: Re: Grid-Tie Stumper (for me) [RE-wrenches]

[Bill Brooks]

Jeff, Chris, and Mo,

These pulse meters as they are called are not used very often in residential
applications in California so I am skeptical that this is the problem.

The first grid-tied system I did over 12 years ago had a pulse meter, and
the utility came out immediately and started asking questions. The pulses
were way above normal and the register on dial face was way off from the
pulse counter. The counter would in fact get to the registration point and
go back and forth and add pulses out the wazoo.

The strange thing about Mo's situation is that the PV system was turned off
and the bill went way up. That could happen with a pulse meter, but it is
more likely that the home is using way more power than previously.

First check the ground wires for current, then check for new loads. Sounds
like these folks have changed their consumption and don't realize it. This
is a very common problem with PV installations. It is always a key part of
the education for an off-grid customer, but is often overlooked for on-grid
customers--but just as important.

Without a meter measuring the PV output--you are totally sunk. All electric
bill problems suddenly become the fault of the PV system--happens all the
time.

Bill.


-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Clearwater [mailto:clrwater at earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2003 2:31 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: Grid-Tie Stumper (for me) [RE-wrenches]


Exactly.

and it was Chris F. not Bill that noted the following:  My
observations and his post is what is leading me to conclude this -
anybody else who can confirm this info?

At 2:51 AM +0000 4/15/03, Christopher Freitas  -  OutBack Power wrote:
>Some of the electronic KWH meters only count when a hole in the rotating
>disk passes by a sensor - it does not know (or care about)the direction
>the power is flowing.  There also are some add on data logging systems
>for KWH meters which use this method as well.
>
>I also have wondered what this type of meters would do if it happened to
>stop in just the right position and a pair of SW inverter/charger are
>doing their "jitter bug" routine when they are trying to float the
>battery but not sell back current. Could be interesting...



>Hi Jeff,
>
>So you are saying that the numbers might be different from what the
>mechanical part of the meter says from what the electronic part says?
>
>ie, that the the mechanical might read correctly ( count down) but the
>electronic would only count up?

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Village Power Design Associates
Sustainable Energy & Water Solutions for Home & Village

Office:  (413) 256-6777,  Cell: (720)480-8455
Fax:  (413) 825-0372
61 Baker Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072;
PO Box 764
Boonville, CA  95415
(707) 895-9015
Fax: (707) 897-0224

Council Member - Ecovillage Network of the Americas -
http://www.ecovillage.org
Advisory Board - Living Routes - Ecovillage Education -
http://www.livingroutes.org
Founder:  Ecovillage Research, Development, and Demonstration Program:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~clrwater/RDD/rdd.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com

==^================================================================
This email was sent to: michael_welch at sbcglobal.net

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html
==^================================================================