We had already ordered the standard Wattnode with 571.429 pulses per kWh. Although we had not truly installed the standard Wattnode we ordered, they have a no-return policy at Continental Control Systems. So in essence we lost $300 and had to order another one. In our case, maybe not such a bad thing, because we will more than likely be able to use that unit elsewhere in the future, but as a homeowner I would not have liked to make that mistake.
In order to avoid this you must make a valid estimate of the amount of power you will be producing. From this estimate you can take the 11298 pulses allowed, the kWh estimate, and come up with a good number of pulses you would like per kWh. The highest number you can get away with is best, because it will give you more precision in your kWh display. For example, if your true kWh measurement was 1.62, you could display 1.5 instead of 1. More precision is possible with exact measurements and calibration.
NOTE: We used a 70 A current transformer to send the kWh signal to the Wattnode. This matches our max amperage passing through the lines we are measuring. You must match this CT to your specific purposes. This also effects the amount of pulses output from the Wattnode unit. Complete details can be found at http://www.wattnode.com.
Here is an example calculation:
Generator:
100 kWh per
month max production
11298/100=112.98
Wattnode:
Custom with 112
pulses per kWh or lower.
Once you know the number of pulses you need, you can call the guys at CCS
and they can
build you a
custom unit to your specs.