SolarEdge Cellular Monitoring Kit

[JSchnee21]

I'm not sure I understand the difference/point between the SolarEdge Residential and Commercial Cellular GSM monitoring solutions as they relate to low bandwidth and high bandwidth cellular communication modes. Is this really just about different pricing structures for "real time" commercial data plans versus residential "light" data plans? In both cases the amount of data is very small compared to what I normally use on my cell phone.

My installer prefers cellular monitoring as it has much better reliability than Zigbee and is easier (for them and perhaps more reliable) than relying on a customers Ethernet connection always being up. So that's all fine. While I'd prefer Ethernet myself, I don't have a hard-line readily available at the inverter -- though I could add one if really needed.

But I'm not sure whether I am getting real time (5min sampling) monitoring or 4hr uploads and 15min sampling. I will of course ask them. But, in today's day and age why would a vendor (SE) offer both?

Especially when it is my understanding that the "low bandwidth" connections can be put into "high bandwidth mode" by simply requesting it / creating a ticket? With whom -- SE or my installer? Will this cost me more -- aka will I need to upgrade the data plan?

I assume my cellular monitoring card will be GSM, I hope they're not using CDMA anymore.

Is anyone out there using cellular monitoring now? Low or high bandwidth? Does it work well? Does it make a real difference (low/high)? I'm going to have consumption monitoring as well. But no storage.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[sensij]

Here is another recent thread.

https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum/solar-panels-for-home/solar-panel-system-equipment/347714-solaredge-cellular-vs-zigbee

Those communication options are several hundred dollars, and I'm not sure I'd pay extra for high bandwidth. If running an ethernet cable is an option, I'd do that.

I can look at my router tonight and see how much data is transferred over the ethernet cable. That would probably be equivalent to the high bandwidth option.

[ButchDeal]

The difference is the amount of bandwidth available. On commercial systems there are a lot more inverters and optimizers so there is much more data to be transmitted. On residential there is less data needed. We only use the GSM not the old cellular CDMA system (they are discontinued anyway).
If you are going to have a consumption meter then you are good on the basic version and don't need the higher bandwidth one.

https://www.solaredge.com/sites/default/files/cellular_commercial_gsm_kit_and_data_plans_na.pdf

https://www.solaredge.com/sites/default/files/cellular_gsm_kit_datasheet_na.pdf

[jasonvr]

Here is another recent thread.

https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/forum/solar-panels-for-home/solar-panel-system-equipment/347714-solaredge-cellular-vs-zigbee

Those communication options are several hundred dollars, and I'm not sure I'd pay extra for high bandwidth. If running an ethernet cable is an option, I'd do that.

I can look at my router tonight and see how much data is transferred over the ethernet cable. That would probably be equivalent to the high bandwidth option.

I actually just posted in the other thread, but saw this one pop up as well

No need to try to estimate, SolarEdge gives estimates:

https://www.solaredge.com/sites/default/files/se_storing_and_sending_data.pdf

If you have any sort of a broadband connection, you'll have absolutely no problem with the requirements. If my math is right, we're looking at less than 1MB per day. It's sad that SE would even offer a low bandwidth option since the high seems to only require less than 30MB per month for a typical residential setup.

My installer defaulted to the 12yr GSM (didn't talk to me and I didn't know better) and said it couldn't be put into the high bandwidth mode as that was only for commercial. I ended up running my own Ethernet cable this past weekend and now get 5 minute resolution data

[jasonvr]

No need to estimate, SE provides estimates
https://tinyurl.com/y9z2v3lb

My installer defaulted to the 12yr GSM option (without consulting me and I didn't know better). When I found out my data was only going to be at 15 minute resolution, I asked about putting it into high bandwidth mode. My installer told me it could only be done for commercial systems (seems to match the PDFs linked above)

Seems kinda sad that the low bandwidth option even exists. By my rough calculations, a standard 1 inverter system will use less than 1MB per day meaning the plan needs less than 30MB per month which is piddly. Heck, you can get significantly more than that for free from FreedomPop

Anyways, I ended up running a Cat6 cable from a Wifi bridge this past weekend and now I get nice, high fidelity data

[JSchnee21]

Exactly, that is my concern. I've seen in previous threads that the cellular connection could be put in high bandwidth mode. Which then led me to wonder, why wouldn't they all be in high bandwidth mode (by default) given that the amount of data we're talking about is very small in both cases. Then when I saw that there were separate commercial and residential rate plans, and commercial cellular was high bandwidth and residential low bandwidth it all began to make sense. Meaning, if you have a standard residential cellular plan, you probably get screwed out of high bandwidth data unless you use Ethernet -- or could buy the commercial plan. My installer is a commercial installer -- having done some 90 commercial installs, though they do roughly 8 residential jobs for every one commercial. I'll follow up with them to see which cellular plan I'm getting.

