New to this game, first question...

Hello all. I just got a solar array and battery installed last week. Its all up and running, and I had planned to let it run for a month or so to get my head round the data, and then see what I thought once I got set up on Agile etc (switchover from bulb in hand)

However a pressing question I have is potentially spurious exports readings. At the moment, my array is generating .5 of a kW give or take, my tumble dryer is on, and I am showing an export rate of 5kW. My battery is charged to 100%.

My question then is, would I be right in my assumption that this export may in fact be an import, and the fact that it is spurious showing as export means the battery doesn't know it should be discharging itself?

The house load is also showing 0. Something isn't just quite right here.

I have emailed my installer but whilst I wait, thought I'd get myself into the community.

Cheers

Euan

It does sound like the CT clamp is on the wrong way around. Installer should come back and fix it (Though I'd probably just swap it myself as its simple (and safe) enough)

anglefire I thought GE checked on this during commissioning? Maybe things have changed though.

That occurred to me as a fairly simple possibility. I will wait to hear back from the installer. What's confusing me is there have been occassion where house load has shown ans the battery has discharged as I would expect. Very odd.

In the meantime I might see if I can switch the clamp around as a wee trial

How far from the metering point are your inverter/batteries?

Our batteries are in the garage and the clamp is in the house by the consumer unit. All sorts of weird readings ensued until the installer returned and fitted a different meter which was happy with the length of signal cable to the inverter.

wilfleek
Very similar situation to yourself, however I have switched the ct clamp round, and so far (tested using kettle on/off etc) the readings all make much more sense and tie up with the direction of my old school meter etc.

Not quite ready for a victory lap il be keeping an eye but I think problem solved.

EuanOatway I have switched the ct clamp round, and so far (tested using kettle on/off etc) the readings all make much more sense and tie up with the direction of my old school meter etc.

Well done, @EuanOatway !
The community see this schoolboy error regularly; in my mind, it's very sad that so-called professionals make these mistakes - leaving the paying customer to pick up the pieces.
As @c_squared has said, I thought this error was trapped during commissioning...

Either way - enjoy your new toy! 😀

It's a worry that something that simple gets missed by the guy you just paid a not small sum of money to play with electricity in your house, and by the people that supply the kit while doing the commissioning really.

I had exactly this issue, but it was working fine until we got our smart meter fitted and it seems that guy put it back on the wrong way round.

I had so many installation issues that I pretty much had to go over the whole install myself following the manual step by step. Several dangerous errors too, including the inverter's neutral and earth connections being swapped around, thus compromising the earth in my house. Sadly nobody seems to be interested in following up and these people are allowed into other people's homes to create potential fire hazards with impunity. 🙁