Solar Panel Meter Running Backwards

Spinning disk electricity meters.

Solar panel meter running backwards.

For example with green mountain s renewable rewards buy back program the 2 year term at 0 116 per kwh will give you the best buy back value for your excess solar production. The two requirements for electricity meters to run backwards. On the face of it this sounds good because theoreticaly we were sending power back at the same cost rate as we were consuming it. If you generate more than you use a possibility in summer months over an extended period you could find yourself with a meter reading that is lower than your last meter reading.

This year i installed solar panels on my house and as part of the system our old power meter from the electric company was replaced with a net meter whic. Only old analog electricity meters are capable of running backwards. You need the right kind of old fashioned spinning disk electricity meter. Take the case of paula owen who says.

Excess power produced by your solar system is pushed back to the electric grid for a credit lowering the amount you pay the utility company. The first register shows all 8s and simply means the meter is functioning properly. The fact is in an age where digital meters are predominant the process of spinning the meter backward is more of a figurative term to help consumers better understand the process that takes place. This means that whenever the solar panels are exporting to the grid because the panels are generating electricity that s not being used in the home the mains electricity meter starts turning backwards.

If you have an old analogue electricity meter and a solar pv system installed you may sometimes find you meter running backwards. We occasionally get asked about this and if it is a problem so the following article has been written to put people s minds at rest. This is not so. If something other than an 8 is shown contact your electric company.

In this case every kwh of generated solar pv will be registered consumed locally or not through the electricity usage meter literally running backwards. The net meter has two displays or registers. We ve been contacted by owners of solar pv panels who have experienced their electricity usage meters otherwise known as supply or mains meters running backwards. For your electricity meter to run backwards two requirements have to be met.

The cool thing is that your net meter actually runs backwards if you are producing more solar energy than you are using at that point in time.