WARNING re Electric Meters & Free Solar Panels & could apply to bought systems

[furndire]

I have posted this on MSE & just copied from there but the more I think about it, the more I think others - especially the "free panellers" need to be aware of what could happen as this can cost them money by adding on KWs instead of taking them off. If you want to read more, this is the MSE link http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3191844

 

Check that your meter is capable of distinguishing between imported & exported electric. Ours isn't, and its taken me 9 months to work it out!!!! Its a digital meter, so you don't see anything moving, only clocking up in full KW.

Its only now that because the sun is really bright, that we have been able to check it out. I could not understand why my electric bills have not really gone down a lot.

 

So when the sun was blazing - showing 3000 on monitor, we turned everything, bar the invertor off. The mains electric meter was still going up, and quickly clocking up 1 KW approximately every 10/20 mins - we then started putting stuff on - the more we switched on, the slower the electric meter clocked on the KW's.

It was difficult to tell this has been happening, as I reckon we use roughly 1/2 KW background electric every hour - and this was normal, even though we have all A rated appliances. I've rung the electric company several times, as I thought that even this was high, and they've always fobbed me off saying thats about right. The only way I could do anything was if they came and checked the meter, but this was going to cost me - originally they said about £80.

After seeing for myself the other day and realising what is happening, I have now told them to come and check the meter - price has now dropped to £31.80p

 

My point is if your meter isn't compatable, you will not notice when the weather is dull, and the only way to find out easily is when the sun is blazing. The people who fitted your panels will be getting the FiTs payments, and you will have no way of monitoring what is happening.

It could be costing you money on your electric bills. Maybe just trickling away a KW a day, but it adds up.

 

I am now starting to wonder if that is one of the reasons expectations for very low savings on electric bills, I am probably wrong, but it has certainly made me think.

 

By my reckoning I should not have been paying for any electric this last few days during the day - we still are - hopefully not for much longer, and then comes the battle to apportion blame.

 

To stop the mains electric meter rising so rapidly, (we've been producing between 18- 24 watts per day) we have had to go totally against everything to lower consumption, and even had a fan heater running - just so we wouldn't be getting charged for electricity we are producing.

I feel very stupid that I have not realised what was happening sooner - so be warned, it could be happening to you.

It is something that I would have expected the installers to check as part of my paying for the system to be fitted - ???.

But the people who are fitting "free" panels won't be bothered, as it doesn't matter to them whether its compatable or not they are getting their FiTs money.

 

If you are one of the people who have also been affected, would you please let me know what meter you have?

 

To sum up every w of electric I produce, but don't use is being ADDED to my electric bill & it could be happening to you too.

 

 

Edited May 6, 2011 by furndire

[dx100uk]

what?

 

i work in electronics and i didn't understand a word of that!

 

dx

[furndire]

Do you have solar panels -

Sorry if you can't understand what I have written - its is extremely difficult to put into words what has happened - others have eventually understood though.

Edited May 6, 2011 by furndire

[dx100uk]

i look after some installation yes

 

now reading your thread on mse its becoming slightly clearer

 

so my onse are lucky that they are old wheel ones that go backwards!

and two have meters that showwhat we are generating.

 

still trying to understand exactly what you are getting at though.

i think i understand you dont think you are getting credited with what you are generating?

and /or it being 'charged' to yourdomestic meter too, giving false used figures?

dx

[furndire]

When I switch everything off during this bright weather, my meter is adding on KWs, and this is what I am getting charged for when the meter is read. It is classing my export electricity as me actually importing it. Have a look at post #52, which is what my meter reading are for 1st May only.

 

Also post #82

 

From 26 April to yesterday, I have used according to my meter

17, 22, 19, 16, 22, 25, 23, 21, 23, 17 ..KW... this is what my mains meter has gone up by daily

 

and produced from solar panels - showing on generation meter so I guess its classed as false readings.

13, 24, 17, 17, 25, 27, 23, 20, 24, 16

 

The sunnier it gets, the quicker my mains meter goes up as well!!!

 

so consequently if I don't use the electric the panels are producing it is adding to my mains meter.

Edited May 6, 2011 by furndire

[UKGandalf]

From what I understand, the problem is that the meter is measuring the number of units passing through the meter regardless of whether the units are being used or being generated.

 

So when the solar panels are generating nothing the meter accurately reflects your usage, but when the panels are generating more than you use the meter continues to go up despite you effectively "using" a negative amount of energy.

 

Eg

Panel Output 0KWh, Usage 4KWh; Actual Usage +4KWh, Meter shows +4KWh usage

Panel Output 6KWh, Usage 4KWh; Actual Usage -2KWh, Meter shows +2KWh usage

 

Please correct me if I am wrong!

[dx100uk]

thread is 2yrs old..........

 

 

dx

[furndire]

That is exactly what was happening. The problem was eventually sorted out The electric company said that my meter must have been faulty all the time, and I got several years worth of electric back, in fact all the time we had been with them, which we had luckily? been with them for about 4 years. Made me wonder how many others are paying over the odds for electric because their meters are not properly calibrated. Apparently they allow a 10% margin either too little or too much, which is ok if you are on the low side, but if you are on the high side, you could be paying 20% more than your neighbour. Thought provoking methinks!

 

As an extra to this thread, we have had the panels in for over 4 years now..we are on the highest tariff, and although I can't tell much difference in my electric bills, we do get around £1400 per year FiT payments which pays our electric and most of the gas bill for the year. All in all it was a pretty good investment of the small pension fund that I had, and certainly much much more than any Insurace company would have paid me lol,