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Usage monitoring with solar - Doh!

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  • KevinG
    KevinG Posts: 2,086 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Actually the Solo II PV appears only to monitor generation (which I already do with a bog-standard device); for the price I was hoping for something that covered consumption and generation.
    2kWp Solar PV - 10*200W Kioto, SMA Sunny Boy 2000HF, SSE facing, some shading in winter, 37° pitch, installed Jun-2011, inverter replaced Sep-2017 AND Feb-2022.
  • 1961Nick
    1961Nick Posts: 2,107 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I would imagine that the difference between the 2 meters is that the "PV" model allows you to enter the FIT rate + Export tariff + select deeming. The cheaper import meter would do exactly the same thing if the combined tariff was entered & the standing charge was set to zero.

    Personally, I'd buy 2 of the cheaper Minims & label one 'Import' & the other 'Generation'.

    I have the (discontinued) Geo Chorus which has a pulse sensor for both the import meter & generation meter, plus a clip to measure export. It's a shame that Geo didn't continue with that model or something similar because there's currently nothing on the market that's as accurate for the price.
    4kWp (black/black) - Sofar Inverter - SSE(141°) - 30° pitch - North Lincs
    Installed June 2013 - PVGIS = 3400
    Sofar ME3000SP Inverter & 5 x Pylontech US2000B Plus & 3 x US2000C Batteries - 19.2kWh
  • JKenH
    JKenH Posts: 5,117 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    mre15 wrote: »
    Does your electric meter have a red led that flashes. If so then a geo minim led version can be used.

    Can you use one of these on a generation meter which also has a red flashing light? Will it give me an instantaneous read out of my generation? If so I am thinking of getting two, one for the import meter and one for the generation meter.
    Northern Lincolnshire. 7.8 kWp system, (4.2 kw west facing panels , 3.6 kw east facing), Solis inverters, Solar IBoost water heater, Mitsubishi SRK35ZS-S and SRK20ZS-S Wall Mounted Inverter Heat Pumps, ex Nissan Leaf owner)
  • mmmmikey
    mmmmikey Posts: 2,304 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Homepage Hero Name Dropper
    KevinG wrote: »
    I'm confused. The description of the Minim+ with LED sensor on their website says "Easy to self-install, easy to use (not designed for homes with solar PV installed)"

    Hi - I think the reason that you can't use the Minim with the LED sensor on the supply meter with solar PV is because the LED on the meter flashes for both import and export, so if you want to measure consumption you need something additonal to detect the direction of flow. Maybe someone who knows more about this than I do could confirm this? Thanks, Mike
  • KevinG
    KevinG Posts: 2,086 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    mmmmikey wrote: »
    Hi - I think the reason that you can't use the Minim with the LED sensor on the supply meter with solar PV is because the LED on the meter flashes for both import and export, so if you want to measure consumption you need something additonal to detect the direction of flow. Maybe someone who knows more about this than I do could confirm this? Thanks, Mike
    No, it doesn't flash for export, mine stays on continuously (and I'm not sure whether that would be compatible with the device).
    2kWp Solar PV - 10*200W Kioto, SMA Sunny Boy 2000HF, SSE facing, some shading in winter, 37° pitch, installed Jun-2011, inverter replaced Sep-2017 AND Feb-2022.
  • KevinG
    KevinG Posts: 2,086 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    JKenH wrote: »
    Can you use one of these on a generation meter which also has a red flashing light? Will it give me an instantaneous read out of my generation? If so I am thinking of getting two, one for the import meter and one for the generation meter.
    The post above by 1961Nick implies that you can and I don't see why not.
    2kWp Solar PV - 10*200W Kioto, SMA Sunny Boy 2000HF, SSE facing, some shading in winter, 37° pitch, installed Jun-2011, inverter replaced Sep-2017 AND Feb-2022.
  • KevinG
    KevinG Posts: 2,086 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 26 April 2019 at 7:49PM
    1961Nick wrote: »
    I have the (discontinued) Geo Chorus which has a pulse sensor for both the import meter & generation meter, plus a clip to measure export. It's a shame that Geo didn't continue with that model or something similar because there's currently nothing on the market that's as accurate for the price.
    That sounds ideal, I wonder if there are any on Ebay (goes off to have a look...)

    Edit: no, can't find any but plenty of people selling other Geo monitors at inflated prices!
    2kWp Solar PV - 10*200W Kioto, SMA Sunny Boy 2000HF, SSE facing, some shading in winter, 37° pitch, installed Jun-2011, inverter replaced Sep-2017 AND Feb-2022.
  • Dave_Fowler
    Dave_Fowler Posts: 626 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 26 April 2019 at 7:54PM
    mmmmikey wrote: »
    Hi - I think the reason that you can't use the Minim with the LED sensor on the supply meter with solar PV is because the LED on the meter flashes for both import and export, so if you want to measure consumption you need something additonal to detect the direction of flow. Maybe someone who knows more about this than I do could confirm this? Thanks, Mike

    The meter's reaction to import and export varies from one meter to another. My electricity meter LED flashes when importing and remains constantly on when exporting. It's something you can check quite easily before you decide if the 'flash counting' device is suitable.

    Or you could build one of my direction detecting circuits for the standard clamp meter detector.

    Dave F
    Solar PV System 1: 2.96kWp South+8 degrees. Roof 38 degrees. 'Normal' system
    Solar PV System 2: 3.00kWp South-4 degrees. Roof 28 degrees. SolarEdge system
    EV car, PodPoint charger
    Lux LXP 3600 ACS + 6 x 2.4kWh Aoboet LFP 2400 battery storage. Installed Feb 2021
    Location: Bedfordshire
  • mre15
    mre15 Posts: 85 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts
    JKenH wrote: »
    Can you use one of these on a generation meter which also has a red flashing light? Will it give me an instantaneous read out of my generation? If so I am thinking of getting two, one for the import meter and one for the generation meter.

    This is exactly how I do it. My online app for generation only updated every 5 minutes so this gave me an instant view of what’s happening. Just set the cost price to fit rate + 50% deemed as mentioned. I then have another on my incoming meter. I like to see this on 0. The red light being permanently on for export gives a reading of 0. Its the pulses of light it counts. Permanent on or off mean 0.
    4.6kWp PV Comprising 16 x Jinko Solar Maxim Optimised 290W panels SSE Facing, Solis Hybrid Inverter and 7.2 kWh Pylontech batteries. Gloucestershire.
  • KevinG
    KevinG Posts: 2,086 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    This all sounds good, I think I'm up for two of these now. :)
    2kWp Solar PV - 10*200W Kioto, SMA Sunny Boy 2000HF, SSE facing, some shading in winter, 37° pitch, installed Jun-2011, inverter replaced Sep-2017 AND Feb-2022.
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