Growatt Inverter wired wrongly?- solar meter giving wrong readings.

[michael8554]

Hi Ben
Your original FIT meter was located between the Solar Inverter and the grid.
Measuring how much power was generated by the solar panels,
Sounds like the new meter is measuring how much power is being sent towards the grid by the solar panels, and by the battery when it discharges.
And how much power the battery is taking from the grid when it needs to charge. all or partly from the grid.
AFAIK the FITS payments are for Solar only, not battery as well ?
And you shouldn't get paid for power you're taking from the grid :-<
The original Solar Inverter and FIT meter setup shouldn't have been removed.

 

[Andy1733]

Imo if your not bothered about the fit payments. Which you don't seem to be,
turn off the "export to grid" in the inverter and just use and store what you have.

Curious. How did you come across the installer?

 

[Murdoch]

I think you need to address your concerns with the installer

They appear to have caused the problem and therefore should be the company to fix it

 

[user 36170]

Hi Ben
Your original FIT meter was located between the Solar Inverter and the grid.
Measuring how much power was generated by the solar panels,
Sounds like the new meter is measuring how much power is being sent towards the grid by the solar panels, and by the battery when it discharges.
And how much power the battery is taking from the grid when it needs to charge. all or partly from the grid.
AFAIK the FITS payments are for Solar only, not battery as well ?
And you shouldn't get paid for power you're taking from the grid :-<
The original Solar Inverter and FIT meter setup shouldn't have been removed.

I still have the same solar meter. From what previous replies have said it seems it only works properly with the original inverter, but the batteries won't work with that. It seems my best option is to forego the government FiT payments and stick with what I've got (Octopus still pay me for my exports). Someone suggested having two inverters, but I don't have room for that, and the cost of getting another inverter put back is almost certainly prohibitive compared to what the government FiT payments are - 5.26p/kWh. I'm not even sure how much longer they go on, but I've had them since 2016, and I suspect 10 years. I'll ask Octopus if they can accept solar readings from my Growatt dashboard, but I'm pretty sure the answer will be "no".

 

[user 36170]

Imo if your not bothered about the fit payments. Which you don't seem to be,
turn off the "export to grid" in the inverter and just use and store what you have.

Curious. How did you come across the installer?

I'll keep exporting. Octopus are happily paying me for exports, the only problem was the governmet's share of the FiT - 5.26p/kWh for generation - which my solar meter is no longer accurately measuring. I'll let Octopus know what I've found out here, and either cancel the FiT contract or see if they are happy to take measurements from my Growatt dashboard - I suspect not!
I found the installer through RatedPeople. He seemed knowledgable (although he changed supplier midstream and I was his first Growatt installation), and apart from this everything is working fine. For anyone else it should be noted that Growatt don't yet have a setting for getting the prices from Octopus as GivEnergy ones do. Growatt tell me they are "working on it."

 

[user 36170]

I think you need to address your concerns with the installer

They appear to have caused the problem and therefore should be the company to fix it

My installer says he is "looking into it, it's not a simple solution other than reading the generation figure from the inverter" ... and has now stopped returning my messages! That is why I've been investigating myself.

I think if the only solution is to put another inverter back I'll stick with what I've got and write off the government's FiT payment, and pass back the "good" news to him that he doesn't have to do anything more!

 

[binky]

I found the installer through RatedPeople.

the likes of 'Rated People' and 'Trust a trader' never allow posting of negative reviews, and decent tradesfolk don't bother with them anyway, because we don't need to.

Out of interest, how much are Ocotopuss paying for your export?

 

[johnb2713]

Imo if your not bothered about the fit payments. Which you don't seem to be,
turn off the "export to grid" in the inverter and just use and store what you have.

If you turn off export you will find the daily import will rise slightly because instead of aiming at zero import / export it has to aim at a slight import. My SPH6000 was constantly importing 150 - 200w until export was enabled, now it's around 25w

 

[Si_Oakwood]

I can't say for sure but I think you have the same solar meter as me, the emlite ECA2.NZ.

If that's the case the manual (see here: link) says it MUST be wired differently if batteries are involved.

My installer did it wrong and I found the manual and showed him, and he rewired it, only took a minute to do.

If you do have this meter and yours was put in without batteries originally, it might be wired incorrectly.

Just a thought

Si

 

[binky]

I can't say for sure but I think you have the same solar meter as me, the emlite ECA2.NZ.

