Off-grid Solar / Battery monitoring and control freeware

[Pierre]

Hi Pierre, i haven't used that exact equipment, so i don't have any code for that. But given there is a windows to using RS485, you know it can be read by a Pi. Persistence is the key.
I'm off grid for a few weeks so i don't have access to my lab, all i can say is key trying and learning and post questions here. You can work it out.

Did you get node_exporter working?
Joe.

Thanks Joe , as you say persistence and patience are key. Just get very frustrated - at the moment trying to connect a BT speaker to the Pi and getting org.bluez error. I see on the webs that I am not the only one !
Will wait until you are back at the lab and will try and get a JBD BMS to you. Will gladly donate to the effort.
Keep well.

 

[shavermcspud]

Hi Craig, You will need some type of internet access if you want remote access. I push the data from my network out out the cloud (Google). Its just a small text file every 10 seconds. If you dont have wired internet, you can only view the data locally. If you have cellular, you need to make a hotspot or get a cellular modem to view the data globally.

The bulk of the system is software on a raspberry Pi. It polls the data port on the Epever (or equivalent), creates the reports, then optionally scp’s the data to the cloud where the reports are reproduced. My Linux cloud server at Google is around $6 a month.

I want to build a image for the Pi that has all the software reconfigured, so all a new user need to do is plug the Pi into the inverter via the USB port. Then point their web browser at the raspberry Pi to get the reports.

I can do all or most of the coding and development, but wanted to know who else might be interested as a user or tester/developer to speed things along and try on other solar equipment.

The total cost of the required hardware is reasonable, the Pi is under $50. Let me know if you have any other questions.

I have already done this and made a pre compiled image that is ready to go with usb/serial support also grafana is setup
Ill dig the Gdrive link out, needs a pi3 or later to work.

 

[kaicarno]

For deployment get the Pi Zero, way cheaper .. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0748MPQT4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Use this USB adapter to power your Pi Zero, plugs right into the Epever Triton series... https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NKNBZYG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then you run a usb/rs485 cable straight into the Epever data port and your up and running. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081JW5M4L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hi, thanks for the info.

The instruction is possibly not entirely correct. I would like to say two things here to compliment them (and if you agree then maybe we should look at getting an issue raised in the GitHub repo as the item list is the same there.

So:

1. "this USB adapter to power your Pi Zero, plugs right into the Epever Triton" -> this is to give electricity to the Pi Zero after all the software is configured and you want to just data-log;

2. "run a usb/rs485 cable straight into the Epever data port" -> for this it is needed that you add an adapter as the remaining port on the Pi Zero is a micro-usb port, but the cable end is USB A male from the Epever RS485. Search for " USB 2.0 Micro USB Male to USB Female " to see what I mean.

Also: a question - is it interchangeable if we use the adapter (from point 1) as RS485 data or power, and the micro USB port on the Pi Zero as RS485 data or power? In other words: is it unimportant which USB port on the Pi Zero does what job?

Kindly,

 

[BarkingSpider]

Ok there is a problem here with the USB adapter. You will notice it disables the USB port, so you need to cut or disconnect the connection with a small piece off paper to the restablish the usb port. It's complicated but easy to do with you know how. Text me if you need more info.

 

[BarkingSpider]

Recently added the MPP all—in—one units and their clones to the monitoring family.

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

Very nice! I'll see if I can find time early next year to add MUST charge controllers and inverters, as well as JK/Heltec BMS support.

 

[BarkingSpider]

Let me know when you do. I also added Electrodacus SBMS BMS units, will be posting that code shortly.

 

[Dane2244]

Hi,
I am trying to setup something similar using a Raspberry Pi 4 and EPever MPPT Xtra-N Solar Charge Controller. Does anyone have any insights on how I should get something like this up and running? I do have one of the supplier provided RJ-45 RS485 to USB cables that presumably allow you to monitor charge through a PC with their software. Not sure how to get something like that going on Linux or through a python code on the Pi.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BarkingSpider]

Look on my GitHub link below. All the info you need is there. It works great with an Epever SCC.

 

[Dane2244]

Thank you

Look on my GitHub link below. All the info you need is there. It works great with an Epever SCC.

Thank you! I was already working through your github and really appreciate the great documentation! I just wasn't sure if the same solution would hold for a different model SCC? I have an XTRA-N and wasn't sure what model you developed for.

 

[BarkingSpider]

My code has been tested on the Epever Triron Series. The are all very similar.

 

[Dane2244]

My code has been tested on the Epever Triron Series. The are all very similar.

On your guide you list a few adapters to make a usb/rs485 connection. Is there an issue if I use the one provided by Epever rather than making my own?

 

[BarkingSpider]

No trouble, the OEM cable works fine, it's just a little long and heavy.

