Since the installation of solar panels my electricity usage has gone up 12 fold. During that time, if all is working correctly, I have also used the 700 KWs generated by my solar panels which means my actual usage has gone up far more than 12 fold. Is it possible that the energy generated by my solar panels is adding to my meter readings, in othervwords benefitting the electric company rather than me? Might they have been wired incorrectly?
Solved
Do shareholders now own the sunshine? My usage had actually gone up after Solar Panels?
Best answer by LordHarry
This was posted in another thread a while back:
Honeywell Elster AS300P (SMETS1)
To get an export reading from this smart meter:
- Press and hold the grey middle button until the main menu loads up
- ‘General’ should appear on-screen – press and hold the middle button again to select this option
- ‘Time & Date’ should be visible – now scroll with the bottom button until you see ‘TOU Registers’
- Press and hold the middle button once more will hovering over ‘TOU Registers’ and you should now see ‘Cum. Exp.’ with a value underneath it.
If it reads zero then your export is definitely being ‘seen’ as consumption.
This is not a matter for the solar installer though as it is Scottish Power’s meter that is not doing what it needs to do. The cause may be that, as I understand it, the smart meter has to be correctly set up to measure export as well as consumption – as the solar panels were installed after the smart meter then this may not be the case with yours.
If you export value is zero then tell Scottish Power that they need to pull their finger out and reset your meter.
OK telling me my post has been submitted but only published after a review by moderators. I first sent a message this morning but it has not appeared.
+8- Super User
Got it. Bear with us as your comment probably got snarled up in a spam filter.
I’ll ask the Forum Moderators to release it - this may take a little time but they’ll catch up.
+4Hey
The meter photos have been approved and are now on the thread.
Hope this helps!
+8- Super User
Thanks!
Let me call
Does this mean you now have what I got when i accessed TOU registers on my Scottish Power meter? Thanks again.
+9- Super User
Thanks!
Let me call
I don’t see any additional photos but from what is reported - no cum export - it sounds as if the meter isn’t set up to record this. I would expect at least some export from any system.
Just one other thought .. on one of the photos with the CT clamp (white clip on)
There should be an arrow moulded on the side which needs to point away from the meter .. don’t know if you can see that?
+9- Super User
Ok, the arrow and CT seem correct.
Can you tell me where this cable (highlighted in yellow) goes
It looks an odd connection seeming to connect directly to the main fuse and the con block. The earth is also exposed as bare wire
Photo… It goes into the thick cable bottom left and through the front door. Will send 2nd photo outside.
I think the fat cable coming through the door is Power going to the shed in the garden…
Photo outside. Very messy.
+9- Super User
Ok - wherever that goes to, it’s not safe. It doesn’t have any fusing apart from the main house fuse. The orange cable on that last picture is also unsafe.
If it’s nothing to do with the solar, it’s a separate problem.
I can’t quite see where the solar connection is made into the system. The diagram below the wiring is correct but I’m not sure if it’s wired that way.
OK thanks. As I can't seem to get any response from installers I'm trying to locate an electrician locally who can advise.
+9- Super User
OK thanks. As I can't seem to get any response from installers I'm trying to locate an electrician locally who can advise.
In case it’s of any use here’s a link to MCS registered companies - they are certified for micro generation systems
+5Did you manage to sort out your issues
Not yet I'm afraid. I've been promised a visit by an Electric Supervisor on 28th November.
I have an ASHP which was only commissioned about 7 weeks after the solar panel installation which coincided with the huge hike in my energy usage. People point the finger at the ASHP but it didn't even exist in August and most of September. Now I never use the ASHP unless the battery has charge, using a solid fuel fire instead, but still I'm using ridiculous amounts of electricity.
+8Just a point about using your heat pump, it runs most efficiently when ticking over 24/7 at a low temperature. Are you stopping and starting it to only use stored electricity from your battery? That is going to use a lot of electricity.
+8For example my heat pump is currently giving a radiator temperature of 34 degrees, it’s 10 degrees outside (I’m in South East England). I’m getting an indoor temperature of 22 degrees. Yesterday was a similar temperature and it used 9kWh for heating.
+8Can you show me a photo of it?
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