Sunny Webbox RS485 w/SMA 6048-US

[daklein]

About the daisy chain, should I, for example, but a termination ethernet plug on the COM-SMA-In plug of my SI master, connect an ethernet cable on its COM-SMA-out which would then go to the COM-SMA-In of the SI slave and then connect the Ethernet cable going to my router, which connects to the Data Manager M, on the COM-SMA- out of the SI slave port?

Yes that's the idea, and the DMM would terminate it's end of the rs485 bus. Good luck and please report how it works out with the DataManagerM and the SI6048US inverters.

 

[Hedges]

It doesn't need RS-485 on each SI, just the master. Master can read data from slaves and from DC charge controllers on the same RJ-45 bus (CAN?)

It is all Sunny Island which get RS-485, if they support that and system is grid-backup.

I have those things, talking to Sunny Web Box. I've also used Sunny Data Control but it didn't see SI, only SB (maybe firmware version? Documentation doesn't say any updates affect SI access).

I think there is an interface which can go between Data Manager and the RS-485 devices.

 

[fskywalker]

Yes that's the idea, and the DMM would terminate it's end of the rs485 bus. Good luck and please report how it works out with the DataManagerM and the SI6048US inverters.

I have connected the SI's on a chain: SI Master In (from SLAVE), SI Master Out (resistance); SI Slave Out (to MASTER), SI Slave In (resistance) but haven't found a way to add them on the Data Manager M yet, will keep trying

 

[fskywalker]

It doesn't need RS-485 on each SI, just the master. Master can read data from slaves and from DC charge controllers on the same RJ-45 bus (CAN?)

It is all Sunny Island which get RS-485, if they support that and system is grid-backup.

I have those things, talking to Sunny Web Box. I've also used Sunny Data Control but it didn't see SI, only SB (maybe firmware version? Documentation doesn't say any updates affect SI access).

I think there is an interface which can go between Data Manager and the RS-485 devices.

Thanks. When I asked SMA technical team about how to achieve the communication was told needed a piggy back card on each Sunny Island and the Data Manager M, they did not said needed an interface to communicate the output of the SI's to the Data Manager M.

 

[Hedges]

Thanks. When I asked SMA technical team about how to achieve the communication was told needed a piggy back card on each Sunny Island and the Data Manager M, they did not said needed an interface to communicate the output of the SI's to the Data Manager M.

I've never touched Data Manager, only read some documents.

Diagrams in document below show Com Gateway to connect RS-485, but also a dotted green line for RS-485; maybe Data manager has some way to connect without gateway?
It also shows Ethernet to Sunny Island. Maybe an alternate path. I think that is a piggyback which does let SI talk to Data Manager, but does not let it control Sunny Boy -40, -41. (For a while I was looking for a way they could play together for grid-backup, but now apparently supported by UL-1741-SA frequency-watts). I think the Ethernet piggyback if used means RS-485 piggyback won't fit.

https://files.sma.de/downloads/EDMM-10-DS-en-36.pdf

 

[fskywalker]

Here are the piggy back cards and installed on the SI Master and Slave. Will continue trying different connection options and let you folks know what happens

 

[Shinebox]

I have connected the SI's on a chain: SI Master In (from SLAVE), SI Master Out (resistance); SI Slave Out (to MASTER), SI Slave In (resistance) but haven't found a way to add them on the Data Manager M yet, will keep trying

Check out Curiousum Scientia YouTube channel. He has his Data manager M connected direct to his Sunny Island and working.

 

[fskywalker]

Check out Curiousum Scientia YouTube channel. He has his Data manager M connected direct to his Sunny Island and working.

That sounds promising! Have the link?

 

[Shinebox]

go to his channel from that link too to see his setup.

 

[Hedges]

SMA's RS-485 cabling plan leaves out mention of one important point, the need for pullup/pulldown somewhere.

RS-485 requires parallel termination between D+ and D- at each end of the bus. I think that is 100 ohms.
Not explicitly mentioned is that D+ requires pullup (e.g. to +12V) and D- requires pulldown (e.g. to GND), somewhere on the bus. That is a larger value resistor.

