I am installing an Enphase inverter system with more than 17 panels (one circuit = 17 modules)we have 13 on one circuit and 12 on the other 25 total. The utility requires a production meter on the system to measure real output prior to entering the home electrical system. It becomes necessary to combine both circuits to obtain the needed information for the utility. how is this communally achieved ?
Not so sure the utility can require such a thing. Sounds like the want to s crew you, that not only not pay you as much as they charge for the power bu t also not even fully rebate you for what your system generates. However in some places the utility is a public entity and that could be written into the city code
At any rate, even if you get screwed a little, follow code because if somet hing happens it does not give your insurance company an excuse not to pay o ff.
I am pretty sure you are going to have to get a second meter. They can be p urchased, they're not illegal or anything. Of course they are not likely to have them at your local DIY type store. If in the US, my first guess would be WW Grainger. If it isn't on their website call them and ask, they proba bly can tell you where to get one.
There is also some sort of cutoff you should have, and this should be in th e code because linemen have been killed because someone's generator was run ning and backfeeding into the system during a power outage.
Normally, your power syncs with the grid and whatever you supply you do and the meter stops, or might run backwards. That gets you full credit for wha t you generate. Requiring a "production" meter either means they don't want to give you full credit for that or maybe the city wants to tax you for th e power that you generate. They should be slow roasted fro shit like that, no shooting, it's too good for them. If they penalize going green like that AFTER making all this noise about the rates are up because of the load ad all this shit, they are using political muscle to extort your money. Take y our whole city council out and mayor and boil the in bacon grease.
Before the power comes into YOUR house ? They got no right to say that.
What does Enphase say? Here in Wa State you can back feed the meter so that it slows or runs backwards. I had a talk with a Puget Sound Energy about an inverter that was back feeding. He said it was no problem but was wondering what was going on in the shop. The inverter is a type made for powering 3 phase equipment from a single phase supply. When a motor that is being supplied power by the inverter is decelerated the excess power is dumped back through the inverter into the single phase power supplied from the utility. One of my lathes has an inverter drive for the 15 HP motor and it too dumps the energy absorbed from the decelerating motor back into the utility supply. It seems to me that your issue must be something that Enphase and your local government Electrical Inspector know all about and they should have documentation showing you what needs to be done. Eric
ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.