Table of Contents
- 1. Electricity management and RCP
Plan electricity management
- 1. Electricity management and RCP
This article describes the planning of the installation. For on-site implementation and equipment configuration on the Climkit platform, refer to the links at the end of the article.
1. Electricity management and RCP
Climkit's electricity management solution consists of providing meters to measure and read electricity consumption, transmitting data to the platform and activating one of the available operating methods, such as the generation of Individual statements or automatic Consumer billing.
The solution is generally applied within the framework of a Regrouping for self-consumption (RCP).
It can also be used in other contexts, for example:
- In a commercial building to distinguish the consumption of different surface areas
- In a campsite or a port to account for consumption by pitch
- In any situation requiring the measurement, accounting and billing of electricity consumption
Standard connection diagram of an RCP
There are several connection modes for electricity meters and communication depending on the number of consumers and buildings on a site.
The standard scheme consists of an RCP with:
- Only 1 network Input meter with a DSO invoice meter
- Several consumers (apartments, offices, common areas, etc.) connected to private meters.
Electrical connection
The diagram above presents the case of an RCP with a single DSO meter at the electrical input of the building.
Consumers such as apartments and common areas are measured by private meters.
A private meter also measures the Photovoltaic (PV) production (inverter output).
A private meter is also installed at the input in series with the DSO one.
The number of meters depends on what needs to be measured and billed separately. Here is a list of the most common meters to provide:
- Heat pump: to distinguish its consumption from the rest of the common areas
- Electric vehicle charging stations
- Battery connected in AC (and not in DC via a hybrid inverter)
- Photovoltaic inverters: one meter per installation allows measuring their performance separately and detecting potential problems more easily.
RS485 communication bus and internet connection
A serial communication bus of type RS485 connects each meter to the RS485 interface of the Climkit Gateway.
The meters (Slaves) are connected by an RS485 bus network to the Gateway (Master) according to the diagram below.
Directives and recommendations for cable pulling:
- Use a shielded U72 type cable (aluminum foil type) 4 × 0.8 mm².
- All devices must be connected in series (daisy-chain). Avoid branches, stars or T-connections which can generate communication failures.
- The cable must not form closed loops.
- Maximum length: aim for < 500 m for a safety margin.
- Avoid passing near equipment that could create interference (motors, drives...).
The Gateway is itself connected via its Ethernet interface to the 4G Router equipped with a multi-operator SIM card to allow remote reading of the meters.
Climkit Offer
The standard Climkit offer includes the elements necessary for the operation of the system: hardware equipment, software features, as well as services related to the implementation.
All hardware is provided preconfigured to simplify the installation and ensure proper communication of the meters.
- Equipment:
- LAN router or 4G Router
- Climkit Gateway
- Electricity meters
- Software features:
- Reading and visualization of electricity meters
- Setup service:
- Technical coordination and Metering data validation
- Administrative setup
All products are ordered directly from Climkit.
In the majority of cases, the installation can be carried out by the installer without the on-site intervention of a Climkit technician.
Telephone assistance is available if necessary during commissioning.
Details of the equipment used
4G Router
An internet connection is essential for the operation of the system. If no connection is available, Climkit can provide it via a 4G Router equipped with an active multi-operator SIM card.
Using the Climkit TRB140 4G Router has several advantages:
- Simplified installation: the router is easily installed inside the electrical panel, directly on the DIN rail
- Complete delivery: supplied with its DIN rail support and its 24V DC power supply
- Ready to use: delivered preconfigured with an activated SIM card
- Economical 4G subscription: low-cost internet connection
Climkit Gateway
The Climkit Gateway reads the meters connected to its RS485 port via the Modbus protocol and transmits the readings to the Climkit platform via the internet.
Electricity meters
Electricity meters allow the measurement of consumption, production as well as imported and Fed back (electricity) to the grid.
In the case of a connection lower than 80A, Climkit provides direct electricity meters, meaning the conductor wires pass directly through the meter.
The model generally provided is the Eastron SDM630Modbus meter. The meter measures 4 DIN modules wide and is installed directly in the electrical panel on a DIN rail or in a suitable box (see T-Box below).
In the case where the connection intensity (amperage) exceeds 80A, Climkit provides indirect electricity meters, meaning the conductor wires pass through current transformers (CT) themselves connected to the meter.
- The model generally provided is the Eastron SDM630MCT meter
Current Transformers (CT)
CTs are chosen according to the intensity of the connection and the diameter of the conductor on which the CT will be clipped around.
Climkit provides CTs ranging from 100 A to 2000 A.
The CTs clip directly onto the cable or copper bar of each phase. Pay attention to the cable section relative to the CT diameter.
Other CTs can be ordered for specific cases with a larger diameter. To be specified when ordering.
Case and T-Box meter plate
To facilitate the installation of meters on DSO meter locations, it is possible to order DIN rail boxes with a mounting plate.
DIN rail box on T mounting plate (H: 36cm, W: 21cm)
Option: Pre-wired input panel
Climkit offers a pre-wired input panel that allows regrouping, at the site's input point, all the elements necessary for an RCP (photovoltaic, battery and charging stations).
