Warwick’s solar system details

Detailed Monitoring Specification

Our solar, grid linked power system comprises:

  • 24 CSG panels, mounted in three arrays, each with an MPPT.
  • 12 fixed roof mounted panels, with an MPPT
  • All linked into a Network hub then to remote meter and
  • Inverter, and the mains and a battery bank.

Product details:

  • CIS SC 75-EX_B Solar Frontier 75 Watt x 24
    • Open circuit voltage 110 V dc
  • Astronergy CHSM 5612M 190 watt x 12
    • Open circuit voltage 136 V dc
  • Morningstar Tristar MPPT 60-150V
  • Morningstar HUB 1 Meter Hub
  • Batteries: Delkor Calcium 12v DK62283 250 amp hour x 12: 36 KW Hr capacity.
  • Each string of 48V has fuse protection of 80 Amps.
  • Main isolator is between this and inverter.
  • Selectronic SP Pro 48 v

On main switchboard inside house:

  • Digital power consumption meter recording to 1/100 Kw via digital readout.
  • Morningstar TriStar TS-M-2 Digital Meter.
  • Midnight Battery State of Charge indicator.

Monitoring currently is by visual display of LED position and colour of the last instrument referred to.   It is visible through large areas of the house, and gives an important “connect” between the system and the day to day lives of the occupants.   We see this as the most crucial factor in successful management of the system.

We can scroll through various settings on the digital meter to get more detailed and some historic information. We can go to the external meter (30m NW of the house) to assess charged consumption and the feed in KWHrs.

We are waiting on cables and (USB?) connectors to enable connection to a tablet/minicomputer to be installed in the main internal control box, which has glass doors.

The major outputs required of this more elaborate monitoring system are:

  1. Daily real-time graphic information as to current production of the solar system, consumption in the house, and any use of external power.
  2. One touch access to graphs of the same data, on a daily basis, for the last three months.
  3. Ditto for the last year, on a weekly basis.
  4. One touch access to comparative graphs of the daily total inputs of the four MPPT trackers for three months.
  5. Ditto for the last year, on a weekly basis.
  6. Plug in USB download of base and summary data to another computer for more detailed analysis/reporting.

The current thinking is to purchase a base level tablet computer.  Other suggestions as to alternative hardware are welcome, as well as suggestions as to appropriate software.

Many thanks.

Warwick Rowell

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