Inexpensive monitoring of grid tie inverter - will my idea work?

[dashony]

Hi there... I am a newbie here, and installed an IP camera to monitor the "kill-a-watt" wattimeter of my PV panels, I monitor it from anywhere: The Trendnet IP tv110 camera: [ATTACH=CONFIG]1627[/ATTACH] The Iphone/Ipad software to monitor from anywhere (LAN or WAN): [ATTACH=CONFIG]1626[/ATTACH] (You can also connect to the camera thru any computer and browser using the URL) A little bright here in the picture but it is better in RL: [ATTACH=CONFIG]1625[/ATTACH] The camera is cheap, the software is free, the wattimeter is cheap too.. Rod - Brazil

This is what I've done too. A $50 ip camera on the grid tie inverter meter and you can always monitor live your system from wherever you are as long as you have Internet. Here is my live streaming camera I'm happy to help with installation

[bobfromnj]

My idea didn't work

Thats really great. It seems that our installing company doesn't recommend any additional monitoring equipement because the system is already being monitored. The problem is that the exsisting smart meter (which uses cellular) is not that smart. It could take a few days to update. Besides the installing company wants any where from $500. to 1,000. to install a blue tooth wireless system. Kind of overpriced, since the circuit card that goes into the inverter and the wireless desktop unit cost about $300. on the internet. I guess that's why I am hoping my IP camera idea will work, since its only abouy $100. total.
Thanks for your input,
Bob

Well, it was a great idea but did not work. The IP camera was really great and not to difficult to set up. The color was great. The problem was that in total darkness (inside my garage) the camera switches to black and white. That in itself was not the issue, it seemed that a less then $100. camera could not focus close enough to read the display. I tried moving the camera at various distances to the inverter, but no luck. Needless to say I sent the camera back. Any ideas?
Bob

[bobfromnj]

Her in UK I use A geo Solo PV display from www.greenenergyoptions.co.uk a neat display that is wirelessly connected to a sensor that detects the led pulses from my generation meter. It displays the energy being produced at the moment & a rolling total for the day it resets overnight & records the info on a 2gb SD card. this can be downloaded on a PC & logged with software supplied by geo. The unit was supplied by my installer.

Thats really great. It seems that our installing company doesn't recommend any additional monitoring equipement because the system is already being monitored. The problem is that the exsisting smart meter (which uses cellular) is not that smart. It could take a few days to update. Besides the installing company wants any where from $500. to 1,000. to install a blue tooth wireless system. Kind of overpriced, since the circuit card that goes into the inverter and the wireless desktop unit cost about $300. on the internet. I guess that's why I am hoping my IP camera idea will work, since its only abouy $100. total.
Thanks for your input,
Bob

[KeithOT]

Her in UK I use A geo Solo PV display from www.greenenergyoptions.co.uk a neat display that is wirelessly connected to a sensor that detects the led pulses from my generation meter. It displays the energy being produced at the moment & a rolling total for the day it resets overnight & records the info on a 2gb SD card. this can be downloaded on a PC & logged with software supplied by geo. The unit was supplied by my installer.

[bobfromnj]

Camera update

I was only aware of the Xantrex GT series (often rebadged) that needed a sharp "rap" on the front panel to light it up for reading.

If you have internet for the webcam, you should be using that for monitoring anyway.

A nighttime camera with intergral LED's should work but test it first, sometimes the polarized LCD screen does not work well with external illumination. Also might consider a flexy LED USB lamp for a laptop keyboard to light the screen.

I have ordered a wireless/wired IP camera that has day/night capabilities and will work in total darkness 0 LUX (built in LED's) Because of all the interferance and noise from the inverter, garage door opener, smart meters and phones I am leaning towards a hard wire to the router rather then wireless. Not an issue as a former electrician. I will however try it out before installing the wires in the walls. If everything works I will post some pictures of this project.

Thanks for all the input from everyone,
Bob

[bobfromnj]

Well they installed some kind of card in there for their own monitoring find out what they put in.

They do not have any cards in the inverter, they installed a second digital electric meter on the outside of the house that transmits the info to your main company's computers in CA

[Naptown]

No they did not install a web box portal. Like one of the original posts here, you would need to install a circuit card into the inverter that transmits to a desk top unit (I think its called a Buddy Boy) These can be pretty expensive and the card needs to be installed inside the inverter. Great idea but to much money.

Well they installed some kind of card in there for their own monitoring find out what they put in.

[bobfromnj]

Ok did they install a sunny web box portal and do you have internet service in the house.
This would connect to the internet and you would be able to see I believe in real time remotely. Not cheap however but by the time you do all the rest of what you propose it would probably be about the same.
here is a link
http://www.sma-america.com/en_US/pro...luetoothr.html

No they did not install a web box portal. Like one of the original posts here, you would need to install a circuit card into the inverter that transmits to a desk top unit (I think its called a Buddy Boy) These can be pretty expensive and the card needs to be installed inside the inverter. Great idea but to much money.

[Naptown]

Its a SMA Sunny Boy 6000

Does anybody have any ideas on the camera setup?

Ok did they install a sunny web box portal and do you have internet service in the house.
This would connect to the internet and you would be able to see I believe in real time remotely. Not cheap however but by the time you do all the rest of what you propose it would probably be about the same.
here is a link

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

[bobfromnj]

I was only aware of the Xantrex GT series (often rebadged) that needed a sharp "rap" on the front panel to light it up for reading.

If you have internet for the webcam, you should be using that for monitoring anyway.

A nighttime camera with intergral LED's should work but test it first, sometimes the polarized LCD screen does not work well with external illumination. Also might consider a flexy LED USB lamp for a laptop keyboard to light the screen.

Mike, thank you for your input. I do have not a web cam. Do you think a web cam would be better then a wireless IP camera? Also the other issue I would have is that the camera would have to be mounted about 10 to 12 inches away from the display. Don't know if they can focus that close.

Yes, having to rap on the front of the inverter is pretty lame. Wish there was a way of making the LED display stay on all the time. After all how much power could it use?

[Mike90250]

I was only aware of the Xantrex GT series (often rebadged) that needed a sharp "rap" on the front panel to light it up for reading.

If you have internet for the webcam, you should be using that for monitoring anyway.

A nighttime camera with intergral LED's should work but test it first, sometimes the polarized LCD screen does not work well with external illumination. Also might consider a flexy LED USB lamp for a laptop keyboard to light the screen.

[bobfromnj]

What inverter did they use?

Its a SMA Sunny Boy 6000

Does anybody have any ideas on the camera setup?

[Naptown]

What inverter did they use?

[bobfromnj]

The question is why are they using cell phone to transmit and not plugged into your router directly. Most leasing requires a high speed internet connection.

Sorry my bad. I thought you where talking about the camera I wanted to mount in the garage.

I have no idea why they use a cellular service as apposed to a satallite system. They said they might be updating in the near future. Also, I do not lease but bought the system.

[Naptown]

The question is why are they using cell phone to transmit and not plugged into your router directly. Most leasing requires a high speed internet connection.