorted out asap mine did that and i had a right job sorting it out after the new meter was fitted the estimated my use and tried to over charge me £200

it took ages to sort out

morally and legally its wrong if you dont tell them.

Yut_Man

when the solar guy came to my house to do a assesment he said I had a 3 month legal obligation to get the meter changed. He also said to get the meter changed most electrical companies subcontract the work out so you will get charged. usually about £60.

keith_r59

Yut_Man wrote: »

when the solar guy came to my house to do a assesment he said I had a 3 month legal obligation to get the meter changed. He also said to get the meter changed most electrical companies subcontract the work out so you will get charged. usually about £60.

I'm not sure that that is correct. Inform your supplier that your meter is running backwards and they should arrange for it to be swapped out free of charge.

aia_2

I think your meter needs replacing anyway. Old meters are being replaced for free. they have a service life of 25 years (i think). Had one changed recently

thenudeone

vax2002 wrote: »

Is that not how it works, wont they owe you the difference if it does go negative.

No that's not how it's supposed to work.

The feed in tariff payment system assumes that the meter is a newer digital meter, which are prevented from going backwards as an anti-fraud measure.
In this arrangement it is impossible to tell how much of the solar generation has gone back to the grid (which you are entitled to sell back to the grid and get paid a 3.1p export tariff for, in addition to the feed-in-tariff) and how much you have used whilst it was being generated (which you do not get paid an export tariff for, just the feed-in-tariff). So for simplicity it is assumed that the split is 50% each way.

If your meter runs backwards what you're actually doing is getting an export tariff at your normal electricity rate from your normal supplier (without having any agreement to do so) PLUS the export tariff of 3.1p on the assumed 50% of the generation from your FIT provider; which is why it's a big no-no.

When I signed up for FIT, the form asked if my meter was capable of going backwards. I ##presume## that if I had ticked YES, then my FIT provider would have contacted the utility company to get the meter changed, although that's just a guess.

I don't know whether there is a legal obligation to report the issue, but at the very least I would be putting money aside in a savings account because they may come back and ask you to pay for the unbilled electricity at some point.

anselld

Who is responsible for replacing the meter? The FIT contract provider or the energy supplier? Mine are now different companies since I switched supply. I did inform Scottish Power on the FIT application form but they have done nothing about changing it.

greyteam1959

Energy supplier is responsible for changing the meter, after all they are the ones who lose out if the meter is running backwards.
I have just arranged with Scottish Power to have my meter changed.
Its been running backwards since April, thought I had better tell them.
Changing it FOC in a couple of weeks time.