Sense Solar Installations

###What is Sense Solar?
Sense Solar has all of the capabilities of non-solar Sense (such as device-by-device energy consumption information, trend reports, notifications when devices turn on or off) as well as a chart that can compare your solar production with your energy consumption. Feel free to check out this article about the Sense solar monitor’s capabilities here.

###Compatibility

  • If your home has solar power, you will need Sense Solar in order for Sense to accurately monitor your whole home
  • Your solar must either feed directly into a breaker in your electrical panel, or feed somewhere close enough to your panel that the 46" sensor cable will be able to reach it from the electrical panel.

###I don’t have solar power yet, but am planning to upgrade soon - which do I get?
If you’re planning to install solar power within your home soon, but want Sense support before then, the Sense Solar monitor is compatible with a non-solar home. Just install Sense as you normally would, and withhold installing the second set of solar sensors until your solar power has been installed.

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The solar inventer panel and the main breaker panel are about 45ft away. Is this why i’m seeing solar read by sense off by about 7%?

Edited to post actual distance

Most likely not the issue. There is an issue with Sense under-reporting Voltage by about 3-4%, which will translate into it under-reporting wattage used by a similar amount which will also impact Solar production. Depending how they calculate production it could be off by that same amount or even double.

I wonder if Sense could just apply a correction factor then, or let us enter the correction factor manually.

Wow, I don’t remember ever seeing the 46’’ requirement when I purchased Sense Solar. Mine is probably 15’-20’ away. What is the effect?

How could it be 15’ away if the cable length of the CT is the controlling factor?

I actually don’t understand the requirement myself but I am possibly misinterpreting it. My two solar inverters are on the opposite side of my garage from my main electrical breaker panel. The solar inverter panel then runs a line across my garage to main breaker panel where I have the Sense device and the CTs for both the electric and solar. I have had issues with it under reporting the solar generation.

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You are fine, that is not what they are saying - at least not how I read it. Some people have their solar feed into the main way before the breaker panel and if it is further than forty some odd inches the CT would not be able to reach and plug into Sense. Your issue is most likely the problem with Sense under reporting voltage. Take a multimeter and read the voltage at an outlet and you will most likely find it is higher than what Sense is stating.

My mistake - I wasn’t clear enough. I’ve edited the post for clarification. Sense readings will not be affected by the distance of your solar panel, that would be our voltage discrepancy issue which we are working to resolve ASAP!

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