Mobile app for monitoring power-datacenter (PV inverters with wifibox/wificard)

[buffy]

Solar Power Monitor

Hi guys,

I made simple Android application for checking actual/last information from PV inverters using power-datacenter.com server, where my PV inverter is sending actual values from my Photovoltaic system. I'd like to get help, advice and experience from using the app and suggestions for improvement. I made it primary for checking my values, but it may also be useful to you.

It's only read only monitoring app and it shows only last/actual values. Long statistics are not available now, but I'd like also add these features. I'd like also make iOS version.

Will be great if you try app and let me know if you find any bug or error or you have any idea for improvement. Thanks a lot.

Download (Google play store)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tools4monitoring.solar.power

Information about app

This is unofficial and testing application for checking your actual values from your PV Solar Inverter. You need to have wifi box or wificard successfully setup. Please check supported devices below.

Features

- Actual PV input power
- Actual PV input voltage
- Actual PV input ampers
- Actual AC Output power
- Actual AC Output active power
- Actual AC Output voltage
- Actual AC Output frequency
- Grid voltage
- Grid frequency
- Battery voltage
- Battery capacity
- Battery charging
- Battery discharging
- SCC charge status
- Charging source
- Load source
- Output load in percent
- Input load from Utility or Battery in Watts

Supported devices

- MPP Solar (tested)
- EASun (tested)
- Axpert
- Mecer
- Giant Power
- Effekta
- Flinslim
- OPTI-Solar
- Pro Power
- Proline Energy
- Inverex
- Solarix
- SolarPower24

[Arandoza]

What application would one use with an axpert inverter to read the inverter values and post them? Do you have an app to do this yet?

[phil.g00]

@buffy, I've just seen your photos where you're laying out your panels on the flat roof.

( I don't know how to comment on the photo's themselves).

Make sure those vent thingys don't cast a shadow on the panels, a little bit of shade like that will seriously compromise your production.

Good luck.

[buffy]

40 minutes ago, Arandoza said:

What application would one use with an axpert inverter to read the inverter values and post them? Do you have an app to do this yet?

for sending data to power-datacenter.com I use wifibox connected to inverter. I bought this hardware separately.

But you can buy and connect this box to many other inverters.

Or let me know where you check your solar data. I can try make another app for monitoring solar production data.

Wificard:

http://voltronicpower.com/en-US/Product/Detail/Wifi-Card

Wifibox:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32845574731.html

Edited October 4, 2019 by buffy

[buffy]

18 minutes ago, phil.g00 said:

@buffy, I've just seen your photos where you're laying out your panels on the flat roof.

( I don't know how to comment on the photo's themselves).

Make sure those vent thingys don't cast a shadow on the panels, a little bit of shade like that will seriously compromise your production.

Good luck.

thanks a lot for your advice. yes. it's not ideal, but I need some values from inverter to make mobile application final installation will be on another roof. but I need to build some construction. This is only for testing solar panels behavior, because I'm new to this. I see shadows and wrong tilt have bad effect to solar power production. But for some data export testing it is enought.

I will post final installation.

Edited October 4, 2019 by buffy

[phil.g00]

Temporary is fine, but just remember the way panels are electrically, the shading of a single cell takes out a third of the panel's production.

[buffy]

In new version I will add autorefresh on start as option in settings. I'd like see last values before refreshing, but many people prefers fresh new data.

if you have any more ideas for improvement, please let me know what you want in app. Also if you find any bug, I will try fix it soon.

[buffy]

Solar Power Monitor

- Apple iOS version

Download App Store

https://apps.apple.com/cz/app/solar-power-monitor/id1483067464

Edited October 17, 2019 by buffy

[Trev]

Hello Buffy

Welldone on this! I have been waiting for someone with your skills to take initiative on this. I installed a Wifibox last year and have enjoyed knowing when my inverter kicks in from a remote location which is only done via Email.

A significant improvement to your App would be to send all warnings and errors via Notification on the iPhone. This way it brings it to your attention as opposed to being missed in an email inbox.

