Current Cost Support Forum

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Seeker
"The Truth is out there!"

I went to try the PVOutput org site but they wanted my PV panel information and I don't have any PV panels. So this is not useful unless you have PV panels.

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Steve

Either fill in the minimum values, leave it blank or type "none". I only look at "consumption" data and PVOutput works very well. I was able to turn off a power hungry PC and just use the CC Envi and CC Bridge.

Im trying to do what jcmurphy has done.

I created a dummy PV system, and tried to setup autoupload acording to: http://getsatisfaction.com/pvoutput/top ... ce_pachube

But which Pachube API key should I enter ?
I did share and enable my device on the CC dashboard and I can see/access my Pachube feedID: 41858

Aaaahhh got the API key:
http://currentcost.posterous.com/api-keys-now-exposed

_________________
Seeker
"The Truth is out there!"

Dear All

This is my first post and I hope this thread will still be active. I have been searching for days for a solution to my monitoring issue and I think this thread my contain the answer but I can't quite get my head around it. I have a 3 phase array that feeds straight in to the distribution board, I have used SMA explorer and PVbean counter to upload automatically to PV output. I would also like to be able to monitor and upload our consumption data. I have been looking at Current Cost meter but couldn't work out how to identify the flow of the current and separate the generation from consumption but saw this post from Alan IOW:

"I am uploading live data from the EnviR for both generation and consumption. I have an Optismart LED reader on the Generation meter which gives nearly 100% accurate generation readings, even better than directly from the inverter. The consumption data is from a CT clamp which is around the Live cable going into the Consumer Unit and the Live from the inverter twisted round so it goes through the same CT clamp backwards. This odd arrangement cancels out the generation from the Net giving the actual house consumption. Both the Optismart and the CT clamp are on different Appliance Nos. on the EnviR. Then PVOutput.org provide a small program to get the data off the EnviR to a PC via USB cable, which uploads every 5 Mins to PVOutput.org. You do have to input a few bits into the program like the Appliance Nos. etc. but once set up it works perfectly and the site gives all sorts of comparison data as well as data such as Electricity Saved each day, which as far as I know is the only way this can be done with Solar PV."

As I understand it the clamp meter will only measure the total current, it can't differentiate between current in from the grid and current out from generation, I am not sure how one can cancel out the other using a clamp meter...???? My understanding is that if the array is producing 1kW and we are exporting 1kW the total is the arrangement detailed above is 2kW from the clamp meter. Conversely if the array is producing 1kW and we are importing 1kW is the total still 2kW?

I am sorry if I haven't read the post correctly but I was hoping someone might be able to explain to me how this will work. BTW I am assuming that this should work just as well for 3phase simply by following the same procedure on L1, L2 & L3???

Any help much appreciated, TIA Regards Ben.