Energy Matters Forums

[miknic]

I really don't understand how any of it works at all.

the information I am about to give is all I have so I hope it is helpful to be able to help me out.

I have a 3kw PV system with 16 modules and 2 strings it is a soleaf mod. no# DSP123K2(A)

I am not sure how to word what I am trying to say so please bear with me.
My solar was connected to send back to the grid on 16/11/11 so as yet don't have a bill, am very confused with going by what the output on my inverter and my smart meter mean, in my thinking something is wrong somewhere I just need some kind of understanding of it all.

My meter reads that I have used 1838.3 kw since the last billing end 7/11/11 .. my inverter reads that the power I have generated is 925kw but is only showing as 198kw as sent back to the grid on my SM. It seems to me that my generated power is going on to my consumption instead as the last bill total usage before I had solar switched on was only a total of 911kw.

Any thing to help me understand what is going on would be greatly welcomed.

[Smurf1976]

First question, what state are you in?

Second question, are you sure you are reading the meter correctly? You do realise that they don't set it back to zero when it's read? So if it reads 1838 kWh import then are you sure that it did actually read zero two months ago when installed?

Third question, do you have air-conditioning or anything else (eg large Christmas light displays etc) which would cause consumption this quarter (summer) to be higher than the previous billing cycle (spring)? Or can we take it that the 911 kWh you used previously would be similar for this quarter and that usage hasn't changed?

[miknic]

Sorry I am in Western Subs of Victoria.

My SM was installed in 2010 was a mandatory roll out here had no say in getting it or not and at the time.

On my current bill that has no solar buyback as it was not switched on in the time frame had previous reading being at 13180 and current being 13846 then switch over to bi-directional on 31 oct with the extra using broken down for a 6 day period till nov 7th. so going from that I figure it must have been set back to zero as the consumption is less than the reading done on that day.

My usage for the same time last year has changed dramatically as have our habits around the home in use of power, we have no lights for xmas have got air con but haven't had the need to use it very often in this summer thus far only a few days here and there.

I was told that my home uses the power generated by the panels so don't understand how the usage can be twice as high as the last bill when solar was not even switch on, but now that it is we seem to be using more .. I have to admit I have no idea about any of it and it just seems strange that we had a big drop in usage by habit change to then keeping the same habits and solar it it doubling .. even when the inverter has stated it has generated almost 1000kw, wouldn't that come off the meter not go onto it ..

[Sonnig]

Hi,

When you had the meter switched over to bi-directional your meter would most likely have been set back to zero (mine was).

In addition there were more registers visible so that I could see both the import & export amounts. Refer to:
http://www.forums.energymatters.com.au/post20217.html#p20217

Some people have mentioned they cannot see the peak/off-peak split on their type of meter but just the import & export totals.

As Smurf1976 mentioned, your meter totals will not be reset when a regular meter reading is done so you should end up with the bill showing a start and an end figure.

I was told that my home uses the power generated by the panels

For a NET metered configuration, a house will use the power generated from your solar first reducing the amount you import. If you generate more than you use then it will show up on the export register and you will be credited at whatever feed in tariff you are on. These import/export figures are averaged over 30 minute periods (as far as I can tell based on the info I've been able to gather).

Can you provided what type of feed in arrangement you have and what type of meter you have as your situation may be different.

[miknic]

Hi Sonnig,

The meter I have doesn't show all that info either just has a little arrow to say it is bi-directional.
I think I have TOU where you have peak and off peak times and I am on the Pfit by back.

I guess the first bill will not be a great indicator of how the solar is doing, I just excepted that usage would be less than before where from my readings it seems it is on par or a little more than before.

I wish I understood it more :/ I am still angry with them as it took over 4 months for them to even make my meter bi-directional then another 2 weeks for some inspector to look at my inverter before I could even switch it on therefore missing a whole 1/4 of no energy sent back and in that time had sunnier days than we are in summer.

I am recording down each day now what the readings are for my usage at the meter, what it is that was sent back to the grid and what the inverter is recorded as generated.

Am I right in thinking that what has been send to the grid will be credited to my bill and if so how do I work out what that would be in $$$ value .. buy back is at 66cents so do I x .66 by the kw send back.

[bashworth]

KW x $0.66 is the right calculation

[Sonnig]

I think I have TOU where you have peak and off peak times and I am on the Pfit by back.

I am also on the PFIT and I believe that SP AusNet call my peak / off peak as TOU too. Do you have the peak / shoulder / off peak?

My meter has a direction arrow too.

The inspection process was done within a few weeks but the meter reprogramming was a slow process that was further delayed by the installer filling out the forms incorrectly. It was just short of 3 months to get it exporting. I don't think this is unusually long, others experience similar delays.

It is a good idea to write down your meter information regularly and the inverter totals can help with any future issues either with billing or system performance and warranty issues.

[miknic]

I am also on the PFIT and I believe that SP AusNet call my peak / off peak as TOU too. Do you have the peak / shoulder / off peak?

I think I only have peak / off peak .. don't know what shoulder is :/

I am wondering if I should be asking for a reprogam so that it includes
88 Display Test
01 Time
02 Date
03 kWh Imported Total Energy
04 kWh Imported Peak Energy
06 kWh Imported Off Peak Energy
13 kWh Total Exported Energy
14 kWh Total Exported Peak Energy
16 kWh Total Exported Off Peak Energy

mine does not show all these things
I don't even understand what the arrows mean there is a -w and the arrow pints towards my house or away and then there is another arrow with var that points up down and towards and way from the house

[Sonnig]

I think I only have peak / off peak .. don't know what shoulder is :/

If you search on “shoulder“ in these forums you will see the times for the 3 tiered system.

mine does not show all these things

What type of meter do you have? My Landis + Gyr Model E350 Type U1200 meter displays these totals but other posts suggest that not all VIC smart meters show this breakup: http://www.forums.energymatters.com.au/ ... tml#p20405

I don't even understand what the arrows mean

I haven't really paid any attention to the arrows. When the installer first tested the installation the arrow changed from pointing right while the house was using power to pointing to the left when power was being exported. This was prior to the meter reprogramming.

[miknic]

My meter is the same as yours but only shows
01 time
02 date
03 energy consumed (circuit 1 )
05 energy delivered to grid
07 energy consumed (circuit 2 )
88 test pattern.

being with origin ( powercor) there is no shoulder .. just peak 7am - 11pm mon - fri and off peak all other times wish there was a shoulder by the things I have seen

Should I be asking for meter reprogramming since I am on TOU .. now will I or them know useage in peak and off peak if that is not being displayed?

Thank you for all your help everyone I am learning slowly