Hi all,
I've been happily using the Flukso2A for quite a while now but since my solar panels were installed it became rather useless I'm afraid.
I've read that the Flukso can't measure current direction so when my solar panels start generating power the readings are all over the place.
My situation:
Main circuit board located in the front of the house: clamp is connected to the live wire coming straight from the public meter to the first diff as instructed in the manual. Worked like a charm as long as the energy was flowing from the grid to my house.
Second circuit board located in the garage: Connected to the main board through a lead of sufficient thickness (I think 6 or 10). It is actually connected on the same input as where the live wires from the grid are coming in to the first breaker. The PV is installed on the board in the garage.
The issue however is in fact that I have network connectivity in the garage but no way to get a cable to the garage for a separate lead into the flukso.
Further more the wire coming from the garage can be bidirectional as well consuming power or delivering power.
Are there any solutions to get this working?
I'm thinking in 2 directions. First of all solving the power consumption reading bit. Any pointers on how I can relocate the clamp to make sure I can get a good reading completely separate from the solar production?
Adding a second flukso in combination with a din rail pulse energy meter in my garage circuit box to measure the solar production to get the reading in flukso as well...
Any pointers are highly appreciated.
Firstly as you pointed out your meter readings are wrong since you have connected the clamp to the main feed in to your house - it both supplies power to the house and exports excess solar back to the grid.
You need to connect the clamp on the opposite side of where you say "It is actually connected on the same input as where the live wires from the grid are coming in to the first breaker. "
If you think of where the three wires connect in the Breaker as a Y ... the \ and / wires will be the feed from the solar in the garage plus the feed from the street - they will be joined on one side of the breaker ... you will have your clamp around one of these currently which is the feed from the street. The other side of the breaker (The | in the Y) is the main feed that will be supplying power to all your other circuits and THIS is where you need to connect your clamp. That way it will always only ever measure power CONSUMED regardless of if solar is being exported or not.
If you have a second clamp, put it around the lead from your garage on the \ / side of the breaker as this is GENERATED power (except it seems you are also drawing CONSUMPTION from that line for equipment in your garage?) .. the only way to measure Generation in your case will be if you can either put a clamp around the solar feed in your garage switchboard, or by installing a pulse counting meter on your solar feed in your garage then running a cat5 cable back to the flukso ..
To illustrate VK2HIM's description, see https://energyhacks.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/wire-to-measure/
Not so complex, I have a setup with signals from smart meter so electricity what is not used and as a bonus also usage.
The solar panels generation I also measure with a pulse Kwhmeter connected to the flukso box. Because solar panels have a seperate switch there is no power usage on that feed.
Thanks for the comments everyone!
Really appreciated.
I didn't have time to look into this this weekend so plan to do it next weekend.
The only thing I'm still struggling with is the fact that the main feed of the garage is connected to the same breaker.
So if I connect it on the upper feed it will indeed measure all consumption from the breaker onwards but will leave out all the consumption drawn from the garage feed no?
View from the bottom:
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AlTDy9uEDI8FhfZYRxI3Trq_vEpP_w
Notice on the left the 2*brown + 2*blue. (1 brown / blue coming from counter + 1 brown / blue coming from garage)
View from the top:
https://1drv.ms/i/s!AlTDy9uEDI8FhfZWW1VxvwnqKIkWWA
Any feedback appreciated.
It would be best and safest for you to call an electrician, show him the diagram in Marcus link above, and ask him to connect your clamps to match the diagram. Not to be disrespectful to you, however you shouldn't be playing with main switchboards as you can get electrocuted or cause a fire, nether of which will be covered by your house insurance. Frankly, if you can't work out where to connect the clamps following the diagram, it means you lack the required electrical skills and you could easily end up dead. I note in the top photo you can already see exposed live bare wires - don't risk it, pay a few $$ and get a professional.
I'm not sure but if you live in Limburg, Belgium there is Bram who knows everything about installing a Flukso. It's years ago but he fixed mine. Here is a link: https://www.flukso.net/content/electric-newbie-where-connect-pv-wires-co...
And VH2HIM is right, I got some nasty shocks when fiddling around. Switch of the main breaker, isolate yourself from ground, use only one hand but better leave it to a qualified technician. If everything else fails, call Chuck Norris.