[JSchnee21]

I spoke with SE support this morning, and they also told me that it was not possible to enable high bandwidth mode on residential GSM accounts. I also pressed them on the Wifi upgrade card (not the Zigbee bridge) which is available in Europe but is not available in the US. But they said n dice. So it looks like I'll either need to run Ethernet outside, or implement a small Ethernet to Wifi bridge from IoGear/TPLink/Etc. and run power to the bridge device. Could do MOCA as well, but also required power, so might as well do Wifi bridge.

[ButchDeal]

Exactly, that is my concern. I've seen in previous threads that the cellular connection could be put in high bandwidth mode. Which then led me to wonder, why wouldn't they all be in high bandwidth mode (by default) given that the amount of data we're talking about is very small in both cases. Then when I saw that there were separate commercial and residential rate plans, and commercial cellular was high bandwidth and residential low bandwidth it all began to make sense. Meaning, if you have a standard residential cellular plan, you probably get screwed out of high bandwidth data unless you use Ethernet -- or could buy the commercial plan. My installer is a commercial installer -- having done some 90 commercial installs, though they do roughly 8 residential jobs for every one commercial. I'll follow up with them to see which cellular plan I'm getting.

The older CDMA could be put into high bandwidth mode.

[Woodworkerii]

I'm new to this forum and I hope this is the right place to ask these questions. My installation was completed last month (PTO by SCE on 5/25/17). My installer set up my SE6000A with the cellular (GSM) modem that has a 15-minute resolution and "phones home" every 4-hours. It works well enough, but I'd like to switch to Ethernet/CAT5 so I don't have to wait up to 4-hours for an update. It seems simple enough to do this myself but I could certainly use some guidance. So, do I just power down the inverter, remove the cover, plug-in the RJ45, replace cover, power-up, and go through the setup menu choosing the Ethernet/LAN option for the server? Am I good to go at that point? Or must I also disconnect / remove the cellular modem board? Lastly, do I need to make any changes to my "account" or notify anyone (my installer or SolarEdge) about the change so that they no longer expect regular call-ins from the cellular modem? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[sensij]

I'm new to this forum and I hope this is the right place to ask these questions. My installation was completed last month (PTO by SCE on 5/25/17). My installer set up my SE6000A with the cellular (GSM) modem that has a 15-minute resolution and "phones home" every 4-hours. It works well enough, but I'd like to switch to Ethernet/CAT5 so I don't have to wait up to 4-hours for an update. It seems simple enough to do this myself but I could certainly use some guidance. So, do I just power down the inverter, remove the cover, plug-in the RJ45, replace cover, power-up, and go through the setup menu choosing the Ethernet/LAN option for the server? Am I good to go at that point? Or must I also disconnect / remove the cellular modem board? Lastly, do I need to make any changes to my "account" or notify anyone (my installer or SolarEdge) about the change so that they no longer expect regular call-ins from the cellular modem? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Pretty much what you have written will work. No need to remove the gsm card unless you want to try selling it on eBay. LAN uses dhcp by default, if you want specific IP settings you'll need to set them using the menu options available with the cover open and the buttons next to the screen, not the push button accessible from the outside.

[Woodworkerii]

Pretty much what you have written will work. No need to remove the gsm card unless you want to try selling it on eBay. LAN uses dhcp by default, if you want specific IP settings you'll need to set them using the menu options available with the cover open and the buttons next to the screen, not the push button accessible from the outside.

This will be my first time shutting down the inverter. I'll give it a try this weekend. Thanks!

[sensij]

This will be my first time shutting down the inverter. I'll give it a try this weekend. Thanks!

Ok, make sure to toggle the on/off switch off first, wait for the DC voltage to drop, then turn off the DC rotary disconnect, then finally kill the AC power.

[JSchnee21]

I just switched myself to Ethernet. Wow, what a difference! So much better than waiting for the four hour updates and much better granularity (5min) on production and consumption data (I have the SE consumption monitoring kit). Currently using an older router as a Wifi client bridge -- this was a bit of a pain as the router firmware didn't support Wifi client bridging, so I had to switch to 3rd party DD-WRT firmware. Ordered a new TP-Link mini router (TL-WR802N) which does.

After installing the cable, I had to go in to the inverter settings menu and change the SERVER setting to LAN (from Cellular). Also seemed like I had to pick/confim a "port" for the LAN -- Modbus port #502? Not sure if that was needed or not. Confirmed communication (11111111) and S_OK. Data loading great. Two short periods of missing data when I powered down the inverter to install the Ethernet cable, and again later when I switched from Cellular to LAN.

Spoke with SE re: the Wifi module they sell in EU, claims they have not intention of offering direct Wifi module in US market. They said Americans change their Wifi passwords too often and that you had to go inside the inverter to change the password?!?! What a shame, would make our lives so much easier. Even my new coffee make has wifi -- not that it needs it.

[Woodworkerii]

Ok, make sure to toggle the on/off switch off first, wait for the DC voltage to drop, then turn off the DC rotary disconnect, then finally kill the AC power.

Yep, I'll do that. I assume that to power back on---I do the steps in reverse order?

[JSchnee21]

Yes. To turn on, AC disconnect first, wait 10-15 sec, then DC disconnect next, wait 10-15 sec, then turn little switch under inverter.