Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

aj164

I was impressed when I read about the Xantrex Gateway. Then, a customer ordered one. We installed it, and the excitement quickly drained away.

The only software that is available for it (afaik) is thorough Yahoo Widgets. (That you must install and run Yahoo Widgets is the first letdown.) Next comes the lack of performance (probably due to Widgets again): letdown #2. Then, you realize there are a LOT of parameters you cannot view (XW System): third strike. Moving along, you try to find out how to download the historical production data, and you read that your only option is an unsupported "tool", which you must run every 24 hours. If you don't run it once every 24 hours, you risk losing data: fourth blow. Finally, the Gateway hammers the last nail in its coffin when you realize there is no chance of any sort of remote control over the XW System.

Still not enough? We never did get the wireless to work, and there is no way to know what the problem is because there is only so much info you can get out of two pinpoint-size LEDs. Because it can only enable wired or wireless (but not both), the only way out of a wireless config that doesn't connect is to do a factory reset.

I wanted this to work. I tried very hard to make it work and to see the positive aspects of it. BUT - when something sucks this bad...

In case someone is listening, here's how Schneider could stitch this product back together:
1) It is a great idea and a decent piece of hardware.
2) Add a USB port so we can see what's going on while we're trying to configure.
3) Dump Widgets. Write your own standalone app in your language of choice.
4) Duplicate the Xantrex System Control Panel in the software app.
5) Fix the data extraction tool / incorporate into above app.
6) Allow some remote control, such as turning on/off the generator, and other similar functions that could be useful (with minimal risk of harming the system).
7) Have a password-protected admin mode the installer can use for remote troubleshooting and updating of more advanced system settings. (Could be implemented as a user-assisted function, where the owner has to be on site to push a button, which would then allow the installer/expert to access the system remotely.)

Solar Guppy

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Its a dead product, 5 years ago I was offered to work as a field tester for that product, it IMHO it was so bad I declined the offer for free units.

mike95490

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Solar Guppy wrote: »

Its a dead product, 5 years ago I was offered to work as a field tester for that product, it IMHO it was so bad I declined the offer for free units.

Ditto. I have one too, was able to get it working, twice! I was so underwhelmed 8)
And the price is unconscionable for a $75 router with some extra firmware. It's still in its shipping box at my new site, not worth the power to run it.

Dave Angelini

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

It is good for an extra 200 feet of cabling run if you need it! With the box it will extend the xanbus to 500 feet to your SCP!

System2

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

The one thing I do like about it:

I configured it to send a daily production summary email. Plus, if there is an error, it will send that email when it happens.

The box has good web server built into it and it could have easily been made to do a lot more than it does. Of course, it still can be upgrade if they so choose to write new code.

Also, the box has a MODBUS port and that data stream could be harvested by yet another computer and made to look like one chooses.

aj164

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

The idea is great. The hardware is not bad. The software is unfortunate. Good software might bring it back to life. It looks like they simply quit in the middle of development.

mvrck wrote: »

The one thing I do like about it:

I configured it to send a daily production summary email. Plus, if there is an error, it will send that email when it happens.

The box has good web server built into it and it could have easily been made to do a lot more than it does. Of course, it still can be upgrade if they so choose to write new code.

Also, the box has a MODBUS port and that data stream could be harvested by yet another computer and made to look like one chooses.

Dave Angelini

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Good to hear from you MVRCK ! Are you still helping others to the sun? I think they had you in homepower twice last month!

It is hard to tell what a big company will do. Tough times to run a corporation!

abrockca

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Apologize for posting a year late on this - but we just got the gateway up and going (had to get the ext'l power supply due to our inverter) and yeah ... disappointing. Still trying to get the wireless going; seems like getting reports emailed is the best way to get the data, but I don't want to leave it connected to my PC all the time (good way to trip the dogs and husband...)

Looked at the SG View utility, doesn't seem too useful either.

Cool idea, needs some work. I'm assuming that even if it's not connect to my PC fulltime, I can go in later, connect it, and look at the charts and graphs? (even though I can't export the data?)

Our neighbor got one as a test unit; said no one could get it working... we got it working except for wireless, but not sure it's worth it.... but we'll leave it in for a few days, see what happens. If anyone has updated info that would be great.

Oh - I was going to try and update the gateway software, but can't find any updates on line yet; guess I'll be calling Xantrex later...

Anne Brock

abrockca

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Update:

didn't get the wireless working; Schneider suspects a bad wireless module, but since this was a unit I got from my solar guy who got it for free when he was testing some controllers, I couldn't send it back.

Got the wired setup working; we ended up with it attached to our wireless router, not the laptop. The laptop worked, but it was more useful having it on the router because then the email worked.

Our goal was to get detailed data from each controller; we're trying to decide whether to replace panels with more powerful panels or not, and if so, which set (we have two). So we wanted detailed data about when and how much power each set harvests.

The widget would show a chart by the hour of each device, but it had no way to export the data. I wanted data more granular than an hour and didn't want to have to stare at a graph and write down the data.

