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What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Domestic Solar Arrays That Isn't Dependent On the Inverter?

Which systems allow monitoring via the web?

Do these systems have annual costs or just "one off" meter installation costs?

What systems are people installing to do this?
 
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Smart meter technology with built-in GSM modems and SIM cards. Data collation/access/display is managed by a 3rd party provider. Installers have an overiew of all meters installed, end-customer can only access their own unit's generation. One-off meter costs for single-phase or poly-phase units, then a monthly data charge from the online service provider per meter depending on how frequently the end-user wants their data uploaded. Full half-hourly data upload is an available option.

Hope this helps, by all means PM me for product details and pricing etc
 
Re:What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

Orsis Smart Meter GSM Monitoring Solutions:

Orsis GSM Monitoring Solution Works With Simple Electricity Meters like the Elster AC100.

Elster Metering - A100C / A102C - compact secure metering Monitoring

- Benefit: Independent of Inverter, Should solar system fail.
- Installation costs, plus annual or monthly fee for GSM service.
- Uploads to propriatory monitoring site, not PVoutput.org.
 
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Re: What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

Err why have you started this thread Vegelan then answered it with 3 of your own helpful posts?

Weird?

I think so. LOL
 
Re: What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

Err why have you started this thread Vegelan then answered it with 3 of your own helpful posts?

Weird?

I think so. LOL
I asked a question, no one replied, so I found the information and then posted details on the forum to help others. Hopefully less banal people will follow along than yourself, to help educate and enhance the forum than go around insulting people.
 
Re: What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

I asked a question, no one replied, so I found the information and then posted details on the forum to help others. Hopefully less banal people will follow along than yourself, to help educate and enhance the forum than go around insulting people.

Sorry if i offended you Veg. That wasnt my intention,

I just found it strange that someone would answer their own question.

Most people would of investigated first before posting a question on here but each to their own.


However,

Thanks for taking the time to find out this information Veg i am sure it will be very helpful.
 
Re: What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

Most people would of investigated first before posting a question on here but each to their own.

That could be said for pretty much any question. With the Internet, most questions could be answered with searches. However, that would make this forum a pretty dull place!
 
Re: What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

That could be said for pretty much any question. With the Internet, most questions could be answered with searches. However, that would make this forum a pretty dull place!

Dull? Here? Are you mad? NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
 
Re: What Technology Is Currently Available To Monitor Solar PV Arrays?

I currently install remote monitoring from Homes . Really great technical info and has alerts for panels underperforming. There is an annual subscription of around £40 though
 
Apart from the £40 per annum subscription, how much is the monitor and how does it interface with the installation? Optical reader on the generation meter?
 
Pachube may be something of interest to those prepared to dabble a bit.. something many others have done successfully. Pulse counting from the export meter with an Arduino and upload through broadband router direct to hosted site. Not really a commercial site but looks effective.
 
Apart from the £40 per annum subscription, how much is the monitor and how does it interface with the installation? Optical reader on the generation meter?

A generation meter is installed along with a internet hub which is required to be hard-wired via ethernet cable to the customers existing internet router.

The generation meter then talks to the hub every minute via "zigbee" wireless technology. This information is then recorded live as it happens to the portal website of passiv system which the customer can view anytime by logging on. The benefit to the installer is that they can monitor also and be first to highlight when system is underperforming ( pick up the maintenance in years to come ) .

There is also a handheld display which can be added for the customer to have a visual display as to what the renewable source is producing at anytime .

Coming soon is the ability to add an export meter and the handheld display will allow the customer to know what is going to the grid and what is being used
 
Yes this would replace current generation meter. EG replacing an Elster A100C which is common to many PV installers .

Meter cost approx = £90
Hub cost approx = £130
Handheld display ( not required but nice extra ) = £105

Depending on distance between items you may need a signal booster £35
 
Also , the cost to customer can be between 750 and 1250 . decent return

Unfortunately that rules out the domestic market unless I am missing what the benefits to the customer are in comparison to price as that would knock down the return for the customer by quite a large margin (especially at the 21p rate) how would you pitch this to the customer? (not being pessimistic but from experience if you offer an extra bit of gear that reduces the customer's return on investment then it needs to clearly have some very good benefits to them otherwise they won't purchase it).
 
Thanks Vegelen - the info on this thread is exactly what I was looking for, as my installer promised me a Geo monitor but never delivered.
I'm going to go with the EnviR system - just for the PV output, as it looks accurate and relatively cheap.
I'm assuming it will work on my generation meter LED (DMM), despite the Current Cost website saying they are not designed for microgeneration?
 

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