Solar Panels on roof with prepay meter?

stringer_bell

So my dad has solar panels fitted a few years ago, he is horrible with money, and he got behind on his electric bill, and they fitted a pre-pay meter last year

It just occurred to me, is it possible that he isnt seeing the benefit of the solar panels with a pre pay meter?

Should I be contacting british gas or the original owners of solar panels here?

thanks for help

silverwhistle

The prepayment meter shouldn't make a difference but check the export meter for the panels, it should be flashing red regularly if it is producing and you can check the readings from one day to the next. It should be noticeably different with our current weather!



It is possible the inverter has tripped and would need resetting, mine has instructions attached to the wall beside it as to how to do that.

stringer_bell

silverwhistle wrote: »

The prepayment meter shouldn't make a difference but check the export meter for the panels, it should be flashing red regularly if it is producing and you can check the readings from one day to the next. It should be noticeably different with our current weather!



It is possible the inverter has tripped and would need resetting, mine has instructions attached to the wall beside it as to how to do that.

I will have a look later, I'm not even sure there is an export meter theres just a prepayment meter

He also doesn't receive any money yearly from them, I don't know whether only some do. He got the solar panels free from a company

Andy_WSM

stringer_bell wrote: »

He got the solar panels free from a company

Then they will get the export payments as they own the system.


There will be an export meter somewhere. Maybe in the loft if that's where the solar inverter is fitted.

stringer_bell

Andy_WSM wrote: »

Then they will get the export payments as they own the system.


There will be an export meter somewhere. Maybe in the loft if that's where the solar inverter is fitted.

so company gets export payments, dad gets cheaper electric?

Andy_WSM

stringer_bell wrote: »

so company gets export payments, dad gets cheaper electric?

Exactly that! If he's using electricity while the Sun is shining then it will come from the solar system, not through his pre-pay meter. On bright sunny days he should be doing his laundry, vacuuming and anything else which consumes lots of energy.

House_Martin

Watch out for the red light on the prepay meter being constantly on without pulsing when you are using electric appliances on a sunny day such as today.
The electric meter will begin to flash on and off when the electric usage is higher than the solar panel output eg when electric shower,electric cooker, irons are used.
There will be an export meter somewhere in the house, they are usually small white digital ones .Could be in the loft or even a small one built into the consumer unit or near the prepay meter.
The company will send someone round at sometime to read their meter and you have to provide access. Your dad needs to make the most of a sunny day otherwise the solar panel company gets the payment. To do this he must keep an eye on that little red light on the meter