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  • Sunpower Consumption Monitor Kit

    Hello All... bare with me while I try to explain my situation.

    I had my system installed back in February. Shortly after the installer installed the Consumption Monitor Kit (CMK) by Sunpower. This syncs with an app, and I am also able to access it using my PC. After just a few short days, I noticed some very inaccurate data. I noticed that during the day (2pm) when NOBODY was home, and no appliances, or other electrical devices were running, I was burning through 3 KwH. But in the middle of the night (2am) when I was asleep, I was only using .30 KwH. I cross checked this data by doing an experiment, and unpluged all my vampire energy devices, and appliances, turned off fans, etc... there was less running at 2pm then at 2am. But my usage was still around 3 KwH during the day, and steadly spiked, then declined as the day rolled into the evening.

    I was able to cross reference this data with PG&E... and both the Sunpower CMK, and what PG&E was reporting were far different. An example of this, on the 20th of April, PG&E showed that I rolled back into the grid 11.46 KwH, while the Sunpower CMK showed that I only rolled back 4.6 KwH.

    I contacted PG&E first. They assured me their equipment was running correctly and that their data information was correct as to what I was rolling back into the grid (and I agree with them). I contacted Sunpower next. I explained to them the situation, but they to were suggesting their equipment was running correctly, as they could see my data and equipment and they showed no errors on their end. They recommended I contact the installer, and have them double check that everything was connected correctly, and to even have the installer contact Sunpower and they'll verify everything again... So far, everyone is telling me everything is hooked up correctly, and everything is working properly. But clearly, when I know for a fact I am using less power in the middle of the day when nobody is home, then what I'm using in the middle of the night, and my usage is 10x higher... there is a problem with something. I am assuming it is my CMK, as PG&E is showing correct usage (assuming PG&E) is getting correct data back to them.

    Has anyone ever experienced anything out of the norm with a consumption monitor kit from Sunpower? Does anyone have any idea what the issue could be?

    Thank you

    GB


  • #2
    Is there a chance that you are only looking at the stored data and not the live data and the time clock on the monitoring system is set incorrectly? Possibly set for wrong Time Zone?
    SunnyBoy 3000 US, 18 BP Solar 175B panels.

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    • #3
      Hi all, my first time post to this panel. Yes, I have encountered the same problem with SP Cunsumption Kit as well. My vendor has sent tech over 3 times to investigate it and schedule to have a fix tomorrow, Wenesday, 7/6/2016. Told they knew the root cause
      Sunpower 345 W AC (24 Panels)

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      • #4
        My system installed June 2016
        Sunpower SPR-X21-345-C-AC
        Total 24 panels
        SP CMK. PVS5x

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        • #5
          I have the same issue with the consumption monitoring where sometimes the consumption reported is equal to that of production amount and later on in the day the consumption reported for that time period reduces but is still higher than it should be. There is also a variance of what SCE reports back to the grid from SunPower's site on a daily basis. It seems like when the system is producing the reporting for the consumption gets fouled up. I'll try to post a pic later, but right now the energy graphs look like two bell curves where consumption proportionately increases as production increases.

          No electrical devices plugged in (new empty home) and there is nothing powered up during the day. I did what the original poster noted above as well and turned off every breaker. It is impossible for 3-4 kWh of usage to be taking place in an empty house with just the internet plugged in.

          The out of the country customer service identifies the problem, but when the tech comes and out calls the CS, they backpedal and say everything is normal when they realize they don't have an answer. They have been out 3-4 times and it has been escalated to a local manager to only to acknowledge there is a problem then reverting to saying everything is okay. The consumption monitor now only works during the day now, so obviously it is not okay.

          I also have the PVS5.

          Did you guys get your issues resolved? Any others with the same issue?

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          • #6
            Originally posted by m3technic View Post
            I have the same issue with the consumption monitoring where sometimes the consumption reported is equal to that of production amount and later on in the day the consumption reported for that time period reduces but is still higher than it should be. There is also a variance of what SCE reports back to the grid from SunPower's site on a daily basis. It seems like when the system is producing the reporting for the consumption gets fouled up. I'll try to post a pic later, but right now the energy graphs look like two bell curves where consumption proportionately increases as production increases.

            No electrical devices plugged in (new empty home) and there is nothing powered up during the day. I did what the original poster noted above as well and turned off every breaker. It is impossible for 3-4 kWh of usage to be taking place in an empty house with just the internet plugged in.

            The out of the country customer service identifies the problem, but when the tech comes and out calls the CS, they backpedal and say everything is normal when they realize they don't have an answer. They have been out 3-4 times and it has been escalated to a local manager to only to acknowledge there is a problem then reverting to saying everything is okay. The consumption monitor now only works during the day now, so obviously it is not okay.

            I also have the PVS5.

            Did you guys get your issues resolved? Any others with the same issue?
            If you're not afraid to DIY swap the leads to the current transformers on the PVS5. If you are, call up the installer and tell them the leads were installed backwards on the current transformers.

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            • #7
              I was coming here to see if anyone has a similar problem as me and this topic sounds like it's the closest. I see major discrepancies with the data from my power company (SCE) and the monitoring app.

              Here's what SCE says for the past month: Screenshot 2017-03-16 12.45.49.png


              And here's what the Sunpower monitoring is telling me on the month view: fullsizeoutput_818e.jpeg


              I don't understand how I can be using so much according to the app but SCE is saying that I'm sending a good amount back to the grid?

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              • #8
                Looks like you had the same problem as me. Power comes into your house in a wave on two wires; each carries 120 volts. Each of them are on opposite waves so while one is at the peak of the wave the other is at the trough of its wave. There is a sensor called a current transformer on each wire that feeds into your house that measures the flow of electricity. If you are putting power into the grid, and the sensors are installed backwards or they are reading off one wire when it should be reading off the other then it will measure that is taking power from the grid. Call your solar installer and tell them the current transformers are wired incorrectly or just swap the leads going into the monitoring system.

                If you're not afraid to do it yourself here's a copy of the manual for the PVS5

                https://fccid.io/document.php?id=2725912

                Look on page 2. the two wires going into CONS L1 are swapped with the two wires going into CONS L2

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                • #9
                  Twelveparsex, I have four wires coming into the house, which may be wired incorrectly as you mentioned. I noticed on your post in another thread that your generation went up as you consumed power. That's not what is happening with mine. Here are pics of what occurs with mine, no additional device are on from the other parts of the day.

                  Note incorrectly reported high power usage around 9:30am (nothing is turned on that wasn't before):


                  At the end of the same day the power consumption is reported at a lower amount.


                  During the production period the consumption shouldn't even be increasing as nothing is turned on during the day



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