Dispute with provider

[SimonF]

I had a Growatt solar installation in August last year, including a battery. The inverter and battery are installed outside as we have no loft due to a conversion. Since the installation the Growatt/shinephone app has consistently recorded that we take very little from the grid. Our battery even in the winter did not get less than 60% full. But this seems to make very little difference to our bills with Octopus. The Octopus app shows us using far more from the grid. The amount of electricity being used shows on both apps as very similar but all of it is from the grid according to Octopus. The shinephone app also has a daily error in the events list - the error is 1-3-7 no utility, I've not found anything explaining what this means. Can anyone advise if I am being optimistic about what the installation should do or is the a problem with the set up/metering?

 

[binky]

I had a Growatt solar installation in August last year, including a battery. The inverter and battery are installed outside as we have no loft due to a conversion. Since the installation the Growatt/shinephone app has consistently recorded that we take very little from the grid. Our battery even in the winter did not get less than 60% full. But this seems to make very little difference to our bills with Octopus. The Octopus app shows us using far more from the grid. The amount of electricity being used shows on both apps as very similar but all of it is from the grid according to Octopus. The shinephone app also has a daily error in the events list - the error is 1-3-7 no utility, I've not found anything explaining what this means. Can anyone advise if I am being optimistic about what the installation should do or is the a problem with the set up/metering?

Sounds like the set up is wrong somehow. Can you post some pictures of your distribution boards, meter tails around the meter/ ct clamps, how the solar system is connected to your main supply.

 

[SimonF]

Thanks for replying. I've attached some pictures. If I've taken the wrong thing or something needs to be clearer, please let me know. It's all in a confined space. I've been in contact with Octopus but I've also been asking the installers to check it. I realise the meter will be more accurate than the Growatt app but the descrepancy seems big.

 

[michael8554]

I've cropped and enhanced the fourth image:




Is it in EPS mode as there's "No AC connection" ?

 

[SimonF]

I have very little knowledge of what it should be. I've asked the installers as well as Octopus to check it but so far no one has. Should it not be in EPS mode and if not can I change it or should someone more qualified come back?

 

[binky]

No AC means loss of mains, does the system have it's own board which possibly the meter fitter has not reconnected, or is it connected to the main house board - check the MCBs are switched on.

Your generation meter just above the board is also dead, it should either be flashing a red led, showing leccy going back to the grid or have a constant red led, indicating mains connection but no energy flowing

 

[SimonF]

It looks me like it goes direct into the main circuit board. It's the two cables indicted on the pic.
From what you've seen, is there enough to indicate there is a problem with the system? Does the dead generation meter indicate that we are not using any power generated by the solar panels?

 

[michael8554]

Sounds like you've been running only from the grid for a long time.

Check in your fuse box (Consumer Unit CU)

There should be a breaker labelled Battery.

And another one labelled Inverter or Solar, is it in the ON position ?

 

[SimonF]

Theirs nothing with those labels. The only breaker in the off position is pictured.

 

[binky]

Theirs nothing with those labels. The only breaker in the off position is pictured.

The one that says PV, switch it on.

 

[SimonF]

Photovoltaic? OK, so now I feel stupid but when a new smart meter was recently fitted it was just the same. Strangely there is now a light on the generation meter

 

[michael8554]

Did your installer not explain what the various Disconnectors and Breakers were for, and how to safely turn off and turn back on the PV output, Inverter and Batteries ?

The breaker marked PV that is OFF is for the Photo Voltaic (PV) Solar Panels, but may be mislabelled and by extension is in fact for the Inverter.

 

[SimonF]

They explained nothing other than showing me an app. I have been in contact with them several times regarding the problem and I've asked them to check it. They have offered to refund some of my electricity bill if there is a problem. The whole road had a power cut before Christmas - could that have thrown the breaker?

 

[michael8554]

It was the fault that threw your breaker that took out the whole road.

Only joking :->

 

[SimonF]

It's alright, I might be a bit slow with this stuff but I'm not that dim. I did contact the installers after the power cut because I'd read that the system might need resetting. They told me it would all be fine.

 

[binky]

It will be absolutely fine after a power cut. No need to reset anything. The great thing about solar is it's all designed to be maintenance free, apart from occasional panel cleaning. But even the panels have a self cleaning coating that sheds dirt when it rains. Currently the biggest issue is the lack of rain to wash dirt off. My own panels have a nice layer of dust on them.

 

[SimonF]

Big thank you to the people that have replied. I know it turned out to be a very basic fix but you've been more help than Octopus and the solar installers. I plan to look at the read out the inverter later and see if that also has changed. There's a new icon on my smart meter but neither company was able to tell me that the lack of the icon indicated a problem.

 

[johnb2713]

Big thank you to the people that have replied. I know it turned out to be a very basic fix but you've been more help than Octopus and the solar installers. I plan to look at the read out the inverter later and see if that also has changed. There's a new icon on my smart meter but neither company was able to tell me that the lack of the icon indicated a problem.

Well done that man, keep us updated.

 

[binky]

Big thank you to the people that have replied. I know it turned out to be a very basic fix but you've been more help than Octopus and the solar installers. I plan to look at the read out the inverter later and see if that also has changed. There's a new icon on my smart meter but neither company was able to tell me that the lack of the icon indicated a problem.

Telephone call centre staff have little idea of the real world because I doubt any of them have ever worked in the field.