I have a Kodak OG 7.2kW inverter and got the WatchPower app to work eventually. Had to use an old phone because the new one's Android software is apparently too new, weird. Anyway, my inverter has 2 PV inputs and the solar panels are currently connected to PV2 but the app does not seem to pick this up. It is showing that the batteries are charging but does not show that the solar panels are connected. The whole reason I got the app was to see how much kW (and kWh) I was generating and using but I can only see my usage at the moment. The app does show the Eskom connection but my inverter is set to OSO (charge batteries from solar only) so it's kind of irrelevant.

Does anyone know how to get the app to pick up the PV2 stream from the inverter?

2 hours ago, ABN said:

I have a Kodak OG 7.2kW inverter and got the WatchPower app to work eventually. Had to use an old phone because the new one's Android software is apparently too new, weird. Anyway, my inverter has 2 PV inputs and the solar panels are currently connected to PV2 but the app does not seem to pick this up. It is showing that the batteries are charging but does not show that the solar panels are connected. The whole reason I got the app was to see how much kW (and kWh) I was generating and using but I can only see my usage at the moment. The app does show the Eskom connection but my inverter is set to OSO (charge batteries from solar only) so it's kind of irrelevant.

Does anyone know how to get the app to pick up the PV2 stream from the inverter?

WatccPower should pick up the identification as MAX, unlike 5kw inverters, the PV2 is a special message enabled for MAX. 

If you move your pv input to PV1, do you see the pv? 

@BritishRacingGreen, thanks I moved it to PV1 and it work (after a while). However I can only get the Devices tab to work, not yet the Overview tab as shown below. Maybe it will wake up later on.

 

Side note: Based on your username I assume you support Aston Martin with the Formula 1?

 

 

Hi @ABN  oh man the AM DBS in racing green is just something  .  I use the name on the F1 forums , actually support RedBull , but my focus is definitely on AM and the Spaniard though.

HI @BritishRacingGreen, I am a mechanical engineer that works for a company that designs and builds mine processing plant and we always have online meetings with the one client's team on a Friday morning and when I visited site in the DRC the other day they said "Oh, you're the Red Bull guy" and not "Oh, you're the engineer". When I asked why they referred to me as "the Red Bull guy", they said it's because I always wear my Red Bull Racing shirt to the meetings so it's the only clothes they ever see me in.

 

Back to the solar system and WatchPower app, all seems to be working now 👍

2 minutes ago, ABN said:

HI @BritishRacingGreen, I am a mechanical engineer that works for a company that designs and builds mine processing plant and we always have online meetings with the one client's team on a Friday morning and when I visited site in the DRC the other day they said "Oh, you're the Red Bull guy" and not "Oh, you're the engineer". When I asked why they referred to me as "the Red Bull guy", they said it's because I always wear my Red Bull Racing shirt to the meetings so it's the only clothes they ever see me in.

 

Back to the solar system and WatchPower app, all seems to be working now 👍

Reminds me of product design review meetings back in the day, everyone collar&ties, except one engineer always wearing his Mercedes/Petronas shirt. 

7 minutes ago, ABN said:

Back to the solar system and WatchPower app, all seems to be working now 

You might have have an older version of WatchPower, what is the version you have? 

3 minutes ago, BritishRacingGreen said:

You might have have an older version of WatchPower, what is the version you have? 

Version 1.0.6.3

19 minutes ago, ABN said:

I am a mechanical engineer

Bet you also a great fan of that man Andrew Newey at RB, in my book he is pure class. 

Hi ABN,

Sorry to hear about this.

We have sent your inquiry to the manufacturer and will revert with a solution as soon as they have gotten back to us.

Kind regards

On 2023/03/13 at 4:32 PM, ABN said:

@BritishRacingGreen, thanks I moved it to PV1 and it work (after a while). However I can only get the Devices tab to work, not yet the Overview tab as shown below. Maybe it will wake up later on.

 

Side note: Based on your username I assume you support Aston Martin with the Formula 1?

 

 

Hi i have a Kodak OG 7.2 inverter and i have the same problem with Watch Power Wifi not showing overview and im looking for a free alternative Android app to use please help

 

On 2023/03/13 at 4:32 PM, ABN said:

@BritishRacingGreen, thanks I moved it to PV1 and it work (after a while). However I can only get the Devices tab to work, not yet the Overview tab as shown below. Maybe it will wake up later on.

 

Side note: Based on your username I assume you support Aston Martin with the Formula 1?

 

 

Hi i also have the kodak OG 7.2 and my watch power wifi app do the same i dont have overview it's blank do you know off a alternative Android app that work with Kodak OG 7.2 inverter

 

 

18 minutes ago, Riaancam said:

Hi i have a Kodak OG 7.2 inverter and i have the same problem with Watch Power Wifi not showing overview and im looking for a free alternative Android app to use please help

 

Hi i also have the kodak OG 7.2 and my watch power wifi app do the same i dont have overview it's blank do you know off a alternative Android app that work with Kodak OG 7.2 inverter

 

 

There are opensource/free apps available, but I think in the long run its important to employ a sub system that is future-proof and enjoys active community support. Here I find HomeAssistant is in a class of its own. There is a number of python and C based drivers for Voltronic/Axperts available, which exposes the inverter measurements as MQTT topics, which is then the plumbing required for HA. 

In fact HA already has a energy plugin which makes it relatively  easy to get your realtime and graphs up and running. 

Its a bit of a learning curve, but HA also provide other home automation functionality, eg smart breakers for geyser control etc. 

The minum hardware requirements is pi 3b. 

Look at HA and its support and see what you think of it. 

EDIT : of course there are paid systems as well, outofthebox, SolarAssistant is most probable the industry standard at the moment.it is closed source and comes at a price. 

