Smart meter showing import

[paulshep]

I have just had a smart meter installed and looking at the app it is showing I am importing power from the grid, not much 0.04kws, even when I am exporting more than 13 kw of solar back into the grid. I do not have any large equipment running, just the normal household items. I have had home with smart meters before and have never had a import reading while exporting solar. Is this a faulty or incorrectly installed meter.

Thank you.

[Lester]

You might find your inverter(s) will use a tiny bit of power from the grid, probably even more so if you have fan cooled inverter like Fronius.

This happens with all solar inverters, even my 2 x 5kwh SolarEdge that are heat sink cooled.

Not sure why your previous import reading when overproducing would not have shown any reading.

Do you get that from an app, or from the old meter ?

If it was an analogue meter (unusual if you have a modern solar system), then it would perhaps be very hard to pick up a low reading . . . or if an inverter has a cooling fan, winter and shoulder months might not have needed this to run as much with cooler weather, and you could miss it even easier.

Now it's summer cooling is more frequent.

I would call the solar company and ask about this, they have probably got the answer.

Failing that, it could be the meter owner (state / region power supplier, they might even contract that out) you have to check with.

AGL is just the retailer that uses data from the supplier to charge you.

[sarah54casiano · Accepted solution]

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@paulshep wrote:

I have just had a smart meter installed and looking at the app it is showing I am importing power from the grid, not much 0.04kws, even when I am exporting more than 13 kw of solar back into the grid. I do not have any large equipment running, just the normal household items. I have had home with smart meters before and have never had a import reading while exporting solar. Is this a faulty or incorrectly installed meter.

Thank you.

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Hello,

It sounds like you might be dealing with a configuration issue or a potential fault with your smart meter. Here are a few possibilities to consider:

Meter Configuration: Sometimes, smart meters need to be configured correctly to account for both import and export readings. If the configuration is off, it might not accurately reflect the power flow.

Wiring Issues: If the solar panels are not wired correctly to the meter, it might not be able to differentiate between the power being imported and exported. This can lead to incorrect readings.

Meter Fault: There is also a possibility that the meter itself is faulty. If it's not functioning correctly, it might give inaccurate readings.

Reactive Power: In some cases, the meter might be measuring reactive power, which can cause small import readings even when you are exporting power.

It might be a good idea to contact your utility company or the installer to have them check the meter and the installation. They can verify if everything is set up correctly and if the meter is functioning as it should.

Hope this helps!

Best regards,
Sarah

[paulshep · Accepted solution]

Thank you for your input. Yes i have a Fronius invertor which explain the usage. And yes i picked it up on the app.

Again thank you.

[paulshep · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your reply. Have contacted my retailer and they say nothing is amiss with the install or meter.(this account is not with AGL, will be soon)

Again thank you for your time.