PV Output no script required
4 March, 2012 - 11:11
For those of you with a PV system PVoutput now can import live direct from pachube (saves using a very excellent script-which saves precious disk/flash space)
Also gives you option (if you have sensors) to show energy generated and used etc (exported as well but thats a smart meter thing) temp etc (and it stores it for comparison)
http://pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?id=4806&sid=3791&dt=20120303
above is my feed from yeterday
31 March, 2012 - 15:20
#1
What device are you using to
What device are you using to physically monitor the power output from the PV Solar and also when you consume in the home?
1 April, 2012 - 07:47
#3
I had thought/been advised
I had thought/been advised that these standard mains energy monitors were not capable of detecting the potentially low wattage output from PV Solar and that you needed to have a more specialist monitor?
1 April, 2012 - 08:46
#5
Hi, yes I have a 4KW PV Solar
Hi, yes I have a 4KW PV Solar array on my roof with a 'Power One' inverter in the loft, I have an existing Sky power monitor and I tried hooking the monitor sensor around the inverter power output and got no reading and then after searching around and emailing a few people I was told that you needed a specialist monitor for this, that's why I asked. I can see your output all looks cool so obviously your set-up does work.
Looking on eBay at the monitor you have seems that the sensors need to plug-into the monitor itself rather than being wireless so I'm going to have to work out how I am going to be able position the monitor to both the mains in and the inverter out and then have the monitor close enough to the HAH to get the data.
My aim is to be able to monitor just like you are and I would also like to be able to trigger power to the water immersion heater when we are generating sufficient power etc, just need to work out which kit I need and get it all hooked up.
1 April, 2012 - 09:37
#7
MY set up
My set up above, heres the scenario:- solar generates circa 1700Watts Meter LED is solid on indicating i am feeding Grid so i switch in immersion which at this point is via a high current diode so runs at 50% capacity when solar generates over 2400watts relay2 fires which switches out diode so immersion runs at 100%. all done by a script written by Alan (thanks again)
NOW you are switching high power mains so the HAH pcb relays cannot do this so additional relays are required.
ALSO immersions are different ratings, typically 3Kw my system is unusual in that i have 2 immersion coils so i have wired them in series so my total 100% power draw is 1500w. solar can regularly run this and i make use of the "small" spare power at the start and end of the day as well.
most people would use the diode in series only with a single relay as most immersions are 3KW better to run 1.5Kw for most of the day than 3Kw for a short period.
1 April, 2012 - 15:50
#9
I will take another look I
I will take another look I only remember seeing 1 grey mains cable coming out of the inverter and the installers have used the plastic trunking to run the cables in near the meter will check it out again see what I can figure out
1 April, 2012 - 16:18
#11
ANY BROWN WIRE is where to put the clamp
Anticipate yours is similar? my clamp is elsewhere as i ran the mains cable about 3 years ago when i built the extension so clamp could be located in a good RF position as it would have to "wireless" through a metal door.
Dean
1 April, 2012 - 18:43
#12
Yep looks very similar to
Yep looks very similar to mine, not pulled of the trunking as yet will figure out a way of hooking up the monitor onto it somewhere where it won't been seen.
So is all the kit I will need to the HAH, 2 x Eon monitors and a wireless plug/switch to active and deactivate the immersion?
1 April, 2012 - 19:22
#14
2 * Eon's ?
Just to clarify. I don't have 2 Eon (CurrentCost) meters I just have one meter but I have 2 clamps. Each meter can accept up to 3 clamps. The clamps enable data to be sent on different channels and the HAH can interpret the data.
Allan.
1 April, 2012 - 19:32
#15
Ah yes you bought 2 just to
Ah yes you bought 2 just to get the 2nd wireless clamp
1 April, 2012 - 19:42
#16
I see that the assembled HAH
I see that the assembled HAH PCP is out of stock at the moment so I can't progress right now, how do I find out when one will be available? Also I guess I'm going to need a RF Transmitter Module and at least RF Mains Socket if I'm going to swich on and off the immersion?
1 April, 2012 - 20:09
#17
Rf transmitter included
Rf transmitter is included on the hah pcb. Rf socket will be required.
