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Solar assistant: do you use it?

Do you use solar assistant with your solar system

  • Yes

  • I used to, not anymore

  • No but I plan to use it one day

  • No and I don't see a reason to purchase it

Results are only viewable after voting.
MaikaiLifeDIY said:
I love SolarAssistant (SA), if I had one complaint it's that they don't yet allow you to monitor multiple battery types. You can add multiple inverters, but you can't monitor multiple batteries.

For example, what I'm looking for is a way to read the EG4 battery data directly, and then at the same time read the aggregate data from a Victron Shunt. Then I could make some basic choices about how this is displayed in the dashboard.
Click to expand...
Yes, it's an oft requested feature.

I would very much like to have the individual battery data from my server rack units but I want the overall data from the Victron shunt. I run a hybrid battery with some SLA.
 
Somewhat tangential to this, but does anyone else see a large disparity in soc between a victron shunt and the BMS on a large battery bank? My normal load is often very low and the BMS don't calculate SOC if the Amps are very low.
 
We have been begging for several features.
But, nothing has come yet.
I solved the issue, for myself. By spending more money. :(
I have one instance of Solar Assistant for the main system and main shunt.
A second instance for just the JK BMS's.
And a third instance just for my DC loads shunt.
Not the solution I wanted. But I can now see everything.
 
timselectric said:
We have been begging for several features.
But, nothing has come yet.
I solved the issue, for myself. By spending more money. :(
I have one instance of Solar Assistant for the main system and main shunt.
A second instance for just the JK BMS's.
And a third instance just for my DC loads shunt.
Not the solution I wanted. But I can now see everything.
Click to expand...
Nice that you solved it, but three licenses and 3 RaspberryPi's is an expensive approach. If SA supported a USB hub and multiple connections to a single instance, or enabled multiple virtual machines, that would be nicer. May need a Linux PC versus a Pi, but it would solve the connectivity limitations.
 
wildbillpdx said:
I’d really like to be able to con SA and my inverter to the batteries. I’ve got an EG4 6000ex and LifePOwer4 batteries but can’t have the inverter and SA connected to the batteries simultaneously.
Click to expand...
Add a victron smart shunt. Connect the battery data cable to the inverter and the smart shunt to solar assistant.
 
andrew-d said:
Yeah, for example per-cell voltages, balance information, etc. isn't exposed through a shunt and needs to come from the BMS.
Click to expand...
I understand. But, how does that help you manage the system, or how does the inverter use it? If the SOC reported back is not accurate, isn't that something the Charge controller needs to know?
 
Sanwizard said:
Nice that you solved it, but three licenses and 3 RaspberryPi's is an expensive approach. If SA supported a USB hub and multiple connections to a single instance, or enabled multiple virtual machines, that would be nicer. May need a Linux PC versus a Pi, but it would solve the connectivity limitations.
Click to expand...
USB hubs are fine. I'm using several.
Multiple connections are fine. As long as they are the same type inverters and battery monitors.
It can only connect to one type of inverter and one shunt or type of BMS.
 
mvonw said:
I understand. But, how does that help you manage the system, or how does the inverter use it? If the SOC reported back is not accurate, isn't that something the Charge controller needs to know?
Click to expand...
None of that information is reported to the inverter or SCC.
Only a command to slow or stop charging. And the SOC.
 
i have it on but stop let it monitor the batteries as it was allowing to completely drain, curentyl stil haev it on but allow my Growatt to monitor battery settings using the Growatt module as well. Also still havent been able to work with it outside on home network and SA serivce is spare and generic.
 
I use it decide whether or not to charge from grid if needed during off peak hours. Once you have the “Maintain battery state of charge” graph figured out you don’t have worry or guess and for the most part it does it better than I can estimate. Nothing worse than using more grid than necessary and wasting free sunshine. Get up go about your day and maybe check the app to see if everything’s copacetic…. If I remember. You may have to make a few seasonal adjustments. You have to work out the curve for YOUR specific system.
 
mvonw said:
Somewhat tangential to this, but does anyone else see a large disparity in soc between a victron shunt and the BMS on a large battery bank? My normal load is often very low and the BMS don't calculate SOC if the Amps are very low.
Click to expand...
Yes, especially on the EG4 Lifepower4 batteries, even with the updated firmware they must see at least .5 amps to register discharge.
 
andrew-d said:
What protocol and splitter are you using?
Click to expand...
I think I am using CAN and the splitter was from Amazon. It is not the Ethernet splitter because that one does not connect the wires in parallel. Not only is the protocol important but the actual words the devices use are important. My BMS allowed me to configure the CAN protocol to mimic Victron and my SolArk could interpret that. The only values I got were voltage data, SOC data and charging current command from the BMS.
 
Last edited:
mvonw said:
Somewhat tangential to this, but does anyone else see a large disparity in soc between a victron shunt and the BMS on a large battery bank? My normal load is often very low and the BMS don't calculate SOC if the Amps are very low.
Click to expand...
There is a discrepancy and Victron seems to be more accurate for SOC% but I do like having my JDB BMS report cell voltage drift right in Solar Assistant. I have all this data going to Home Assistant and I can notify my phone if delta of high to low cell is more than .050v.
 
mvonw said:
Somewhat tangential to this, but does anyone else see a large disparity in soc between a victron shunt and the BMS on a large battery bank? My normal load is often very low and the BMS don't calculate SOC if the Amps are very low.
Click to expand...
I have a single 300AH 12V battery and my BMS/Victron Shunt do drift away from each other over time. I haven't worried about it in quite a while. But, previously, I would just hook up an external charger and charge to full which syncs them up again at 100%
 
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