 

[Dane2244]

Has anyone tried using bluetooth to connect a raspberry pi to the SCC? I have the "eBox BLE 01" from the company, and have been using it to read the solar charge level with the smartphone app. I was thinking I could use an ethernet splitter to have one cable go to the eBox and another to the USB port on the RPi to be able to simultaneously read the data on the Pi as well as through my smartphone app (in the event the Pi no longer has power, etc).

But it turns out when I do that, the commands to refresh the data on the eBox fail if there is not enough power. I'd like to keep the eBox connected and add the Pi on to the system to log data and was thinking there might be a way to have the Pi connect to the eBox via bluetooth and stream data that way.

 

[rin67630]

Hi Barking Spider,

I am on the same trip. With however another focus.
My aim is to make the low-power end as much effective as possible, to power off grid instruments all year unattended.

My platform is an ESP8266 microcontroller controlling buck converters to force them to do a software controlled MPPT..
The "instrument" can be a Raspberry Pi, which would (with 3-10W) be at my high-end of power consumption ,
the low end being the own ESP8266 and a total permanent power consumption of 0,15W.
(the very common ultra-low power intermittent solutions with sleep to save power are not my concern, i need always on)

Albeit having a tiny processor, I provide full tracing and reporting:

• battery voltage and current monitoring (with trending in the cloud and download to excel)
• total current to/from Battery and power
• statistics and Coulomb/Ah integration
• logging of events (low/high voltage, cycles, begin / end of full charge)
• energy not harvested (after battery full)
• computation of the internal resistance of the battery
• weather display from openweather.org
• ability to network-forward measures over UDP to another ESP/Raspberry Pi

Everything is programmed "bare-metal" in c++.
I have chosen to use Thinger.io as a dashboard.
It provides only a subset of Grafana, but has the huge advantage of running in the cloud and being accessible "no-frills" worldwide.

My project is here on DIYsolar and here on GitHub...
Still work in process, but progressing.

Cu+

 

[rin67630]

If you give me a simple UDP data protocol, I could consider making an ESP8266-based feed to your system.
My devices base on INA226 sensors that can sense any current (off-rail) and voltages up to 36V.
That would make your resources accessible also to SCCs / BMS without data interface.

 

[Steve_S]

I came across this in my morning tour of sites and I immediately thought of this being a potentially valuable addition to this growing Thread & Solution.

Build a Two-Way Pager With LoRa
​

Wireless technology from the IoT can be co-opted for human communication​

By Aleksej Lazarev

Build a Two-Way Pager With LoRa
 - IEEE Spectrum

 

[rin67630]

Build a Two-Way Pager With LoRa


Yes, powering solar-powered Lora repeaters are one of the potential application of my development:
I am targetting the 24/365 powering of devices between an Arduino (0.2W) and a Raspberry Pi (3-6W).
Currently the scope of SCCs that are efficient in this low-power realm is very limited, say it crudely: not existent.

 

[Steve_S]

My hardware tinkering is coming to an end finally, once I complete the final battery pack and finishing tweaks.
Next up Software:
Raspi-4B, Node-Red Grafana, INfluxDB, Python.
Samlex EVO -> ModBus <-> USRIOT-410S <-> Raspi
Midnite Classic -> ModBus <-> Raspi
4 Chargery BMS8T -> RS232 -> USR/IOT-N540 -> Raspi
1 JBD 12V/120A -> UART-PC -> Raspi

The USRIOT / PUSR devices interface RS232/RS485 devices to Ethernet IPaddress : Port which I will have to sort out on the Raspi side... On Win-10 accessing the sub-ports is a freakin nightmare and have to use VCOM (Virtualized comm ports). Hopefully with Raspberry OS NIX it will be easier to work around.

I already have a setup running with the Midnite Classic & Node-Red to Influx & Grafana, so I'm going to pick that up and build out as above. Having already experienced the "fluffy influxDB" I'm installing a 1TB M.2.SATA as I have a feeling it will get quite fluffed with all the datasets. A Good Winter project for January & February.

 

[BarkingSpider]

If you give me a simple UDP data protocol, I could consider making an ESP8266-based feed to your system.
My devices base on INA226 sensors that can sense any current (off-rail) and voltages up to 36V.
That would make your resources accessible also to SCCs / BMS without data interface.

Hi, i like those 8266 devices, i have a few nodeMCU units i use for temperature and humidity readings.

I found the best way to share data locally is for you to install an Wifi Server sketch on your 8266 and i can poll your data with curl.

Also i like using Dweet.io with the 8266, you use Wifi as a client and push your data up to their servers for free and i can get it from anywhere.

Combined with deep sleep, I can get nearly a years use out of a single 18650 battery.

Great devices. Do you have enough memory for the www client/server software?