Hi I am new to open energy monitor, I have a new solar install but no where to attach ct clamps for the array. I do however have a meter which has a pulse output. Is it possible to configure the system to use ct clamp on the meter tail but pulse count the solar meter? Or should I pull out a positive lead from the solar feed to use CT? This would require me to get in an electrician?
Any advice would be appreciated
This would depend on (a) the law where you live and (b) how competent you are regarding electricity. You haven’t said which country even you live in, but looking at your IP address, you can’t be many miles from me. You don’t by law need to get an electrician in, but if you’re not sure what you’re handling, then for your safety you should.
One small point: You wrote
“positive” infers the d.c. side. No transformer works on d.c., so you must not attach a c.t. on the d.c. side, between the panels and the inverter. It must go on the inverter output where it is a.c., preferably (but not necessarily) on the Line (brown) conductor.
You can use the pulse sensor on your generation meter. Obviously it will record a unit of generation only after the event, and it records energy rather than power (meaning that the two quantities you’re interested in are in different units, so a conversion is needed before they can be compared), but other than that, it should give you meaningful results. The emonCMS experts will give you the detailed steps needed.
Hi yes I meant the live brown, there is no access to any of the wires in my install in the meter cupboard. So I would need to gain access somehow.
I presume then that the infeed from the inverter goes into your consumer unit, and it’s in a 3-core cable. (Naturally, putting the c.t. on the whole cable won’t work.)
Some users have opened up the consumer unit and put a c.t. in there, but space is likely to be very limited.
The other practical alternative is to take the P.V. infeed into a small plastic box - inside you split the cable to reveal the cores, and put the c.t. on the line conductor in there. When the lid is on, the exposed cores are physically protected from any possible damage, so everything is safe. Once again though, unless you feel competent to isolate everything, disconnect, do the job and put everything back properly, it’s a job for an electrician.
This is what I am planning to do, don’t feel I should mess with the consumer unit as I don’t feel comfortable touching that. Anything else I can do I will take a look at the isolator which could offer enough room too.