Sunpower/Sunstrong monitoring situation

[ccdengr]

I've got a Sunpower system, installed 2016, with a PV2 monitor. I know about the whole Sunstrong situation, although they never contacted me about the imminent swap. Monitoring was working fine until about 10 days ago, when the app started reporting bad communications. All the blinking lights and status on the inverter, PV2, power line adapter, etc, appear normal. Problem has continued despite multiple power cycles.

Is there any reason to complain to Sunstrong (I own my system and they don't even seem to know I exist, though I have a Mysunpower account for the app) or should I just bite the bullet and roll my own monitoring setup? Has anyone else been experiencing problems with the monitoring?

[snifferpro]

Basically I'm in the same situation but panels installed in 2019.

I can confirm the app is not working properly as of 033025.
Since SunStrong has taken possession of the app it has gone downhill. Every time they attempt to fix an issuse they break something else. Sunstrong probably has a wannabe programmer working on the old app and really don't care if it is correct or not since they are supposedly rewriting the app and will be releasing 2 versions. A basic version, and a paid version (9.99). if you have Enphase panels you can get monitoring from Enphase for around 8 to 900 bucks. If you have Enphase inverters but branded with Sunpowers name I don't think Enphase will support your panels. So If Enphase doesn't support SunPoweer branded panels and SunStrong wants to charge you 9.99 for their new monitoring program your only option will be to use SunStrongs new basic monitoring program. I think the SunStrong paid version may give you individual panel stats but the basic version will not. At this point it is a wait and see situation.
Hang in there.

Individual panel stats was killed years ago but I still get the monthly report of production.

the current app does provide some data, but it is rarely correct. For instance on the DAY tab, the date displayed is totally useless and some of the bars are missing.
The daily Net Grid Usage (Export) data is incorrect.
There are other issues also.

Supposedly SunStrongs rewritten app is due in April

[snifferpro]

ccdengr - Do you have something you wrote to do your own monitoring?

[ccdengr]

I was planning to use https://github.com/Dukat-Gul/SMS-PVS20R1 on a Raspberry Pi -- there are similar solutions around for PVS5/6.

[ccdengr]

Just to close this off: per https://www.reddit.com/r/SunPower/co...pvs2_monitors/ Sunstrong changed all of the URLs for the PVS monitoring in mid-March. PVS5/6 units were updated to the new addresses but older PVS2s were not (maybe they can't be, maybe Sunstrong just doesn't care.) Unless they fix this somehow, the only options to make PVS2s work require network-level hacks to remap the old names to the new names, or going to a different solution that uses the second PVS2 Ethernet port like the one I described above, or connecting to the inverter with RS-485 and bypassing the PVS2 completely. There's more complete info on all of these on Reddit.

[georgeolivr]

Same here, mine stopped working too even though all the lights look fine. Looks like Sunstrong changed something and older systems like ours got left out. I’m thinking of setting up my own monitoring too.

[ccdengr]

FWIW, my PVS2 system was updated about 2 weeks ago and is now communicating again. There's more info about this evolving situation on Reddit in r/sunpower.

[sdold]

Same here, mine stopped working too even though all the lights look fine. Looks like Sunstrong changed something and older systems like ours got left out. I’m thinking of setting up my own monitoring too.

Approximately when did yours stop working?

[outrightowner]

Well ... looks like SunStrong has changed the URL/credentials for accessing the PVS. In as much as service is unobtainable because of the bankruptcy of SunPower and many of its dealer/contractors, one would think system owners should be able to access to their own property's data. I wonder if changing and preventing access to an ex-Sunpower system is even legal considering SunStrong has no ability to service systems.

[snifferpro]

Why is SS allowed to make changes to your PVS6 if you OWN it? Leasing may be a different issue.
Most responses from SS are canned. Meaning they are the same every time and do not fit any individual situation.

[snifferpro]

SunStrong has a less than stellar review rating. Their only interest is in extracting money from your wallet.
If you paid for the yearly monitoring of your panels, i'll bet that on the anniversary date of your subscription
you received no data and they told you to reset the breakers on your PVS6.
Terrible organization.
I'm currently testing a new monitoring program from SunFlower. So far I like what I see but I'm still in
testing mode. The developer responds to emails very quickly and appreciates feedback in order to make
his app better. In fact, I have found that when SS said there was no connection to the PVS6, the
SunFlower app was still communicating with the PVS6 successfully.

I think SS should not be aloud to push changfes to your PVS6 if you OWN it - not LEASE it.