SMA monitoring options?

[hurnik]

I'm having an 11Kw system installed and supposedly 2 SMA inverters (don't have the exact model # yet). The solar provider/installer is not supplying the web monitoring stuff in the price (ie, not Solar City). I'm purchasing this outright via a SunPower distributor (but not SunPower system, it's LG panels).

Anyway, I'm confused by SMA's website in terms of options.
It looks like you either have Bluetooth or Wired connections, no options for wireless. Also seems like the BT options only go to a PC and no "remote" monitoring per se (ie smart phone) unless you go with the WebConnect box?

I'd like a wireless (ie: 802.11a/b/g/n) setup, but if I absolutely must, I can run Cat5 wiring (just not as easy, mind you). I'd like to be able to monitor the PV system from PC/Smartphones.

Any ideas/suggestions/help?

Thanks!
Kevin

[silversaver]

SMA SunnyWebBox.

http://www.sma-america.com/en_US/products/monitoring-systems/sunny-webbox.html

Bluetooth range too short and I don't want to run long CAT5 cable around or within the house. You can use Home netowrking throught AC wiring (powerline), it works great for me.

http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/powerline/

I'm not sure if SMA SUnny WebBox can be install by solar owner without installer involved.


OR the cheapest solution: TED 5000

http://www.theenergydetective.com/

I got the system for $320 with display, it came with 2 sensors so I can monitoring both generation and consumption. The report output is very closed to my Locus monitoring. It take me about 1 hour to read and learn to install, and the actual installtion only take 10 to 15 min.

[DanS26]

+2 for the TED 5000 solution. I use the TED to monitor two Fronius inverters and the utility feed.

I also participate in pvoutput.org Ted interfaces very nicely.

TED Pro is a more recent release you might also want to check out

[Volusiano]

I also have an 11 kw system with 2 SMA inverters (a 7K and 4KTL). I original bought a Sunny Web Box but it's not compatible with the 4KTL, which was brand new at the time (Oct'13). Also, I had a range issue because the Web Box must be connected using hard Ethernet wire to your router. So if your router is too far away from the Bluetooth range between the Web box and the inverters, it'd become a problem, unless you run a long Ethernet wire between your Web box and your router.

The installer refunded my purchase of the Web box because they couldn't get it to work with the 4KTL. They said eventually SMA will make them compatible, but the 4KTL was just released at that time and there was no time for SMA to get the compatibility done in time yet. But the installer told me that SMA is working on a wifi solution (instead of Bluetooth and hard Ethernet wire like with the Web box), and when it comes out, it'll be much cheaper than the Web box. The wifi card would be plugged into the SMA board and wifi connection established to your router directly, no more need for a middle man like the expensive Web box anymore.

Even with the Web box option today, your data will be sent from the inverters via Bluetooth to the Web box, which uploads the data to the SMA web site. So you can connect anywhere in the world to look at your data online via a web browser.

I was going to wait until this wifi option is going to be released to go for it. But then I found out that my PoCo is already showing my daily usage online on my account using their 2 smart meters, one being the solar production meter (with info down to the hour), actual daily usage which is calculated from the other smart net meter which gives net daily result (usage minus production). This information is perfectly adequate for the information I want to monitor, so with this, I discovered that I don't even need any kind of SMA monitoring option anymore. Not even the wifi option.

[hurnik]

SMA SunnyWebBox.

http://www.sma-america.com/en_US/products/monitoring-systems/sunny-webbox.html

Bluetooth range too short and I don't want to run long CAT5 cable around or within the house. You can use Home netowrking throught AC wiring (powerline), it works great for me.

http://www.netgear.com/home/products/networking/powerline/

I'm not sure if SMA SUnny WebBox can be install by solar owner without installer involved.


OR the cheapest solution: TED 5000

http://www.theenergydetective.com/

I got the system for $320 with display, it came with 2 sensors so I can monitoring both generation and consumption. The report output is very closed to my Locus monitoring. It take me about 1 hour to read and learn to install, and the actual installtion only take 10 to 15 min.

Interesting. The Ted website says it shows production as well as usage, but the live demo only shows usage (at least I couldn't find production).

I'm mainly interested in monitoring the production of the system and what I'm using.

The Sunny Webbox is hideously (IMO) expensive (like $650) compared to the webconnect (like $100). Ouch.

I'll have to see if the power company will monitor/report production via the net/smart meter or not.

Thanks!

[Volusiano]

Interesting. The Ted website says it shows production as well as usage, but the live demo only shows usage (at least I couldn't find production).

I'm mainly interested in monitoring the production of the system and what I'm using.

If your PoCo has a separate smart meter for solar production only then most likely they do collect production data and will post it online for your review. Otherwise you'll need to hook up the TED to the solar wiring that goes into your circuit breaker in the panel (or the line side tap if that's how they install your system) in order to get production data.

The Sunny Webbox is hideously (IMO) expensive (like $650) compared to the webconnect (like $100). Ouch.

My installer only charged me $400 for the Webbox and I already thought that was expensive. But I figure it's not really $400 because I'll be getting 30% federal credit from it which would make it $280. Now that's a little better than $400.

Maybe $650 is the full retail price?