TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

rollandelliott
rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
http://www.theenergydetective.com/store/ted-5000

what are the pluses and minuses of using a third party monitoring system like the one above vs a dedicated monitoring system made by the manufacturer, specifically the one by sma?
http://www.sma.de/en/products/monitoring-systems/sunny-beam-with-bluetoothr.html

or this one?
http://www.power-one.com/sites/power-one.com/files/pviusbrs4852322_0.pdf

the manufacturer's solutions cost about $100 but require you use a computer to hook up to. I have a spare computer so that is not an issue really.

more interested to hear feedback on usage benefits/drawbacks.

thanks, rolland
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Comments

  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

    Ted signals are sent around the time of zero-crossing, and they seem to be
    very sensitive to noise from CFL lighting and light dimmers.
    When certain lights are turned on, my TED receive indicator LED stops flashing altogether.
    Not a single update is made to the remote display. Normally, it updates erratically about once every 2 or 3 seconds.
    TED does sell line filters that can cure mild interference. In my case, the improvement was very minimal.

    Some people needed run an a long extension cord between the MTU and their remote display.
    I've got plans to place my remote unit beside the breaker box, so I can
    plug in the display directly into the same line powering the MTU.
    If that works without interference from home lighting and appliances,
    I'll run some network cable downstairs to the display, and use USB-to-CAT5
    adapters to send the real-time date upstairs to a PC.
    I'll need to figure out how to run a PC without wasting too many watts.. :blush:



    z002.jpg

    TED Model 1001 with Footprints data-logging software.
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

    I have never used a TED display module, everyone has troubles with them AFAIK. I use a regular browser computer and an iPad to view the data, some have said most tablets work OK. They are sensitive to X10 signals and some other noise sources, the challenge was to find a line in the house to connect all the MTU/CT sets power connections and Gateway that had solid communications. It was pretty much a experiment until success. Some people then add a filter to the start of that circuit to help prevent transmission noise, fortunately I did not have to jump through that hoop. BTW most of my CFL are pretty late model ones.

    TED has the advantage of separating the data up to 4 ways per gateway. I have mine monitoring:

    1) main house loads
    2) solar generation
    3) new second building loads
    4) volt charging circuit.

    Mine are all set to either load or generation, but in the case where you back feed can't be separated cleanly then there is a setting for a combined calculation mode.
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  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

    A note about using X10 gear. I use four X10 AM466 appliance switches,
    controlled by a simple MC10A pad.

    The nice thing about these devices, they work VERY well. And, they never
    put any signals on the AC line, until I press a button on the MC10A.

    The X10 signal is of such short duration, any effect it might have on the TED
    is gone in about 0.02 seconds. I've sat watching the TED while pressing
    the MC10A buttons and couldn't see any effect on the TED's slow erratic comms.

    I use the word erratic, because the updates are intermittent, even when all
    the CFLs and dimmers are off-line. I've checked the line with a scope,
    and it looks normal at zero-crossing, and a bit dirty on peaks. Maybe the freezer was running.?.

    ACdirty.jpg
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #5
    Re: TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

    that's pretty! thanks for the feedback.
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  • vtgoingsolar
    vtgoingsolar Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭
    #6
    Re: TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

    I cast my vote for the TED 5000. I have been very happy. The only issue I ever had was with one particular dimmable fluroescent i had in 2 places in the house. .When i turned on those.. bang.. done.. and this was whether I had the CT/MTU on the same circuit as the receiving unit or not. I got one in line filter to add in the breaker panel right to the MTUs in there.. and problem solved.


    I have been running 2 MTUs (solar production and overall house net ) since april with a solaredge system I have. I also have their monitoring stuff and the 2 agree pretty closely... The ted is a few % optimistic.

    I also have a pc outside my house that comes into my ted (which with port forwarding is available from out side my house ) to pull in second level data for long term storage. That's the "it's electric " code that does that. it runs nifty charts that are very fun to play with to look for what happens when you turn on a light.. fan.. ac.. dehumidifier..

    Mostly I just export the ted daily data for each mtu for safekeeping..

    The solar edge monitoring portal they offer is fine.. and lets me see panel by panel data I think in 15 minute intervals. Cool but I mostly just look at the daily totals.
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  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

    I didn't want to invest much money in power monitors.
    Since once you have the baseline data, it's going to stay basically the same.
    I really kept a close eye on my new Sanyo Heat pump's power usage..
    But now that it stays about the same month after month, I hardly ever check it.

    From the on-line Enphase production data that I've seen, it gets boringly repetitious after a few months.
    I imagine it stays pretty much the same, until something goes on the blink.
    Being able to quickly trouble-shoot an Enphase array seems to be a big plus.

    IMHO, a production monitor that sent you a message when there was a problem
    would be a pretty sweet system.. :cool:
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  • a0128958
    a0128958 Solar Expert Posts: 316 ✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: TED monitoring system vs Manufacturer's system

    I use a Web Energy Log (WEL) product that includes monitoring my solar PV system. H/w, s/w, and web site are all included, and it's for a one-time price - no recurring fees.

    Here are 3 example charts.

    Efficiency performance of the system for the past year:

    SolarPVefficiency.gif


    Here's an example of what the system's producing on a daily basis (last 9 months), including showing PVWatts' month by month predictions.

    DailySolarEnergyProduction2.gif


    And here's a typical minute-by-minute example for the past 36 hours:

    InstantaneousSolarPower.gif


    More examples are at http://www.welserver.com/WEL0043/ .

    Manufacturer info for the monitoring product I'm using is at http://www.welserver.com/intro.htm .

    And numberous examples of what other customers have done is here: http://www.welserver.com/index.htm .

    Hope this helps.

    Best regards,

    Bill
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