All diagrams in the cabling plan assume you have Sunny Boy Control or Sunny Web Box somewhere in the system, and it provides pullup/pulldown. I connected those for commissioning, but then disconnected them and ran the system with just SI and SB connected.

You can stuff additional jumpers in SB, besides the one used for parallel termination at last inverter on bus. A pair of jumpers can provide pullup and pulldown. At least with less than maximum length bus, it is OK to have multiple pullup/pulldown. I leave them configured in one Sunny Boy, and have an RJ-45 terminator in a jack mounted in conduit knockout of SI. Unplugging that terminator, I can plug in cable to Sunny Boy Control or Sunny WebBox, which also has pullup/pulldown.

D+ and D- should be on a twisted pair. GND reference would be a different wire. Where I used Cat5 cable (beyond that special 3-wire cord SMA provided), I used a different pair, both strands, for GND.


I still haven't figured out how SMA operates multiple masters on RS-485.
With a scope I can see periodic communication from Sunny Boy Control, requesting status from Sunny Boy.
What I've never been able to trigger on and observe is the communication from Sunny Island, which tells Sunny Boy if on-grid or off-grid. I see the display on Sunny Boy, so I know the information got through. But I don't know what the message looks like, how SI avoids collisions with Sunny Boy Control (or other master), or whether this is a one-time message or a periodic "keep alive".

The significance for me would be allowing Sunny Boy to switch between AC1 of Sunny Island and being direct on grid. I imagine switching RS-485 so it doesn't hear from SI. But I don't know if missing a one-time message would leave it in incorrect state. Will need to do empirical observation, I guess.

 

[fskywalker]

go to his channel from that link too to see his setup.

Thanks a lot! I confirmed with his video that my connections were correct! Looking at the comments on his channel find out that the applicable search for the Sunny Island under the Data Manager M new device was SMA Data device, which I tried before but cancel after a minute or so since did not saw any progress. It was mentioned that takes about 2 minutes of wait for the new devices to show up and indeed the Sunny Islands showed up and am now able to see the information on the Data Manager M. (On status shows the device on red, which means fault, but it does see the data from the device, parameters, etc; need to later check why does it shows it in red versus everything else (including the Sunny Island slave) in green)




I do have another issue that have not been able to solve, related to the Sunny Portal powered by Ennex. I originally created my system and uploaded the data of the Sunny Boys etc. on the Ennex Sunny Portal system (after configuring the Data Manager M) but later erased the system as was having some issues and read somewhere a recommendation to delete it and start again. Now the system would not let me create a new system with the equipments as they were already registered. I did managed to create the system again on the regular Sunny Portal and works fine :




but have not been able to create the system again on the Ennex Sunny portal. If I try the data transfer option and out the name of the system created on the regular Sunny Portal and it will found it, but would not let me import it:






If tried also to create a new system (with a different name) when try to add the devices will get the following error:


So would not let me register them since they were previously registered. I checked on the operating manual and online on how to reset the devices to factory conditions as indicated, found this link which provides instructions for various systems (https://www.my.sma-service.com/s/ar...y-Settings-Using-Communication?language=en_US) but none of them apply to my system. I can log in directly into the Sunny Boys as installer:




but can't find in the menus where can I reset them to factory settings to then try to add them on the new Sunny Portal by Ennex system. Any ideas?

Thanks

Francisco

 

[ChrisFullPower]

Hah, well at least pulling data to mqtt works and is easy! This project works: https://github.com/pkwagner/yasdi2mqtt

A dump of mqtt messages now shows up the data from the Sunny Islands. That gets me what I want for now so I can do some changes to my system. Maybe I'll come back to the issue of the access level password and ability to change parameters remotely.

