PIP-5048MK inverter

[affer]

Sun is starting to produce power again.. here is my on and off-grid systems.. it might be an eastern project to put on more load

[jannie]

I am a bit afraid to venture into ICC or similar

ICC and SolPipLog (the one I use) connects via USB (or serial)....
I noticed your com port is 8 - using CH340 have you tried changing its properties to use a lower port number?
My logging PC is quite old and has a 'proper' com port set as com1 for WathPower - if I need to use it.....
I initially had problems using USB/Serial adapters.

Thanks for your thoughts. I did try with the direct serial cable to my old laptop and port COM 1. The serial info is coming through as recorded my my 'Serial Port Monitor' program, but WatchPower is dead.

[jannie]

It is working fine, but I am having a huge problem with WatchPower on my PC connecting to the inverter. When I do see serial communications (tested with Serial Port Monitor) the WatchPower program does not record any data. Can anyone give me a suggestion as to what to do next?

Try to following and see if it helps. I have noticed often watchpower won't record data if not run as administrator.
Close watchpower and make sure to exit it from taskbar too. Then right click watchpower and click "Run as administrator". Now, check if it is recording data or not.

Thanks for the advice. I have been doing just that. Still no joy.

[paulvk]

jannie
Have you set the baud rate in windows advanced settings to 2400 ?

[jannie]

jannie
Have you set the baud rate in windows advanced settings to 2400 ?

I had the baud rate at 9600 because I had seen that value somewhere (can't remember where). I changed it to 2400. No difference.

[coulomb]

I had the baud rate at 9600 because I had seen that value somewhere (can't remember where).

The main part of firmware updates happens at 9600 bps, although the initial negotiations are at 2400 bps.

I changed it to 2400. No difference.

Watchpower should be setting the bit rate; no need for the user to do this.

[affer]

my 5048mk is stucked in the read outs at the moment.

https://www.pvoutput.org/intraday.jsp?i ... t=20200329

it reads the same from the serial port even that that the sun has gone down. i use solpiplog for reading out, and nothing have changed in a few hours.

i can send commands to the MK, and it reports back firmware etc..

i am not able to get to the unit itself until at least after the 6. of april,

is there i command i can send to any one knows if it is possible to reboot the serial board, og i can do anything else remotely to get the issue fixed.

ive already rebooted the pi that interfaces to the MK

btw, it seems that i also had a dip today.

[paulvk]

jannie
Get a copy of Realterm and install that on your computer with this terminal program
I can send commands to the inverter and get the data back it has a send function that lets you send byte values
so you can send the CRC with the QPIGS command.
This will show that you can communicate with the inverter and get the expected response.
Best to eliminate things one at a time.

[coulomb]

btw, it seems that i also had a dip today.

One dip, if it lasts only a minute or so, is OK. It just means that you had a biggish load that brought down the battery voltage enough that it started another bulk charge. To go from float to bulk stages, it seems to have to go through a short zero charge stage, and when it starts a bulk charge, it seems to have a ~15 second period of single amp charging, then a slow ramp up to full power.

Edit: However, looking at your data, it seems that there was no big load before the dip. In fact, it looks like you have quite modest loads. Even if one load is a fridge or freezer, with a start up surge that won't show up with samples every 5 minutes, that feels like it should never trigger a change to bulk stage. Even if the battery internal resistance is high in early afternoon when the SOC would be high. It was also likely still in bulk stage at the time of the dip, so that blows my theory.

Edit 2: is your battery a lithium one with a BMS that might disconnect the battery at high battery voltage, by any chance?

[jannie]

jannie
Get a copy of Realterm and install that on your computer with this terminal program
I can send commands to the inverter and get the data back it has a send function that lets you send byte values
so you can send the CRC with the QPIGS command.
This will show that you can communicate with the inverter and get the expected response.
Best to eliminate things one at a time.

Hello Paul,

I have installed Realterm. I previously used Serial Port Monitor but that needs a license to send data.
I have no experience with serial coms so wouldn't know where to start. Perhaps we could do a Teamviewer or Anydesk session at a time convenient for you??
As I have previously said, I do get Q.... messages (on Serial Port Monitor) which appear correct. It's just that the WatchPower program does not see the messages.

[XtractorFan]

jannie
Get a copy of Realterm and install that on your computer with this terminal program
I can send commands to the inverter and get the data back it has a send function that lets you send byte values
so you can send the CRC with the QPIGS command.
This will show that you can communicate with the inverter and get the expected response.
Best to eliminate things one at a time.

