SolarEdge with MODBUS Meter

Inverters SolarEdge
#1

Hi everyone,

Sorry if this is a duplicate question–I’ve done some searches but the answers don’t seem to exactly cover my situation.

I’ve got a SolarEdge HD-Wave inverter with a SE-branded MODBUS meter attached at the grid connection point (such that the meter is technically measuring import+export and the inverter takes the data stream and uses it along with the inverter’s production measurements to calculate consumption).

It looks like if I set up just the SE Inverter as a primary device (with no secondary device), set direction to solar, and enable 15-power readings, I get very accurate generation power data, and it manages also to import the import/export and/or consumption data, but the import/export/consumption data is always off.

I’ve also tried various permutations involving the SE Inverter as a secondary device as well.

Is there a known-correct way to configure this setup to get accurate data both on the generation side and on the import/export/consumption side?

Thanks!
Adam

Energy Consumption Meter
#2

Only gross consumption is supported with SolarEdge at the moment.

The Solaredge API documentation states ‘FEEDIN’ (export) and ‘PURCHASED’ (import) meter types are available, however only PURCHASED is working with your system. We would need both to be available to make Net direction work correctly with Solaredge.

#3

Thanks very much for the reply. In light of that limitation, I set the SE inverter as a secondary device of Consumption type, but the issue is that the consumption numbers I’m getting are always off (by the end of the 24-hour day) from what the inverter is reporting for energy consumption via the SE web portal. My guess is that PVOutput is calculating the energy based on instantaneous power figures, rather than pulling the actual energy consumption number (the way it does when you enable 15-minute energy readings for generation). Is there any workaround to get PVOutput to reflect the device-provided consumption energy data rather than calculating it based on power data?

Thanks again,
Adam

#4

Solaredge does not provide energy consumption data, so this is not possible.

#5

I’m not sure this is correct as I can get consumption data via something like
https://monitoringapi.solaredge.com/site/924590/powerDetails?meters=CONSUMPTION&timeUnit=DAY&startTime=2019-02-01%2012:00:00&endTime=2019-02-10%2023:59:59&api_key=

Regards Jeff

#6

Consumption is available but power is reported rather than energy.

#7

Both are available via different APIs.
Energy every 15 minutes for energy.
Power is available “instantaneously”.
I have used energy but currently use power every 5 minutes 24x7.
I tried power every minute until they shut me down for a day.
The “limit” is 300 queries per day.
I get PV Production, Household Consumption and Grid from query.
Grid is export if PC Production is > Household Consumption, else Grid is Import.
If they are equal I call it Steady.

#8

I’ve just got my system and having similar configuration problems. The PVOutput help is thorough, but assumes the reader knows some jargon, so if you don’t know how a term is defined it’s easy to get lost.

For example what’s the difference between energy and power?

All my figures differ from the Solaredge app. It’s obviously a config thing, but it’s not clear how you set it in the auto upload section.

Also if you set uploads for 5 minutes that gets you close to the 300 a day. If you also use the Solaredge app or website monitoring is that going to take you over the 300?

I’ve got PVOutput data for a week, but it’s incorrect. If I change the settings in PVOutput can I apply those settings to the existing days to check if I have it right?

#9

Hi this is a fundamental definition ( of physics ) and not just PVO.

In an electrical context we are concerned with POWER ( in Watts ) and ENERGY ( in Joules or kWh or Wh ) - at least in the metric world :grinning:

This is analogous to speed ( metre /second ) and distance ( metres ). At any particular instant, if you are driving a car, you will have a speed ( which could also be zero ). If you zero a trip meter at the start of the day and then read it at the end of the day it will be a non-zero value if you have driven somewhere ( anywhere ).

Importantly the FASTER you drive and / or the LONGER you drive for the further you will go. Similar logic applies to an inverter’s ENERGY output.

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#10

The 300 calls per day is per caller. The app requests will be from a different caller to PVOutput and has its own quota.

Changes to settings only affect new data, not historic.

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#11

In the Automatic Uploads settings - for the following option. Is it best to have this enabled or disabled? How should the ‘Poll Interval’ option be set - 5 or 15 minutes? Is this the best place to ask this stuff, or is it explained somewhere? :slight_smile:

Energy
Use SolarEdge 15-minute energy. This will disable SolarEdge temperature and voltage.

My PVOutput results are now closer to my Solaredge app, but not quite the same. Trying to figure out why.
PVOutput (Solaredge)
Generated 77.222 (79.56)
Exported 66.782 (66.52)
Consumption 13.626 (16.15)
Imported 3.186 (3.18)

#12

This setting controls the frequency which data is retrieved from SolarEdge.

The data interval is still 5 minutes, a 15 minute setting should be fine.

When this is enabled, the data interval will 15-minutes and voltage and temperature data will no longer be logged. The total energy value may also more closely match SolarEdge portal since energy is no longer calculated. However, SolarEdge does tend to overstate energy output.