Solar Assistant - data logger

[Electrodude9]

I have had a weird one going for a while and haven't figured it out. Are you familiar with these Hybrid's. No matter what settings I try I have not been able to keep the Grid from coming on.

I'm starting to think that I miss understood the operation of theses Hybrids and got the wrong thing, or is something broke?

Right now I went back to my separate charge controller like what "Will" had set up, (never got a response why) but it work's for me. Didn't want to waste the sunny day.
View attachment 50486

When I got the inverters #2 had no communication to the software, took months but they sent me a new communication Board, now the past week it seemed #2 bye it self has been the 1 charging the battery to maintain the Float. I was playing with setting from 6-7 even took the float down to 24.7 to get the grid to shut down, but when I did the Battery's dropped down to 26v like the were never at the Float, and that's another question.

With regard to the "grid", are you saying (were you saying) that your system would ONLY use power from the grid? Even if the batteries were charged and attached and 'ready to go?'

 

[thealaskan]

With regard to the "grid", are you saying (were you saying) that your system would ONLY use power from the grid? Even if the batteries were charged and attached and 'ready to go?'

What I believe i was seeing, is that power was going from the grid continually to keep the battery's in a float which was set to 27.3v. My lifepo4 never go there and in a relaxed state they might hit 26.4v on a average. My next try I'm going to set the Float at 26v and see what happens.
In a perfect world I would think I should never see the grid in the graph.

 

[jasonhc73]

 

[thealaskan]

View attachment 51696

Been all over that spreadsheet, but I think I found the problem, and am under test now. I was reviewing the inverters in the mpp program and found 3 inverters were sensing the battery's at 100% and 1 was sensing battery's at 64%. So i turned that unit off and will see what happens.

 

[thealaskan]

View attachment 51696

SOLAR ASSSISTANT IS AWSOME!!!
It is a great tool, if it wasn't for this program I don't think I would of ever of seen this problem with the MPP software. This is with #2 inverter on.


This with #2 inverter being turned off and with a test to make sure settings were registering and staying.


There is no way I could of seen this problem with the MPP software.

 

[jasonhc73]

This is why when I started all this I bought two LV5048's (I now have two LV6548's)
1st world problems are the best.

Charging the Energica (14amp 120V), while the A/C is running, (30amp 240V), and everything else in the house.

 

[Lt.Dan]

I'm thinking about getting this myself for the 2x LV6548s I'm going to be installing. From the sounds of it, its well worth the money?

 

[jasonhc73]

I'm thinking about getting this myself for the 2x LV6548s I'm going to be installing. From the sounds of it, its well worth the money?

It makes watchpower look like a complete waste of code that it really is.

Setup everything manually at the inverters. Then connect the pi and live long and prosper.

 

[Lt.Dan]

It makes watchpower look like a complete waste of code that it really is.

Setup everything manually at the inverters. Then connect the pi and live long and prosper.

Do you recommend buying a raspberry pi 4 myself and just purchasing the software, or should I get the entire package through them?

Side note. I've never even touched or seen a Raspberry Pi until earlier this morning lol.

 

[jasonhc73]

Do you recommend buying a raspberry pi 4 myself and just purchasing the software, or should I get the entire package through them?

Side note. I've never even touched or seen a Raspberry Pi until earlier this morning lol.

I bought this kit.

Amazon.com

Pierre's instructions are perfect.
It really is not much more complicated than setting up a new Bluetooth device or a wifi connection. If you want to support him, then just buy it from him also.

I used to goof around with PI a lot. Setting up everything on the pi is just a matter of putting the SD card in and turning it on.

 

[Joe BoyKey]

Just bought the Pi 4b, cost a little more but is worth it, connected to solar assist but they don't support Growatt or Gyll, they are working on Growatt. Never been one to buy old technology, Pi 4b = Quad core, 1.5 to 2g processor, and 8g ram for me, Joe.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0895G45C8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Solar assist manual is vague , ie.. You have to make sd card bootable before unpacking Solar assist file, then boot it to setup Lan or Wifi and register device, their help desk responds the same day.

