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.
+1- Plan Zero Hero
- 7867 replies
Hi
Please post photos of everything, such as your main electric meter, the fuseboard/consumer unit, the generation/exports meters, your solar panel setup and any wiring.
As many photos as possible will help us figure this out.
Thanks!
Thank-youso much. I'm out at the moment. I'll take the photos tomorrow morning in daylight.
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+5- Plan Zero Hero
- 2731 replies
We have seen a similar situation previously
Every 24 hours, enough sunlight touches the Earth to provide the energy for the entire planet for 24 years
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+1- Plan Zero Hero
- 7867 replies
Use the photo button on the right side of the toolbar.
If you keep failing, feel free to send them to forum@ovoenergy.com and a Forum Moderator can help you out.
Can I ask someone to come out and check my system? It's a grey foggy morning and the charge in my battery is going up… Whilst I am using energy for various appliances. I certainly don't understand what's going on.
+1- Plan Zero Hero
- 7867 replies
Not from OVO - your Solar PV setup is out-of-scope for what an energy supplier can assist with.
Bear with us, we’re still thinking about this one!
+5- Plan Zero Hero
- 2731 replies
That last picture is your solar meter
The system looks normal - generally - although someone should check which way the arrow is pointing on the white ct (clamp around cable) as that will affect the operation.
Can I ask where you see the additional usage? On your account? On the electric meter or on the solar meter?
Every 24 hours, enough sunlight touches the Earth to provide the energy for the entire planet for 24 years
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The massive increase in usage is shown on Scottish Power's meter. It coincided with the fitting of the solar panels in early August.
They did question the correctness of their reading from the Smart Meter during that period and then proceeded to take most of my credit with them of almost £400 for usage in August and September. I was away for half of September. During that same period my solar panels generated just over 600KW which I must also have used as I understand that usage should come from the solar panels first only going to the grid when I need more than that generated by the solar panels.
This tells me I have used the 825KW registered by Scottish Power's meter during that period and, if everything is working correctly, the 601KW generated by my solar panel during the same period. This is ridiculous during warm months and with me being on holiday for half of September.
I want to have 5 more solar panels fitted but, honestly, i think that will put my enery usage up even further.
Who can help me?
+5- Plan Zero Hero
- 2731 replies
Sand1R0se wrote:
The massive increase in usage is shown on Scottish Power's meter. It coincided with the fitting of the solar panels in early August.
…
This tells me I have used the 825KW registered by Scottish Power's meter ..,
I want to have 5 more solar panels fitted but, honestly, i think that will put my enery usage up even further.
Who can help me?
You should get your installer to check the whole system, explaining the huge rise in your consumption from your meter
Every 24 hours, enough sunlight touches the Earth to provide the energy for the entire planet for 24 years
1 person likes this
I have tried to do that. The solar panels were fitted under an ECOFlex grant but I paid for the inverter and battery. City Energy were the company responsible for the work. The actual installer they used said he'd been fitting solar systems for years and blamed Scottish Power. Scottish Power tell me everything is fine with their meter but refuse to come out and inspect. In the meantime I have cancelled my direct debit with Scottish Power as I can't afford to pay what they are now asking for per month - they have increased this x4.
Honestly? The way things are, accepting the ECOFlex grant was foolish and I will have to have the solar system removed if this is the result. I believe they see me as an old lady living on her own and don't take me seriously. I can't find anyone to thoroughly check the system. I will shortly be off the grid I imagine as otherwise I will owe them a fortune.
Thank you for listening.
Hey
This sounds very stressful indeed, I'm sorry to hear.
If you’ve already tried the installer, as advised by BPLightlog, I’d advise maybe trying Citizens Advice?
I wouldn’t recommend cancelling the direct debit, if the increase is unaffordable maybe see if Scottish Power can keep the direct debit from being increased until this is resolved.
Renewable Energy? Big Fan.
1 person likes this
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.
1 person likes this
+1- Plan Zero Hero
- 7867 replies
Generally, if a Smart Meter isn’t set to track legitimate exports, it will instead consider them as possible Reverse Run Tampering and track them as such - it will NOT add that usage to the Import Register by default just in case there’s a legitimate reason behind it.
The meter manuals I’ve seen also suggest that in all cases, energy detected via Reverse Run detection is always tracked separately from everything else.
Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!
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Thanks for the instructions. I have just followed them to TOU Registers. My meter does not show Cum Exp at all. What it says is:
Imp. RI
22280.0 kwh
I have followed the above instructions and under TOU Registers can only see
Imp RI
22280.0 Kwh
There is no Cum. Exp.
Want to comment on what happened when I followed the above instructions to access TOU Registers on my meter but this message not being sent.
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