Pv system running watts

[vino1982]

i am going to install the eyedro clamps on each Pv system tap in my electrical panel overnight. record any current draw. It should be very minimal if each inverter is only to draw very little wattage. I certainly shouldn't be seeing .3kwh orso usage.

[DanS26]

how does he know this?
he doesn't know direction. could easily be home consumption on the one leg of 525watts and then production of 1,150 watts (just one leg) for a net production of 655.

He said he isolated the circuit by turning everything else off except for the modem. Unless there is a load not controlled by a CB then the PV circuit is consuming the load.

The only other explanation is a load on the PV circuit which should never happen unless mis-wired.

[vino1982]

i feel it is certain that (considering the panels are covered in snow, they are not producing) when having my amp probe positioned over the main leg of power and switching the pv disco on/off and seeing a 1.3a spike that it is without doubt the pv system causing the current draw

[ButchDeal]

Well that is interesting.....you now know that one or more of your Enphase micros are using more power than in the specs. Its a pain...but the only way to know which one is to disconnect one at a time to find the offender(s).

Start with disconnecting strings...then when you find the offending string....then disconnect individual Micros.

how does he know this?
he doesn't know direction. could easily be home consumption on the one leg of 525watts and then production of 1,150 watts (just one leg) for a net production of 655.

[vino1982]

i gotta say this is cdertainly unacceptable and puts a real wrench in my expected savings and pay off of the system. There must be a correction available and necessary.

[DanS26]

With that much $ involved it becomes a treasure hunt.

[vino1982]

annual kwh... 2737kwh costing $602 a year

[vino1982]

the other leg... pv disco off 6.2 amps @ 117 volts 725 watts... pv disco on 7.4 amps @ 117 volts 865 watts... 140 watt difference... both legs 316 watts total pv system draw

[DanS26]

Well that is interesting.....you now know that one or more of your Enphase micros are using more power than in the specs. Its a pain...but the only way to know which one is to disconnect one at a time to find the offender(s).

Start with disconnecting strings...then when you find the offending string....then disconnect individual Micros.

[vino1982]

i used my Ideal amp probe... with pv disco in off position i was reading 4.1 amps @ 117 volts 479 watts which corresponds roughly with eyedro (525 watts). immediately after turning on pv disco my amprobe jumps to 5.6 amps @ 117 volts 655 watts... a 176 watt difference... this is on one leg of power, the other is harder to get at...

[vino1982]

i will try an amp probe Ideal meter

[DanS26]

Eyedro could be measuring volt amps but incorrectly reporting as watts This has been reported in other forums and other measurement devices as the cause of unusual unexplained night time consumption.

Using another measuring device to confirm or deny would settle the issue.

[ButchDeal]

the eyedro does not have a voltage sensor but it does allow me to put in what the voltage is on each leg of power. in my case testing hot to ground i have 117 volts on each leg, which I input to eyedro... i do not have any storage batteries. i am not certain if there is a battery inside the white box on the house for backup purposes... i will find out

I don't know what the white box is that you mention but it is unlikely a battery. could you upload a photo of it?

Yes I read the instructions on the eyedro about putting in the voltage but distribution network voltage is not constant and fluctuates quite a bit throughout the day.
Your PV system will increase the voltage when it is working as well.

[vino1982]

the eyedro does not have a voltage sensor but it does allow me to put in what the voltage is on each leg of power. in my case testing hot to ground i have 117 volts on each leg, which I input to eyedro... i do not have any storage batteries. i am not certain if there is a battery inside the white box on the house for backup purposes... i will find out

[ButchDeal]

ok, i can see that not knowing load or generation. but at night with the panels not producing should i not see any generation anyhow? in activating/deactivating the pv disconnect at night shouldnt have any effect on wattage generation since they are not generating. if that makes any sense

possibly,
but that said it is not clear the the eyedro has the correct voltage as it doesn't have a voltage sensor connection.
there may be other draws on the circuit with the micros as well.
Do you have a storage system? enphase AC batteries or other batteries or UPS.