Skip to main content
Solved

I have FIT with new battery and inverter, do I have the right meters?

Show first post

26 replies

K
Carbon Cutter**
Forum|alt.badge.img
  • kanulondon
  • Carbon Cutter**
  • 6 replies
  • March 27, 2025
David49 wrote:

Hi everyone,

After much angst dealing with uncooperative Installer and FIT provider, and tremendous help from Alex, his diagnosis of my problem was correct. The electricians wired the bi-directional meter in the same way as the previous generation meter which is entirely wrong. The wiring is 180 degrees different hence my meter was counting backwards and the net reading was an increasing minus. They’ve been today to fit me a new meter starting at zero and it appears to be counting upwards this time - hooray!

I’ve requested a letter of explanation and apology from the Installers and will use that to try to convince my FIT supplier to credit me with the negative final figure (that should be a positive).

In researching all this I’m having second thoughts about topping up my battery overnight on a cheaper tariff as this will increase my Export meter potentially wiping out my Import figure leaving me with no FIT generation/£p. I can’t do anything until July when my present fixed tariff expires but I am going to have to calculate whether the gain on using cheaper priced fuel downloaded to my battery overnight compensates for the loss in FIT revenue if I end up with a minus NET figure again.

Thanks to everyone who chipped in to help (even OVO - and I’m not even with them) but especially Alex who spent time on the telephone with me going over the possibilities. Your help very much appreciated Alex.

 

No worries David, I could feel your pain in the post and thought it best to speak to discuss our respective journeys! 

 

I have calculated that when all is said and done I am seeing 89% of the yield reported on the inverter. My Sunsynk consumes 1.2kw per day, that’ll always be covered by Solar generation in ANY weather but in my new hybrid setup, that amounts to £300 lost Fit Payments for keeping it on standby

I think in the winter it maybe worth charging but I wouldn’t charge to 100%, maybe 80% I noticed charging to 100% causes more losses. I also used to ‘top up’ the battery when I got cheaper slots of 7p charging open up with Octopus. To be clear, to anyone NOT on an old FIT scheme, top up and charge all you want. You don’t need to have a generation meter I believe, so it really doesn’t matter. But for FIT folks with Hybrid Meter you need to sip grid power

My advice actually would be to keep your existing inverter, if you get batteries, run them with a dedicated AC coupled inverter on a different circuit entirely. So any charging/discharging of the batteries would have NO impact on the generation meter whatsoever. It takes up more space yes, but not that much more. 

Kanulondon (aka Alex)

Abby_OVO
1 person likes this
  • Abby_OVO
    Abby_OVO

Reply


Terms & ConditionsCookie settings

Cookie policy

We use cookies to enhance and personalize your experience. If you accept you agree to our full cookie policy. Learn more about our cookies.

 
Cookie settings