Any tips on my setup?

[Wrybread]

Anyway, been working on my app some more. I won't be back to the RV until the weekend so I'm running it with simulator data, which is just random numbers, so the plotting is all over the place. I added a few pages. The first screen, showing battery watts in center and volts at top right, is unchanged. This one isn't simulator data, and is what it looked like last Saturday as the sun was coming up.



Swipe to the second screen, showing battery volts in middle and on the graph, and SoC at top right. This one is random simulator data so the plot is all over the place.



Next screen, showing fridge temp in middle and power source (solar or propane) at top right. Incidentally it was fantastically easy to rig up a temperature probe using one of these guys. IMG_2139.PNG


And all the data on one screen. The formatting and background image here aren't at all final, especially on this screen, I'm mostly just organizing the data at this point. IMG_2140.PNG


When I'm back on site I plan to add the other data points from the controller, like "temperature inside case", "heatsink temperature", max PV voltage, total energy generated today/this week/this month/ever, battery charge state, and whatever else looks interesting. I also plan to add a few other things that have nothing to do with the solar system, like the RV inside temperature and data from a weather station I'm working on.

As far as plotting the data, I'm saving an average of everything every 15 minutes to a local database, I registered for an account at pvoutput.org, and it looks like they expect an update every 5 minutes? sensij, are you uploading your data live, or do you log into their site and upload it manually?

And do you know what data you're uploading? Is it just PVAmps and PVVolts?

Having a look at their API it looks easy enough to just send them an update every 5 minutes, but from a quick look I'm not clear on what data they expect exactly.

[SunEagle]

That temperature sensor looks pretty good at +/- 0.5 degree C and not needing to be in contact with anything. Much better then some of the probes I use to use with my old fluke meter.

[Wrybread]

That temperature sensor looks pretty good at +/- 0.5 degree C and not needing to be in contact with anything. Much better then some of the probes I use to use with my old fluke meter.

I'm a fan. Looks like you can daisy chain multiple probes on a single string too.

[Wrybread]

I'm also wondering if anyone has any experience with cellular modem cards in the U.S.? I have internet when I'm there, but where I park it when I'm away I don't, and it would be nice to be able to access the data remotely, or at least have it upload every hour or so. That's not worth the $20/month that (I think) Verizon would charge me to add a line, but maybe someone has had some positive experience with metered cellular data in the U.S.?

[SunEagle]

I'm also wondering if anyone has any experience with cellular modem cards in the U.S.? I have internet when I'm there, but where I park it when I'm away I don't, and it would be nice to be able to access the data remotely, or at least have it upload every hour or so. That's not worth the $20/month that (I think) Verizon would charge me to add a line, but maybe someone has had some positive experience with metered cellular data in the U.S.?

Probably one of those pay as you go cell phone companies but I don't know if they have modem cards anymore. Some energy management hardware companies have "data monitors" that perform that task but it may actually be more expensive then a cell phone company.

[Sunking]

I googled your previous username, from before you changed it on this forum, and found countless other postings all over the internet where you do nothing but hijack every thread and insult people under the guise of helping them. I found at least 4 other online communities that had basically kicked you out..

You are a liar. Prove it or shut up. Slander will get you banned real fast. So you had better prove it or you are toast.

[Sunking]

Probably one of those pay as you go cell phone companies but I don't know if they have modem cards anymore. Some energy management hardware companies have "data monitors" that perform that task but it may actually be more expensive then a cell phone company.

No not the card, just a USB Modem. Both Verizon and ATT have what they call WiFi Hotspots. About the size of Altoid Mint can. It is 4G LTE/AWS/IOP. Set it in your house or wherever you want, then connect via WiFi. My cell phone can even do it as it is called a WiFi Bridge. Works just like the WiFi Hotspot, log in from your puter via WiFi and the phne makes the Bridge to LTE/AWS/IOP. Many Smart Phones can do it if you can afford the data bandwidth.

[J.P.M.]

To be clear, I'm not questioning his knowledge or ability, but he turns every single discussion into a shouting match. If I was building a $30k+ grid-tied system maybe I'd say "yes sir" and take my licks, but when I'm working on an RV installation it's completely ridiculous for him to go into pompous shouting mode and hurl insults. And furthermore in this discussion at least he hasn't contributed anything useful and has in fact gotten in the way of people who are, over and over again.

