Hi I’m a newbie here and am just in the process of setting up an emonPI. However my installer hasn’t made it too easy to connect up the current clamps. I can access the meter tails easily enough to get the global house export/import but my solar setup (which uses microinverters) has twin and earth right into the consumer unit - meaning I can’t access a single ‘live’ cable.
I guess I have a couple of options but am wondering which is the best. There’s an AC isolator for the PV near to my consumer unit - which has twin and earth and twin and earth out. I could replace the section between that and the consumer unit with single core cable. Less neat would be to try and carefully cut away the sheath on the twine and earth to directly access the live - though I guess there’s a fair chance I might end up cutting the insulation.
Thanks for the reply! Don’t worry I’m being careful too. Unfortunately the RCBO that the cable goes to is on the opposite side of the CU to the cable entry point - meaning there’s quite a chunk of cable inside with the outer protection on. (picture of outside attached - didn’t have time to take the cover off the CU).
I’ve got hold of some single core with outer protection and insulation - am increasingly thinking of swapping that final run of T&E with three pieces of that…
You’re putting one of these inside a consumer unit? That’s a clamp. On a busbar.
I don’t think much of the 'trician who left that piece of T&E twisted and unclipped/not in the trunking between the isolator and the consumer unit. That’s shoddy workmanship.
I’d strip back the T&E inside the consumer unit if there’s enough space for the c.t. in there.
If there isn’t room for the c.t, you could replace the T&E with single core cables - it must be sheathed - and remember if you don’t have it in brown and blue, and green/yellow, you must tape the ends for identification. And I’d drill the trunking and put the cable - old or new - inside, you don’t want it used as a coat-hook or something like that.
Great thanks for the suggestion. I’ll have a look to see if I can fit the clamp inside the consumer unit as the best option - if not I’ll go with different coloured sheathed single core (have found some online).
Afraid I’m the guilty party re. the T&E - pulled it out of the trunking at the weekend to have a look at my options and haven’t put it back properly.
If you are confident, and there is no slack cable inside the CU already and you cant strip any more back, then replace the T&E with a longer bit of T&E and just strip more inside the CU to connect the CT around.
