Best consumption meter for solaredge inverter

[macaddict]

Hi,

i just got a 9Kw system installed including a SolarEdge inverter. I can monitor the energy produced on their monitoring site and in PVOutput but now I'd also love to overlay my consumption.

What at is the word on the street for the best consumption meter that works with both, the solaredge monitoring site and PVOutput?

thanks

[sensij]

You need a Wattnode meter, made by CCS, if you want it compatible with the Solaredge portal. I don't have the specific link handy, but will dig it up if needed.

[macaddict]

Is that the only one that works? Or one that works best? I saw some posts to buy them on eBay for ~$25. I saw that SE also sells some more expensive ones.

[sensij]

It needs to be Wattnode for the communication to work. The units on eBay should work as well as what Solaredge would sell.

[macaddict]

It needs to be Wattnode for the communication to work. The units on eBay should work as well as what Solaredge would sell.

I purchased the unit from Ebay and I should get it next week. I'll update this thread once I get it installed.

[inspron]

Any follow-up on your installation?

[CharlieEscCA]

I purchased the eBay unit back in April. It's been installed since my April install. Works great. You do need to run a communications link from the device to the SolarEdge, and then configure the SolarEdge.

[inspron]

Curious, many eBay sellers are selling the Modbus device by itself without clamps for around $50, including the Ebay link you provided. Were you able to get it running without the "clamps" for monitoring?

[inspron]

These clamps: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Three-3-200-...EAAOSwWxNYpJT~

[cebury]

Charlie, the link from macaddict is the same unit you have installed? Inspron, youll need CTs, I dont think it comes with any.

[CharlieEscCA]

Mine were 100 amp CT's. I was worried that I needed 200 amp for my 200 amp service (actually CT's are on subpanel which is off a 150 amp fuse), but I called wattNode who explained that the 100 amp CT's is fine for 200 amp 240 volt service as each leg is going to (roughly 100 amps) and it actually is ok up to about 110 to 120 amps if not totally balanced.

When I bought, the seller was selling new (surplus) with the CT's included. A bargain at $27.50. That seller sold a couple of hundred, but he has no listings now.

[sensij]

Cool fact: If you go with larger CT's, you can improve the resolution of the measurement by looping the wire to make 2 (or more) passes through the clamp. I got two loops in on my revenue grade EKM meter, 3 passes, which increased the resolution from 800 pulses / kWh to 2400 pulses / kWh. It may sound like overkill, but for reading 5 min average power, that improves the resolution from +/- 7.5 W to +/- 2.5 W. (An energy meter with 1 Wh resolution can report average power to +/- 6 W)

[macaddict]

Any follow-up on your installation?

Yes, I installed it without issues and it is working great. I'm attaching what the Solaredge monitoring system looks like now that it is capturing consumption.

When configuring the inverter I had to assume some settings as the manuals are out of date. Specifically there is not longer an option for consumption meter on the modbus, only multi which is what I used. I chatted with solaredge tech support the day after i configured it and they said I did it correctly.

I have to say that I have a much better understanding of my consumption and it is leading me to change my consumption habits. For example, i never knew that my "top of the line most efficient Lennox AC uses up to 6 times my baseline usage.

IMG_1946.PNG

[macaddict]

Charlie, the link from macaddict is the same unit you have installed? Inspron, youll need CTs, I dont think it comes with any.

The unit I purchased came with the CT's.

[cebury]

Ahh, so the SE site doesnt allow for tracking circuit level, just total consumption.

I need to figure out why my last two months have increased consumption by over 500% from last year, or at least start tracking to kmow for future major discrepencies. But I could probably figure it out just by monitoring three circuits: AC (heat wave here has been crazy) the EV, and dryer. Those three I estimate at least 70% of this June & July usage.