Secondly, one warning that the system lacks is when power is restored! No email is sent to say MAINS_RESTORED...

So the only way I am able to assess how long a power outage was for is by logging into power-datacenter.com and analyzing my data points which I set to sample every 30s.

This would be a big up!!!

I can suggest a few more but this would be great as you would be fixing something that the Wifibox does not do!

Thanks again,

Trevor

 

Edited October 18, 2019 by Trev

[buffy]

20 hours ago, Trev said:

Hello Buffy

Welldone on this! I have been waiting for someone with your skills to take initiative on this. I installed a Wifibox last year and have enjoyed knowing when my inverter kicks in from a remote location which is only done via Email.

A significant improvement to your App would be to send all warnings and errors via Notification on the iPhone. This way it brings it to your attention as opposed to being missed in an email inbox.

Secondly, one warning that the system lacks is when power is restored! No email is sent to say MAINS_RESTORED...

So the only way I am able to assess how long a power outage was for is by logging into power-datacenter.com and analyzing my data points which I set to sample every 30s.

This would be a big up!!!

I can suggest a few more but this would be great as you would be fixing something that the Wifibox does not do!

Thanks again,

Trevor

 

Hello Trevor,

thanks a lot, no much people wrote me back some experience. I would like add trends and history values. If there are some warnings place, I will check it and I will try show all warnings somewhere or make notification. I'm happy to see my actual values from device, but if you like it, I will try make some new improvements. Thanks again for your feedback.

[Charl_CCU]

@buffy Awesome app. I'd love to test it out but unfortunately my inverter isn't supported by either of the communications modules. If you ever need any help, I've got experience with full-stack web, API and mobile development.

Asking out of curiosity: Is there any business plan for the app or are you doing it as a hobby?

If I can give a bit of input if you are planning for this to be more than a hobby: Is power-datacenter.com a third-party data hosting platform or have you created it yourself? If it is the latter and you plan on having revenue coming in, I personally think that you should make use of a socket connection instead of regularly polling the backend to "reload" the data. From a UX POV, it would also be a big plus. I'm not sure how often you are polling the backend but having realtime data isn't something users want to have to worry about.

I am personally a fan of "dark mode" apps but I feel that it is easier to attract users from screenshots using "light and vibrant" colours/layouts. Think Google Material Design.

[buffy]

1 hour ago, Charl_CCU said:

@buffy Awesome app. I'd love to test it out but unfortunately my inverter isn't supported by either of the communications modules. If you ever need any help, I've got experience with full-stack web, API and mobile development.

Asking out of curiosity: Is there any business plan for the app or are you doing it as a hobby?

If I can give a bit of input if you are planning for this to be more than a hobby: Is power-datacenter.com a third-party data hosting platform or have you created it yourself? If it is the latter and you plan on having revenue coming in, I personally think that you should make use of a socket connection instead of regularly polling the backend to "reload" the data. From a UX POV, it would also be a big plus. I'm not sure how often you are polling the backend but having realtime data isn't something users want to have to worry about.

I am personally a fan of "dark mode" apps but I feel that it is easier to attract users from screenshots using "light and vibrant" colours/layouts. Think Google Material Design.

Hello,

thanks a lot for your feedback. You can't connect wifibox to your device? it's a pitty.

This is my hobby app, there is no business plan for this app. I'd like see my values remotely, that's why I made this simple app.

power-datacenter.com is 3rd party server, where my inverter sends via wifibox my solar data. I found many errors to (I can't export data, make new users etc.), but I'm not sure who is server provider, unfortunately there is no contact or support.

Thanks a lot for your ideas for improvements, I'll be thinking about light mode of app. But I don't like G. Material design

[buffy]

Added autorefresh on start option to Android version.

[alkafak]

On 2019/10/04 at 10:09 PM, buffy said:

for sending data to power-datacenter.com I use wifibox connected to inverter. I bought this hardware separately.

But you can buy and connect this box to many other inverters.

Or let me know where you check your solar data. I can try make another app for monitoring solar production data.