We tried getting an email of the daily harvest - two disappointments here: only showed on an hourly basis (and no way to say you want more granular); and it only shows the total for the inverter, not for each controller. AND since we don't have an XW inverter, it just showed us zeros...

The utility they used to have that pulled the data from the gateway is not longer offered; it was so buggy they were getting too many calls on it so they pulled it (too bad they didn't fix it).

So my verdict - got it working; but data isn't that useful. Slightly more useful with an XW inverter, but I can't recommend that anyone buy this.

My husband wants to try to pull the data files off the gateway directly; but I have a feeling we'll be boxing this up and giving it back to our solar guy. Oh well, it was a good project; killed some time during a slow work week.

Anne

Joe_B

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

You are lucky that you got it for free, just think how you would feel if you paid $500 for that P.O.S.

abrockca

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

you are so right, Joe!

pcguy2u

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Glad I ran into this thread. Been having some difficulties with my 6048 and 2 MPPT 60's and while I was updating the firmware to V1.07.00 BN0003 I had to install the XW config software to do the update. This product and the dongle are much improved over the first update I did a couple of years ago. I thought the product might be useful for the purpose of monitoring the XW from my desk as opposed to checking the SCP. What I found out was they intentionally limit the connection to the Xanbus to one hour+- via the dongle driver that loads at boot time. If it could be made to be a bit more accurate (the readings are off by 10-20%) and made to last the day, it might be useful. It connects in place of the Xanbus terminator (becomes the terminator). and then plugs into a USB port and it mostly works.

So when I was searching around for pricing on the Gateway, I ran into this thread.:D

The firmware loaded and nothing significant has happened since I put it up yesterday.

Time will tell..............

Dave Angelini

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

There is another "engineering tool" besides the config tool software that uses the Dongle from X . I use it for firmware and it might be useful to someone for what you want. I just find the SCP, in need of a serious update, all I require. Drop me an e-mail and I will send you a copy.

pcguy2u

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Found out it's not the driver but the XW config software - this is good......;)

Dave Angelini

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

I sent XDT to you, did you get it? A comparison would be nice. I know you can use XDT to calibrate the devices. I am usually nervous doing anything with software unless I have spare devices;)

Dave Angelini

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

XDT is a diagnostic tool by X and use to be available on the old X site. It might be there on the new site but... I do not know if it would be better than the config tool software which also requires the dongle for anyone wanting to get data.

I have one customer who uses the gateway with Briery Mountain software from the dongle. he has been doing this for 5 years and loves it. The gatway is just being used to get him 300 feet from where the inverter lives.

All I use any of this stuff for is for firmware and X gear has been solid for the last 3 years for offgrid. Actually all the way back to day one it has been good offgrid as far as serious glitches or bugs. The word indestructable comes to mind for all my applications:cool: They do have room for improvement !

Les Nagy

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Dave, I sent you an email through the forum asking about this tool, but did you get it?

Dave Angelini

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

Les,

Yes I got it but have been swamped....Sorry.....

Les Nagy

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

No problem Dave. I was just wondering. Whenever you have time. Thanks!

b. ecologìcAll

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

has anyone been lucky in to ...
remotely monitor an XW system using the gateway?
like... upload daily and monthly production to a web page?

abrockca

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

We got it to where it was sending us emails on an hourly basis. Can't say it was exciting.

mike95490

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

b. ecologìcAll wrote: »

has anyone been lucky in to ...
remotely monitor an XW system using the gateway?
like... upload daily and monthly production to a web page?

Yes, but its all done via the Yahoo Widget. Morningstar has a much better, true web server in it. Xantrex's gateway only supports the Yahoo Widget (I think, I'm pretty sure I've not seen anything else.)

abrockca

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

I'm not saying they were great, but the emails weren't done through the Yahoo widget; the device itself sent it out. Which of course means you need to have a router that it can connect to in order to send the email...

The daily email looks something like this (ignore all the zeros - because we didn't have an XW inverter, we couldn't get the data - it wouldn't send info from our controllers, just from the inverter) (the widget did do by controller, I think, but all you could do was look at it on your PC - it didn't send out any reports)

For the day preceding 2011/08/01 00:48
Daily energy harvest is 0.0 kWh


Peak power for day is 0.0 kW at 2011/07/31 23:00

Date/Time, Energy, Power
2011/07/31 23:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 22:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 21:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 20:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 19:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 18:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 17:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 16:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 15:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 14:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 13:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 12:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 11:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 10:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 09:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 08:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 07:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 06:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 05:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 04:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 03:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 02:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 01:00, 0.0, 0.0
2011/07/31 00:00, 0.0, 0.0

b. ecologìcAll

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

mike90045 wrote: »

Morningstar has a much better, true web server in it.

so, what morningstar product?

BB.

Re: Xantrex Gateway is extremely dissapointing

The Morningstar TS MPPT 60 Solar charge controller has a web server on-board.

-Bill