Re: [RE-wrenches] active vs apparent power readings with solar

2023-04-28 Thread Christopher Warfel via RE-wrenches 
I think the power factor will be very close to one for split phase.  
What's the inverter specs say w/r to this? Chris


On 4/27/2023 5:10 PM, August Goers via RE-wrenches wrote:

Hi Wrenches,

We have a residential site with grid tied solar where there is an 
electrician involved who has gotten into taking site readings and 
thinks there is a power factor problem. My gut on it is that there is 
some sort of measurement reading error, and that the power factor 
should be around 1.


The electrician is using a Fluke 3540FC power monitor and has provided 
a spreadsheet comparing active power to apparent power and calculating 
power factor. See below (you might have to open the image and zoom in 
to read it). This measurement was taken with a PV system running, 
presumably sending some power back to the grid.  Note that the phase B 
active power measurement is negative (PV exporting to grid) and that 
the apparent power is positive. This nets in a power factor that is 
crazy low of 0.05.


Does anyone have experience about whether a meter like this can 
properly measure these readings - maybe there is a setting error or it 
can't deal with negative readings?


image.png

Best,

August
Luminalt

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Re: [RE-wrenches] active vs apparent power readings with solar

2023-04-28 Thread Darryl Thayer via RE-wrenches 
This power factor is impossible,  can he measure the apparent power then
the real power separately devide the real by apparent to get power factor.
I guess he has connections wrong, wrong leg of split phase.  If the
inverter is off, then possible, do you measure current off the inverter and
DC into the inverter?

On Thu, Apr 27, 2023, 4:11 PM August Goers via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> Hi Wrenches,
>
> We have a residential site with grid tied solar where there is an
> electrician involved who has gotten into taking site readings and thinks
> there is a power factor problem. My gut on it is that there is some sort of
> measurement reading error, and that the power factor should be around 1.
>
> The electrician is using a Fluke 3540FC power monitor and has provided a
> spreadsheet comparing active power to apparent power and calculating power
> factor. See below (you might have to open the image and zoom in to read
> it). This measurement was taken with a PV system running, presumably
> sending some power back to the grid.  Note that the phase B active power
> measurement is negative (PV exporting to grid) and that the apparent power
> is positive. This nets in a power factor that is crazy low of 0.05.
>
> Does anyone have experience about whether a meter like this can properly
> measure these readings - maybe there is a setting error or it can't deal
> with negative readings?
>
> [image: image.png]
>
> Best,
>
> August
> Luminalt
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Re: [RE-wrenches] active vs apparent power readings with solar

2023-04-28 Thread Jay via RE-wrenches 
Certainly could be the meter or how it’s being used. Like is the Electrican checking the main or output from the inverter?If the inverter output shows these numbers I’d check to make sure the inverter is in the correct grid connection  setting. JayOn Apr 27, 2023, at 5:13 PM, Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches  wrote:
My metrology experience is he needs to prove it with a second meter. In a lab setting, at least 2 of 3 calibrated meters need to agree.
 
I would also ask Fluke. They have been really good over the years. Good Luck.
 
Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
"we go where powerlines don't"
http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
e-mail  offgridso...@sti.net
text 209 813 0060


On 2023-04-27 2:10 pm, August Goers via RE-wrenches wrote:


Hi Wrenches,
 
We have a residential site with grid tied solar where there is an electrician involved who has gotten into taking site readings and thinks there is a power factor problem. My gut on it is that there is some sort of measurement reading error, and that the power factor should be around 1. 
 
The electrician is using a Fluke 3540FC power monitor and has provided a spreadsheet comparing active power to apparent power and calculating power factor. See below (you might have to open the image and zoom in to read it). This measurement was taken with a PV system running, presumably sending some power back to the grid.  Note that the phase B active power measurement is negative (PV exporting to grid) and that the apparent power is positive. This nets in a power factor that is crazy low of 0.05.
 
Does anyone have experience about whether a meter like this can properly measure these readings - maybe there is a setting error or it can't deal with negative readings?
 

 
Best,
 
August
Luminalt



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