Solar PV Monitoring

Ferdy147

Hi all,

Having a solar pv system installed later this week. The inverter is a sunnyboy/SMA brand which has an integrated bluetooth module.

What methods do people here with solar pv use to monitor the solar panels/FIT/generation etc. I have a laptop with bluetooth and I've heard there are methods of measuring this using the laptop or seperate monitors which are more costly.

Any ideas/recommendations?

Thanks,

Ferdy147

Cardew

If you go to the 'Green' section of MSE forum there are hundreds of posts by some very knowledgable people of these issues and your query will be answered.

Solar_Novice

Hi Ferdy147,

If you have a laptop with bluetooth built-in then you do not need to purchase anything else to monitor an SMA.

You will need to download some software from SMA, but it's free and I found it pretty easy to set-up too.

I'm trialling a bluetooth adaptor with it at the moment and can't see why you need any more.

Hope that was helpful
bw

I have just had panels installed recently - so I'm learning as I go and blogging my findings on my web-site.

Brian99_2

Hey Solar Novice, your blog is an excellent report... of an abysmal company !
May I quote ?

"We first checked the loft area as this was an area where my father had heard a rather abrupt command of ‘stop’ by one of the fitters. On inspection we found that the top corner of the gable end internal wall where it joins the rafters and roof supports was showing a large hole. On closer inspection we found that the fitter must have been drilling upwards towards the ridge tiles. This had caused some of the masonry and block work to come away just underneath. He had then re-drilled horizontally some 150mm lower.

Next, while still in the loft, we found holes in the felt where the fitter must have stabbed at the felt with either a screwdriver or drill. Nearby he had used another hole to feed the solar array’s cabling through. Why he did not use the lap of the felt located just above to do this is just one of the questions we will be asking. Also we were horrified to see screws splitting down the sides of the rafters. Others were coming out at all sorts of angles with more that fifty percent of the screw not in the joist. Instead of using a pilot hole first, he must have just screwed-in causing several more instances of this on each side of the loft.

This stomach churning experience then continued on the outside. While looking up under the gable end we could see that a hole was drilled and then left unused in the fascia board. A tile was also hanging precariously just above, and the dry verge cap was no longer straight. Coming around the back of the house looking up at the ridge we could see that the end ridge-tile was longer sitting fixed to its bed of mortar."


That's just a sample. I suggest people view this detailed blog, if only for the superb clarity of writing !

http://www.devon-solar-panel-installation.onfocus.co.uk/

Ferdy147

Thanks chaps - I've looked at the green forum and there's plenty of solar pv discussion there - thought it was not mentioned often here!

Also I've checked out the software you mentioned - SMA Sunny Explorer - looks like this should do what I wanted so I'll try it out when the install is complete.

Solar_Novice

Your welcome Ferdy147,

With reference to your SMA Inverter - do you find that the readings are slightly out to that of the generation meter?

HalloweenJack

i hope they made good on the damage they caused!

grahamc2003

Solar_Novice wrote: »

Your welcome Ferdy147,

With reference to your SMA Inverter - do you find that the readings are slightly out to that of the generation meter?

The generation meter, being used for billing, is calibrated and very accurate. The inverter readings aren't calibrated - the specs should tell your their accuracy, hopefully they should be better than +-2% in the working range. Could you post the accuracy if you look it up? tia.

zeupater

grahamc2003 wrote: »

The generation meter, being used for billing, is calibrated and very accurate. The inverter readings aren't calibrated - the specs should tell your their accuracy, hopefully they should be better than +-2% in the working range. Could you post the accuracy if you look it up? tia.

Hi

Our TGM reads ~0.35% lower than the inverter reading if that's any help .... this includes theoretical AC cable losses between the inverter and the TGM of around ~0.1%.

HTH
Z