Power Star II 6kVA 48V Grid Tied Bi-Di Inverter: SolarPower vs WatchPower

[SRTosen]

In May 2014, I had this system installed and commissioned with 8 x 345 (2.76kW) Sunpower panels. It has 4 x 150Ah Nerada batteries.

The systems is grid tied and links to Eskom.

Bundled with the installation was data connectivity to MLT's Monitoring and Control System in the cloud. Data connectivity in the garage was not great, and hence it took time upload to the cloud system, and download data.

I downloaded data, and put this into an Access database for analysis, looking specifically at generation, consumption, and importing of power from Eskom during the solar day. I also looked at events, and at data around these events, such as over and under voltages.

Much to my dismay after two years, I no longer had data, and they wanted to charge me R 2,000 per annum for data. I pointed out to the misrepresentation (in my emails) and the installed a circuit board to connect to my laptops USB port using MTL Coms v 1.52.0.5. At the time of installation, they indicated that this software was no longer supported.

This worked quite well, bar that the data download was very slow.

In January 2019, I could no longer download the Inverted Data Logs, but could get the Event Logs.

My HP Mini was replaced with an HP Pavilion. I installed the software and was able to get to the System Overview screen, but the update was too slow.

I now cannot retrieve the Events or Inverter Data Log.

I am wanting to download data, but do not want to store it in the cloud. It is my data!

I then found SolarPower and WatchPower.

Their screens and basic layout look very much the same.

What is the difference, and which is better and why?

Will this work with my inverter?

What is the latest version, and where can it be downloaded?

I have tried both. It recognises COM4, but does not connect. Any suggestions.

Are SolarPower and WatchPower the only freeware software which can be used (easily) to display a system overview and allow for the download of data?

Any assistance will be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

[Stanley]

Those old Powerstars communicate using Modbus RTU over an RS232 connection.

I have attached the Modbus comms manual for you, which describes all the registers etc. although if MLT Coms is unable to get data or event logs, then my guess would be that the SD card which it uses to store all that data may have failed.

Powerstar-Modbus Manual v2.pdf

[SRTosen]

Stanley,

Many thanks.

Let me see if I can get the SD card sorted out.