1E1_b14 0
1E1_b58 0
201_b12 93
201_b34 0
201_b56 -286
201_b78 -1
/SI6048/1260037647 {"sn":1260037647,"time":1636823296,"values":{"Msg":0,"Soh":99,"TotInvPwrAt":0.10009765625,"TotInvCur":4.8000977262854576,"TotInvPwrRt":-0.49990235269069672,"BatSoc":86.500098943710327,"BatVtg":51.80000077188015,"BatChrgVtg":56.315003280565179,"AptTmRmg":0,"TotBatCur":-2.7999023869633675,"BatTmp":13.300097852945328,"RmgTmFul":7,"RmgTmEqu":15,"BatSocErr":5.7000000849366188,"GnRmgTm":0,"InvPwrAt":9.7654759883880615e-05,"InvPwrAtSlv1":9.7654759883880615e-05,"InvPwrAtSlv2":9.7654759883880615e-05,"InvPwrAtSlv3":9.7654759883880615e-05,"InvVtg":120.02600570092909,"InvVtgSlv1":119.90000178664923,"InvVtgSlv2":0,"InvVtgSlv3":0,"InvCur":2.3000976890325546,"InvCurSlv1":2.4000976905226707,"InvCurSlv2":9.7654759883880615e-05,"InvCurSlv3":9.7654759883880615e-05,"InvFrq":60.003002849989571,"InvPwrRt":-0.19990234822034836,"InvPwrRtSlv1":-0.19990234822034836,"InvPwrRtSlv2":9.7654759883880615e-05,"InvPwrRtSlv3":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtPwrAt":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtPwrAtSlv1":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtPwrAtSlv2":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtPwrAtSlv3":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtVtg":122.00600579497404,"ExtVtgSlv1":121.90000181645155,"ExtVtgSlv2":0,"ExtVtgSlv3":0,"ExtCur":0.10009765625,"ExtCurSlv1":0.30009765923023224,"ExtCurSlv2":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtCurSlv3":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtFrq":60.02300285093952,"ExtPwrRt":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtPwrRtSlv1":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtPwrRtSlv2":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ExtPwrRtSlv3":9.7654759883880615e-05,"TotExtPwrAt":9.7654759883880615e-05,"TotExtCur":0.50009766221046448,"TotExtPwrRt":9.7654759883880615e-05,"TotLodPwr":0.10009765625,"GdRmgTm":0,"Pac":0.10009765625,"Firmware":7.3040003469213843,"Iac":2.3000976890325546,"Vac":120.00000178813934,"Fac":60.000000894069672,"ChpPwrAt":9.7654759883880615e-05,"ChpRmgTm":0,"ChpStrRmgTm":0,"Sic1PvPwr":0,"Sic2PvPwr":0,"Sic3PvPwr":0,"Sic4PvPwr":0,"TotSicPvPwr":0,"TotSicBatCur":9.7654759883880615e-05,"TotMccLodPwr":9.7654759883880615e-05,"TotPvPwrAt":0,"TotLodPwrAt":0.13700000650715083,"SlfCsmpPwrAt":0,"SlfCsmpIncPwr":0,"BatCpyThrpCnt":51,"GdCsmpPwrAt":0,"GdFeedPwrAt":0,"PacPV":9.7654759883880615e-05,"PacFeed-In":9.7654759883880615e-05,"PacConsumption":9.7654759883880615e-05,"kWhPV":0,"FwVer":7.3040003469213843,"OnTmh":28701.500427685678,"FwVer2":7.3000003467313945,"EgyCntIn":2932.300043694675,"EgyCntOut":4570.2000681012869,"EgyCntTm":9275.40013821423,"GnEgyCnt":0,"GnEgyTm":0,"GnOpTmh":10.100000150501728,"GnStrCnt":0,"GdEgyCntIn":1.4000000208616257,"GdEgyCntOut":2968.8000442385674,"GdEgyTmh":1861.1000277325511,"GdOpTmh":2367.7000352814794,"GdCtcCnt":0,"TotTmh":11.000000163912773,"Sic1EgyCntIn":0,"Sic2EgyCntIn":0,"Sic3EgyCntIn":0,"Sic4EgyCntIn":0,"TotSicEgyCntIn":0,"Sic1TdyEgyCntIn":0,"Sic2TdyEgyCntIn":0,"Sic3TdyEgyCntIn":0,"Sic4TdyEgyCntIn":0,"TotSicDyEgyCntI":0,"Serial Number":1260037647,"E-Total-In":2932.300043694675,"E-Total":4570.2000681012869,"h-On":28701.500427685678,"TotLodEgyCnt":0,"SlfCsmpIncEgy":0,"SlfCsmpEgy":0,"SlfCsmpIncTdy":0,"GdCsmpEgyTdy":0,"kWhFeed-In":0,"kWhConsumption":0,"GdFeedEgyTdy":0,"Adr":"Master","OpStt":"Operating","OpSttSlv1":"Operating","OpSttSlv2":"---","OpSttSlv3":"---","CardStt":2,"Prio":"Ina","BatChrgOp":"Float","AptPhs":"Off","GnDmdSrc":"None","GnStt":"Off","InvOpStt":"Run","InvOpSttSlv1":"Run","InvOpSttSlv2":"---","InvOpSttSlv3":"---","Rly1Stt":"On","Rly2Stt":"---","GnRnStt":"Off","Mode":"Operation","Error":"-----","ChpStt":"Idle","PvGdConStt":"---","LodGdConStt":"---","BatMntStt":"Off"}}
031_b12 8195
031_b34 -10632
031_b56 145
031_b78 215
060_BatTgtV 56.3
ClassicMQTT/MNC250CP/stat/readings {"BatTemperature":13.5,"NetAmpHours":0,"ChargeState":4,"InfoFlagsBits":-1308610556,"ReasonForResting":5,"NegativeAmpHours":0,"BatVoltage":51.5,"PVVoltage":112.1,"VbattRegSetPTmpComp":58.4,"TotalAmpHours":400,"WhizbangBatCurrent":0.0,"BatCurrent":5.0,"PVCurrent":2.3,"ConnectionState":0,"EnergyToday":1.2,"EqualizeTime":3600,"SOC":100,"Aux1":false,"Aux2":false,"Power":258.0,"FETTemperature":35.1,"PositiveAmpHours":0,"TotalEnergy":4282.4,"FloatTimeTodaySeconds":0,"RemainingAmpHours":400,"AbsorbTime":45000,"ShuntTemperature":-50.0,"PCBTemperature":36.1}
ClassicMQTT/MNC250CP/stat/info {"appVersion":2126,"deviceName":"CLASSIC\u0000","buildDate":"Wednesday, January 11, 2017","deviceType":"Classic","endingAmps":0.5,"hasWhizbang":true,"lastVOC":118.7,"model":"Classic 250V (rev 4)","mpptMode":9,"netVersion":2122,"nominalBatteryVoltage":48,"unitID":-446205605,"macAddress":"60:1D:0F:00:BC:82"}
010_b1 3
010_b2 2
010_b34 15360

