Problem with Fronius datalogger web

TickTock

I was wondering if any other installers or users out there use the Fronius datalogger web (plus com card) to monitor and log their Fronius inverter activity. I am having a lot of trouble with the solar.access software provided by Fronius and wondered if I was alone. I spent quite a lot of money on these components so am a bit frustrated. If I remember to download the logged data within a week or two, I am able to get the data dowloaded after ten tries or so (most attempts fail midway through the transfer). Unfortunately I managed to get threee months worth of data (wattage, ambient temp. panel temp and 5 min. interval) and can;t get 10% downloaded before I get the dreaded "download failed. Please try again" message. Latest drivers, s/w etc. Not much help from Fronius. Anyone else experiencing this?

Thanks!

BB.

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

How are you downloading? FTP, web-browser? etc....

-Bill

TickTock

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

I am using Fronius' software "solar.access" downloaded from their web site. It connects to the datalogger_web via the IP address I assigned to is (local:192.168.x.x). I've tried connecting directly using a cross-over cable (in case the problem was from my LAN) but run into the same problem (can connect and see status (small tansfers) but large transfers cannot ever complete).

BB.

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

It has been decades since I have had to debug a router/equipment... If the packet size is configurable, try making it a bit smaller. In the olden days, sometimes the default packet of a piece of hardware was too big for devices in the middle.

Another possibility, is there a USB connector and Windows Laptop somewhere? I have had problems with laptops that turn off USB power during long transfers (this was a GPS memory card programmer). The fix there was to go to the system / USB device driver and turn off power management (or turn on Power--whatever the option was).

Last thing to try, turn off your screen saver--I have had a problem with screen savers turning on (in my case, turning display power off) and messing up long processing/transfers (again, writing map data to USB connected memory card)...

About all I can think of at the moment.

-Bill

dwh

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

If you are using a web browser to download the file, then it's possible that the browser is timing out.

You might try using wget to download the file. They do have it for Windows:

http://www.gnu.org/software/wget/

TickTock

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

Thanks for all the suggestions. Problem is, I have no idea what the protocol is for the datalogger. I am not accessing the data through a web browser. As far as I can tell I can only access it through their solar.access software (which doesn't work). It does have a web interface but there is no provision to directly access the stored data (it is just for setup).

cdherman

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

I am using the Fronius Dataloger web and com card as you are. I have the Solar.web working, and have the solar.access as well.

I will look my settings over later today and get back to you. I set it up myself, so I think I understand it. It was a BUGGER to figure out -- speaking German helped at several points.

TickTock

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

Update. I have a work-around that I thought I'd share in case anyone else encounters this problem. Turns out the problem with my datalogger web was temperature. I started noticing I got more bars before crashing in the morning then in the afternoon.

So, today I went out with a can of FreezeIt! Opened the case and cooled the board down until ice formed and was able to download all my data (5 months worth) on the first try. Before, it was taking several tries just to get one days worth. A real hassle, but at least I was able to get all my data before I ran out of logger memory.

TickTock

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

Any chance you keep your datalogger web indoors (air conditioned)? Mine is in the shop where it can get quite warm (up to 105 degrees) and that turned out to be my problem.

cdherman

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

So the other moral of this story is to access the data with Solar.access program at least frequently enough that large volumns of data are never downloaded at once.

After your post, I went and started my local Solar.access program as well and it took a very long while to download about 30 days of data.

I usually access the datalogger via Fronius' Solar.web web site and so I had not bothered to use the solar.access program.

I wonder if Fronius would replace your Datalogger Web given your experience -- something in the components is behaving badly with exposure to heat. This should not be occuring......

System2

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

Hello,

I have a Fronius IG Plus inverter and I'm considering adding the web datalogger. I've not been able to find much information about it and very few reviews. Given its ridiculous price, I feel like I need more info before spending $1K+ to add web access and data logging to my inverter.

Do you like it? Is it worth it? Have you worked through all the glitches now? Or is the unit still unreliable?

It looks like it is a small box that connects to the addon comm card. Is the box designed to fit into the inverter case somewhere? Or is it expected that the inverter has a wire running out to the web datalogger box that is mounted somewhere else?

I was originally planning to mount the datalogger inside or near the inverter but it sounds like it isn't very happy in hot locations. I have a cat5 UTP cable run from my computer closet down to the inverter already which I was planning to use as an ethernet interface between a switch and the datalogger. But maybe I could use it to connect the datalogger to the inverter and keep the datalogger inside my computer closet next to the switch?

Could someone please write a review including the pros and cons of this unit?

Thanks

tampasolar

Re: Best (any?) method to interface Macintosh computer to Fronius Inverter?

I got two Fronius IG 5100 inverters.

I have no 'cards' in the inverters at this time, don't really want any.

If I am forced to change the configuration to allow for a wider line voltage range, can I change the line settings from the 4-buttons on the inverter itself. If not, what is the least expensive way to get this inverter from cycling off for 5 minutes at a time in the mid-day?

The user manual talks about adjustable voltage range and not one mention that an interface is needed.

solarvic

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

How many different threads are you going to ask the same question in? Personally I am guessing you don,t have your panels in the right configuration. If you give the panel specs and how many panels you have in a string we can check if you have that right. solarvic

BB.

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

It is OK, I have cleared the duplicate posts.

The forum is small enough that asking the question once will probably much be seen by everyone.

And it keeps the discussion a bit more sane by sticking to one thread.

-Bill

tampasolar

Re: Problem with Fronius datalogger web

For logging I simply have a current transformer in the ac line side and log that data myself. Do this is the electrical box where the breaker is. Or in the disconnect box.

I route one leg of the 240 thru the transformer one way and the other leg the other way. Sort of a criss-cross appearance.

Terminate the secondary and use an A-D converter to feed the PC or such. I use a Labjack UE9 or U3 depending on whether you have a PC with USB there or whether you need a LAN connection.