MN USA Solar Project

i have an installed solar pv system that is tied into my utility electric meter, located outside and about 50 feet from my home’s load center. The climate is harsh in the winter often 20 below. I’d like to monitor the production of the solar pv and my consumption. I’m exporting quite a bit of power back to the grid, much more than I am using. I was wondering if the ct’s are rated for extreme climates (I’m assuming I’d have to install 2 sets of ct’s…and perhaps a voltage transducer. 1 set of ct’s for my mains coming into the house and the other set of ct’s for the solar pv… both of which tie into the bottom side of my meter… outside). the very least i need to monitor the power from the solar at the meter but i can or could install the consumption ct’s inside near the load center. my service is rated at 200 amps and my solar pv is rated at 160 amps and 240 vac single phase.

Here is the datasheet

It says -15C to 60C. You probably only need one 200A CT on the solar, as you say, the mains can be monitored at the house.

I should’ve indicated the temperatures often get below 20 below Fahrenheit and sometimes colder. are those the only ct’s that can be used with iotawatt?

The Echun ECS24200 datasheet says it’s good down to -40C. I have one available if you are interested.

i am interested in the ECS24200. I think i need 2 of those for the outside solar pv production and 2 of the other ones for the consumption as well as the monitor/logger and a program. so yes… i am interested in a bundle as i’ve indicated. So i’d like to get started.

i guess i’ll need to read more. i’m assuming when you sell these data monitors/loggers it’s fairly seemless?? or am i misinterpreting this… i’m an older guy that is mostly unfamiliar with the gethub… although i know a little bit about it. what i thought get hub was about was basically open sourcing of stuff… which inferred to me i was mostly on my own when it came to programming and stuff… and i am not a programmer. i mainly want to purchase something that isnt’ too difficult to set up… that works well… and is relatively high quality… is this an accurate depiction of iotawatt and what you can provide me w respect to this particular project? thanks…

so… i think i’d need

  1. 1- power supply
  2. 1-standard base
  3. 1-reference transformer for USA
  4. 2-AcuSplitCT Series 100/120/200/250A production ct’s
    Hinged Split Core Current Transformers
  5. 2-ECS24-200 200 A ct’s… consumption ct’s…
  6. and a way to wire the production ct’s into the standard base…using the 2 wire w shield and drain wire to a distance appx 50 feet away (2 separate cables … 1 for each outside ct).
  7. and you’re going to program the base for single phase 240 vac… etc.

do you think i have that about right?

You don’t need to program the IoTaWatt, it comes with the firmware loaded and will auto-update with newer versions automatically. You would need to plug the components together and then configure the particular transformer and current transformers you are using.

The installation and configuration are covered step by step in the documentation which can be found here. You should read through the first four brief sections that cover basic installation. If you don’t understand it, then don’t buy an IoTaWatt.

Your solar should only need one current transformer, and I can only provide you with one ECS24200, so plan to go with that. Most inverters are two-wire and so both carry the exact same current. So we just double that value in IoTaWatt for total generation.

You must source an extension for the remote CT on the inverter yourself. I don’t know the exact length or the environment, so you will need to figure that out and deal with it. I have had luck with commodity headphone extensions like this. You only need one.

The unit will adapt to the 120V/240V environment when you connect the 120V reference transformer that is part of the NA bundle.

The ECS24200 is not listed on the website. They were replaced with the AccuCT 200A CTs. I happen to still have one available. If you order, specify 3 AccuCT 200A and note on the order to substitute the ECS24200.