Wificard:

http://voltronicpower.com/en-US/Product/Detail/Wifi-Card

Wifibox:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32845574731.html

Hi Buffy,

your APP only work with Wifibox, could you make for wifi RTU? ihave Voltronic Infini with Wifi RTU to monitoring of them, the typicaaly of data  i have attach in this reply

energy-storage-container-B0018470203082092201-2019-12-27.xlsx

[buffy]

Hello,

data looks OK. But for APP I need live data of this file from inverter or some server. APP needs to read this file with actual values.

Edited December 29, 2019 by buffy

[alkafak]

11 minutes ago, buffy said:

Hello,

data looks OK. But for APP I need live data of this file from inverter or some server. APP needs to read this file.

the files upload to dessmonitor.com like on power-datacenter.com, if your APP can be reading dessmonitor.com I think it is ok 

[buffy]

11 hours ago, alkafak said:

the files upload to dessmonitor.com like on power-datacenter.com, if your APP can be reading dessmonitor.com I think it is ok 

Maybe yes, but I need to test it with live values... I have no account on dessmonitor and also I have not your HW (wifi RTU). If you can, please make for me read only access to dessmonitor for few tests. Without this I can't say if it's possible to add it to my APP. Anyway, it's not same data values, I have to make same process like make new app for this solution.

If dessmonitor is same service like power-datacenter, it will be possible. But without tests it's not possible to develope support for this service. I'd like help you but export file is not enought.

APP needs to read online data for example from URL. Your export file is local file (downloaded). Please try provide URL for this file or access to dessmonitor account with some live data... You can write me email or PM.

Edited December 29, 2019 by buffy

[Screech]

Buffy,

I have installed the app on my iphone and when I try to add the serial number of my inverter i get “data error. Check your SN or try it later (see attached).

I know my SN is correct because I copied from power-datacenter.com

Any idea what is going on?

 

Screech

[buffy]

1 hour ago, Screech said:

Buffy,

I have installed the app on my iphone and when I try to add the serial number of my inverter i get “data error. Check your SN or try it later (see attached).

I know my SN is correct because I copied from power-datacenter.com

Any idea what is going on?

 

Screech

 

Hi,

sorry for this issue. If you copied you SN from power-datacenter.com it should be correct. But there are 2 SN numbers, card ID and device. You need to add device ID. Also you should see on server some live data values from your inverter. Do you see it?

if you still think it's correct and app is not working, you can try send me via Personal Message or email your SN for few tests.

[buffy]

I checked your SN (9291....02) and you are right. I have bad response. It looks like there are no data on server...

If I'm wrong about you SN, please let me know it via PM

Edited January 6, 2020 by buffy

[cobser]

Hi i think that day moth year statistics is very useful like how much power from sollar how much power from solar to battery charge or how many solar power for load . 

[Riccardo]

Regards buffy,

Beautiful APP!

I installed in that on SOLARPOWERMONITOR the power indicated on the SOLAR PANELS is not the sum of the two SCC but only the value generated by the first SCC is indicated.

Is your APP also available without ads?

Thanks Riccardo

[buffy]

On 2020/04/17 at 2:48 PM, Riccardo said:

Regards buffy,

Beautiful APP!

I installed in that on SOLARPOWERMONITOR the power indicated on the SOLAR PANELS is not the sum of the two SCC but only the value generated by the first SCC is indicated.

Is your APP also available without ads?

Thanks Riccardo

 

Hello,

Sorry for this issue. if you have more inverters or some unexpected solar configuration (more SCC), there could be error. But if you send me your SN I can test your situation and fix problems. I need some data values for testing. I have simple solar system and not all situation I can simulate.

Yes, app is available for Android without ads and I'm working on no ads version for apple devices. In PRO version, there are also fixed some devices cofiguration problems:

- fix for parallel/serial connection for your inverters
- added total AC Output values

You can also add more devices.

Download: Solar Power Monitor PRO (no ads)

[Stef1985]

Hello

my device id does not work

can you help ne please

[Riccardo]

@buffy sent serial with private message