Monitoring usage with aggregated meters

[BrianBurns]

Hello All,

I'm considering aggregating a couple of meters on my property To take advantage of a 40 panel system's output. A friend said that when he did that he was unable to monitor his usage as he had been before. Anybody know a work around?

Cheers,

Brian Burns

 

[ed1380]

Buy into the victron system

 

[curiouscarbon]

dear @BrianBurns, welcome to the forum. thank you for posting question.

could you share details about what you want to monitor?

if the price of victron is an obstacle, it’s possible to monitor current with arduino relatively easily. it requires a bit of crimping and a few steps on computer and a little programming.

350A capable shunt about usd 40
30A capable hall effect about usd 10

those are the prices i use internally for low range estimate

it’s even possible to wind a coil DIY to measure current, but that is getting a little overboard maybe. but copper wire is less costly maybe. anyways good luck

 

[BrianBurns]

Hello Curiouscarbon,

Unique "handle"!

I'm in the beginning stages of installing a large system---40 panels---here in Fort Bragg, CA on California's north coast. Yesterday I had a phone conversation with a good friend---one of the smartest and most energetic people I have ever met, and I'm 81. He had installed a system that originally fed only one utility company meter. He was able to monitor his usage accurately with that setup---presumably online.

Then he---Brian, the other one---decided to aggregate with a second utility company meter on his property, and the usage monitoring system no longer worked. After many phone calls to PG&E---the utility company---the answer was that they had no plans for fixing the problem.

I'm in a similar situation in that we plan to aggregate two meters, one at the house and one at the shop---I make classical guitars. Part of what will make this system pay it's way is to use any excess energy that we produce for heating, thereby reducing our propane usage. We're out in the sticks and have to use propane at somewhat over $4.00 a gallon, delivered. I'm figuring that we need an accurate way to keep track of our total electrical usage---and excess energy available---to make this work. Connecting the house and shop into one system is an expensive, but possible, alternative.

I can get further details on his system from "the other Brian", if they would be helpful.

Cheers,

Brian