Derek is the man regarding stock. Assembled pcb may be done to order. Not sure.
Although I am no electronics expert but managed to solder the pcb from parts
If you fancy having a go im sure pcb kit is available. In fact I seem to remember Dean thinking of offering the service to take some of the load off Derek Not sure if he got round to this of not?
Im sure he'll chip in if im right Thanks Garry
2 April, 2012 - 11:35
#19
Sorry dean
Sorry Dean. Didn't want to put you on the spot but remember you were thinking of doing them
I am willing to do one for You doublespeed if Derek doesn't have any and I am not stepping on toes
Drop me an email if you need me. Ps as Dean rightly said there will still be one wire to solder on the the HAH though Thanks Garry
13 April, 2012 - 21:07
#21
Hi Dean,Just wanted to say
Hi Dean,
Just wanted to say you were right, bought a new a Current Cost from eBay put the sensor around just the brown wire from the PV and all is cool got and giving me the reading you said I would get! Just waiting for my other bits now which Dereck is sending me next week so all good thanks!
Also I have an existing Sky Energy monitor which looks to be a rebranded Current Cost so hoping that the sensor will be compatible so want to try and pair it with my new Current Cost to give me the mains as well, is there any special process to HO through to pair more than 1 sensor?
Chris
14 April, 2012 - 09:15
#22
Just plug in
You just need to plug a second clamp into the transmitter unit of the CC and then the HAH will be able to differentiate the readings of the different channels. The will appear as ch1 and ch2 in the HAH Xap stream. (eg dbzoo.livebox.CurrentCost:ch.1). The CC display will, however, become meaningless because it adds the 2 streams together.
14 April, 2012 - 09:52
#23
Both the sensors I have are
Both the sensors I have are wireless so don't plug in just wondered if there was anything particular I needed to do when trying to get them both paired at the same time?
14 April, 2012 - 13:15
#25
I notice that the reading I
I notice that the reading I am getting from what would normally be just the mains into the house is now being skewed by the output from my PV the reading seems see the power we are pushing back into the grid so is no longer an accurate reading of our draw down from the grid, what do I need to do about this?
14 April, 2012 - 13:21
#26
As I said earlier
The CC display becomes meaningless because it aggregates the readings from the two clamps.
14 April, 2012 - 13:27
#27
OK so will the HAH be able to
OK so will the HAH be able to decipher the readings to make them meaningful again?
14 April, 2012 - 13:36
#29
Sorry to be pain, as long as
Sorry to be pain, as long as I have the 2 sensor paired does it matter which was paired first i.e. the primary does it matter that PV was registered first and I register the mains as appliance 1 or something?
14 April, 2012 - 14:06
#32
So have you actually got 5
So have you actually got 5 sensors then?
20 April, 2012 - 19:54
#34
Pleased to say that with some
Pleased to say that with some great support from Derek (A big thanks to Derek!) I'm now up and running with my HAH publishing my solar output to pvoutput.org. What I need to figure out now is how I measure 'just' my actual home usage as since having the solar fitted my main home supply CC readings have become skewed by the PV output feed back into the grid. Does anyone know how I can measure my usage correctly via my CC?
22 April, 2012 - 09:58
#35
Filter out the night-time background voltage
Does anyone know if/how I can filter out the night-time background voltage which my CC is recording from my PV. I seem to have a sub 50 watts value being recorded over the night-time ‘dark’ hours so assume this must be some residual magnetic reading the sensor is picking up rather than ‘real’ output, can I filter this out?
I’ve seen a min value field in the Pachube Settings do I use this to do it e.g. enter a value of say 50 in the min field?
22 April, 2012 - 10:43
#37
Ahh I see that makes sense,
Ahh I see that makes sense, mine is pretty much the same, so do you bother to filter this out of the data that is posted to PV Output?
22 April, 2012 - 11:54
#38
Add custom rule
I've found a solutuon to this in your PV Output account you can add a custom rule to adjust the figures so if you want to make your PV Output ignore the power that your inverter is drawing overnight just add a rule like this…
When power is less than 50W, then make power 0W
if(power < 50) power = 0;
22 April, 2012 - 12:25
#40
What could be the issue if it
What could be the issue if it goes over?