Conext Insight Not Updating Properly

sikmusicfreak8
sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
Good morning,

After a few rounds with Schneider, they will no longer talk to me unless I hire an authorized installer to call them, which is lame.  Almost zero tech support after buying 2 inverters, 2 charge controllers, and a Combox from them...

Anyhow, for months after installing my system, the Combox would update Insight just fine, every 10 minutes, no problem.  Then all the sudden I would see the data "drift" out of time.  A couple times some resets would correct the problem next day.

Now, the information is days off, and the Insight portal has become completely useless for monitoring.  The only data that is correct are the graphs, which are up to data and accurate.  All other information is bogus.

Schneider instructed me to set the time in the Combox incorrectly, then update and sync the time, which does not work.  I have seen them suggest this to others who are experiencing similar issues.

Anybody else have a solution?

Comments

  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Maybe a silly question (I don't know much about this gear) but does the Combox have an internal real-time clock with a coin battery backup?
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    Negative.  It is updated via online time sync or manually set in the programming.
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    The time zone needs to be correctly entered period. I would set it, then do a power down reset with all xanbus and network cable removed.

    If you are grid tied you should have surge protection on anything coming into your home. Combox is at the top of the list for being damaged.

    Outback has told the same story before and you have to realize that big companies are not good at hand holding or telling you how to do things. You may not like it but it is very expensive to support this kind of thing. The company I spent alot of time at would often come out with a xxxx  model B and end support for the model A.

    The gateway is replacing combox but I am not sure when. Schneider has said nothing about this but it is inevitable as the cloud based system is far better and you can remote control devices and systems without paying an ISP to port forward. A dozen other reasons.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    All time and time zones are correct.  I have powered everything down many many many times, reloaded firmware, etc.  They obviously have an issue that hasnt been resolved.  Like I said, worked fine for months, then became a problem out of the blue.

    After spending 5k on their equipment, I feel like they can "hold my hand" enough to fix what should be a simple problem.

    Gateway is already out, and I have considered getting one, but its another $500, and if my Combox was updating the portal correctly, I wouldnt really need the Gateway, even though it would be nicer.  
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cloud based is useless unless you have unmetered internet.   If I'm getting phone or cable routed out here, I'd have gotten power too. Most cloud based stuff doesn't like the lag from satellite internet.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    I have 100mbps fiber internet, so thats not my issue. 
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2020 #8
    Lightning, surge protection, or bad luck. If you need a combox, they are pretty cheap now. Sorry but maybe try Outback next ;) 

    If you post some screens we could take a peak. There are many settings that could be wrong as well as it is toast.

    We have a great ISP in our county. They broke 2 D8 cats getting here. The power was over 150K. Why would a power guy like me pay for another cause for a wildfire nearby. I have plenty already.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    I dont believe the box is defective.  Everything works, and data is reaching Insight as the graphs are up to date and accurate, just none of the other data is.
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    I do not understand you. Maybe it is me? The graphs are good but have no data?  Again a picture please this is 2020.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭


    Does that help?
  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    I was on insight 1 at christmas and it was fine. 
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Am I correct in assuming the combox always displays the "bad" data fields stored locally properly (ie it's just that these fields are incorrectly updated and/or displayed on the insight server)?  


    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    No incorrect. He said he had good data locally on combox. Similar to Mate at outback.
     His problem is getting out to the web based application that allows you to monitor the combox output anywhere in the world. 
    A setting is wrong most likely. The new cloud based Gateway is easier to configure but it still is a bit of IT to get one going correctly.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sorry, I worded that wrong.  I think we're thinking the same way.  The local data is good but the remote data is (or appears to be) wrong?

    Has a display (of remote data) problem been ruled out?  Thinking clearing cookies, image caching, different browser, etc.
    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Nothing is ruled out other than Insight is up and working correctly. We only know what the OP has said and it frankly is not enough to interest me. If he wants he can go deeper by indicating exactly what he has done all the way to pay me to fix it for him, or someone else.

    Your ideas are correct along with a few other things. It is a 200 buck box now so if you need access to remote monitors, you have to pay to play. There was a large run of these that had issues and were warranty replaced. The new gateway is so much better, in every way that it is a no brainer to me.

