Solar monitoring options

[insaneoctane]

I'm trying to decide what solar monitoring options I need for my system is being installed. I was surprised to learn from my installer that my Southern California Edison smart meter will provide some basic information. I was told that my monthly bill will show me three different things: solar power production, Full House consumption, and public utility consumption. this seems sufficient for my loging purposes. I just want to be able to see historical data on my daily production. I think I was surprised to hear that the meter can differentiate between production and usage on the house side. I thought that if my production equal my usage at the meter with see that is net 0.without details. can someone confirm that this information is correct? this just might save me the money of installing a TED 5000. FYI my baseline installation includes just a central inverter (Fronius)

[sheilagonzalez]

Solar monitoring options

Solar system monitoring is a very fast growing industry. As a result, there has been a long running shortage of silicon for solar panels, which has traditionally led to high solar panel prices.

[russ]

Solar system monitoring is a very fast growing industry. As a result, there has been a long running shortage of silicon for solar panels, which has traditionally led to high solar panel prices.

An unusual name for someone from Kolkata? Try to make meaningful posts.

[EEMLoanGuy]

I'm trying to decide what solar monitoring options I need for my system is being installed. I was surprised to learn from my installer that my Southern California Edison smart meter will provide some basic information. I was told that my monthly bill will show me three different things: solar power production, Full House consumption, and public utility consumption. this seems sufficient for my loging purposes. I just want to be able to see historical data on my daily production. I think I was surprised to hear that the meter can differentiate between production and usage on the house side. I thought that if my production equal my usage at the meter with see that is net 0.without details. can someone confirm that this information is correct? this just might save me the money of installing a TED 5000. FYI my baseline installation includes just a central inverter (Fronius)

The information regarding the smart meter is correct. However, there is a valid argument to be made for the benefit of the monitoring systems like TED. Circuit and appliance level data can be quite useful when it comes to modifying behavior for optimum savings.

[prhamilton]

I have the rain forest automation box that has a wireless connection to the smart meter and pulls the interval readings and hosts a very primitive website that lets you see historical usage. I purchased this before I got solar and liked the functionality. After solar was installed I got the net usage which is interesting but not really enough information. I do see the meter go negative so maybe the person explaining it to you was confused. I don't see how the poco meter could provide anything but net usage.

TED or others liked eguage lets you monitoring circuit level and you can see the production. I like the simplicity of the Rain Forest box but it would be nice if you got detailed level solar production along side your usage. I have a separate monitoring for solar production using a Locus Meter but it sends all its data to their servers and I only get basic production charts from that. It would be nice to have something that combined usage and production.

[prhamilton]

Forgot, there was a decent thread earlier this year:

http://www.solarpaneltalk.com/showthread.php?13351-Remote-data-logging-monitoring-via-wifi-RF

[inetdog]

I don't see how the poco meter could provide anything but net usage.

It may or may not do it for a particular POCO, but a smart meter has the ability to separately total inbound power (buy) and outbound power (sell) producing two numbers and potentially applying different rates per kWh to the two, not just providing their algebraic sum. But since the meter has no idea what the local loads are at any time, it certainly cannot separate out production numbers.

[Rdjntx]

I am a big fan of the egauge system. here is a link to my egauge data. once you install it (I had mine installed almost 6 months after my system was installed you can monitor it from anywhere in the world, change how your info is displayed and some other things. feel free to muck around with the interface since it will not save anythings you do. It will NOT show you individual household appliances however. Since I had already upgraded everything to HE stuff and I over produce most of the year I don't see a need at the moment. http://egauge4090.egaug.es/index.html

I'm trying to decide what solar monitoring options I need for my system is being installed. I was surprised to learn from my installer that my Southern California Edison smart meter will provide some basic information. I was told that my monthly bill will show me three different things: solar power production, Full House consumption, and public utility consumption. this seems sufficient for my loging purposes. I just want to be able to see historical data on my daily production. I think I was surprised to hear that the meter can differentiate between production and usage on the house side. I thought that if my production equal my usage at the meter with see that is net 0.without details. can someone confirm that this information is correct? this just might save me the money of installing a TED 5000. FYI my baseline installation includes just a central inverter (Fronius)

[jff6791]

I am a big fan of the egauge system. here is a link to my egauge data. once you install it (I had mine installed almost 6 months after my system was installed you can monitor it from anywhere in the world, change how your info is displayed and some other things. feel free to muck around with the interface since it will not save anythings you do. It will NOT show you individual household appliances however. Since I had already upgraded everything to HE stuff and I over produce most of the year I don't see a need at the moment. http://egauge4090.egaug.es/index.html

That's an interesting monitoring system. I like the fact that the web server is local to the unit. The one I have (CurrentCost EnviR) uses a centralized server overseas which has had reliability issues. Do you know what the 3.5 or 4 kW load is that is cycling on and off all nite? Hard to believe AC would need to cycle during that part of day.

[Rdjntx]

That's an interesting monitoring system. I like the fact that the web server is local to the unit. The one I have (CurrentCost EnviR) uses a centralized server overseas which has had reliability issues. Do you know what the 3.5 or 4 kW load is that is cycling on and off all nite? Hard to believe AC would need to cycle during that part of day.

those are indeed the AC unit. The GF likes the house cold (I only like it cold at night lol) and I told her that since we were overproducing she could keep it wherever she was comfortable.

[jff6791]

those are indeed the AC unit. The GF likes the house cold (I only like it cold at night lol) and I told her that since we were overproducing she could keep it wherever she was comfortable.

That's a big boy. I"ve got a 3 ton that draws about half of that even on second stage. Trying to figure out if the EGauge CT's would all fit in the JB where my PV is line side tapped. Stuff is pricey but assume could be added to total system costs for tax purposes so that would chop about a third.

[Rdjntx]

That's a big boy. I"ve got a 3 ton that draws about half of that even on second stage. Trying to figure out if the EGauge CT's would all fit in the JB where my PV is line side tapped. Stuff is pricey but assume could be added to total system costs for tax purposes so that would chop about a third.

yeah it is a big unit. when I got it I told the guy I wanted an estimate with a "good" "better" "best" option. I picked the "better" option because I am a fan of staying on the middle of the road stuff for the most part and when it comes to appliances so far I have found that is where the reliability is.

As far as adding the eGauge stuff to your total system cost I would guess if it is on your invoice with your system there would be no reason it could not be. Don't see it happening if you install it after the fact.

[control4userguy]

...Stuff is pricey but assume could be added to total system costs for tax purposes so that would chop about a third.

$500 or so for the box and a $100 more for CTs. In the grand scheme, it's pocket change.

[jff6791]

$500 or so for the box and a $100 more for CTs. In the grand scheme, it's pocket change.

I went ahead and got one these and sprung for the revenue grade CT's so can keep tabs on the utility net meter and the separate production meter for SREC validation. Installation was straightforward since the CT's went right in the JB for the line side tap. Stuck the module inside an 8x8x4 JB, ran a cat5 and 120/240 feed and it was good to go.

[1932highboy]

Aim Dynamics sell Egauge at a very good price.

http://www.aimdynamics.com/eGauge-EG3000-10-p/eg3000-10.htm