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Sunpower Solar Power Monitoring system interface to HS

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    #16
    Panel Monitoring

    Interesting thread. Some thoughts....

    Individual panel metrics can only be monitored directly/automatically if you are using micro-inverters. As mentioned in this thread, string inverters do not have the ability to produce individual panel metrics. This is one of the reasons I chose to employ micro-inverters and well as being "shade challenged" at my site. If shade challenged, only panels/inverters affected by shade will drag down the performance of a string of panels. The rest will operate optimally.

    I have a 35 panel array (9600kw) that uses Enphase micro-inverters. Between the local console/controller which publishes a web site and the Enphase cloud web site, I am able to extract individual inverter performance and therefore individual panel performance. I use Jon00's datascraper program to scrape the web sites and grab metrics like panels installed, panels active, daily production(of the array) and lifetime production. I can also scrape logs for errors like inverter offline or inverter no output in order to detect individual inverter problems. I usually know I have an inverter problem well before Enphase detects it. The Enphase website provides individual inverter output metrics for current (near real time) and daily/monthly/yearly times. That is data scraped as well.

    As for measuring usage, demand, solar contribution, and solar exporting, I use the TED monitoring system. TED metrics are collected using the BLTED plugin from Blade for HS3. It supports multiple TED gateways and multiple MTU measuring units (up to 4) per gateway. The TED collects usage from the GRID and output of the array. I have a script that derives the other metrics from these two. The script creates HS devices. I use Jonoo's data charting plugin to track all these device metrics over time.

    Peak output from any array will be that time of year when the sun is 90' to the array angle. Because I live in the USA North East region, my peak days turn out to be April 15th and Oct 15th (more or less). That is when the sun is perpendicular to my array tilt twice a year.

    Unfortunately I do not think you will be able to derive individual panel performance metrics automatically if using string inverters and it sounds like getting physical with panels in your array could void the warranty. Does SunPower provide and API interface to their equipment? That could provide an interface to HS via scripting

    -Cliff

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      #17
      I am close to committing to solar. Likely ~7kw. I would really like to integrate into HS3 for metrics via HSTouch app as well as device triggers for problems. It will be hybrid grid tie under a net zero agreement. I want to measure production, usage, and net fed back into the grid or net used. I also want to have batteries since this is a remote location and we are generally the last to be repaired in severe weather conditions. Five days happens once a year or so and 2-3 days several times. I do have a generator but it is a process to bring it into service and I have to be here. I'm looking for an automatic transfer to bats if needed and then auto restore. A transfer/bypass switch will be a must to isolate from the grid when running on bats.

      I run on satellite with a monthly data cap. I am already managing Blue Iris for security and HS3 for automation and am living within my cap - sometimes barely. So adding a cloud based interface solution is not preferable unless the nominal usage was low.

      The above was mostly background. What I am interested in is what equipment would be good on the solar controller side that would allow a straightforward HS3 PI based interface that is reliable and robust with data. I just don't know how to tell the solar guys what I need.

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