[RE-wrenches] Remote monitoring for off-grid system

[Ray Walters]

The Pentametric is great for on site data collection and monitoring.  It 
can handle up to 3 shunts for anything you want, and has a simple 
Windows interface that's good.  You then can use their Excel templates 
to graph out all the data you want.

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760


Another monitoring question I have for wrenches.  Does anyone have any 
recommendations for a standalone, versatile data logging device, that I 
could leave on sites with no internet connection, and get trends 
(battery voltage, SOC, battery currents etc) over time?  I like to show 
people that they are using more power than they think.

Thanks
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 6:30 PM, Ray Walters <ray at solarray.com 
> <mailto:ray at solarray.com>> wrote:
>
>     First, Outback does have a solution: the Flexnet and Mate 3 stuff;
>     Outback's stuff is  pricey though. They're also a mess to wire IMHO.
>     Here's 2 others to consider: Pentametric from Bogart Engineering,
>     and Midnite Solar.
>     Midnite Solar's monitoring is free when you buy their
>     controllers.  They already come with an Ethernet port too. (unlike
>     Outback's)
>     ALso, Midnite has the new Gizmo Jr. which is a single wire shunt
>     monitor connection, and they should have full State of Charge
>     monitoring capability soon for it on their monitoring website:
>     mymidnite.com <http://mymidnite.com> (also free).
>
>     The Pentametric  is my long time go to meter, and it has a full
>     Ethernet setup, but they don't have a website like Mymidnite.com,
>     so you have to access the Pentametric remotely through the local
>     network.  That gets into static DNS addresses, etc.; all that IP
>     stuff I'm not well versed at.
>     I've successfully used both monitoring systems.
>     Also, don't just look at daily production; for off grid, you need
>     battery state of charge.
>
>     R.Ray Walters
>     CTO, Solarray, Inc
>     Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
>     Licensed Master Electrician
>     Solar Design Engineer
>     303 505-8760  <tel:303%20505-8760>
>
>     On 12/5/2013 2:03 PM, Davis Terrell wrote:
>>
>>     Hi Wrenches,
>>
>>     I am evaluating remote monitoring solutions for an off-grid
>>     project and wanted to get any feedback people were willing to
>>     share. I see my three main choices as Outback, SMA Sunny Island,
>>     or an XW system, the first two of which I have a good bit of
>>     experience with.
>>
>>     It looks like the only good remote options for Outback are 3^rd
>>     party which I couldn't get much info on, despite emails to the
>>     manufacturers.  Anyone have any experience with GreenHouse Gas
>>     and Electric dataloggers?
>>
>>     A Sunny Island with a Webbox and Sunny Portal seems the most
>>     straightforward, but doesn't have real-time data.
>>
>>     I stumbled upon the Connext Combox on the Schneider site and it
>>     looks like a great product, but I am a little wary.  What
>>     comments I did find out about it online weren't very favorable. 
>>     And it looks like setting it up for remote access is not very
>>     straightforward.
>>
>>     Thanks for any thoughts/experiences!
>>
>>     Davis Terrell
>>
>>     Project Manager
>>
>>     Green Earth Energy
>>
>>     davis at mckernongroup.com <mailto:davis at mckernongroup.com>
>>
>>     office: (802) 247-1200 <tel:%28802%29%20247-1200>
>>
>>     mobile: (802) 989-1661 <tel:%28802%29%20989-1661>
>>
>>
>>
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