About to install LG300A1C-B3 300W AC microinverters, got some Q's

[Bikerscum]

I have a PG&E smartmeter, but checking online showed it not to be able to be registered with the HAN program. I emailed them as to why & got this response...

Congratulations! You are eligible to participate in Home and Business Area Networking; however, your meter’s HAN feature not working properly, a meter change is required. A meter change has been scheduled and no further action is required on your part.

Once your meter is changed, you will be notified via email when your new meter has been installed and a link to register your HAN device will be provided. Please note this may take up to 20 business days.

View a list of validated HAN devices here: http://tinyurl.com/pgehandevices.

If you already have a HAN device:

Please register your device by filling out the online registration request form here:

http://tinyurl.com/pgehanregister

Thanks,

The PG&E HAN Team


If you have further concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact us, either by replying to this message directly or by contacting us at 1-877-743-4357, Monday through Friday 8:00am to 7:00pm. We are happy to address your concerns.

Thank you,

Home and Business Area Network (HAN)
Pacific Gas & Electric Company

http://www.pge.com/han

I do have to say PG&E is very responsive, and positive to solar in my dealings with them.

[sensij]

Got reply from SolarEdge. Currently they don't support pairing with smart meter via Zigbee but it's in the works without ETA.

SDG&E however supports the "Green Button" initiative which is an US government sponsored standard. http://www.sdge.com/using-green-button-connect-my-data that allows 3rd party applications to retrieve your consumption data. Unfortunately PVoutput doesn't support it yet.

More discussion on the rainforest products is available in a number of other threads. Thanks to wwu123 for all the setup info.

[thejq]

Got reply from SolarEdge. Currently they don't support pairing with smart meter via Zigbee but it's in the works without ETA.

SDG&E however supports the "Green Button" initiative which is an US government sponsored standard. http://www.sdge.com/using-green-button-connect-my-data that allows 3rd party applications to retrieve your consumption data. Unfortunately PVoutput doesn't support it yet.

[thejq]

ok, I did some more digging and I see your point. The "Rainforest" device is paired with the smart meter and collects the consumption data which can be viewed locally or uploaded to the cloud (wattvision). PVoutput collects the data from wattvision.

SolarEdge has some ways to connect to a meter by wire (http://www.solaredge.us/articles/se-...e_grade_meters) via the serial interface and collect consumption data. Since I already have Zigbee installed, I was hoping I can pair the smart meter with the SolarEdge inteverter which will collect the data and upload to SE cloud. PVoutput actually has an interface to read the consumption data from SE's cloud service. The missing link for me is how to pair SE inverter with SDG&E smart meter and collect the data. Just emailed SE tech support and waiting for reply.

[sensij]

SE ZigBee is just to get the connecitivty to publish production. SE has a consumption solution in the works. I called support on it. Not released and not as cheap I have to imagine!

If SolarEdge were to build into their Zigbee gateway the ability to communicate directly with the meter, that would be very cool. I would not guess that these things are standardized globally well enough to expect that, but we can dream. The more traditional solution would require some wiring in the load center to get the voltage and current of all the supply lines, which isn't an approach I would be excited about implementing.

[AaronG]

Yeah, I'm SDG&E, like AaronG is, and now that I look, they even have a webpage within their site that advertises these.

Sdge apparently sends the orders to rainforest in Canada. So its quicker to go to amazon. Otherwise the same....

[AaronG]

Ok, I already have the SolarEdge Zigbee gateway, so I don't need to this "Rainforest" device right?

Just added myself to the SD team on PVoutput http://pvoutput.org/outputs.jsp?df=20141212&tid=859, and saw you're there too, AaronG.

SE ZigBee is just to get the connecitivty to publish production. SE has a consumption solution in the works. I called support on it. Not released and not as cheap I have to imagine!

[sensij]

Ok, I already have the SolarEdge Zigbee gateway, so I don't need to this "Rainforest" device right?

Just added myself to the SD team on PVoutput http://pvoutput.org/outputs.jsp?df=20141212&tid=859, and saw you're there too, AaronG.

As I understand it, the Rainforest adds consumption, the Solaredge device will only report generation.

[thejq]

Ok, I already have the SolarEdge Zigbee gateway, so I don't need to this "Rainforest" device right?

Just added myself to the SD team on PVoutput http://pvoutput.org/outputs.jsp?df=20141212&tid=859, and saw you're there too, AaronG.

[SunEagle]

Yeah, I'm SDG&E, like AaronG is, and now that I look, they even have a webpage within their site that advertises these.

Then Merry Christmas to ya.

[sensij]

I would first talk to your POCO to see if they will authorize communication from their Meter to your data collection device.

I tried to get that here in Fl since my smart meter had ZigBee communication but my POCO was not receptive to the idea.

Yeah, I'm SDG&E, like AaronG is, and now that I look, they even have a webpage within their site that advertises these.

[SunEagle]

Great tip, thanks! Nice that Christmas is coming

I would first talk to your POCO to see if they will authorize communication from their Meter to your data collection device.

I tried to get that here in Fl since my smart meter had ZigBee communication but my POCO was not receptive to the idea.

[sensij]

For San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) they support multiple HAN devices that connect to get consumption information directly from your meter. The one that I am using is the "Rainforest Automation" "EAGLE" model $99 on Amazon. Make sure to get the "Wattvision" one.

This one which supports Wattvision

http://www.amazon.com/Rainforest-EAGLE-Ethernet-ZigBee-Gateway/dp/B00AII248U

NOT this one! which uses Bidgley

http://www.amazon.com/EAGLE-ZigBee-Gateway-with-Bidgely/dp/B00EIW0TXE/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1418408415&sr=1-2&keywords=rainforest+automation+eagle&pebp=1418408418168

Great tip, thanks! Nice that Christmas is coming

[AaronG]

For San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) they support multiple HAN devices that connect to get consumption information directly from your meter. The one that I am using is the "Rainforest Automation" "EAGLE" model $99 on Amazon. Make sure to get the "Wattvision" one.

This one which supports Wattvision

http://www.amazon.com/Rainforest-EAGLE-Ethernet-ZigBee-Gateway/dp/B00AII248U

NOT this one! which uses Bidgley

http://www.amazon.com/EAGLE-ZigBee-Gateway-with-Bidgely/dp/B00EIW0TXE/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1418408415&sr=1-2&keywords=rainforest+automation+eagle&pebp=1418408418168

Once you get that, get SDGE to authorize it. Then consumption metrics are available to the EAGLE device.
PVoutput.org supports Wattvision
See the graphic below.

Of course I have PRODUCTION information in pvoutput.org via SolarEdge
solaredge.jpg
wattvison.jpg

[SunEagle]

I found out I can show consumption and production information on pvoutput. It's pretty badass. You all may know this, so I wont bother with the details. But if you don't know how and want to do it, let me know we can get in to that here..

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5330[/ATTACH]

Nice data. Too bad you didn't get good sun in the afternoon or you might have generated as much as you used.