If that's the case the manual (see here: link) says it MUST be wired differently if batteries are involved.

My installer did it wrong and I found the manual and showed him, and he rewired it, only took a minute to do.

If you do have this meter and yours was put in without batteries originally, it might be wired incorrectly.

Just a thought

Si

Not seen that before, very interesting.

 

[user 36170]

the likes of 'Rated People' and 'Trust a trader' never allow posting of negative reviews, and decent tradesfolk don't bother with them anyway, because we don't need to.

Out of interest, how much are Ocotopuss paying for your export?

I'm on Agile Outgoing, so it changes every half hour. Tomorrow it ranges from 11.60p between midnight & 00:30 up to 24.63p between 17:30 & 18:00, and obviously I can choose when (or whether) to sell them anything, and I choose to do most of my selling between 16:00 & 19:00.

 

[user 36170]

I can't say for sure but I think you have the same solar meter as me, the emlite ECA2.NZ.

If that's the case the manual (see here: link) says it MUST be wired differently if batteries are involved.

My installer did it wrong and I found the manual and showed him, and he rewired it, only took a minute to do.

If you do have this meter and yours was put in without batteries originally, it might be wired incorrectly.

Just a thought

Si

My meter is Emlite EMLM16 ECA2.v according to the installation certificate. Might be the same. I'll have a look at your link.

 

[user 36170]

My meter is Emlite EMLM16 ECA2.v according to the installation certificate. Might be the same. I'll have a look at your link.

That looks very promising! I'll send it to my installer and keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Si_Oakwood]

That looks very promising! I'll send it to my installer and keep my fingers crossed!

On second thoughts. Might be worth double checking what it is before changing anything. I think the ECA2.v is for non-battery and the ECA2.nv (and the ECA2.nz) are for battery systems. So changing the meter would probably be wiser if I've understood it correctly. I'd recommend a quick look at this, especially page2 see link here. But if you do decide to upgrade the meter, make sure the installer is aware of the different wiring required (as per my previous reply), which applies to both of those meters.

 

[Murdoch]

My installer says he is "looking into it, it's not a simple solution other than reading the generation figure from the inverter" ... and has now stopped returning my messages! That is why I've been investigating myself.

I think if the only solution is to put another inverter back I'll stick with what I've got and write off the government's FiT payment, and pass back the "good" news to him that he doesn't have to do anything more!

if they won’t return your messages some polite feedback on rated people pointing out the distinct lack of after sales service seems in order.

not a rant

 

[user 36170]

If you turn off export you will find the daily import will rise slightly because instead of aiming at zero import / export it has to aim at a slight import. My SPH6000 was constantly importing 150 - 200w until export was enabled, now it's around 25w

I don't recognise that behaviour at all. I have long periods where I'm importing nothing when I'm on battery ... occasionally the odd 20W burst from time to time. The only problematic times are at sunrise and sunset when the inverter does some self testing apparently - annoyingly at the most expensive times of day at this time of the year.

 

[user 36170]

On second thoughts. Might be worth double checking what it is before changing anything. I think the ECA2.v is for non-battery and the ECA2.nv (and the ECA2.nz) are for battery systems. So changing the meter would probably be wiser if I've understood it correctly. I'd recommend a quick look at this, especially page2 see link here. But if you do decide to upgrade the meter, make sure the installer is aware of the different wiring required (as per my previous reply), which applies to both of those meters.

Thanks for the extra info. Looks like a replacement meter would cost under £50, so probably worth doing ... presumably it would need a certificate? I've passed it on to my installer, who has at least now responded saying he'll have a look!

 

[user 36170]

if they won’t return your messages some polite feedback on rated people pointing out the distinct lack of after sales service seems in order.

not a rant

You can only rate them once on Rated People, and he already got a good review from me.

He has now come back to me after I mentioned the link about the meter, and I've just let him know that it might need a replacement meter as well. I'll see what he comes back with.

 

[user 36170]

My installer likes the idea, and I've found a new ECA2.nz on ebay for 40 quid. Just got to see if Octopus will be happy with me changing the meter. Fingers crossed.

 

[user 36170]

I've had a response from Octopus (see pic). It seems I need an MCS Certified installer - I don't think mine is, but I've asked him. He doesn't seem to be on the list at the MCS Certified site https://mcscertified.com/find-an-installer/ We'll see. If I haveto pay a certified installer it might not be worth carrying on - need to check how long the FiT contract has left and check the installation cost.