Thanks for posting this! Exactly what I was looking for! I have my inverter and piggyback card on order and hope they will both be here sometime this week and I’ll be able to tinker with it all. Looking forward to having all this data available to Home Assistant.

But I’m having trouble trying to decode some of the Channel Names. Is there a list somewhere I can reference?

 

[ChrisFullPower]

Answered my own question. Some Ctrl-F-ing in the manual. Here are the deciphered channel names.

     517       | '             Msg' | '0.000'           ? Message ?
     518       | '             Soh' | '99.000' (%)      Battery State of Health
     519       | '     TotInvPwrAt' | '0.400' (kW)      Total active power of the inverters (cluster) in kW
     520       | '       TotInvCur' | '8.700' (A)       Total current of the inverters (cluster) in Amps
     521       | '     TotInvPwrRt' | '-0.900' (kVAr)   Total reactive power of the inverters (cluster) in kVAr
     522       | '          BatSoc' | '91.700' (%)      Battery State of Charge
     523       | '          BatVtg' | '51.000' (V)      Battery Voltage
     524       | '      BatChrgVtg' | '56.130' (V)      Charging voltage target value in V
     525       | '        AptTmRmg' | '0.000' (hhmmss)  Remaining absorption time
     526       | '       TotBatCur' | '8.700' (A)       Total battery current of the cluster in A
     527       | '          BatTmp' | '15.200' (degC)   Battery Temp
     528       | '        RmgTmFul' | '7.000' (d)       Remaining time until next full charge in days
     529       | '        RmgTmEqu' | '15.000' (d)      Remaining time until next equalization charge in days
     530       | '       BatSocErr' | '5.300' (%)       Estimated error of the state of charge in %
     531       | '         GnRmgTm' | '0.000' (hhmmss)  Remaining time of the generator meter
     532       | '        InvPwrAt' | '0.200' (kW)      Present active power of the inverter
     533       | '    InvPwrAtSlv1' | '0.100' (kW)          1
     534       | '    InvPwrAtSlv2' | '0.000' (kW)          2
     535       | '    InvPwrAtSlv3' | '0.000' (kW)          3
     536       | '          InvVtg' | '119.996' (V)     Inverter Voltage (Output?)
     537       | '      InvVtgSlv1' | '119.900' (V)         1
     538       | '      InvVtgSlv2' | '0.000' (V)           2
     539       | '      InvVtgSlv3' | '0.000' (V)           3
     540       | '          InvCur' | '4.600' (A)       Inverter Current (AC?)
     541       | '      InvCurSlv1' | '4.100' (A)           1
     542       | '      InvCurSlv2' | '0.000' (A)           2
     543       | '      InvCurSlv3' | '0.000' (A)           3
     544       | '          InvFrq' | '59.996' (Hz)     Inverter Frequency (Output?)
     545       | '        InvPwrRt' | '-0.400' (kVAr)   Inverter Power (Reactive)
     546       | '    InvPwrRtSlv1' | '-0.400' (kVAr)       1
     547       | '    InvPwrRtSlv2' | '0.000' (kVAr)        2
     548       | '    InvPwrRtSlv3' | '0.000' (kVAr)        3
     549       | '        ExtPwrAt' | '0.000' (kW)      Active power of the external source
     550       | '    ExtPwrAtSlv1' | '0.000' (kW)          1
     551       | '    ExtPwrAtSlv2' | '0.000' (kW)          2
     552       | '    ExtPwrAtSlv3' | '0.000' (kW)          3
     553       | '          ExtVtg' | '121.479' (V)     Voltage of the external source
     554       | '      ExtVtgSlv1' | '121.400' (V)         1
     555       | '      ExtVtgSlv2' | '0.000' (V)           2
     556       | '      ExtVtgSlv3' | '0.000' (V)           3
     557       | '          ExtCur' | '0.100' (A)       Current of the external source
     558       | '      ExtCurSlv1' | '0.300' (A)           1
