diy solar

diy solar

MPP Monitoring Software show and tell. What are you using Watchpower or something else.

iceledoar

iceledoar

Off Grid, Off Grid. Not even sometimes.
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
200
Location
Ozarks around 36N 92W
Team, I have one of the new 1012LV's and am struggling to keep WatchPower connected over the only USB port. I have spoken with Ian @ MPP-USA and he suggested I use the front panel for settings, but I'm a data junkie. "In God we Trust, All others bring data." So I need to have some data logging that I can download and analyze.

Questionnaire:

1. Are you experiencing any connection issues?
2. What is your workaround?
3. If not WatchPower, what SW is your Fav?
 
I have not. It’s way out in the woods and mainly used for lights, but I’m sure we will have to test the limits. I did run a 4 amp window ac unit with the panels in full sun, producing about 20 amps @47vdc. Both sets of fans ramped up and it got a little noisy, but couldn’t hear it too much over the ac on high cool.
 
I haven't set up my mpp yet so I'm approaching this as an IT tech

how are you connected, physically between the computer and mpp?

could there be any type of physical problem with the connection method, too long of cable, multiple failure points, interference?

I've heard of people using single board computers like the raspberry pi and using a program like USB/IP to connect to the usb interface over their network. I guess you could run your datalogging on the SBC also.
 
I’m connected using the USB cable they provided, to a win 10 Lenovo laptop, with a fresh load. It hitting com 3 and I have it set for 8,none and 1.
 
iceledoar said:
I’m connected using the USB cable they provided, to a win 10 Lenovo laptop
Click to expand...
I'm using watchpower now on my 4 lV2424 with a designated hp laptop running windows 10. I did find on my main computer that 10 and other things, kept changing the setting of how the program reacted, logging etc....... So I got the lap top, deleted the games, and some other programs, turned off the WIFI so it was a Island with no ability to up date, and had no problems since. The 1 problem that I have now that i think is because of the 4 units, it just gives a temperature of 32 for the reading.
 
Took the laptop with me this weekend and it worked flawlessly. I think there may be some validity to not being on WiFi helping withe the connection.
 
iceledoar said:
it worked flawlessly
Click to expand...
I think windows 10 try's to update or reconfigure the settings or program. So why are you using Watchpower instead of solarpower, is there benefits? I was under the impression that it was a earlier version of Solarpower that has not evolved (versions), they look the same on my computer. I did see some one on youtube that had to have both installed on his computer to make thins work, but i just figured one program was missing code, and the other just put it in.
 
thealaskan said:
I think windows 10 try's to update or reconfigure the settings or program. So why are you using Watchpower instead of solarpower, is there benefits? I was under the impression that it was a earlier version of Solarpower that has not evolved (versions), they look the same on my computer. I did see some one on youtube that had to have both installed on his computer to make thins work, but i just figured one program was missing code, and the other just put it in.
Click to expand...
It’s what shipped with the mpp 1012 Lv
 
I thought I would try to figure out once and for all what is what with the MPP Solar applications. I am using Solarpower v1.14sp4. I found that the sp7 version runs once, but will no longer show new or current production on the graph. I can export historical data for different time periods, but haven't been able to figure out how to graph it to see what production was for the day, or track the battery information without scrolling through the data. The Power Generation Log shows annual data, but the "charts" tab doesn't like my LV2424. I am monitoring with an old Microsoft Surface on Windows 10 connected over USB and use the Chrome Remote Desktop over wifi to view and change the configuration. I'll keep looking around here, but let me know if you have any ideas to make the MPP Solar experience more like a Tesla Power Wall if possible.
 
Scott Martinez said:
I thought I would try to figure out once and for all what is what with the MPP Solar applications. I am using Solarpower v1.14sp4. I found that the sp7 version runs once, but will no longer show new or current production on the graph. I can export historical data for different time periods, but haven't been able to figure out how to graph it to see what production was for the day, or track the battery information without scrolling through the data. The Power Generation Log shows annual data, but the "charts" tab doesn't like my LV2424. I am monitoring with an old Microsoft Surface on Windows 10 connected over USB and use the Chrome Remote Desktop over wifi to view and change the configuration. I'll keep looking around here, but let me know if you have any ideas to make the MPP Solar experience more like a Tesla Power Wall if possible.
Click to expand...
You won't. The software is total garbage. It's only good for real time monitoring. I've found when it flips to the next month it doesn't correctly retaint the prior months daily or summary data. I've also found that when running units in parallel (2 lv2424's) you can see both units and see power generation of both at that moment. However, you are limited to being only able to see one unit's totals for the day month and year. No way to see a summary of both units power generation, and as a said above, unless I write it down on the last day of the month it disappears the next day. I've contacted Ian and MPP looking for help. MPP asked me to upgrade the version of the software which I did to no effect. They then asked me to zip up contents of the data folder and send it to them which I did and now they've gone dark And no longer reply to emails.
 
I was guessing it was (crap!) only going to give me basic information. I think my previous months look correct, but I haven't looked that closely. I think there is a wifi enabled RS232 device that works with an app, but not finding the company information at the moment...
 
Scott Martinez said:
I thought I would try to figure out once and for all what is what with the MPP Solar applications. I am using Solarpower v1.14sp4. I found that the sp7 version runs once, but will no longer show new or current production on the graph. I can export historical data for different time periods, but haven't been able to figure out how to graph it to see what production was for the day, or track the battery information without scrolling through the data. The Power Generation Log shows annual data, but the "charts" tab doesn't like my LV2424. I am monitoring with an old Microsoft Surface on Windows 10 connected over USB and use the Chrome Remote Desktop over wifi to view and change the configuration. I'll keep looking around here, but let me know if you have any ideas to make the MPP Solar experience more like a Tesla Power Wall if possible.
Click to expand...
Don't know anything about Rasberry PI's, but found this site a couple of months ago claiming compatibility: https://iccsoftware.co.za/ going to look harder at it later when I get the system more on line. the also claim cloud, and phone, and web intigration.
 
Yeah....that ICC software looks really nice? too bad my system isn't on the list.
 
iceledoar said:
I’m connected using the USB cable they provided, to a win 10 Lenovo laptop
Click to expand...
Just learned something, left click on the icon run as administrator, do it again go to properties, then go to compatibility, hit the box for run in compatibility mode, switch it to windows 7, save, turn it off and let sit for a few minutes, this is different than restart.
Run as normal with the WiFi on, and for me it seems to work ok now for about a week, reading the manual found when the program was wrote in the early 2000's I think it was for the XP, VISTA era
 
Don't know anything about Rasberry PI's, but found this site a couple of months ago claiming compatibility: https://iccsoftware.co.za/ going to look harder at it later when I get the system more on line. the also claim cloud, and phone, and web intigration.
Click to expand...

Great find, anyone on the forum tried this software yet?
 
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