Efergy Monitor - showing 153w when system is off

[Noddy67]

Hi All,

Testing an Efergy E2 Monitor as cost-effective monitoring solution for my clients. It's just a clamp meter converting the current to KW but with the beneift of tracking the findings on a PC.

it's not designed for the solar install market specificially so there tech department aren't responding to my question, but it does show 153w (consistently) when the system has shut off for the night.

if I turn the isolators off it drops to '0' but goes right back to 153 when the isolator is put back on so it is measuring some activivity somewhere. Induced current?but from where and why so consistent? Capacitence from the panels but again nothing so consistent (or large).

I've got Enecsys microinverters on roof and a EverSolar string inverter in the loft.

Any ideas?

thanks in advance

Noddy

 

[SolarCity]

I'd imagine it is the standby power of the inverters? It sounds like a lot, however, so I'm not sure.

 

[BruceB]

As it is measuring the current rather than power it will be displaying VA rather than Watts. Hopefully at night in that situation the volts are out of phase with the current so actual power used is minimal. That will be the case if the load the inverter is putting on the circuit at night is inductive or capacitive.
Regards
Bruce

 

[Noddy67]

thanks Bruce B - that makes sense but it does mean using the Efergy as a downloadable to PC device a bit crap - as it doesn't know which direction the flow is going it's going to over inflate the generation reading.

thanks/

 

[BruceB]

Agreed. The power direction point and VA vs W point are an issue for simple CT based devices. I recall some other threads here on the subject.

 

[Noddy67]

I find it difficult to search on here - I know I don't have an original thought or original questions but can never quite seem to find the right thread which will have covered it thoroughly before (it's also good to hear the inverter isn't using a kw overnight!). thanks again.

 

[Worcester]

@Noddy67

Try Here:
http://www.electriciansforums.net/p...0915-connecting-energy-monitors-solar-pv.html
and:
http://www.electriciansforums.net/p...ss-energy-monitors-conformation-required.html
and:
http://www.electriciansforums.net/p...7680-energy-meters.html?highlight=CurrentCost

Hope that helps - on one of those threads is a schematic I did which shows the problem.