     559       | '      ExtCurSlv2' | '0.000' (A)           2
     560       | '      ExtCurSlv3' | '0.000' (A)           3
     561       | '          ExtFrq' | '59.996' (Hz)     Frequency of the external source
     562       | '        ExtPwrRt' | '0.000' (kVAr)    Total reactive power in kVAr
     563       | '    ExtPwrRtSlv1' | '0.000' (kVAr)        1
     564       | '    ExtPwrRtSlv2' | '0.000' (kVAr)        2
     565       | '    ExtPwrRtSlv3' | '0.000' (kVAr)        3
     566       | '     TotExtPwrAt' | '0.000' (kW)      Total active power of the external source in kW
     567       | '       TotExtCur' | '0.500' (A)       Total current of the external source in A
     568       | '     TotExtPwrRt' | '0.000' (kVAr)    Total reactive power in kVAr
     569       | '       TotLodPwr' | '0.400' (kW)      Total average active power of the loads (cluster) in kW
     570       | '         GdRmgTm' | '0.000' (hhmmss)  Remaining time of parameter "GdValTm" in hours, minutes and seconds
     571       | '             Pac' | '0.400' (kW)      AC input power
     572       | '        Firmware' | '7.304'
     573       | '             Iac' | '4.600' (A)       AC input current (adjustable)
     574       | '             Vac' | '119.900' (V)     AC voltage (adjustable)
     575       | '             Fac' | '59.900' (Hz)     Frequency AC
     576       | '        ChpPwrAt' | '0.000' (kW)      Power of the CHP plant (Combined Heat and Power?)
     577       | '        ChpRmgTm' | '0.000' (hhmmss)  Remaining time of theCHP plant
     578       | '     ChpStrRmgTm' | '0.000' (hhmmss)  Remaining time of the power request of the CHP plant
     579       | '       Sic1PvPwr' | '0.000' (W)       PV power of the Sunny Island Charger in W
     580       | '       Sic2PvPwr' | '0.000' (W)           1
     581       | '       Sic3PvPwr' | '0.000' (W)           2
     582       | '       Sic4PvPwr' | '0.000' (W)           3
     587       | '     TotSicPvPwr' | '0.000' (W)       Total PV power of all Sunny Island Chargers in W
     588       | '    TotSicBatCur' | '0.000' (A)       Total battery current of all Sunny Island Chargers in A
     589       | '    TotMccLodPwr' | '0.000' (kW)      Total average active power of the loads (Multicluster) in kW
     594       | '   BatCpyThrpCnt' | '51.000'          Nominal energy throughputs of the battery
     604       | '        EgyCntIn' | '2931.000' (kWh)  Total energy of all Sunny Island Chargers in kWh
     605       | '       EgyCntOut' | '4566.600' (kWh)  Energy fed in kWh
     606       | '        EgyCntTm' | '9256.400' (h)    Energy metering run time in hours
     607       | '        GnEgyCnt' | '0.000' (kWh)     Generator energy meter in kWh
     608       | '         GnEgyTm' | '0.000' (h)       Running time of generator energy meter in hours
     609       | '         GnOpTmh' | '10.100' (h)      Operating hour meter for generator
     610       | '        GnStrCnt' | '0.000'           Number of generator starts
     611       | '      GdEgyCntIn' | '1.400' (kWh)     Energy meter for grid feed-in in kWh
     612       | '     GdEgyCntOut' | '2968.800' (kWh)  Energy meter for power taken from the grid in kWh
     613       | '        GdEgyTmh' | '1861.100' (h)    Run time of energy meter for utility grid in hours
     614       | '         GdOpTmh' | '2367.700' (h)    Operating hour meter for grid operation
     615       | '        GdCtcCnt' | '0.000'           Counter for grid connections
     616       | '          TotTmh' | '11.000' (h)      Feed-in hours
     617       | '    Sic1EgyCntIn' | '0.000' (kWh)     Energy of the Sunny Island Charger in kWh
     621       | '  TotSicEgyCntIn' | '0.000' (kWh)     Total energy of all Sunny Island Chargers in kWh