Here's what may be the crux of the problem: What if others are taking what you write and (perhaps ignorantly) running with it, and some others here who may be quite knowledgeable sincerely and honestly think what you are doing is wrong, wasteful and perhaps dangerous, but you remain adamant without convincing the knowledgeable naysayers with more convincing arguments ? What options do the naysayers then have ?

[Wrybread]

Here's what may be the crux of the problem: What if others are taking what you write and (perhaps ignorantly) running with it, and some others here who may be quite knowledgeable sincerely and honestly think what you are doing is wrong, wasteful and perhaps dangerous,

I'm fine with taking that risk. He's stated his opinion on it, and seems adamant about derailing the thread to a discussion of it *every* *single* *time*. I simply wouldn't trust him to tell me the time of day, and I'm sure by the end of it he'd derail the conversation.

No not the card, just a USB Modem.

A USB modem still requires service, and its the service I'm talking about.

As I said I know I can add the service with my carrier at least (Verizon), but they charge $20/month for it. I'm trying to find something metered. Cellular providers in most countries around the world give people the option of buying a SIM card and paying for the data you use without any monthly fee, I'm wondering if there's something like that in the U.S. In most countries you land at the airport and buy a pre-loaded SIM card that you put in your cellphone or cellular modem, and pay for every minute or megabyte you use.

For this purpose (uploading data when I'm not there) a few megabytes a month would probably do it.

[Sunking]

I'm fine with taking that risk. He's stated his opinion on it, and seems adamant about derailing the thread to a discussion of it *every* *single* *time*. I simply wouldn't trust him to tell me the time of day, and I'm sure by the end of it he'd derail the conversation.



A USB modem still requires service, and its the service I'm talking about.

As I said I know I can add the service with my carrier at least (Verizon), but they charge $20/month for that kind of service. As I said I'm trying to find something metered. Cellular providers in most countries around the world give people the option of buying a SIM card and paying for the data you use without any monthly fee, I'm wondering if there's something like that in the U.S. In most countries you land at the airport and buy a pre-loaded SIM card that you put in your cellphone or cellular modem, and pay for every minute or megabyte you use.

For this purpose (uploading data when I'm not there) a few megabytes a month would probably do it.

I know the answers and tuff titty, you get no help from mee. I am well connected to telecom. But I wil tell you this. Not in the USA. Pay up or shut up. Here is your hint M2M try to figure it out. I do not think you will be around here much longer.

[Wrybread]

Ha thanks any Sunking. I'll manage.

Anyway, for anyone else who comes down this path, I just found what looks like a possible gem:

https://hologram.io/pricing/

40 cents per month service fee, and 60 cents per megabyte upload. Costs $5 for the SIM card.

And they're DIY friendly:

https://content.konekt.io/blog/raspberry-pi-on-cellular/

Just chatted with a rep and they piggyback on AT&T and TMobile, which should work at my site. Ordered!

[sensij]

For this purpose (uploading data when I'm not there) a few megabytes a month would probably do it.

ringplus would have been a good option, but shut down recently. Ting will get you 100 mb / mo for $9 / mo. Google MVNO, I haven't stayed current with options.

More on pvoutput later.

[Wrybread]

But I wil tell you this. Not in the USA. Pay up or shut up.

Yet another bit of misinformation. Will the wonders ever cease.

[J.P.M.]

I'm fine with taking that risk. He's stated his opinion on it, and seems adamant about derailing the thread to a discussion of it *every* *single* *time*. I simply wouldn't trust him to tell me the time of day, and I'm sure by the end of it he'd derail the conversation.

Let me make sure I correctly understand what you are writing: Based on what you believe you know, you're OK with the risk of leading others into situations that other knowledgeable but perhaps acerbic individuals believe to be based on incorrect or faulty knowledge or reasoning. Just making sure I understand. What if you're wrong ?

[Wrybread]

Let me make sure I correctly understand what you are writing: Based on what you believe you know, you're OK with the risk of leading others into situations that other knowledgeable but perhaps acerbic individuals believe to be based on incorrect or faulty knowledge or reasoning. Just making sure I understand. What if you're wrong ?

Not exactly, but I'm fine with conflicting viewpoints being discussed and moving on. Or if you're super compelled to "help" even when specifically told not to, just state your theory and leave it at that.

My objection is that he derails every discussion. He's trying to do it again with cellular data, both with drama and with injecting misinformation to the discussion. Quite amazing actually. I'm simply asking for him to leave this thread alone.