Starting Solar Assistant without internet

[LochNess]

Trying to install a new, complete 1.8Ghz SA using the hotspot / internal web server http://10.0.0.5.
SA is supposed to not require an internet connection if you purchase the complete, already-activated device,
but my screenshot does not resemble what the SA website instructions show:

Use SolarAssistant without internet

In order to use SolarAssistant without internet, first ensure the device has been activated and then use it's WiFi hotspot...

solar-assistant.io

The SSID and Password fields were blank, as I assume those were for users who want to connect to their LAN.
I filled them in later on a lark, to see if SA was just prompting me to change the default password.
No indication SA is seeing anything other than the USB serial connector plugged into the Sol-Ark WiFi dongle port.
What am I missing?

 

[DIYPV]

Did you select inverter and click save, then click connect?

You probably should connect to the internet to update the firmware. It currently shows 10-30-2022 firmware which likely may not support newer inverters.

 

[LochNess]

Did you select inverter and click save, then click connect?

You can see from the screenshot I selected Sol-Ark, but there was no "save" or "connect" option presented.

 

[LakeHouse]

SA is supposed to not require an internet connection if you purchase the complete, already-activated device,
but my screenshot does not resemble what the SA website instructions show

You’re right that SA’s website says it should already come activated, but it looks like that’s what’s missing. You may need to connect it to the internet (just once) and click that green ‘Register Site’ button at the top.
Then it should work with no internet afterwards.

 

[MajicDiver]

What am I missing?

The save button under Battery is the one you use to save.

 

[MajicDiver]

You can see from the screenshot I selected Sol-Ark, but there was no "save" or "connect" option presented.

See the series of screen shots attached

 

[LochNess]

See the series of screen shots attached

I dont seem to get past the first situation in your screenshot.

So after having to create an account with SA, I was able to get their device to phone their mothership and reveal the DHCP address it was
assigned by my router at https://solar-assistant.io/sites/local.
Clicking on that address timed out on two different browsers on the same network.
But now, I cant reach the hotspot, since its apparently unreachable on my local network.

Rebooting the Rasberry Pi hasnt helped either.

 

[MajicDiver]

Did you buy your device from SA? Your original post seems to indicate that. If so I assume you have an Orange Pi which can connect a monitor to.

 

[Troubleshooter]

Does the WiFi on you phone show "SolarAssistant" network? You need to be connected to it to access http://10.0.0.5. Looks like you told it to try and connect to "solar" network, so that's what it's looking for.
You need to connect to the SA via Bluetooth, then you should be able to get to http://10.0.0.5.

 

[LochNess]

Did you buy your device from SA? Your original post seems to indicate that. If so I assume you have an Orange Pi which can connect a monitor to.

Watts247. The Orange has an HDMI port that for some reason SA strongly discourages using.

 

[LochNess]

Does the WiFi on you phone show "SolarAssistant" network? You need to be connected to it to access http://10.0.0.5. Looks like you told it to try and connect to "solar" network, so that's what it's looking for.
You need to connect to the SA via Bluetooth, then you should be able to get to http://10.0.0.5.

The screenshots indicate I made it past the 10.0.0.5 hotspot that was called "SolarAssistant" before I changed it to "solar" as I indicated.

 

[LochNess]

Suddenly it works now, after I provide name and email and create a login at us.solar-assistant.io/configuration.
I had tried the LAN address that SA provided on a laptop to no avail, but tried it again on an Android and the pieces started to fall into place.
Very aggravating.

So now im back to my original goal of how to keep it local, and my best bet is restoring the hotspot and taking SA off of the internet.
...or should I seriously be considering just using bluetooth?

 

[LochNess]

Suddenly it works now, after I provide name and email and create a login at us.solar-assistant.io/configuration.
I had tried the LAN address that SA provided on a laptop to no avail, but tried it again on an Android and the pieces started to fall into place.
Very aggravating.

So now im back to my original goal of how to keep it local, and my best bet is restoring the hotspot and taking SA off of the internet.
...or should I seriously be considering just using bluetooth?

EDIT: "Only the Raspberry Pis have Bluetooth enabled. It's not enabled on the Orange Pi. If you want to troubleshoot your Orange Pi, please use video output. "

Swell.
Maybe deleting the WiFi credentials will give me back the hotspot function, but what else would that break?

 

[MajicDiver]

Swell.
Maybe deleting the WiFi credentials will give me back the hotspot function, but what else would that break?

Or you could turn off your router temporarily.

Deleting the creditials should only prevent remote access.

 

[bobcov]

EDIT: "Only the Raspberry Pis have Bluetooth enabled. It's not enabled on the Orange Pi. If you want to troubleshoot your Orange Pi, please use video output. "

Swell.
Maybe deleting the WiFi credentials will give me back the hotspot function, but what else would that break?

What's been your experience since this post? I really like the capability of this software, but it needs to be consistent. Unlike your experience, I have had excellent tech support for my trial period.