Utility Meter Question

[Murby]

Just installed a 7.56 KW solar system and turned it on.. City electrical inspection approved and I filled out the Net Metering paperwork with my utility company DTE but it hasn't been completed yet. Their website says they want to come out to do an inspection once the system is ready to be turned on... change meter, inspect disconnect, etc.

When I turn on my solar system, my smart meter's digital readout for real time kWh goes negative.. Like instead of saying I'm drawing 0.90 kWh, it will say -2.50 kWh...

I haven't had the opportunity to confirm its registering the reverse current via the "Total kWh Readout" because we had thick clouds, then bright sunshine, then thick clouds and I'm running the air compressor and welder on and off all day.. To hectic to know what's going on..

Are these digital smart meters already set up to register reverse current?? I'd like to just turn the system on and let it run...

[foo1bar]

Like instead of saying I'm drawing 0.90 kWh, it will say -2.50 kWh...

So 30 minutes of that would mean you have at least 1kwh sent to the grid.

Are these digital smart meters already set up to register reverse current?? I'd like to just turn the system on and let it run...

Since it said -2.50kW (I assume it's kW and not kWH) - yes it registers reverse current.
Now what will that reverse current mean for your kwh?
Could increase it. Could decrease it. Could have zero effect.
If you watch it for a while you'll know.

[Murby]

If you watch it for a while you'll know.

LOL.. I was hoping for a quick answer....but not that one...

[max2k]

LOL.. I was hoping for a quick answer....but not that one...

doubt it will be quick. My own utility gave me PTO almost 3 weeks ago and their numbers about my consumption/generation are all over the place, I still don't see much of a pattern. Something must not worked on their side as they even sent a crew 'to replace meter' Meter was the same after they left but at least numbers started to look more real. So just be patient- you have 15+ years ahead of you .

[GRickard]

Our utility installed smart meters about a month before I put my system in. When I turned it on they told me they would have to put in one that had been programmed to run both ways. This spring, I put in a system for the neighbor and when I turned it on, I called the solar guy at the utility and let him know so he could have the meter swapped. That afternoon two guys in a different department showed up to see what was going on with his meter. The software that monitors the meters saw it trying to run backwards and sent someone to find out why.

Greg

[Murby]

UPDATE:
When the sun is out, the utility meter reads a negative power... For instance, if the SunnyBoy is making 3000 watts and the house is only using 1000 watts, my utility meter will say -2.5kw... so it is reading the reverse current.

The problem is that the Total KW Usage counter keeps going up.. The meter knows the current is going to the grid and not from the grid, but doesn't seem to care..

[foo1bar]

The problem is that the Total KW Usage counter keeps going up.. The meter knows the current is going to the grid and not from the grid, but doesn't seem to care..

I assume you mean total KWH usage counter keeps going up...

So you have the case where the meter always increases - whichever way the power is flowing.
The meters were created/configured this way so that if someone pulled out a meter, flipped it around and plugged it in upside down it would still increment and not decrement. (At least that's what I've heard - and it seems a reasonable explanation of why it'd be that way)

[max2k]

UPDATE:
When the sun is out, the utility meter reads a negative power... For instance, if the SunnyBoy is making 3000 watts and the house is only using 1000 watts, my utility meter will say -2.5kw...

nice, is it always off 0.5 kW your way ?

The problem is that the Total KW Usage counter keeps going up.. The meter knows the current is going to the grid and not from the grid, but doesn't seem to care..

Have you contacted utility about this? Despite issuing PTO they still had to 'configure solar profile' on my account. After they did that I started to see negative values in the middle of the day but numbers were all over the place. They had to go out and do something with the meter and after this 'update' it seems to be making sense now.

[SunEagle]

UPDATE:
When the sun is out, the utility meter reads a negative power... For instance, if the SunnyBoy is making 3000 watts and the house is only using 1000 watts, my utility meter will say -2.5kw... so it is reading the reverse current.

The problem is that the Total KW Usage counter keeps going up.. The meter knows the current is going to the grid and not from the grid, but doesn't seem to care..

Sounds like the meter hasn't been configured yet to provide Net Metering or subtract what you "sell back" to the grid. That is pretty common with POCO's that have to reprogram the meter after a Net Metering contract is approved.

[GRickard]

When mine was reprogrammed, it gained a couple of screens to the display. It now rotates through 4 screens, "delivered", "received", "net", and one that has to do with the network connection.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

UPDATE:
When the sun is out, the utility meter reads a negative power... For instance, if the SunnyBoy is making 3000 watts and the house is only using 1000 watts, my utility meter will say -2.5kw... so it is reading the reverse current.

The problem is that the Total KW Usage counter keeps going up.. The meter knows the current is going to the grid and not from the grid, but doesn't seem to care..

Yep. You need to wait for them to either reprogram the meter are replace it with one that has the proper programming. Until then you will be paying them for any power sent to the grid. Setup that way as a deterrent for people to setup gorilla systems without signing a net metering plan. Play by the rules or pay the price kind of deal.

WWW

[Sunking]

You are going to love this about Smart Meters. Your Smart Meter is smart. It knows you do not have a contract to export power. As punishment every Kwh you export is counted as energy used. That means you are giving power away and being charged for it. Your electric company likes that.

[Mike90250]

UPDATE:
When the sun is out, the utility meter reads a negative power... For instance, if the SunnyBoy is making 3000 watts and the house is only using 1000 watts, my utility meter will say -2.5kw... so it is reading the reverse current.

The problem is that the Total KW Usage counter keeps going up.. The meter knows the current is going to the grid and not from the grid, but doesn't seem to care..

That's a Smart Meter and is ratting you out, When you call the utility company, and they approve the install, they change the meter. Till then, you get to pay for power you produce.

[Murby]

That's a Smart Meter and is ratting you out, When you call the utility company, and they approve the install, they change the meter. Till then, you get to pay for power you produce.

Ya.. I noticed that.. cost me about $2 @$0.18/kwr to figure it out.... My solution was to dial back my power output to 400 watts.. which is about what my house is always pulling..

I finally got in contact with them after firing off some wordy emails about trying to contact them. I should be net-metering by the end of next week at the latest.

[bcroe]

My solution was to dial back my power output to 400 watts..
which is about what my house is always pulling..

A couple decades ago, I could come home, and the meter disc was stationary. That when
the frige or furnace weren't cycling. After I got settled here, that disc was just sailing around,
never below 300W. After a year or so I got the min down to 60W. If you are really running
400W, it would be good to know exactly what it is (a hundred small things here). Bruce Roe