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bcs009
Rank 2
September 18, 2022
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Why is the same amount of energy drawn from the grid with my solar turned on or off? Could my SMETS1 meter or PV wiring be faulty?

  • September 18, 2022
  • 16 replies
  • 491 views

I have a very specific issue and I’ve been reading forums looking for a solution for weeks now. Please someone help me where to even start.?

 

Same amount of power drawn from grid with Solar turned on or turned off. BUT if the usage is less in the house than the generated energy by my panels, drawing from the grid stops and it is actually exporting back to the grid. I have a smets1 meter.

 

I did a test the other day. Turned off everything in the house except one appliance which draws 1 KWh. It was sunny so my panels were generating constant 0.5 KWh. I have a Netthings energy monitor hooked up to the Consumer Unit. This showed me that I am actually using 0.5 KWh which is correct as half of my energy was satisfied by my solars and half drawn from the grid. BUT after one hour the smets1 meter outside went up by 1 KW meaning that it completely ignored the solars.

 

I did another test. Same thing, only one appliance using constant 1KWh. Solars turned off. Got the same results - 1 KW up on the smets1 meter after one hour.

 

In another test I did turn off everything in the house except solar. It was generating constant roughly 0.5 KWh. In this case the smets1 stopped drawing and import number stayed where it was before. I did check the export and it went up by around 0.5KW after an hour.

 

 

So clearly what the smets1 meter is doing:

 

If the solar generation is higher than the usage in the house. Import from the grid stops, and export starts so it is aware in which direction current flows.

 

If the solar generation is less than the usage in the house, the smets1 completely ignores my generated energy and takes everything from the grid. What is strange is that my Netthings energy monitor which again connected to the Consumer Unit is aware of the solar and shows me the correct KWh usage and offsetting the number by the generated solar energy.

 

Is this a wiring issue or smart meter issue?

Best answer by M.isterW

It all looks okay. I can't see anything obviously wrong.

 

The black box attached to the cable above the main switch is the CT clamp for your energy monitor. This seems to be in the right place although I can't see if it's the right way round. The placement means it should show electricity flowing to and from the grid.

 

If the problem was high voltage (and 244v is within the allowable range) I would expect your inverter to shut off and/or show an error.

 

Can you move the CT clamp? Could you put it on the meter tail so you're measuring exactly what's going through the meter?

 

 

Thank you all!

The CT Clamp was loose hence my energy monitor was recording less energy.

The daily difference in KW between my energy monitor and the meter was roughly the same as my solars were generating in a day.

Thats why I was so confused. I did tighten the clamp with a zip tie (the bit where you can clip the clamp together was worn out, its visible on the pics if you look closer) and its all good.

Smart monitor and meter matching almost exactly now.

Thanks again!

16 replies

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bcs009Author
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September 21, 2022

Anyone here could refer a company/person who could come on-site and check the wiring?

I did try but the original installer company just ignores me at this point…

I am based in Fleet, Hampshire.

 

I’ve read a couple of posts with the same sort of issue and at the end it always comes down to wrong wiring.

 

We moved in 5 years ago. New built. Now that the energy prices are sky high I started to look what my solar is doing and I am very disappointed to realise that I have not benefited from them at all since we moved in.

Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
September 22, 2022

Hey @M.isterW,

 

Sorry to hear you’ve had no luck with the original installer.

 

Are you able to help with this one? @Transparent do you have any suggestions?

 

Anyone here could refer a company/person who could come on-site and check the wiring?

I did try but the original installer company just ignores me at this point…

I am based in Fleet, Hampshire.

 

I’ve read a couple of posts with the same sort of issue and at the end it always comes down to wrong wiring.

 

You could try this site to find a registered electrician. 

 

Keep us posted with how you get on!

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
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Rank 2
bcs009Author
Rank 2
September 24, 2022

I did take the front off the panels so here is the full wiring.

I did test the voltage is kinda high, can it be that the voltage from the grid is higher than the voltage of the pv inverter hence it does not get used.? I have a growatt 1000s mini so it is a very small and old model.

Could this be sorted with a voltage optimiser or new inverter.? I am pretty sure at this point that the meter and wiring is fine and this is the real issue here.?

 

 

Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
Emmanuelle_OVO
Retired Moderator
September 26, 2022

Hey @bcs009,

 

Thanks for posting those photos.

 

Could you post a picture of your consumer unit(s) and the cabling around them?

 

@M.isterW Do these help? Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this one!

Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
M.isterW
Rank 6
M.isterWSolved
Rank 6
September 26, 2022

It all looks okay. I can't see anything obviously wrong.

 

The black box attached to the cable above the main switch is the CT clamp for your energy monitor. This seems to be in the right place although I can't see if it's the right way round. The placement means it should show electricity flowing to and from the grid.

 

If the problem was high voltage (and 244v is within the allowable range) I would expect your inverter to shut off and/or show an error.

 

Can you move the CT clamp? Could you put it on the meter tail so you're measuring exactly what's going through the meter?

 

 

Thank you all!

The CT Clamp was loose hence my energy monitor was recording less energy.

The daily difference in KW between my energy monitor and the meter was roughly the same as my solars were generating in a day.

Thats why I was so confused. I did tighten the clamp with a zip tie (the bit where you can clip the clamp together was worn out, its visible on the pics if you look closer) and its all good.

Smart monitor and meter matching almost exactly now.

Thanks again!

1992 4 bed detached house. Solar PV + battery, Zappi EV charger, Mitsubishi Ecodan ASHP and i-life2 fan assisted radiators.... No gas 😊
    B
    Rank 2
    bcs009Author
    Rank 2
    September 26, 2022

    Thank you all!

    The CT Clamp was loose hence my energy monitor was recording less energy.

    The daily difference in KW between my energy monitor and the meter was roughly the same as my solars were generating in a day.

    Thats why I was so confused. I did tighten the clamp with a zip tie (the bit where you can clip the clamp together was worn out, its visible on the pics if you look closer) and its all good.

    Smart monitor and meter matching almost exactly now.

    Thanks again!

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