SRNE & WiFi Dongle (Maybe Others) SmartESS App Website Logging

[Aerial Gopher]

Like everyone else I struggled to get the SmartESS app to work. Note that there is a SmartESS Client app too that is almost useless, but works.

What I think happens when you use either app, it will connect to the wifi dongle, and tell it which wifi to use, as well as which server to send data to, all though, not 100% sure.

None the less after much headaches, this particular unit I have sends data to this web site.
http://www.dessmonitor.com/?#/generalNew/home
It is pretty neat, and you can export the data.

Note the CmdPowerOnOff actually works. Bit scary if you think of where that can be used.... and we may experience war soon. you never know.
That being said, you can send the device its own firmware, which then it can be programmed to send data elsewhere. But that is beyond my lvel, so I will have to live with 3rd party logging, if it lasts for a long time...or not.

Note the Wifi Device I bought was from an Aliexpress seller who sold SRNE inverters that plugged into the RS485 port on the bottom of the inverter. This MAY work with others that use the SmartESS app, but I do not know,

I used the same login credentials as I did when I created/registered the account on the phone app, I added the QA number again on the web browser, then removed it, then removed it from the phone app, then added it via the web browser, and then it automatically showed up in the phone app, then just had to unplug the wifi dongle from the inverter and then back in to power cycle it, and then it (the inverter, as the Data logger always showed up) on the web browser.

Not sure what the reason was, it probably was my lack of patience for the 5 minute update interval.

If anyone can hack the device to send data more than every 5 minutes, please let me know how to do it. Because I want more DATA!

 

[sethile]

OMG, that was easy! And I can see all my data again! Thanks very much! I have an MPP LV6548, which has an onboard wifi module. All I did was login using the same credentials I had setup using the WatchPower app, (which is also how I got into ShineMonitor). Do you know if they have an android app? The website works great on the computer, but is not scalable or mobile friendly at all on the phone... I like keeping up with what's going on when I travel, and have a trip coming up soon, although I'll have a laptop with me...

Thanks again for the tip! Super timely. I was pulling my hair out with ShineMonitor most of the morning... It quit receiving my data June 22nd.

 

[Aerial Gopher]

OMG, that was easy! And I can see all my data again! Thanks very much! I have an MPP LV6548, which has an onboard wifi module. All I did was login using the same credentials I had setup using the WatchPower app, (which is also how I got into ShineMonitor). Do you know if they have an android app? The website works great on the computer, but is not scalable or mobile friendly at all on the phone... I like keeping up with what's going on when I travel, and have a trip coming up soon, although I'll have a laptop with me...

Thanks again for the tip! Super timely. I was pulling my hair out with ShineMonitor most of the morning... It quit receiving my data June 22nd.

SmartESS is what I used on my android. There is also SmartESS Client - do not use that, it sends data to the Shine monitor website.

You are right, its not a mobile friendly website, but click the 3 dots, and click, Desktop version, it reloads in desktop version and looks good. Although the app is easier. Although with the app, you need ot keep refreshing it. its annoying.

 

[sethile]

SmartESS is what I used on my android. There is also SmartESS Client - do not use that, it sends data to the Shine monitor website.

You are right, its not a mobile friendly website, but click the 3 dots, and click, Desktop version, it reloads in desktop version and looks good. Although the app is easier. Although with the app, you need ot keep refreshing it. its annoying.

OK, I get it now, great! Just installed the SmartESS App on my Android phone (thankfully it worked as soon as I logged in). I think this will do everything I need to keep up with things when I'm traveling.

I like the DessMonitor website on the laptop. And I'm looking forward to downloading data to crunch and display in something like google sheets.... Anyone played with something like that?

 

[chukaonline]

I have setup up mine today. It is an SRNE hybrid inverter and I used the smartESS app.
Does anyone know how to access/export the data locally? modbus, http commandline e.t.c. I want to get the data to my smart home (home assistant).

 

[Aerial Gopher]

I have setup up mine today. It is an SRNE hybrid inverter and I used the smartESS app.
Does anyone know how to access/export the data locally? modbus, http commandline e.t.c. I want to get the data to my smart home (home assistant).

