Best PV micro-inverters for DIY monitoring?

wwk · 24 March 2022 22:49

Hello All.

I am just purchasing a set of several panels with micro-inverters.
I start small (4 panels) and plan to add some more in the future.

What micro-inverters are the most robust and most friendly to open-source-haking solutions?

I’d like to have solid quality micro-inverters (in terms of taking care of PV behaviour) but I would also like to be able to monitor them using some open source tools.

At the final circuit (sum of all PVs), I will use some open-hardware-source device to monitor the total solar power production but I’d like to have my data directly from each separate panel.

For example, Hoymiles uses some proprietary 2.4 GHz NRF wireless modules that are not documented as an open standard.
There is a work-in-progress project available regarding reverse-engineering the micro-inverter communication but not working yet.

Which micro-inverters do you recommend?

Kind regards
WK

PS
I’ve asked a similar question in other forums for a better chance to receive answers. Thank you for understanding and for any feedback.

b31k · 27 March 2022 11:28

Hi, we have been using the apsystem qs1, which together with the GitHub - patience4711/RPI-APS-inverters: a software for a raspberry pi zero to read the production of aps inverters yc600 and qs1 project and some modifications go great.

150977290-19a81da7-0c82-4eb8-9522-89a74197bcea

Stu_A · 27 March 2022 23:03

Hi! If you don’t mind having a no factory warranty then Enecsys units are available and there are a few open software solutions for monitoring them, all written since the original company went bust.

Hardware can be purchased with upgraded control software that fixes the well known failures that caused Enecsys to go bust in the first place. Speak to Dan Ambrose here: http://www.enecsysparts.com/

He is the most helpful guy!

I have 20 units and some monitoring software I adapted from here:

github.com

omoerbeek/e2pv/blob/master/e2pv.php

<?php
/*
 * Copyright (c) 2015 Otto Moerbeek <[email protected]>
 *
 * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
 * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
 * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
 *
 * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
 * WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
 * MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
 * ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
 * WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
 * ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
 * OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 */

// By default, $ignored array is empty
$ignored = array();

This file has been truncated. show original

One day I should upload my minor modifications

wwk · 28 March 2022 18:31

Looks nice. I wonder if apsystem will try to disable this solution in future by changing the firmware and the protocol.
I went with Hoymiles (2.4G version) - mainly because of time pressure (legislative changes regarding photovoltaics, which will take effect in Poland from 01/04).
I hope the challenge to reverse engineer their protocol will succeed.

wwk · 28 March 2022 18:40

I saw some Enecsys used devices available for purchase but they are not on the list of certified inverters in Poland.

dlarue · 31 March 2022 00:25

the WVC-xxx inverter from Chinese manufacturer Kaideng have a 400MHz wireless(or is it 900MHz?) and the protocol has been reverse engineered.

wwk · 31 March 2022 20:03

Thanks. I saw they have 2800W (>700W panels). Quite strong.

wwk · 31 March 2022 20:05

I wonder why there is no know open-source/open-hardware initiative to build pv-inverters.
Is it a hard pice of science to do it properly?