Solar PV - how much free electricity am I getting

[henry1]

I have solar panels installed by A Shade Greener on my roof. Anything I don't use is exported.

How do I find out whether I am getting the free electricity at any one time or if I am importing from the grid?
I have a digital electricity meter with a red light. Was told it's supposed to go green when exporting but I've never seen it go green.
Today is very sunny and I'm barely using any electricity but it's still red....

 

[StephenStephen]

Hi there - thinking of helping with your question, I'm wondering:
Who's your electricity provider, and do you have a smart meter?
What's the capacity (in kW) of the panels, and of the inverter?

 

[henry1]

Outfox for electricity provider.
No smart meter. It's a small white box, written Property of eOn and Type 5235A. Made by Londis + Gyr.
No idea about the panels, inverter is in the loft.

 

[davelx]

When you are exporting the meter should show a little "r" to the far left of the display (according to the manual)

 

[henry1]

The only thing i have on the display is the reading, i.e. a set of numbers.
Could you share a link to the manual?

 

[davelx]

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1392015/Landis-And-Gyr-5235.html

 

[bernardgreen]

No idea about the panels, inverter is in the loft.

With the inverter in the loft and your meter elsewhere in the house I suspect the only place you will be able to see an indication of Import or Export will be in the loft at the inverter.

 

[flameport]

Was told it's supposed to go green when exporting but I've never seen it go green.

Sangamo made a meter which had that feature, but yours and most others do not have that.

 

[henry1]

With the inverter in the loft and your meter elsewhere in the house I suspect the only place you will be able to see an indication of Import or Export will be in the loft at the inverter.

What will the inverter show me? I've never paid too much attention to it but as far as I know, it's just a large metal box with no display. In fact, I'm assuming the inverter is housed there.
I've found out since that my meter display shows rEd which means reverse energy detected, at least that's a good sign.
Further reading on this forum revealed that companies making money from the FiT get paid according to what is generated, not exported because this is not metered. So those companies wouldn't care whether we used 0% or 100% of the energy generated. That's a bit more reassuring.

 

[hllns]

Inverters can have all manner of bells and whistles including diverting surplus power to heaters or battery systems and various monitoring of their own.

Know what model it is?

Most people who have solar put in normally have data coming out of their ears.

 

[henry1]

Most people who have solar put in normally have data coming out of their ears.

I wish.
All I get is daily kWh generated, over the last 30 days and total for the lifetime of the panels.