400 Amp System
Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2016 3:07 am
The home we moved into several (~5) years ago is using quite a bit more electricity than I had anticipated, particularly in the winter months. I am considering an energy monitor to determine where its going and could use some help figuring out what exactly to buy.
Electrical configuration:
400 amp 240 volt service
(2) 200 amp breaker panels in mechanical room fed by 200 amp breakers near service entrance
100 amp subpanel in workshop
7kW photo voltaic system with micro inverters (Enphase) feeding through a dedicated subpanel
Circuits I want to monitor initially (all in the main panels which are side by side):
(2) 50 amp 240 volt
(1) 30 amp 240 volt
(6) 20 amp 240 volt
(1) 20 amp 120 volt
I can envision at some time in the future wanting to monitor more/all of the circuits in the main panels, the shop subpanel and the PV subpanel. I would like a system configured so that I could easily expand to this in the future but I think this will get me the information I need for now.
The 240 volt circuits are all or most without neutrals but I will probably monitor both legs. I have not decided whether to monitor the 200 amp feeds to the main panels or not.
What I am thinking I would start out with:
Green Eye Monitor
DashBox
(4) Split-200's
(4) Micro-80's
(15) Micro-40's
From a $ perspective the best that I have come up with would be to get a System 2 bundle and add
(2) Split-200's and (3) Micro-40's.
My questions:
1) The bundle includes Micro-80's and Micro-40's. Is the improved accuracy of the Micro-100s/Micro-50's enough to warrant forgoing the bundle pricing and putting together a package utilizing the Micro-100/Micro-50 CT's? I thought I had seen some curves depicting the response/accuracy of the Micro-50's but can't find it now. Would it be advisable to utilize the Micro-100's for the 50 amp, 240 volt circuits, if I go this route?
2) Are there good reasons to monitor the main feeds if all I am really trying to track at this point are the branch circuits that I believe to be the main culprits in increased electric utilization?
3) If I wish to expand in the future I could see ultimately (2) GEM's monitoring the main breaker panels (wouldn't be enough to monitor all 80 circuits but I could combine circuits or only monitor 1 leg of the balanced 240 loads and make it work), an ECM-1240 on the PV subpanel, and either an ECM-1240 or GEM on the shop sub-panel. Can the DashBox handle this many monitors? Can an ethernet module be added later to a GEM or does it need to be installed when purchased?
I think that is all my questions for now. I am certain I will come up with more as I get into this further but I will ask them as I go along. Thanks in advance for your help.
Phil
Electrical configuration:
400 amp 240 volt service
(2) 200 amp breaker panels in mechanical room fed by 200 amp breakers near service entrance
100 amp subpanel in workshop
7kW photo voltaic system with micro inverters (Enphase) feeding through a dedicated subpanel
Circuits I want to monitor initially (all in the main panels which are side by side):
(2) 50 amp 240 volt
(1) 30 amp 240 volt
(6) 20 amp 240 volt
(1) 20 amp 120 volt
I can envision at some time in the future wanting to monitor more/all of the circuits in the main panels, the shop subpanel and the PV subpanel. I would like a system configured so that I could easily expand to this in the future but I think this will get me the information I need for now.
The 240 volt circuits are all or most without neutrals but I will probably monitor both legs. I have not decided whether to monitor the 200 amp feeds to the main panels or not.
What I am thinking I would start out with:
Green Eye Monitor
DashBox
(4) Split-200's
(4) Micro-80's
(15) Micro-40's
From a $ perspective the best that I have come up with would be to get a System 2 bundle and add
(2) Split-200's and (3) Micro-40's.
My questions:
1) The bundle includes Micro-80's and Micro-40's. Is the improved accuracy of the Micro-100s/Micro-50's enough to warrant forgoing the bundle pricing and putting together a package utilizing the Micro-100/Micro-50 CT's? I thought I had seen some curves depicting the response/accuracy of the Micro-50's but can't find it now. Would it be advisable to utilize the Micro-100's for the 50 amp, 240 volt circuits, if I go this route?
2) Are there good reasons to monitor the main feeds if all I am really trying to track at this point are the branch circuits that I believe to be the main culprits in increased electric utilization?
3) If I wish to expand in the future I could see ultimately (2) GEM's monitoring the main breaker panels (wouldn't be enough to monitor all 80 circuits but I could combine circuits or only monitor 1 leg of the balanced 240 loads and make it work), an ECM-1240 on the PV subpanel, and either an ECM-1240 or GEM on the shop sub-panel. Can the DashBox handle this many monitors? Can an ethernet module be added later to a GEM or does it need to be installed when purchased?
I think that is all my questions for now. I am certain I will come up with more as I get into this further but I will ask them as I go along. Thanks in advance for your help.
Phil