 

[denarius]

Solar assist manual is vague , ie.. You have to make sd card bootable before unpacking Solar assist file, then boot it to setup Lan or Wifi and register device, their help desk responds the same day.

Hi Joe, what exactly do you mean with "have to make SD card bootable before unpacking Solar assist file"? Did it first not boot? and how did you fix it

 

[jasonhc73]

Hi Joe, what exactly do you mean with "have to make SD card bootable before unpacking Solar assist file"? Did it first not boot? and how did you fix it

I don't know what problem he is having.

The instructions say format the SD card.
Then flash the card with the download.

That is all there is to it.

 

[Joe BoyKey]

I don't know what problem he is having.

The instructions say format the SD card.
Then flash the card with the download.

That is all there is to it.

Got it woking, yes just format card and unpack file, unfortunately Growatt is not supported, but they are working on it, gave Solar Assist access to my account to capture data and sent them the Growatt code page from Watts247. They captured data and said about a month before Growatt is supported, Joe.

 

[Samsonite801]

Has anyone tried the Solar Assistant with a JBD BMS? Does Solar Assistant communicate with JBD out of box or do you need some special interface adapter or anything?

 

[coil1002]

Solar assistant is amazing I have been using it for about a month now. Easy to set up and just works. Although there payment methods kind of sucked but well worth the money

 

[wattmatters]

I just happened upon this thread and have been reading up on Solar Assistant. This looks excellent. I really like the ability to have the system settings changed (e.g. from solar first to utility first and back based on state of charge/time of day).

One question I didn't see covered on their website - can the data be exported?

I like to do a lot of my own spreadsheet analysis.

 

[Joe BoyKey]

@Samsonite801 - Pierre with Solar Assistant was able to get Growatt working in less than 2 weeks, he is now working on E4G gyll batteries, here is a list of batteries in th Software. I have 3 different JBD Diy builds but only am interested in seeing my 4 gyll batteries in Solar assistant, you can email him direct - SolarAssistant <info@solar-assistant.io> Also if any one is interested in playing with live version, PM me your email and I will set you up an Invite to VEIW account on my system, Joe.

 

[Joe BoyKey]

I just happened upon this thread and have been reading up on Solar Assistant. This looks excellent. I really like the ability to have the system settings changed (e.g. from solar first to utility first and back based on state of charge/time of day).

One question I didn't see covered on their website - can the data be exported?

I like to do a lot of my own spreadsheet analysis.

For now Growatt is not complete, ie.. You can not see/change settings

I just happened upon this thread and have been reading up on Solar Assistant. This looks excellent. I really like the ability to have the system settings changed (e.g. from solar first to utility first and back based on state of charge/time of day).

One question I didn't see covered on their website - can the data be exported?

I like to do a lot of my own spreadsheet analysis.

Data is kept on the pi sd card and you can query data by date, haven't figured out how to export xmls yet, also if internet goes down
you simply browse local ip and connect via direct wifi/lan, Joe.

 

[wattmatters]

Data is kept on the pi sd card and you can query data by date, haven't figured out how to export xmls yet, also if internet goes down
you simply browse local ip and connect via direct wifi/lan, Joe.

Thanks. I've never used a Pi before so a bit of experimenting would be in order. Perhaps the developer would consider a data export function, or even a data push function for upload of data to PVOutput. Data redundancy is something I find appealing. Data only being on an SD card is a point of failure I'd rather avoid.

For now Growatt is not complete, ie.. You can not see/change settings

Mine is one of those clone AIO inverters similar to the other brands listed. Uses that same software everyone love to hate. I only used the software during testing phases. Not practical to devote a whole Windows PC to it now that I have it in regular operation.

Still, I'm intrigued by Solar Assistant and am very tempted to get this thing. I'd be going for the full hardware + software pack given I've never used a Pi before.