Inexpensive monitoring of grid tie inverter - will my idea work?

[RandySea]

We are putting in a 5kw grid tie PV system with a Silicon Energy Aurora inverter. The AC run to our house is 260'. That's a long way to walk in winter and deep snow to check on the inverter.

We've been told that monitoring equipment costs $550 to $2,000, plus the additional conduit and ethernet cable that would go in the power trench. It would give us all kind of nifty figures and statistics, alarms and emails, etc. All we really want is to be able to tell easily that the system is working approximately as it should.

Here's my idea: Buy an old fashioned ammeter on eBay for $10. Mount in in a subpanel next to the main power panel and run the incoming AC from the inverter through it. It should read 0-20 amps, depending on time of day and brightness of the sun. In case of any unexpected deviation, we could trek out the the inverter to check the LED readout.

Should this work, or am I missing something?

[Mike90250]

Xantrex GT inverters only need a 3 wire serial cable, laptop, and freeware

http://www.mike-burgess.org/PVinfo_2.html

.CSV output into excel http://www.mike-burgess.org/images/MB_May-3-2007.htm

I've heard several hundred feet on the serial cable is not a problem.

[RandySea]

Xantrex GT inverters only need a 3 wire serial cable, laptop, and freeware

http://www.mike-burgess.org/PVinfo_2.html

.CSV output into excel http://www.mike-burgess.org/images/MB_May-3-2007.htm

I've heard several hundred feet on the serial cable is not a problem.

Thanks for the suggestion. We have to stick with Washington State manufactured panels and inverters to get a very substantial incentive on buyback of power we generate. Xantrex doesn't qualify.

[Mike90250]

Well, what's it worth to not walk in the snow to monitor it ? You have to add up the #'s for yourself, and what snowshoes cost. The XW GT may not have as much rebate as WA made inverter, but it sure monitors free and easy.

[RandySea]

It's definitely worth $10 to monitor from home. It isn't worth $550, especially since we've already got the snowshoes. That's why I posted the question about whether my $10 ammeter idea is feasible.

Just fyi, the WA incentive is $.54/kwh generated (not net) until 6/30/11. Where we live in north central WA, that averages out at over $3k/year tax free income on a 5kw system.

[Mike90250]

.....
Here's my idea: Buy an old fashioned ammeter on eBay for $10. Mount in in a subpanel next to the main power panel and run the incoming AC from the inverter through it. It should read 0-20 amps, depending on time of day and brightness of the sun. In case of any unexpected deviation, we could trek out the the inverter to check the LED readout...

That would work as long as you get the right meter, and a respectable housing to mount it in.

Another way is a wireless webcam at the inverter to watch the readout.

[Naptown]

It's definitely worth $10 to monitor from home. It isn't worth $550, especially since we've already got the snowshoes. That's why I posted the question about whether my $10 ammeter idea is feasible.

Just fyi, the WA incentive is $.54/kwh generated (not net) until 6/30/11. Where we live in north central WA, that averages out at over $3k/year tax free income on a 5kw system.

sounds like the deal is over considering it is 09/09/11
So do what you want.

[RandySea]

Oops, I meant the incentive goes to 6/30/2020.

[rboos]

Inexpensive monitoring of grid tie inverter - IP camera + Iphone/Ipad

Hi there...

I am a newbie here, and installed an IP camera to monitor the "kill-a-watt" wattimeter of my PV panels, I monitor it from anywhere:

The Trendnet IP tv110 camera:
foto(2)sm.JPG

The Iphone/Ipad software to monitor from anywhere (LAN or WAN):
foto(4)sm.JPG
(You can also connect to the camera thru any computer and browser using the URL)

A little bright here in the picture but it is better in RL:
foto(3)sm.JPG

The camera is cheap, the software is free, the wattimeter is cheap too..

Rod - Brazil

[RandySea]

Well, here is my solution in action. The $10 ammeter is in a standard, 2-gang plastic electrical box mounted next to the house AC panel.

The photo was taken on a nice, sunny, midwinter day in North Central Washington State. Some snow helps reflect light. 24 panels are generating 3.6kw, or about 60% of max.

[bidaw]

Looks like you got it to do what you wanted. Good deal! Congratulations!

[peakbagger]

I have the same setup for my older system with the addition of a totalizing ammeter (looks like a Hobbs Meter, just adds up the amps as they go through the wire). Apparently these are used at campgrounds to measure long term campers power usage.

[johnnybrown786]

Hi, there!!! I have bought a solar panel from a local company and want to put something for it’s security from outsider. I am thinking about buying webcam, do you know any web cam which can be used for the same purpose and without knowing outsider that they were being watched.
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[Mike90250]

Problem with video cameras, is they consume power. Lots of it, for their nightime IR LED's

Game or Trail cameras are good, but they only have about a 20-40' range, and are invisible to animals, but humans can spot them pretty easily.

So I have a caretaker to watch the place. A hungry dog might do well too.

[bobfromnj]

Camera monitoring;

That would work as long as you get the right meter, and a respectable housing to mount it in.

Another way is a wireless webcam at the inverter to watch the readout.

The concept of using an IP camera to monitor your inverter sounds like a great idea. Especially if I don