How to monitor solar panels?

I'm looking to buy a Fluksometer both to measure energy usage and to monitor energy production from solar panels. For the consumption part, a power clamp from the shop should do, but what is the best way to monitor the solar panels?

I have a DIN rail kWh meter with pulse S0 output and I've read here that that is the best method for monitoring, but how do I link it to the fluksometer? I assume some additional sensor is required to count the LED's but I don't seem to find any in the shop here or in general webshops.. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

gebhardm's picture

You state you have a DIN rail kWh meter with S0; can you name the vendor or provide a specification? If there is an LED I bet there is also a S0/open-collector port (terminals "20"+"21"); is this already occupied? If not, this is the port to connect to the FLM... What is the impulse count? If it is 500, 1000, 2000 pulses/kWh O.K.; if is has 400, 800, something, the readings of the FLM will not proportionally match...
Take care - if your don't know what you are doing, keep your fingers off the switch board!

ohara's picture

It's a Carlo Gavazzi EM10 DIN, this should be the specification sheet (EM10).

The pulse count is 1000 and those ports are still free (they are called "41" and "42" according to the spec sheet). So no need for extra hardware, I just directly connect "42" with a "+" and "41" with a "-" on an FLM?

gebhardm's picture

Exactamente - directly connect the port with a wire and the right polarity; there is no need for an extra resistor, this is built-in the FLM.

GB0099's picture

Easy as sucking your thumb !! LOL

DIN rail meters are so good

Johan Crols's picture

Two questions on this one:
- if the pulse count is 1000, do I then need to fill in "1000" in the factor field in the setup? Or just leave it to 1?
- Can I connect 2 pulse meters (same type) into one Flukso pulse port? If yes, does the factor stay the same?

Thanks,
Johan

gebhardm's picture

1) 1pulse/Wh = 1000pulses/kWh => factor 1 as describes in the manual
2) no, you should not attach more than one pulse meter to one port. Reason is that pulses have a specific length, and if they overlap - what they will - then they are not recognized correctly.

michi's picture

A real cool improvement for usability would be to let the user enter the number of pulses per kWh, instead of requiring the factor.

Michi.

Johan Crols's picture

So unfortunately, if I read the answers right, if I want to measure the output of 3 solar panel arrays, I have to buy a second Flukso device, right??... (pooling the different arrays on one DINrail meter is no option, since because of yearly changing belgian subsidy regulations they have to be measured separately...)

gebhardm's picture

v2, variant b, of course (when the hack will this forum allow editing own posts?!)

Johan Crols's picture

Ah, yes, but I also have 3 clamps (3 phase installation). Too big installation :-)

gebhardm's picture

You might build yourself an Arduino mediator taking pulses from n meters and summing them up to provide just a single signal to the FLM... (this indeed is no magic to do) - just a proposal to foster your creativity.

Eduardo M's picture

Same kind of question from me:
I have a solar system with a separate kWh meter with S0 pulse: Eltako WSZ12DE-32A.
Can I use this meter to log my generation with a FLM?
If so, what kind of cable do I need to connect the kWh meter with the FLM?

Edward

michi's picture

Yes, that meter will work just fine. To connect it, you just need two strands of wire to connect the pulse output to the pulse input on the Flukso. Pretty much any wire will do. Whatever you have lying around. Bell wire, old bits of electrical cable, whatever.

Cheers,

Michi.

bazzle's picture

Any wire will do but take care its has sufficient insulation if running in same area as 240v wiring.