Use Solar-Assistant.io

 

[chukaonline]

Thanks @Aerial Gopher I did not want to make an additional investment. I was hoping I could connect HA directly to this data logger

 

[Aerial Gopher]

Thanks @Aerial Gopher I did not want to make an additional investment. I was hoping I could connect HA directly to this data logger

return that wifi dongle, its useless. the cost of solar assistant is well worth it. Actually, I had losses of 1to 1.5 kwH per day just for that inverter to be on so I got rid of that too. see my other posts. The 3kWh srne fans are just way too loud and the RPM of them is too high for what is needed. It was less money, but now i Know why.

The app is the same price essentially of the wifi dongle. The wifi dongle also allows remote upgrades direct from China, so I personally do not want to allow that, but that is just me. Did you know you can actually shut off the inverter over that Smart ESS app, and even loging into the web browser? Bit odd functionality if you ask me. Who really has access to this inverter when that dongle is connected.

 

[chukaonline]

Finally, I was able to get it connected to HA using USB. I am disconnecting the wifi dongle for good.

SOC address: 256
Battery voltage address: 257
Battery current address: 258
Panel voltage address: 263
Panel current address: 264
Panel Power address: 265

modbus:
- name: SRNE
type: serial
baudrate: 9600
bytesize: 8
method: rtu
parity: N
port: /dev/ttyUSB0
stopbits: 1

Screenshot on HA

 

[Lucasss]

Finally, I was able to get it connected to HA using USB. I am disconnecting the wifi dongle for good.

SOC address: 256
Battery voltage address: 257
Battery current address: 258
Panel voltage address: 263
Panel current address: 264
Panel Power address: 265



Screenshot on HA
View attachment 109183

Can you post the modbus sensor thay you have in the configuration.yaml?

 

[chukaonline]

I had to group sensors to reduce the number to request to the inverter.

sensors:
- name: "Main Battery"
address: 256
slave: 255
count: 3
scan_interval: 60
data_type: custom
structure: ">3H"
- name: "Main Panel"
address: 263
slave: 255
count: 3
scan_interval: 61
data_type: custom
structure: ">3H"
- name: "Main Usage"
address: 61487
slave: 255
count: 2
scan_interval: 3600
data_type: custom
structure: ">2H"
- name: "Main Load"
address: 540
slave: 255
count: 4
scan_interval: 62
data_type: custom
structure: ">4h"

##SRNEInverter
main_battery_soc:
friendly_name: "Main Battery SOC"
unit_of_measurement: '%'
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_battery').split(',')[0]) }}"
main_battery_voltage:
friendly_name: "Main Battery Voltage"
unit_of_measurement: V
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_battery').split(',')[1]|float * 0.1)|round(1) }}"
main_battery_current:
friendly_name: "Main Battery Current"
unit_of_measurement: A
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_battery').split(',')[2]|float * 0.1)|round(1) }}"
main_panel_voltage:
friendly_name: "Main Panel Voltage"
unit_of_measurement: V
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_panel').split(',')[0]|float * 0.1)|round(1) }}"
main_panel_current:
friendly_name: "Main Panel Current"
unit_of_measurement: A
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_panel').split(',')[1]|float * 0.1)|round(1) }}"
main_panel_power:
friendly_name: 'Main Panel Power'
unit_of_measurement: W
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_panel').split(',')[2]) }}"
main_power_generated:
friendly_name: "Main Power Generated"
device_class: energy
#state_class: total_increasing
unit_of_measurement: kWh
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_usage').split(',')[0]|float * 0.1)|round(1) }}"
main_power_consumed:
friendly_name: "Main Power Consumed"
device_class: energy
#state_class: total_increasing
unit_of_measurement: kWh
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_usage').split(',')[1]|float * 0.1)|round(1) }}"
main_load_power:
friendly_name: "Main Load Power"
unit_of_measurement: W
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_load').split(',')[0]) }}"
main_load_percent:
friendly_name: "Main Load Percentage"
unit_of_measurement: '%'
value_template: "{{ (states('sensor.main_load').split(',')[3]) }}"

 

[Honuz]

Hi all,

I was about to buy a Wifi module for my inverter, thinking that i would be able to redirect http request to my NAS for further storing datas in a database.