It integrates:
- the grid input (up to 160 A depending on variant)
- the DSO meter location
- outputs for the photovoltaic inverter (≤ 30 kVA), AC battery and charging stations
- private general, PV, battery and charging station meters
- the Climkit communication infrastructure (Gateway, multi-operator 4G router, PoE Ethernet switch)
Ready to assemble and developed by Climkit, it regroups the input and communication infrastructure necessary for the integration of the solutions.
Assembled in Switzerland with Schneider Electric components, it is available in two variants:
Variant up to 80 A (direct metering)
Variant up to 160 A (indirect metering with CT)
Variant with Cloud Gateway
Instead of using a Climkit Gateway, it is possible to opt for a virtual Gateway using the MQTT protocol, by combining a router (LAN or 4G) with an RS485-Ethernet converter.
Cloud Gateway diagram with 4G Router
Diagram with LAN router
2. Connection variants
Microgrid diagram: site consisting of several buildings
The Microgrid diagram consists of a regrouping (RCP) with the following characteristics:
- A single point of introduction to the public network, equipped with a DSO Input meter, generally located in a separate main distribution board room or in one of the site's buildings.
- Several buildings connected to this same point of introduction.
- Multiple consumers (apartments, offices, common areas, etc.), each linked to an individual meter.
This scheme applies in particular when the private meters are distributed in different points of the site. Several variants are then possible for the connection and reading of the meters:
- Installation of a bus between buildings, passing through each meter to the central Climkit Gateway.
- Installation of a Climkit Gateway in each building, each connected to the Internet for data transmission.
- Recommended: Interconnect all buildings via a local IP network (RJ45 cabling or optical fiber). Each meter installation is linked to an RS485-Ethernet converter, itself connected to the site's LAN network. This architecture allows for efficient centralization of data while ensuring the flexibility of the infrastructure. (See diagram below.)
This last variant is recommended because it has several advantages:
- Increased reliability: It avoids connection problems related to the physical bus between buildings, whose diagnosis and troubleshooting can be complex.
- Equipment savings: It allows installing only one Gateway and one router for the entire site, thus simplifying the architecture and reducing costs.
Microgrid diagram with virtual RCP with several introductions
The Microgrid diagram with virtual RCP consists of:
- Several points of introduction to the public network, each with its DSO meter
- Several interconnected buildings
- Several consumers (apartments, offices, common areas, etc.) equipped with either a private meter or a DSO meter
- Several photovoltaic installations measured by a private meter or a DSO meter
Operating principle:
The electricity produced is shared between buildings. The DSO meters are grouped virtually to establish a single bill for withdrawal from the network.
The private meters are read directly by the Climkit Gateway, while the DSO transmits its meter data to Climkit. All information is centralized on the Climkit platform.
Single consumer diagram
This scheme applies to sites including:
- A single point of introduction to the public network
- A single consumer
- A single photovoltaic installation
Example of application: A single-family house or a commercial building equipped with a photovoltaic installation.
At least two meters are installed: an Input meter in series with the DSO meter and a Production meter.
Consumption does not need to be measured directly: it is deduced by calculation from the values of the other two meters (Consumption = Production + Imported energy or - Exported energy).
Cloud Gateway variant with LAN (or 4G) router
3. Self-consumption optimization
Climkit's optimization system allows increasing the self-consumption rate of a photovoltaic installation by controlling certain devices according to the solar energy production.
The surplus fed back to the electrical grid is thus limited and Autonomy is also gained by producing, for example, hot water with solar energy.
Devices (water heaters, heat pumps, radiators, pool pumps etc.) are controlled via a Relay. It is also possible to control certain charging stations for electric vehicles (via Wifi or Ethernet).
Climkit Offer
Here are the additional products to allow self-consumption optimization:
- Equipment:
- Relay I/O Module
- Software features:
- Self-consumption optimization
- Setup service:
- Technical coordination and configuration
Details of the equipment used
Relay I/O Module
The WP8024 I/O Module provided by Climkit has 4 relays.
It is delivered with a 24V DC DIN rail power supply and connects to the Climkit Gateway via RS485-Modbus (like the electricity meters).
Potential-free contacts (e.g. SG-ready of the heat pump) can be connected directly to a relay of the module.
In the case of a water heater, the module relays control control relays (contactor) which themselves switch on the water heater.
A three-phase heating element can be connected with an independent relay per phase to allow switching by steps and maximize self-consumption even in case of low photovoltaic production.
If 4 relays are not enough, it is possible to connect several modules to the Climkit Gateway.
It is recommended to install a 3-position switch between the relay module and the device to be controlled in order to be able to manually switch the latter on.
Positions:
- Up (I): Automatic controlled by the relay module and the optimization system
- Middle (0): Forced stop
- Down (II): Forced run
Typical model: Hager SFB116
4. Installation of a battery
In the case of an installation with an AC-type battery (equipped with its own charger-inverter), it is essential to connect this system to a specific Climkit Battery meter and to configure the latter in "Battery" mode on the platform.
