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M
Rank 4
MJCommando
Rank 4
August 3, 2023
Solved

My non-smart 3 phase meter shows that my usage has been very high since my solar installation - how can this be fixed?

  • August 3, 2023
  • 31 replies
  • 870 views

Hi eveyone.

hope someone can help.  I had solar installed and live for the month of july and i belive its done something strange to our eletrical usage.

Lasts month usage was about 400kWh and without solar i would of expected Julys to be much less, also due to we were away for 10 days of it.

 

I took a manual reading 1st july (As this is when our solar went live) and 1st Aug, so i could see the effet our solar had on our bills.

 

As we have 3 pahse at home we donthave a smart meter.

 

Julys usage was 1769kWh as you can see from the image below!!!

 

What i belive has happened is the solar that we have produced/exported has been added to our meter (Bill) in some way as i cant belive we have used 1700kWh and what solar we produced/exported.

 

Am thinking that the old meter is not set up for recognising import/export and in treating it all as import.   We have a Elster A1140 meter.

 

Can anyone offer any advise here?

 

Thanks

Best answer by BPLightlog

Updated on 06/09/24 by Abby_OVO

 

Hi @MJCommando , I still wonder if there is another meter register you can get to 

I know that you mention the CUM (cumulative) register but perhaps there is further info available as above. 
Ultimately it might come down to the set up of the meter from manufacturing as we’ve mentioned before which would mean either a meter exchange as faulty or for reprogramming (more difficult).

Looking at the data recorded in the meter, OVO might be able to extract the reverse flow total which would be evidence of the historical reduction you are looking for

31 replies

Jeffus
Rank 20
Jeffus
Rank 20
August 3, 2023

Perhaps have a look to see if the CT clamps, asumming your meter model has them, are the right way round and on the right cables? 

This might help. 

https://www.orsis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/A1140-1.pdf

    M
    Rank 4
    MJCommandoAuthor
    Rank 4
    August 3, 2023

    Dont think i have any CT clamps, the cables are conected into the meter itself.

    BPLightlog
    Super User
    BPLightlogSuper User
    Super User
    August 3, 2023

    That does look very odd @MJCommando . Your screen shot shows the OVO usage which is what the meter is reporting unless there are any estimates on your account for July.

    Do you have a monitor for the solar? If so what does it show? What do your before and after readings indicate? The same as the July account presumably. Are you sure that you haven’t mistaken one of the readings?

    Being 3 phase, it can depend how the inverter is set up for export. Whether it is exporting on one phase or balanced across phases.

    Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
    Jeffus
    Rank 20
    Jeffus
    Rank 20
    August 3, 2023

    Dont think i have any CT clamps, the cables are conected into the meter itself.

    Then perhaps post some pictures of the meter and wiring just in case any of the regular posters notice anything that is worth you investigating

     

    Jeffus
    Rank 20
    Jeffus
    Rank 20
    August 3, 2023

    @MJCommando have you asked ovo if they will fit a three phase Smart meter?  They have started to do this for some setups in some regions

     

     

    M
    Rank 4
    MJCommandoAuthor
    Rank 4
    August 3, 2023

    Hi BPLightlog,  Thanks

    answer below

    Do you have a monitor for the solar? If so what does it show? Monitoring is sort of working, one of the CT clamps is playing up but i have what was produced.

    What do your before and after readings indicate?  before and after what? and on what equipment?

    The same as the July account presumably. Are you sure that you haven’t mistaken one of the readings? do you mean that ive taken the reading incorrectly? i look a picture of the reading.

    Picure below of my meter.  the CT clamps are for my SolarEdge Solar system but they are not working correctly yet (Whaich is a real shame!!)  Im working with SolarEdge to fix them and my stats.  Currently the APP is reporting i produced 784.96 kWh.

     

     thanks

     

    Mark

    M
    Rank 4
    MJCommandoAuthor
    Rank 4
    August 3, 2023

    @MJCommando have you asked ovo if they will fit a three phase Smart meter?  They have started to do this for some setups in some regions

     

     

    so many times that ive given up….

    M
    Rank 4
    MJCommandoAuthor
    Rank 4
    August 3, 2023

     

    Being 3 phase, it can depend how the inverter is set up for export. Whether it is exporting on one phase or balanced across phases.

    Should be balanced across the three phases; os this is what the installer is telling me.

    BPLightlog
    Super User
    BPLightlogSuper User
    Super User
    August 3, 2023

    …

    Im working with SolarEdge to fix them and my stats.  Currently the APP is reporting i produced 784.96 kWh.

     

    If you take the 785kwh from your July usage, what does the month look like?

    Bring me Sunshine ~ E&E {Solar PV, Battery Storage, Hybrid EV, ASHP and Home Assistant automation}
      Jeffus
      Rank 20
      Jeffus
      Rank 20
      August 3, 2023

      @MJCommando

      Might be useful to know what the import and export registers are showing on the meter

      You may already have this manual or something similar. 

      https://www.camax.co.uk/downloads/A1140-complete-manual.pdf

      The manual mentions different variants of the meter, some import only, so it might be worth some investigating what your version of the A1140 model is and what each of the registers is meant to do with export. 

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