Edited March 19, 20231 yr by BritishRacingGreen

You are fortunate that your Watchpower sees your inverter

I have tried with a iPhone SE (2016 version) and a iPhone 14.  Both fail at the same point

The phone's wifi will connect to the inverter wifi (name: W0026508559611)

On the page "WiFi Config" at the top is shows that it is connected to W0026508559611 (Currently connected to Wi-Fi W0026508559611)

Right under this is shown "Connecting to the Wi-Fi Module"

And at the bottom "Confirm Connected to Wi-Fi Module"

This does not make sense to me.  How can it be connected and not connected at the same time?

The number on the label under the inverter is the same as the wi-fi name it generated

Screen shot attached

Any pointers please?

 

 

Hi All,

This is my first post so please bare with me. I see I have a lot to learn a lot about PV systems and all the App's and software supporting them.

After many late nights I managed to get the "WatchPower Management Software" running as "administrator" on my Windows 7 home Laptop.

Opening the program from the WatchPower icon on my desktop, it opens the main "dashboard" and this is where it ends. Trying to follow the help file failed on page three as it doesn't show the menu as per picture below (Diagram 3-2)

I can't configure anything, nor does it pick up my wifi router that is already linked to the Inverter wifi module and working on my phone App.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Gerhard

On 2023/06/11 at 1:18 PM, chrisc said:

You are fortunate that your Watchpower sees your inverter

I have tried with a iPhone SE (2016 version) and a iPhone 14.  Both fail at the same point

The phone's wifi will connect to the inverter wifi (name: W0026508559611)

On the page "WiFi Config" at the top is shows that it is connected to W0026508559611 (Currently connected to Wi-Fi W0026508559611)

Right under this is shown "Connecting to the Wi-Fi Module"

And at the bottom "Confirm Connected to Wi-Fi Module"

This does not make sense to me.  How can it be connected and not connected at the same time?

The number on the label under the inverter is the same as the wi-fi name it generated

Screen shot attached

Any pointers please?

 

 

Late teply. But switch on the location on your phone.

26 minutes ago, GPvdB said:

Hi All,

This is my first post so please bare with me. I see I have a lot to learn a lot about PV systems and all the App's and software supporting them.

After many late nights I managed to get the "WatchPower Management Software" running as "administrator" on my Windows 7 home Laptop.

Opening the program from the WatchPower icon on my desktop, it opens the main "dashboard" and this is where it ends. Trying to follow the help file failed on page three as it doesn't show the menu as per picture below (Diagram 3-2)

I can't configure anything, nor does it pick up my wifi router that is already linked to the Inverter wifi module and working on my phone App.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Gerhard

Wifi app only works on your phone. 

Using a windows laptop, you need to plug the inverter in with the cable. And use watchpower on laptop plugged in.

 

Also, to get that specific drop down menu, right click on the icon in the system tray.

On 2023/07/17 at 11:41 PM, Flouw said:

Wifi app only works on your phone. 

Using a windows laptop, you need to plug the inverter in with the cable. And use watchpower on laptop plugged in.

 

Also, to get that specific drop down menu, right click on the icon in the system tray.

Thanks,

I got hold of an old phone charger cable and plugged in on the inverters small 'USB' port and managed to see the data on my laptop.

I still havent see and don't now where to find the "the system tray"?

On 2023/07/17 at 11:41 PM, Flouw said:

Wifi app only works on your phone. 

Using a windows laptop, you need to plug the inverter in with the cable. And use watchpower on laptop plugged in.

 

Also, to get that specific drop down menu, right click on the icon in the system tray.

Hi All,

This is my first post so please bare with me. I see I have a lot to learn a lot about PV systems and all the App's and software supporting them.

After many late nights I managed to get the "WatchPower Management Software" running as "administrator" on my Windows 7 home Laptop.

Opening the program from the WatchPower icon on my desktop, it opens the main "dashboard" and this is where it ends. Trying to follow the help file failed on page three as it doesn't show the menu as per picture below (Diagram 3-2)

I can't configure anything, nor does it pick up my wifi router that is already linked to the Inverter wifi module and working on my phone App.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Gerhard

the system tray is on a windows based computer in the right bottom corner. if/when watchpower is running. the little icon will be active in the system tray. even after you close the window, it will still run in the background until you close it using the mine when right clicking on the icon in the system tray. 

 

i have attached two pictures below. 

1. showing the icon. 

 

 

2. if you right click on it. 

 

 

Thanks a lot Flouw,

I found the menu hidden behind >> meaning it was minimised on my taskbar/tray.

I had to set it to show all "Icons" in that tray, so I am one step futher now. 

There was another 5 icons hiding there wich I didn't miss at all, but all is showing now.

😀

12 hours ago, GPvdB said:

Thanks a lot Flouw,

I found the menu hidden behind >> meaning it was minimised on my taskbar/tray.

I had to set it to show all "Icons" in that tray, so I am one step futher now. 

There was another 5 icons hiding there wich I didn't miss at all, but all is showing now.

😀

IF you want. download MultiSIBControl. another app that works well with the Axpert inverters, bonus if you have Pylontech batteries. 

the perk with MultiSIB is that you can program a few conditions. priority scheduling, and charge settings. sort of "automate" the inverter settings to suit your needs/requirements. it also gives a much better graph of usage/demand. 

 

you need to close watchpower completely before using MultiSIB, as they wont function using the same COM (USB) connection. 

Thanks for all your help and info.

I am new in electronics and definately can't do a line of programming. I am a retired mechanical design engineer and just want to keep the lights on.

I will definately try MultiSIBControl as I can see that WatchPower is very basic and slow on the phone App.

I like to understand what I do, but lack a few skills and a lot of tools. 🤨