Owl Intuition Solar PV >>> Type 2 >>> wiring

Sterlingtimes

The Owl might may meet my needs. Can anyone answer these questions please?


[1] Wiring





Sensor 1 and Sensor 2 appear to be on the same wire. Does the distance apart matter? Can the sensors touch each other other?


[2] Data


Does the Owl web based system include a historian that retains past data?

1961Nick

After extensive research I've come up with very little, but it is an interesting conundrum.

I didn't see anything to suggest that the proximity of the clamps would be an issue.

Clamp 1 is purely measuring generation. Clamp 2 in conjunction with the grid clamp is working out import/export & therefore solar use. It appears that the Owl was originally designed for type 1 installations & the Y cable was added later to encompass type 2 (that's just hypothesis).

Removing the outer sheaf from the inverter cable (usually 2.5 or 6mm T&E) might be an issue for someone planning on fitting it themselves.

Sorry I can't be much help.

theboylard

Your assumptions Sterling and Nicks research are correct.
I'm no longer using my owl, but yes, doesn't matter about distance between clamps.

If you are not comfortable strippng the outer casing back to expose the live and neutral cables (Brown and blue) then get a sparky, but careful pruning with a not too sharp knife does the job fine.

Quite useful really as you need to do the same for a Wattson.

Be aware though that if you have a diverter (to immersion element) then neither the owl nor the Wattson produce reliable figures...

My personal experience anyway!

Sterlingtimes

1961Nick wrote: »

After extensive research I've come up with very little, but it is an interesting conundrum.

I didn't see anything to suggest that the proximity of the clamps would be an issue.

Thank you, Nick, for taking the time out to check this for me. This will be helpful in making A decision, but I now have other issues to consider.

Regards, Sterling

Sterlingtimes

theboylard wrote: »

Be aware though that if you have a diverter (to immersion element) then neither the owl nor the Wattson produce reliable figures...

Thank you, theboylard. I'm not worried about the work, but thank goodness I posted here. Please can you explain the issue with the immersion diverter?

I think now that I am going off the monitoring a bit. I have seen reviews that severely question the accuracy.

Kind regards, Sterling.

Dave_Fowler

Sterlingtimes wrote: »

Thank you, theboylard. I'm not worried about the work, but thank goodness I posted here. Please can you explain the issue with the immersion diverter?

I think now that I am going off the monitoring a bit. I have seen reviews that severely question the accuracy.

Kind regards, Sterling.

I don't have the Owl Intuition, but have a standard Owl meter which I have modified to read import and/or export. When the proportional immersion heater control is in action the Owl nearly always shows that there is both import and export at the same time.

If you look at the way the proportional system works you will find that it switches the immersion on and off at a fast rate. When the excess PV power is say 1 kW and the immersion is rated at 3kW, the controller will turn the immersion heater on for 1/3rd of the time. So for 1/3rd of the time you are importing 2kW and 2/3rd of the time you are exporting 1kW. It turns it on and off at a fast rate, so fast that the electricity meter can not react and measures the average import or export power (in this case zero).

The Owl, however, makes instantaneous measurements and therefore will read either import or export depending on the exact timing of its measurements with respect to the switching of the immersion controller.

Dave F

Sterlingtimes

Dave_Fowler wrote: »

When the proportional immersion heater control is in action the Owl nearly always shows that there is both import and export at the same time. Dave F

Thank you for explaining. Do any other monitors overcome this problem?