Remote Monitoring and Control: Sunsynk Connect

The inverter that forms the heart of any SolarPV installation is a complex piece of equipment with numerous configuration settings. This is partly because many are designed to be used in scores of different scenarios; Single Phase, Three Phase, systems with multiple inverters, off-grid systems, etc. However, even an inverter intended only for use in run-of-the-mill domestic situations will have a lot of possible settings.

If the inverter is to be installed in a relatively inacessible location, maybe an outbuilding or loft, then the ability to control it remotely becomes more important.

In our installation the only location that was really practicable was the loft space.

Because of this, we were careful to check that remote configuration was possible. The Sunsynk inverter comes with a WiFi dongle and can be connected to the home network. This allows all of the settings to be read and set remotely, as well as current power flows to be monitored.

Although the remote monitoring and configuration is quite comprehensive, it is not without problems. In particular, the communication between the user and inverter's dongle is not direct but rather through Sunsynk's own remote servers. These have the limitation that monitoring data is only updated every five minutes. Also, the server has a tendency to go off-line quite frequently which means that either reconfiguration must be delayed until the server comes up again or I have to go up into the loft to configure it.

Fortunately, there is another way to configure the inverter, using third-party hardware connected to the RS-485 port on the inverter. I have decided to spend the extra money to do this since I am uncomfortable relying so heavily on an external server.

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