 

[marcvl]

Trying to do something similar to what @daklein is doing, but I think I have a somewhat simpler set up:
- 1 SMA SI6048 inverter
- 2 Midnite solar chargers (not connected to the SI)
- SOK Li battery bank that is communicating with the SI (COMSYNC port)

I want to connect my SI to a RPI and convert rs485 to MQTT so I can easily pick them up in Home Assistant. I'm not quite sure what I need from a hardware perspective. The SI comes with a white RS485 cable that can be plugged in to the COMMSMA port on the SI. Can I just connect the other end (3 wires) into a USB to RS485 converter (like this) and that's it? I run the YASDI software and it will automatically discover my 6048?

Several folks mentioned the need for an RS485 piggy back card. Do I need this in this setup? I'm not quite sure what this card accomplishes.

 

[marcvl]

Here are the piggy back cards and installed on the SI Master and Slave. Will continue trying different connection options and let you folks know what happens

View attachment 83967

Interesting... my 6048 has 6x2 pins on the right side and 7x2 pins on the left side. The pictures of your piggyback card show 5x2 pins on the right side and 7x2 pins on the left side. My inverter is a 6048. Is yours a different one? They look quite similar.

 

[daklein]

just connect the other end (3 wires) into a USB to RS485 converter (like this) and that's it? I run the YASDI software and it will automatically discover my 6048?

an RS485 piggy back card. Do I need this in this setup? I'm not quite sure what this card accomplishes.

Yes, an rs485/USB converter like that, this is what I used. @Hedges mentioned termination earlier; yes that's probably required. The rs485/USB converter I have includes a jumper to enable a termination resistor. The other side of the RS485 bus is terminated by a plug at the master SI inverter.

