OOPS. Can't connect to Sunny Boy Inverter

[Salts]

I think I screwed up.

I downloaded the SMA Sunny Explorer to see if I could get both of my Sunny Boy inverters to be displayed on one screen and combine the information. The software worked once last night and then stopped working this morning when I went to look at it.

In trying to troubleshoot and fix the problem, I logged into the new inverter's interface and turned off "Automatic Configuration" and assigned it the ip address that my router has been assigning it automatically. OOPS.

My tablet won't find the bluetooth, the wireless access point has been turned off, and now I can't get to it through the hardwired connection either.

Is there a way to reset this entire inverter so it goes back to factory default settings?

[Salts]

UPDATE

Using my android tablet, I was able to connect directly to the inverter's wifi function. It says SMAXXXXXX connected, 56mbs. So it accepted the WSK-PSK key I put in. Problem is, when I try to access the interface with the browser, it says it can't connect. Tried several IP addresses with no luck.

[J.P.M.]

What does SMA have to say about your problem ? Just my $0.02, but I'd go to the source rather than a semi public place with unvetted and semi anonymous information.

[Salts]

What does SMA have to say about your problem ? Just my $0.02, but I'd go to the source rather than a semi public place with unvetted and semi anonymous information.

SMA Support is useless. I've never had any luck with them at all. When asking for information, it takes days for them to respond and when they finally do, the answer is cryptic or so generalized its useless. Its almost like they're afraid to answer a question directly for some reason.

I finally got access to the inverter through my wife's android phone. I was able to connect to the device with my Android's WIFI, but not with the web browser. When I tried my wife's Android, it connected no problems. Seriously?

SMA makes the best hardware available.... but their customer support and user interfaces are horrible. Especially the user interfaces. How come an 800 million dollar company with such great hardware can't make a user interface with nothing more than the most basic of information? I have two Sunny Island inverters with a retail price of $5k each, and the best interface they can come up with is 2 inches wide, 3/4 of an inch tall, and displays 2 lines with a lower resolution than a dot matrix printer.. That's messed up.

[oregon_phil]

Some thoughts for you:

1) Since about 5 days ago, my SMA inverter decided it would not direct connect using Firefox. It connects fine with Chrome, but continues to have issues with Firefox.

2) Your router might be on a 24 hour IP lease cycle. Your connection might get refreshed tonight and might not work tomorrow.

3) Since you set your inverter's IP address to the be static using the same IP address the router set dynamically, it's probably a good guess that you set the inverters static IP address within the router's DHCP address range. You need to set a static IP address outside of the routers DHCP range or unknown things are going to happen. A better way to do this is to allow automatic configuration at the Inverter and reserve an IP address at the router. You have to know the MAC address of your inverter. Google "How do I reserve and IP address on my router". This way you can set the IP addresses for all of your equipment at the router interface.

[Salts]

Some thoughts for you:

1) Since about 5 days ago, my SMA inverter decided it would not direct connect using Firefox. It connects fine with Chrome, but continues to have issues with Firefox.

2) Your router might be on a 24 hour IP lease cycle. Your connection might get refreshed tonight and might not work tomorrow.

3) Since you set your inverter's IP address to the be static using the same IP address the router set dynamically, it's probably a good guess that you set the inverters static IP address within the router's DHCP address range. You need to set a static IP address outside of the routers DHCP range or unknown things are going to happen. A better way to do this is to allow automatic configuration at the Inverter and reserve an IP address at the router. You have to know the MAC address of your inverter. Google "How do I reserve and IP address on my router". This way you can set the IP addresses for all of your equipment at the router interface.

AHA! Going to try #3. Thank you!

I'm now trying to use Sunny Explorer and both inverters show up, but have the LOCK symbol and it won't connect to them. So no data. Sunny Explorer starts slower than my Autocad and Photoshop programs..

I've seen little Chinese kids working in their bedrooms make better software than SMA. Glitchy doesn't even come close to describing it.

[Salts]

Some thoughts for you:

1) Since about 5 days ago, my SMA inverter decided it would not direct connect using Firefox. It connects fine with Chrome, but continues to have issues with Firefox.

2) Your router might be on a 24 hour IP lease cycle. Your connection might get refreshed tonight and might not work tomorrow.

3) Since you set your inverter's IP address to the be static using the same IP address the router set dynamically, it's probably a good guess that you set the inverters static IP address within the router's DHCP address range. You need to set a static IP address outside of the routers DHCP range or unknown things are going to happen. A better way to do this is to allow automatic configuration at the Inverter and reserve an IP address at the router. You have to know the MAC address of your inverter. Google "How do I reserve and IP address on my router". This way you can set the IP addresses for all of your equipment at the router interface.

#3 worked like a charm. Sunny Explorer is also working now.

WoHooo!

Thank you.. .. huge HUGE help you are.

[oregon_phil]

Glad it worked. I know SMA tech support is frustrating, but sometimes they do give some advice that makes sense. Once my inverter was running correctly and reliably, they told me to turn off automatic updates. If updates start to happen and you lose power, the inverter gets confused and can throw faults, reboot unpredictably, etc. They also told me a large quantity of tech calls have to do with communication issues (router, IP address, etc).

[J.P.M.]

SMA Support is useless. I've never had any luck with them at all. When asking for information, it takes days for them to respond and when they finally do, the answer is cryptic or so generalized its useless. Its almost like they're afraid to answer a question directly for some reason.

I finally got access to the inverter through my wife's android phone. I was able to connect to the device with my Android's WIFI, but not with the web browser. When I tried my wife's Android, it connected no problems. Seriously?

SMA makes the best hardware available.... but their customer support and user interfaces are horrible. Especially the user interfaces. How come an 800 million dollar company with such great hardware can't make a user interface with nothing more than the most basic of information? I have two Sunny Island inverters with a retail price of $5k each, and the best interface they can come up with is 2 inches wide, 3/4 of an inch tall, and displays 2 lines with a lower resolution than a dot matrix printer.. That's messed up.

Understood. Thank you.

What you report w/SMA sounds a lot like what I've experienced w/Sunpower. Good product, but the support sucks.