Hello!
We recently bought a house that has a 3.5kw Goodwe inverter with solar.
I've set up an account in their SEMS Portal and I can see how much electricity is being generated from solar, but I can't see what my house's electricity draw from the grid is. The inverter should know how much is being drawn from the grid, right?
Anyone has any ideas? Without seeing grid draw I have no idea how much electricity the house is using at any stage.
Thanks
Thanks for explaining.
Far out, that energy meter is expensive!
the energy meters arent that expensive
eg the single phase version of that goodwe meter (GM1000) is only ~$200ex gst
e.g https://www.tradezone.com.au/catalog/product/view/id/82669/
3 phase version GM3000 about ~$300 ex gst
its the subsequent electrician cost for installation, comms wiring back to meter, and config that makes them more costly to add 'afterwards' (which is why they are normally taken up as an option at the time of solar install, but many 'ex cricketer tv commercial' brands are aimed at lowest cost, not necessarily 'best' solution)
I see you a overpriced meter, and raise you a CT clamp
https://www.tradezone.com.au/product/goodwe-90-amp-ct-clamps…
@Ozbar Gain: so with these I'm still going to view the draw via the SEMS app?
Its a fairly basic app.
What are u hoping to gain from knowing the import?
@brad1-8tsi: Well I'd like to integrate the grid draw and solar generation into Home Assistant and create scenes based on that, like turn pool pump on when excess power is being generated
@Ozbar Gain: Interesting.
My mind immediately goes "How long will it take the savings to pay back the outlay?"
Good project
@JimmyF: I actually don't think 200 bucks for a ct clamp and power meter is 'that' expensive.
You need something to translate the voltage or current loop from the clamp into current flow, do the maths on power and serve it up over a comms link in a standard protocol.
It's the $500+ the electrician will likely charge for their time that's the expensive bit:)
not unless its connected to a power meter that is measuring your energy usage at the meter.
Yeah nah not all work that way.
most inverter brands have matching power/energy meters which they communicate to, which are installed in your meter, and allow the inverters web interface to display both the generation power (at the inverter) and the resulting mix of self usage/export/import power draw (at the meter).
Some do, but these Goodwe units just need a cheap and simple CT clamp installed on the incoming mains to work out consumption.
but these Goodwe units just need a cheap and simple CT clamp installed on the incoming mains to work out consumption
That's a handy bonus then, assuming the distance to inverter isn't an impediment.
Few wiring diagrams I saw for goodwe still had the power meter but assume it depends on which generation/model of inverter
That's a handy bonus then, assuming the distance to inverter isn't an impediment.
CT clamps can be run a long way. I've got some that are on about 20m of cable. No issues at all :)
Few wiring diagrams I saw for goodwe still had the power meter but assume it depends on which generation/model of inverter
Clearly YMMV between units for sure but for the unit we have, they just plugged into the unit directly.
The inverter should know how much is being drawn from the grid, right?
Not without a CT clamp installed. In very simple terms, the solar inverter 'creates' power and tosses it into the house grid. What is used within the house is used, any excess flows 'out' into the grid for others to use as such.
Anyone has any ideas?
Call your installer, ask them for a price to install a CT clamp for consumption.
Can someone find the price of this one? I don’t have a login.
https://www.tradezone.com.au/product/sungrow-single-phase-en…
$175.00ex
not unless its connected to a power meter that is measuring your energy usage at the meter.
e.g. you need one of these for the inverter to have the full pic of its own generation, and your 'downstream' usage at the meter (in/out, per phase information)
https://en.goodwe.com/smart-energy-meter
most inverter brands have matching power/energy meters which they communicate to, which are installed in your meter, and allow the inverters web interface to display both the generation power (at the inverter) and the resulting mix of self usage/export/import power draw (at the meter).