Hello Paul,

I have installed Realterm. I previously used Serial Port Monitor but that needs a license to send data.
I have no experience with serial coms so wouldn't know where to start. Perhaps we could do a Teamviewer or Anydesk session at a time convenient for you??
As I have previously said, I do get Q.... messages (on Serial Port Monitor) which appear correct. It's just that the WatchPower program does not see the messages.

Hello Jannie,
Looking back at your Watchpower screenshot:

The COMs address looks like an IP address 10.0.0.11 - are you trying to connect to an external device?
My direct COM port connection looks like this:

settings.JPG (186.38 KiB) Viewed 1500 times

Top left hand shows COM2_PIP serial number

Hope you've made some progress.

[jannie]

Sadly, I've made no progress despite trying lots of things - I have the time!!!

The IP address is the address of the laptop that was running WatchPower. Your device is LBH-Barn.
The COM port is on the next line - but missing for me.

[XtractorFan]

Yes, understand - and that shows that Watchpower isn't finding the PIP.
Wonder if you've got a faulty serial port on the PIP......

[solamahn]

Try V1.14

[XtractorFan]

Weird - just downloaded and installed trial version of Serial Port Monitor - nice program, but way too expensive!
My screenshot:

WatchPower.SerialPortMonitor.JPG (171.33 KiB) Viewed 1485 times

This shows that your Watchpower is sending/receiving data, but not displaying it....
Maybe you Watchpower install is corrupt?
Mine is v. 1.13SP2 downloaded from: https://www.mppsolar.com/manual/Watchpo ... 0v1.13SP2/
This gives you 'WatchPower1.13sp2_windows.rar' - full pre-installed package, which you can open with 7-Zip etc.
Unzip to a folder and run Watchpower.exe, you can create a desktop shortcut later.
You need to shutdown any 'running' instances of watchpower (CTRL+ALT+DEL Task manager) it leaves a Java task running which needs to be terminated.
it's a cr@p program....
Maybe try that.

[XtractorFan]

Try V1.14

Nice one, a link would have been useful

[solamahn]

V1.14 works with 4048V. It does not work with 4048MS. I think I got V1.14 from the supplied CD

[solamahn]

SolarPower_1.14-sp1-windows.zip

[dRdoS7]

Hi,

SolarPower_1.14-sp1-windows.zip

I think you forgot the last, and most vital step when attaching a file (or posting a link).

Either that, or you're just teasing.

dRdoS7

[solamahn]

Sorry. Have a look in here
https://powerforum.co.za/topic/2107-sol ... -features/

[XtractorFan]

Sorry. Have a look in here
https://powerforum.co.za/topic/2107-sol ... -features/

Completely different program - not Watchpower.
Looks like it's for Hybrid/Grid tie inverters.
What is your inverter? is it an MK?
If so does it work?
Watchpower/Solarpower is a dead end - if you want to control your MS/MK then you need a RasPi and Solpilog or ICC.
Windows PC's just aren't reliable (Windows OS) enough to keep running 24/7 and do the control/logging.

[solamahn]

4048V

[XtractorFan]

4048V

Right, so irrelevant to this discussion......

[dRdoS7]

Hi,

Watchpower/Solarpower is a dead end - if you want to control your MS/MK then you need a RasPi and Solpilog or ICC.
Windows PC's just aren't reliable (Windows OS) enough to keep running 24/7 and do the control/logging.

I wouldn't call Watchpower a dead-end, nor say Win PCs aren't reliable.

I've been using various old PCs for monitoring since 2010, run 24/7, first an APC UPS, then a PIP3048 & MN Classic 200, and now a PIP5048MG & MN Classic 200. All had Windows, in various flavours. Currently (this is the 3rd old PC) using my redundant HTPC with Win10. Only time they've been turned off is when we go away in our caravan, and the system is shut down.

My 2 biggest problems were a lightning strike in 2017, and a power surge last year. Both did a bit of hardware damage to the PC (LAN in one, PS in the other) that was running at the time.

dRdoS7

[XtractorFan]

I wouldn't call Watchpower a dead-end, nor say Win PCs aren't reliable.

I'm probably somewhat older than you and have used PC's for one thing and another since 1986 - back in days of DOS.
Modern hardware is definitely reliable enough, but since Win7 and the enforced 'nanny state' of Windows Update the 'always on' PC is a major problem.

Windows will re-start your PC to install updates.......

Then there is power consumption and cost compared to a $50 RasPi.
I am a recent convert to the RasPi and it works well with the right software.
Watchpower works, but logging and generating graphs is awkward and restricted to local viewing.
It also crashes frequently.
I have both a RasPi and an old PC (2006 vintage with Win10) connected to my PIP.
I VNC into both of them as and when needed, but via SolPipLog and EmonCms I can view from anywhere via a web browser and see what's going on.
No comparison really.....