Very quick review on top 4 solar monitoring devices

[puddy]

Solar-log 200 Wi-Fi £500 +vat
Brilliant apps on Android for £6! Cut down versions available for free. It only gives you import/consumption readings no export data! Don’t buy the Wi-Fi version you spend half your life trying to find it. You can logon on multiple android devices. Poor Tech Support. Works on more than one inverter.

Fronius web data logger 2 £120+vat
Very difficult to setup. Fronius website not very good at all, half the site still a beta version. You will need to fit a coms card in the inverter. Only gives you import/consumption reading no export data! Only works on Fronius inverters. You can logon on multiple android devices. Excellent Tech Support. Works only on one inverter.

Elios4you (basic ver) £230+vat
Great graphics from Android free app. Gives you all the information you need import/export/consumption even allows you to store peak meter readings for generation meter and main meter but not for off peak reading for Economy 7. No setting for standing charge Can now track on desktop/laptop now internet site live (4-noks). Elios4you allow you to store 2 tariffs rather than 3 which the Geo Chrous pv! I had problems setting up the device I realised that my wireless router was setup for g & n devices but the Elios4you works on b so you will need to set your router to b,g,n . Soon as I changed it on my router it worked first time. Excellent Tech Support. Works on more than one inverter.


Geo chorus pv £229 inc vat
Gives you all the information you need import/export/consumption can setup 3 different tariffs you get a colour display included and can be installed by the homeowner within 30 minutes and without any tools needed! Brilliant website to monitor on the Internet. You can logon on multiple android devices. Great device for homeowners Excellent Tech Support. Works on more than one inverter.



Thanks must go to Jason121 for fitting Elios4you & the Fronius
Also big thank you for the help received from Jo at Elios4you
Please note I am a homeowner with solar and not a pv installer

 

[Worcester]

@puddy, thanks for that good quick summary of what available, - you missed one though:

Eco-eye Smart PV £91.00 inc VAT and ShippingWith sensors on both the generated and demand cables, Smart PV provides full display and monitoring capabilities; displaying power generated, power used and net power. The on- board traffic light system instantly shows if you have a surplus or are using power from the grid. Smart PV can log generated electricity as well as demand to a computer by way of the included data cable or memory card at four second resolution. You can also set your own Daily Usage Target which is displayed as a graph on–screen and serves as a constant visual reminder of how much power you are using. Smart PV also stores daily usage readings in kW for 64 days so you can track your usage over this duration even if you don’t have access to a computer

 

[puddy]

Thank you for input

It wasn't included because the display wasn't in colour didn't show a lot of information on it's screen! Its not in the same league of the one's tested below in my opinion which is why it cost less. Great if you are on a tight budget

 

[Berneray]

Great post. Thanks for the info.

Quick question. If you were thinking of spending £500+ on a monitoring device why would you not go that bit extra and get Solar Edge power optimisers or say Enphase Microinverters and get real time monitoring of each individual panel......plus 20 year warranties and individual MPPT....

 

[puddy]

The quick review I wrote on the top 4 products that I am using/testing. The Solar-log 200 Wi-Fi was a rubbish and expensive device at the time when I bought it 2 years ago but 2 years ago monitoring devices were very expensive.

I kept the review short instead of doing a review on 20 products which could have been information overload and could send people to sleep reading it

I don't write about devices I have never used.

The review was done for homeowners and I did say I wasn't a solar engineer or installer. You guys know your trade well but members of the public don’t.

ps I don't own my solar installation

 

[SibertSolar]

Berneray - pv output monitoring, whether at panel level, inverter or generation meter level, only tells part of the story. Measuring/calculating import, export and consumption gives the home-owner the additional info they need to see the overall picture/trend of production, and how/when to utilise their excess generation.

Thanks for the feedback Puddy, I think an aspect to consider also is the control features of each solution.

 

[jason121]

I like the idea that you can alter the size of the immersion element on boost via the a tablet or iphone any were from 100watts to 3kw. That way you can trickle load into the tank and don't have to be in the home to do it.

 

[oldsalty]

Solar-log 200 Wi-Fi £500 +vat
Brilliant apps on Android for £6! Cut down versions available for free. It only gives you import/consumption readings no export data! Don’t buy the Wi-Fi version you spend half your life trying to find it. You can logon on multiple android devices. Poor Tech Support. Works on more than one inverter.

Fronius web data logger 2 £120+vat
Very difficult to setup. Fronius website not very good at all, half the site still a beta version. You will need to fit a coms card in the inverter. Only gives you import/consumption reading no export data! Only works on Fronius inverters. You can logon on multiple android devices. Excellent Tech Support. Works only on one inverter.

Elios4you (basic ver) £230+vat
Great graphics from Android free app. Gives you all the information you need import/export/consumption even allows you to store peak meter readings for generation meter and main meter but not for off peak reading for Economy 7. No setting for standing charge Can now track on desktop/laptop now internet site live (4-noks). Elios4you allow you to store 2 tariffs rather than 3 which the Geo Chrous pv! I had problems setting up the device I realised that my wireless router was setup for g & n devices but the Elios4you works on b so you will need to set your router to b,g,n . Soon as I changed it on my router it worked first time. Excellent Tech Support. Works on more than one inverter.


Geo chorus pv £229 inc vat
Gives you all the information you need import/export/consumption can setup 3 different tariffs you get a colour display included and can be installed by the homeowner within 30 minutes and without any tools needed! Brilliant website to monitor on the Internet. You can logon on multiple android devices. Great device for homeowners Excellent Tech Support. Works on more than one inverter.



Thanks must go to Jason121 for fitting Elios4you & the Fronius
Also big thank you for the help received from Jo at Elios4you
Please note I am a homeowner with solar and not a pv installer

Well I think you ought to become an installer, so there!