Fox ESS app not working

[Dave Foster]

Hello

I'm new to this forum after having had solar panels installed on my roof recently and downloading the app to my laptop as I don't have a smartphone.

The app was working perfectly well until a couple of days ago since when the Live Status is showing all the energy going to Load Power and none to the Grid. This is clearly incorrect as confirmed by the bottom "Overview" line chart.

Any advice on what the problem is and how I might rectify it would be welcome. I'm not a tecchie by the way !!!

Thanks.

The inverter is solar only.

A screenshot is below showing output power and load in the bottom chart.

Screenshot (39).png

Looking at the graph, it is showing the inverter is outputting power which is being consumed by the load - on a solar only inverter the output is always the same as solar generated (whereas a hybrid inverter it could be coming from battery and solar).

A solar only inverter isn't usually fitted with a CT clamp (this is an optional extra usually only added to limit export power) and without it the inverter cannot work out the difference between house load and export, and so basically it shows that everything it outputs is consumed as a load. - Do you know whether the extra CT clamp was installed ?

[JohnG]

Hello

I'm new to this forum after having had solar panels installed on my roof recently and downloading the app to my laptop as I don't have a smartphone.

The app was working perfectly well until a couple of days ago since when the Live Status is showing all the energy going to Load Power and none to the Grid. This is clearly incorrect as confirmed by the bottom "Overview" line chart.

Any advice on what the problem is and how I might rectify it would be welcome. I'm not a tecchie by the way !!!

Thanks.

The inverter is solar only.

A screenshot is below showing output power and load in the bottom chart.

Screenshot (39).png

Looking at the graph, it is showing the inverter is outputting power which is being consumed by the load - on a solar only inverter the output is always the same as solar generated (whereas a hybrid inverter it could be coming from battery and solar).

A solar only inverter isn't usually fitted with a CT clamp (this is an optional extra usually only added to limit export power) and without it the inverter cannot work out the difference between house load and export, and so basically it shows that everything it outputs is consumed as a load. - Do you know whether the extra CT clamp was installed ?

Sorry I don't know whether the extra CT clamp was installed.

In any case, it's not clear to me why this has only been an issue within the last few days and not for the first few weeks after the panels were installed. I've applied to my energy supplier (Octopus) for me to be credited with exporting my surplus electricity to the grid following the installation of a smart meter a fortnight ago. Could this be a possible cause?

[Dave Foster]

Sorry I don't know whether the extra CT clamp was installed.

In any case, it's not clear to me why this has only been an issue within the last few days and not for the first few weeks after the panels were installed. I've applied to my energy supplier (Octopus) for me to be credited with exporting my surplus electricity to the grid following the installation of a smart meter a fortnight ago. Could this be a possible cause?

If you had a CT clamp fitted it would have been clipped to the live feed of your meter, if you have had a smart meter installed there is a very good chance that when the meter was changed that the engineer didn't clamp the CT back onto the live feed of the smart meter, or that they fitted it the wrong way round - if it was fitted the wrong way round everything would look like load which is what you are seeing.

Have a look at your smart meter, you are looking for a small white clamp on the live feed - the top will have the words 'Split Core CT' and the model CTSA016 - there is an arrow on one of the sides that shows the direction of current flow - if you can see this device fitted to a cable, try removing it and turn it round so the arrow is pointing the other way. It has a clip on one side that when released allows it to be removed from the cable, turned round and clamped close again. Or take a picture of your meter cupboard and wiring, post it here and i'll see if I can point it out to you.

[JohnG]

I'm pleased to say that the problem appears to have resolved itself.

A few days ago and pushed the up/down buttons on the right-hand side of the smart meter.

I did so again this morning and all is now working fine.