    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    Anyways, I already stated I did what little tech support told me to do:

     - Restart Combox
     - Reload firmware
     - Purposely set incorrect time and zone, then sync using the server (this is the fix I have seen them tell others)
     
    Obviously its not incorrect settings, because it worked fine for months before it started drifting.  And obviously it still pushes current correct data, as the graphs across the board are up to date and correct compared to the information locally on the Combox.
  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭


    Appears to be fine here also.
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    I can't read it.... I would do what Estragon said. The next thing I would do is beyond a restart. You need to do a power down restart of combox as I said before. If you really have done this then you need to do a complete reset of cbox by pushing the reset button and setting up a new account. Other things... Is firmware good? Are your devices good for FW. It has been a year and so you really need to do all the legwork because you let this sit so long. Sorry I have never been good about holding it back.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    edited January 2020 #21
    As stated, the "legwork" you speak of has been done, on numerous occasions.  I feel you're not reading my posts thoroughly, else you wouldnt keep repeating unuseful information.  The Insight portal is clearly getting data pushed to it.  Both locally and on the site report time stamps of successful pushes.

     - Firmware is fine, and up to date.
     - Combox has been restarted, powered down, and factory reset multiple times.
     - Settings are correct: Portal status is good, successful pushes are updated every 10 minutes, graph data is current and correct.

    Its not a cookie, or cache problem.  I access the site on multiple devices, its all the same.  Its obviously a problem on Schneiders side, as quite a few people have the exact same problems.

    Keep in mind, ALL the data does reach Insight, it just posts days late.

    Thanks
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 2020 #22
    It's not at all obvious to me that the problem is on the server side, at least not entirely.

    That "quite a few people have the exact same problem" is not the same as all users having it.  This suggests a few possibilities to me:

    - some sort of client side issue/condition/setting differing from unaffected clients 
    - a networking (latency, RTBing, etc) issue
    - an intermittent or time based problem 
    - an issue related to a specific server in a cluster where user connections tend to be consistently assigned to a particular (eg regional) server and/or
    - a combox issue affecting some but not all users

    There are probably other potential issues I haven't listed.

    Using different devices makes a cookie/cache type problem less likely, but doesn't entirely rule it out.  People tend to frequent many of the same sites from different devices, for example, and this opens the possibility of the same issue being present on multiple devices used by a particular affected user.

    Another possibility might be an anti-virus, ad-blocking or similar program.  Also something that a given user might have in common over multiple devices.

    I'm an old fart who's worked on more than a few of these types of problems.  I will share my experience that in finding the problem, the first steps would be to accurately describe the conditions and to narrow the possibilities.  To do so, it often helps to identify a subset of affected users who will help do so.  I'd avoid including users who make statements like "it's obviously not foo" or "it must be bar" but who don't have access to server side logs, source, etc to really know.  Including them tends to be counterproductive in solving the problem.


    Off-grid.  
    Main daytime system ~4kw panels into 2xMNClassic150 370ah 48v bank 2xOutback 3548 inverter 120v + 240v autotransformer
    Night system ~1kw panels into 1xMNClassic150 700ah 12v bank morningstar 300w inverter
  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    Again, data is in fact reaching Insight just fine.  Graph information is accurate, and up to date with every successful push.  
  • Bonasaman
    Bonasaman Registered Users Posts: 2
    I also have the issue where Insight was working fine and then stopped.  I'm going to try and restart everything next week when I get to my cabin and see if I can get it to work.
  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    Well, after a year of complaints, Schneider has apparently rectified their issue.  As of 1 week ago, my Insight is finally reporting correct data.  I have been monitoring it each day this week and seems to be working fine now.

    See how long it lasts.  As soon as they can migrate stored data from the Combox to the Gateway, I will probably upgrade at that point, but until then, I am hoping it stays working.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    edited February 2020 #26
    What changed to "fix" the problem? (reboot, re-configure system, networking issues, new firmware, etc.?)

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    He seems to think from what he told me it was on the Schneider end of their network. He probably is right. All of the hardware is supported out of NA. The Insight and Insight 2 cloudware is in India and there can be the usual time delays from that part of the world.

     They are really very attentive once you get in their loop. That is often the problem these days in Hi Tech as you know....

    When are you going to send rain Bill? Are you going for a record or something :'(
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net

  • sikmusicfreak8
    sikmusicfreak8 Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    BB. said:
    What changed to "fix" the problem? (reboot, re-configure system, networking issues, new firmware, etc.?)

    -Bill


    I have no idea what the fix was, I did not change anything, just noticed that it was finally working after a year of it not.  As suspected, it was a problem on their end.
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,728 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited May 2020 #29
    For users of Insight, (the title in this thread) it was announced today that Schneider will migrate Insight to the new cloud based Insight2 in the near future.

    This should be good news to combox owners as it will be a way to keep their system going into the future.

     Combox is listed as a discontinued product. Older legacy greybox XW 6048's are still listed as not compatible with Gateway.

     There is new 1.07 firmware being tested for gateway and should be "out" soon. Hopefully the API for the digital and analog switching on Gateway to use with IOT device control.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net