Solar Panel Guide Discussion

sly_dog_jonah

hambrook wrote: »

I have just had a 4kW System installed consisting of 16 x Suntech STP250s-WD+ Panels (rarer than chickens teeth) and a Fronius 4.0 IG TL Inverter fitted. The inverter has the ability for a USB stick to be plugged in which I then plug into PC and download all the data into the Fronius Solar.access software and this works just fine.

What I would like to do is view the status of the inverter from PC's, iPhone etc (there is a Fronius App) - but this requires another box called a data logger. Fronius do a couple of boxes but they aint cheap - £500 for the Fronius Data Logger web which basically enables an ethernet socket!

Are dataloggers propriety or can you use different makes to provide datalogging and remote data display?

I've been looking at this question as well, as our inverter only has RS232 and RS-485 comms, which is expensive to set up for remote access. All I want is a real-time (logged) output display with minimum installation fuss. I think I've found the solution, but haven't coughed up yet as at £150 inc P&P it's still not particularly cheap:

http://www.greenenergyoptions.co.uk/our-products/solopv

It's not avaiable direct, and the only place I've found it available online is here:

http://www.redrenewables.co.uk/geosolopv

However it does tick the following boxes:

• Real-time display (wirelessly)
• Cumulative stats
• Logging to SD card
• Results can be uploaded to a website for analysis
• Accurate (measures your generator meter directly)

I think that's sufficient for me, but I'll do a bit more hunting around first.

Hope that helps.

anselld

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

I've been looking at this question as well, as our inverter only has RS232 and RS-485 comms, which is expensive to set up for remote access. All I want is a real-time (logged) output display with minimum installation fuss. I think I've found the solution, but haven't coughed up yet as at £150 inc P&P it's still not particularly cheap:

http://www.greenenergyoptions.co.uk/our-products/solopv

It's not avaiable direct, and the only place I've found it available online is here:

http://www.redrenewables.co.uk/geosolopv

However it does tick the following boxes:

• Real-time display (wirelessly)
• Cumulative stats
• Logging to SD card
• Results can be uploaded to a website for analysis
• Accurate (measures your generator meter directly)

I think that's sufficient for me, but I'll do a bit more hunting around first.

Hope that helps.

Looks fine, but three times as expensive as that I posted in post 809.
The one in my post also uploads automatically to web portal without any SD card, etc.
So not sure why you would want to spend £150 on this!

Melba86ss

Thanks, I've updated :-)

lanstrom

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

I've been looking at this question as well, as our inverter only has RS232 and RS-485 comms, which is expensive to set up for remote access. All I want is a real-time (logged) output display with minimum installation fuss. I think I've found the solution, but haven't coughed up yet as at £150 inc P&P it's still not particularly cheap:

http://www.greenenergyoptions.co.uk/our-products/solopv

It's not avaiable direct, and the only place I've found it available online is here:

http://www.redrenewables.co.uk/geosolopv

However it does tick the following boxes:

• Real-time display (wirelessly)
• Cumulative stats
• Logging to SD card
• Results can be uploaded to a website for analysis
• Accurate (measures your generator meter directly)

I think that's sufficient for me, but I'll do a bit more hunting around first.

Hope that helps.

Worth looking at this one too ...
http://www.eco-eye.com/products-smartPV.html

I have emailed them for an ETA and they said it is currently in beta and will be available 1st week in November.

sly_dog_jonah

anselld wrote: »

Looks fine, but three times as expensive as that I posted in post 809.
The one in my post also uploads automatically to web portal without any SD card, etc.
So not sure why you would want to spend £150 on this!

I saw your response after I'd posted, but did a little research on the AppStore for the iPhone app from AlertMe and there are several users moaning about poor reliability of the AlertMe kit. How's your experience of it to date? Is any subscription needed for remote access or is it a lifetime subscription included?

alterego_2

"our inverter only has RS232 and RS-485 comms"

Can you guys hear yourselves? You're debating communication protocols for a system that allows you to be paid 43p/unit for electricity by suppliers who normally obtain it for around 4-5p/unit and who pass the cost on to everyone else. It's not an investment, it's robbery.

lanstrom

alterego wrote: »

"our inverter only has RS232 and RS-485 comms"

Can you guys hear yourselves? You're debating communication protocols for a system that allows you to be paid 43p/unit for electricity by suppliers who normally obtain it for around 4-5p/unit and who pass the cost on to everyone else. It's not an investment, it's robbery.

Your absolutely right !

Meanwhile ... I only generated 7 kWh today ;-)

albyota

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

I've been looking at this question as well, as our inverter only has RS232 and RS-485 comms, which is expensive to set up for remote access. All I want is a real-time (logged) output display with minimum installation fuss. I think I've found the solution, but haven't coughed up yet as at £150 inc P&P it's still not particularly cheap:

http://www.greenenergyoptions.co.uk/our-products/solopv

It's not avaiable direct, and the only place I've found it available online is here:

http://www.redrenewables.co.uk/geosolopv

However it does tick the following boxes:

• Real-time display (wirelessly)
• Cumulative stats
• Logging to SD card
• Results can be uploaded to a website for analysis
• Accurate (measures your generator meter directly)

I think that's sufficient for me, but I'll do a bit more hunting around first.

Hope that helps.

What Inverter do you have?

Cardew

alterego wrote: »

"our inverter only has RS232 and RS-485 comms"

Can you guys hear yourselves? You're debating communication protocols for a system that allows you to be paid 43p/unit for electricity by suppliers who normally obtain it for around 4-5p/unit and who pass the cost on to everyone else. It's not an investment, it's robbery.

The stupidity is on the part of the Government for allowing such a scheme.

You cannot blame individuals who take advantage of such schemes.

anselld

sly_dog_jonah wrote: »

I saw your response after I'd posted, but did a little research on the AppStore for the iPhone app from AlertMe and there are several users moaning about poor reliability of the AlertMe kit. How's your experience of it to date? Is any subscription needed for remote access or is it a lifetime subscription included?

it's been absolutely fine in my experience.
The app could do with being updated for the iPad (it is a iPhone app) but I prefer the web app anyway and use that on the pad.