An RS485 piggyback card is reqd in the SunnyIsland. The SI has a plug, but there's no connection to it from the main board of the inverter. One like this. I bought a used spare one from ebay.de, I found someone willing to ship to US and take paypal.

 

[Hedges]

There is a built-in interface for Sunny Island to communicate with slaves, with Sunny Island Charger (also works through an adapter midnight made for their Classic; newer SMA firmware reportedly breaks this), with BMS.

The RS-485 piggyback is required for using that bus between Sunny Island and older model Sunny Boy, Sunny Boy Control, Sunny Web Box (at least the RS-485 interface of it), and can be fed through an SMA adapter for Speedwire systems.

If you want to pull data from Sunny Island (and charge controllers connected by data bus), RS-485 seems like the way to go.

I think the several different model number RS-485 piggyback differ in the odds-n-ends included in the box, like length of insulating tube to make data wires intrinsically safe against shorts.

Not sure why this document says, "Only for Australia"
Not explicitly mentioned is that RS-485 requires a pull-up and a pull-down. Those are include in several monitoring devices. Otherwise, jumpers on Sunny Boys provide it. I don't recall that Sunny Island includes the resistors, so you may have to add externally.

https://files.sma.de/downloads/RS485Verkabelung-TI-AU-en-15W.pdf

I found it useful to get RJ45 jacks that mount in a 3/4" knock-out. Now I can swap cables, or unplug monitoring device and plug in terminator, without taking off the lid.

 

[David7613]

I'm running into a similar issue as others here. I have 6 SunnyBoy10000tl, 3 WindyBoy6000, and 12 Sunny Island 6048 (4 clusters of 3) that I'm trying to communicate with / monitor using the Data Manager M, EDMM-US-10. They are all daisy-chained, (Starting with 4 SI Masters, through 3 windyboys, then through 6 sunnyboys, and into the data manager) using RS485 via shielded CAT6 cable. As far as I can tell, all termination is carried out properly, and there is no interference from nearby lines. I'm using the ComSMAIN/OUT ports on the Sunny Islands, along with the MC-PB which enables RS485 communication, and the RS485-PiggyBack for the Sunny/Windy Boys.

The Data Manager sees the Sunny/Windy Boys almost all the time (green check mark indication), but almost never sees the Sunny Islands. (gray circle) They show up sporadically, unpredictably, and only for short periods of time. Any help/advice is appreciated. Thx in advance!

Might also add, I have spoken with SMA techs over the phone who were unable to figure this out so far.

 

[Hedges]

I haven't used data manager.
My newest gadget (not counting Sunny Explorer software) is Sunny WebBox, and it sees the one SI 6048US Master I have.

Because I use RS-485 for SI to tell SB to switch from UL-1741 to backup, I would expect a problem if multiple clusters with their own SB/WB were used. But, I think Multi-Cluster is off-grid only, so they would be permanently in off-grid mode and no switching needed.

The first thing of course is ensuring parallel termination at both ends and pull up/down somewhere. I can't tell from data manager manual if pullup/down are provided by it. They are by my monitoring hardware. If not, you can use jumpers in one Sunny Boy for that.

I see you have a TriPower Core. I have a TriPower 30000TL-US. Is yours also on RS-485, or Speedwire?

Various things sporadically seen suggests reflections, marginal voltages, poor connections, or noise. Which of the three wires for signals/ground do you have twisted together in your cable wire assignment?
Do you have a way to look at the bus? Using a scope I saw Sunny Boy Control communication clearly, but never saw Sunny Island say, "Off grid!"

 

[David7613]

I'm not currently on site, so everything here is from memory.

We just upgraded to the Data Manager from the WebBox, which seemed to see everything fine (although data was always at least 6-15 minutes old).

Termination is done on the SI side with the RJ45 Termination plugs, and on the data manager side with a little jumper between terminals 5 and 6.

I should probably know this, but could you explain how you would go about doing the pull up/down you're talking about?

The Tri-Power is connected with Speedwire via LAN.

Here is a pic of the color wires I have going into the Data Manager, (b4 terminator was added) which would be the same color wires that are twisted together and used in the Sunny Boys. Green/white=Data+, Green=Data-, Orange=Gnd.