So what is your advice ?
1 - Do not buy a wifi module, cause you rely on a distant server that could stop any moment .. and it could be a backdoor too..
2 - Maybe get a USB to RJ45 adapter to make the inverter available on the network then poke him for data from timt to time and save those datas
3 - An other option ?

 

[Aerial Gopher]

Hi all,

I was about to buy a Wifi module for my inverter, thinking that i would be able to redirect http request to my NAS for further storing datas in a database.

So what is your advice ?
1 - Do not buy a wifi module, cause you rely on a distant server that could stop any moment .. and it could be a backdoor too..
2 - Maybe get a USB to RJ45 adapter to make the inverter available on the network then poke him for data from timt to time and save those datas
3 - An other option ?

Solar Assistant, Runs on a raspberry pi, data is local. Love it!

 

[Honuz]

Solar Assistant, Runs on a raspberry pi, data is local. Love it!

Seems ok but i already got a NAS and 2 miniPC (i3 7100U, i5 9400T) that are running, not fan investing in a new device .. specially when it's so expensive for what it is .. :D
If it was working in a dock or under linux/ windows .. would be a possibility, since it do not ... i keep the idea but... really donot want to invest in a Rasp.
Edit: just adding an info, my i7100 (dual core, 4 threads) with Proxmox, Home assistant, Adguard LXC, take 7 Watt average. The 9400T nearly use the same amount of power (6 cores/6 threads).

 

[SirSam]

Hey Guys
New to the forum here so I have my fingers crossed that I can find some help here.

I've recently installed a hybrid inverted (techfine 3kw) and all well with the installation, however for the life of me I cannot seem to understand why the COMM light on the RJ45 to RS232 wifi data logger won't come on immediately. Everytime I remove the RS232 datalogger and install it back in or restart it, the thing takes a few hours for the COM to be start working and provide me with data.

I have for the past 3 days trying to connect the data logger to the watchpower app & everytime I go through the setup, the app requires I restart to finalize setup. I'm failing at this ..

I'm currently using the SmartESS app & I don't have the "data chart" function to monitor my energy generated/consumed information.

 

[chukaonline]

Hey Guys
New to the forum here so I have my fingers crossed that I can find some help here.

I've recently installed a hybrid inverted (techfine 3kw) and all well with the installation, however for the life of me I cannot seem to understand why the COMM light on the RJ45 to RS232 wifi data logger won't come on immediately. Everytime I remove the RS232 datalogger and install it back in or restart it, the thing takes a few hours for the COM to be start working and provide me with data.

I have for the past 3 days trying to connect the data logger to the watchpower app & everytime I go through the setup, the app requires I restart to finalize setup. I'm failing at this ..

I'm currently using the SmartESS app & I don't have the "data chart" function to monitor my energy generated/consumed information.

Hi @SirSam, my advice will be to go with either of these
1. Solar Assistant
2. HA via USB
3. HA via TCP gateway (I use Elfin Ew11)

 

[Honuz]

Hi @SirSam, my advice will be to go with either of these
1. Solar Assistant
2. HA via USB
3. HA via TCP gateway (I use Elfin Ew11)

Could you give us the pinout of the "RJ45" com port on the inverter that you used for your Elfin ..?
I got an Elfin (using 10A) and can't figure it out the good pinout, well .. i got one but not sure of it.
Thanks

 

[chukaonline]

For my inverter the rs485 port was an exact copy of an rj45 port and it needed the pin 7 and 8 from a regular network cable. 7 (brown) is A- and 8 is B- (brown/white). So just cut a cable and get those into the elfin unit. Orange and orange/white is for power and gnd

 

[berniej]

Does anyone know please - how to get the value of 'line power' using SmartESS/dessmonitor or an alternative?
Mine, like the op, does not show this and it's not in any of the reports so impossible to know what, if any, power is being drawn from the grid to supplement that from PV/battery.

 

[Dimu]

The time on my data logger is invalid. How can I change this?