houseofancients
Solar Wizard
It has been compiled for ARM..
So unless you have an ARM emulator..good luck
Solar assistant: do you use it?
- Thread starter Will Prowse
- Start date
So unless you have an ARM emulator..good luck
Robbert
Solar Enthusiast
And it looks nice.Less than $100. Black Friday is coming up and these tablets are CHEAP!
Final steps of home install.
AC Coupled finally. Using the 2880w on the roof of the RV running to the Growatt, then into the Gen breaker in the SolArk. This keeps everything running through the Sol Ark, and then everything is logged and monitored in Solar Assistant. Does anybody know the laws for this? Is anything I'm...diysolarforum.com
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timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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I take that back. I forgot about my one server rack battery. I've never actually connected to its BMS.
It just works and the LED's are actually pretty accurate.
OffGridForGood
Catch, make or grow everything you can.
I have a couple factory server racks as well then all the DIY packs for the main ESS.
After using the Victron 500A shunt for a number of months, I realized the SOC on one of the server racks was really very accurate - this server rack is a rebranded SOK 100Ah. If I am walking by the ESS - just look at the LED's on that server for the quick idea of the SOC - it is always close.
After using the Victron 500A shunt for a number of months, I realized the SOC on one of the server racks was really very accurate - this server rack is a rebranded SOK 100Ah. If I am walking by the ESS - just look at the LED's on that server for the quick idea of the SOC - it is always close.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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After building my small battery bank. I left the LiFePower4 battery connected. It's standing up against the wall. With a bunch of stuff around it. I always forget that it's there. Mostly because it's never needed my attention.
MaikaiLife
Solar Enthusiast
It’s only ARM based so can you at least mention which VM you used? I’m a paid user and might be interested in trying to get in a VM on an ARM based VM.
wildbillpdx
Solar Enthusiast
According to the SA website, video output isn't supported on any Pi other than the Orange Pi. Have you found something different?
Nope since I run orange pi's I haven't used a different pi
You can change the video drivers. Its just linux and can do anything linux on arm can do.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
You can, where ?
Amazon. I use the orange pi 3 combined with the touch screen cases.
NCislander
Solar Enthusiast
Anyone try loading SA onto a Raspberry Pi 5 yet?
Kenny_
Solar Addict
I had a Pi 4 lying around...that's what I'm using...
wildbillpdx
Solar Enthusiast
I think it’s more than that. The SA website is very specific.Nope since I run orange pi's I haven't used a different pi
You can change the video drivers. Its just linux and can do anything linux on arm can do.
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Dagoth Ur Does Solar
Solar Enthusiast
Just wanted to say that this thread turned me on to Solar Assistant. I am a big Home Assistant user, and I had been wracking my brain for weeks trying to figure out how the hell I would import solar data into Home Assistant from my cheapo Chinese MPP AIO and a Victron SmartShunt. Little did I know that Solar Assistant can handle all that communication, package it into a nice web UI, and allow me to pick up all the data via MQTT in HomeAssistant.
I bought a license and slapped it on an old Pi 3B+ I had laying around, bought a VE.direct to USB cabe, hooked it all up, and it just works. Only had to made very minor changes like switching the temperature multiplier to .1 from 1 on my particular AIO. I really, really love how it has bidirectional control. This opens up a lot of automation capabilities.
The only things I am not crazy about are it being a closed source project. Just poking around in the log files, I have a feeling security is not their top priority. I keep it on a VLAN so it can't talk to my other devices save for some firewall rules set up like a guest network so it can only really go out to the Internet or publish MQTT topics to my HomeAssistant Pi. I'm willing to use it since I have that level of control on my home network.
Not that I want to run these people out of business, but I do hope a FOSS project comes along that can do what Solar Assistant does with the same degree of ease-of-use.
Edit: Forgot to add I don't like how it's a cloud-first solution. I would prefer to be able to run it totally locally and only have it externally reach out for updates. Not sure if the software would pitch a fit due to copy protection if I blocked it from having Internet access.
I bought a license and slapped it on an old Pi 3B+ I had laying around, bought a VE.direct to USB cabe, hooked it all up, and it just works. Only had to made very minor changes like switching the temperature multiplier to .1 from 1 on my particular AIO. I really, really love how it has bidirectional control. This opens up a lot of automation capabilities.
The only things I am not crazy about are it being a closed source project. Just poking around in the log files, I have a feeling security is not their top priority. I keep it on a VLAN so it can't talk to my other devices save for some firewall rules set up like a guest network so it can only really go out to the Internet or publish MQTT topics to my HomeAssistant Pi. I'm willing to use it since I have that level of control on my home network.
Not that I want to run these people out of business, but I do hope a FOSS project comes along that can do what Solar Assistant does with the same degree of ease-of-use.
Edit: Forgot to add I don't like how it's a cloud-first solution. I would prefer to be able to run it totally locally and only have it externally reach out for updates. Not sure if the software would pitch a fit due to copy protection if I blocked it from having Internet access.
Adam De Lay
Solar Wizard
You don't have to have an internet connection for SA to run. It can all be run locally.
There are some ESPHome solutions that will work directly with Hass. Not quite bulletproof yet, but getting there.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
Correct, mine is only a my local intranet.
When I see a new beta I turn on a wifi hotspot, connect SA and laptop / PC to hotspot, download and install update, reboot and put the ssid and password in for my local intranet again.
Under a 10 minute process.
houseofancients
Solar Wizard
Do something similar, but do that for all iot related stuff
wattmatters
Solar Wizard
Yep - and I use them. It really makes for a highly flexible system.
It operates locally only without issue. You can do your own checks on updates, connect briefly to install latest firmware and disconnect again.
Firmware updates listed here - they are not all that frequent, a small handful per year perhaps:
I guess the onus is on them to keep providing new services, features and value for money. They got off their butt and made something useful and it's not that expensive. It's the RPi which is the most expensive element and you can supply your own.
While a FOSS solution can be appealing, it can also die from lack of interest by the one or two people who get initially excited to develop something but grow bored with it and/or move on in life. Sure, commercial software can die a death as well but at least when there is an income stream the chances of survival and ongoing support for something good is reasonable.
nickgosling
New Member
I use it. I wouldn't be able to do what I wanted with my system without it. Best purchase ever. Links to my homeseer system via MQTT and I automate tasks based on solar generated, battery SOC and load. It's flawless. I also use the app multiple times a day.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
What rs485 cables are you using to connect the JKs to the pi?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
If I can do it, you can do it.
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This is what I found to work.
One of each for each BMS.
USB to RS485 Converter Industrial Adapter Original FT232RL and SP485EEN Fast Communication Embedded Protection Circuits Resettable Fuse ESD Protection https://a.co/d/dbxpTBZ
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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And then just usb cables and a hub.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
Thank you. I'm really considering swapping over from the JBDs in preparation for my 4th pack, I want active balancing and I don't care about inverter communication so I don't need the new fancy model. As long as I can communicate with SA I'm happy.This is what I found to work.
One of each for each BMS.
USB to RS485 Converter Industrial Adapter Original FT232RL and SP485EEN Fast Communication Embedded Protection Circuits Resettable Fuse ESD Protection https://a.co/d/dbxpTBZ
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