When I switched mine to use Ethernet the Zigbee worked for a little while after, and then stopped working. When I login to solarguard.solarcity.com it says it’s lost contact with the inverter. But it still has contact with my solarguard revenue grade meter, so Tesla doesn’t seem to care that they’ve lost contact with my inverter.
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Can somebody confirm Zigbee settings on SolarEdge inverter?
- Thread starter Cirrus MS100D
- Start date
When I switched mine to use Ethernet the Zigbee worked for a little while after, and then stopped working. When I login to solarguard.solarcity.com it says it’s lost contact with the inverter. But it still has contact with my solarguard revenue grade meter, so Tesla doesn’t seem to care that they’ve lost contact with my inverter.
Gadgetboyea
Member
I believe this is happening to mine also. I have had snow for two days so once that melts I'll check again.
Gadgetboyea
Member
Powered down the entire system for 1 min, then powered up and my Zigbee is back to communicating at the SolarGuard site.
I'm a little late to responding in this thread but I have a theory as to why they care...and no, it's not because they're looking out on your behalf.
I suspect that they are trying to sell SRECs on your energy production, even though you own the system outright. I also own my system outright. Once I got the PTO, I immediately applied and registered to my State's public service commision for a certification number which is needed to get on the GATS to trade the SRECs. I thought it strange, but Tesla later contacted me to say they were not able to get their certification number because I had done so before they did, on the array that was installed at my home! I was quite confused. I had no idea they would mark my production and sell the SRECs even though I own the system. It turns out that in small fine print, one of the "rebates" they had given me was to allow them to take the SRECs from me. I noped quickly out of that and told them I'd pay back the "rebate" because I'm not giving up the SRECs. I paid it back and am now happily selling my SRECs.
If you are actually selling your SRECs, then there goes my theory. But if you are not selling your SRECs, you are currently allowing Tesla to monitor your production and once they accrue enough (in 1 MWh increments), they will sell and keep that to themselves. I just looked up the price per SREC for Pennsylvania and it's not that much, at around $23. But depending on how much you are producing, at year's end, what you get back from selling the SREC could easily eclipse the rebate they paid to you.
This is really interesting, thank you for sharing!
To be honest, I had entirely discounted SRECs in PA because our original (IIRC) Tesla Energy sales rep said PA didn’t HAVE any SREC program. Now maybe he was comparing to some place like CA or NJ or MA and “none” in PA translated to “very little?”
I’m not quite sure I understand how they work- Is it total solar produced or solar “unused” that goes back to the grid? We have a measly 4kW system and a lot of trees so we consume nearly all we produce with our entire lifetime only 2200kW produced so far.
To be honest, I had entirely discounted SRECs in PA because our original (IIRC) Tesla Energy sales rep said PA didn’t HAVE any SREC program. Now maybe he was comparing to some place like CA or NJ or MA and “none” in PA translated to “very little?”
I’m not quite sure I understand how they work- Is it total solar produced or solar “unused” that goes back to the grid? We have a measly 4kW system and a lot of trees so we consume nearly all we produce with our entire lifetime only 2200kW produced so far.
SRECs are based on total production (1 SREC = 1MWh.) It does not matter whether you use it or send it to the grid. The purpose of SREC markets is to support renewable energy. Generally, utilities are required to get a certain portion of their energy from renewables, which is why it doesn't matter whether you consume it yourself or send it to the grid for somebody else to use. When utilities don't produce enough renewable energy themselves, they can buy SRECs instead to count towards the requirement. As the generator, you then get some money. Because each state sets its own rules, the value varies, and as you note, PA does not pay much. In MD we do a bit better, but if I lived just a few miles away in DC, I'd really be making out (as in SRECs could literally pay for a system.)
Thanks for shedding light on this (IMO) slightly confusing system!
Unfortunately just my luck, our SolarEdge inverter up and died inexplicably a couple of days ago (didn’t even make it 9 month, guess it’s a classic bathtub curve failure). Tesla said they’re backed up due to COVID and can hopefully expect a new one in about a month :-/
Unfortunately just my luck, our SolarEdge inverter up and died inexplicably a couple of days ago (didn’t even make it 9 month, guess it’s a classic bathtub curve failure). Tesla said they’re backed up due to COVID and can hopefully expect a new one in about a month :-/
Sorry to resurrect the thread, I just have my SolarEdge inverter replaced too (supposedly the new solaredge inverter does not have the LCD screen anymore) So I am trying to figure out this zigbee setting also. From the mysolaredge app the inverter say zigbee is not connected, and when I check for detail, it looks like it can talk to the gateway (I am assuming it's the small SE blackbox), but it never gets the last part (M-OK?) But from reading this thread, sounds like in order to monitor panel to panel production I need to use ethernet?
Troglodytes
Member
Individual panel monitoring would require a few conditions to be met.
Have you ever been able to monitor individual panels? If so, how? Which application, which website?
You stated you now have a SolarEdge inverter without LCD.
Did your installer of the replacement SolarEdge inverter give you any information after replacement? Monitoring site ID?
Does your system have power optimizers?
Did the installer install an Ethernet cable for you in the system already?
My path to getting per module monitoring via the SolarEdge mySolarEdge app:
Starting point:
Newly installed system, Zigbee communicating through Tesla labeled flat black box connected to my home network
Incomplete SolarEdge configuration by installers in mySolarEdge app and the monitoring.solaredge.com website (site ID existed and a single inverter out of two had been added)
No ethernet cables added to inverters by installers
Installers did leave a partial map of strings to power optimizers for my location
System was otherwise working (solar production, storage, and reporting through Tesla app)
Steps:
Apps and accounts:
Create a SolarEdge installer account for yourself (don't be surprised that you get pushed back on doing so) [take the 8 hours or so of on-line training for fun! allowed me to be a lot more willing to do the Ethernet wiring and to understand the inverter as a whole..]
Create a new site that you have admin control of in the monitoring tool
Likely contact SolarEdge support to transfer the existing site ID's inverters to your new site ID that you control
Ethernet wiring:
Open up inverter (dangerous to life, limb, and property! don't take this step if you don't have a good idea of what you are doing and messing with!) [Work at night with the inverter fully de-energized, wait for capacitors to discharge, isolate the system via the breakers, ....]
Route Ethernet cable through gromet and inverter housing to hidden jack within inverter (on-line videos for this)
Close inverter
Get Ethernet cable to rest of home network (mine is bridged via a wireless repeater)
Site configuration:
Re-energize the system
At first light (day break) watch for the system to go through its start-up process
Once the power optimizers are connected (enough sunlight to pair) they should be recognized by the inverter
If the inverter was left configured by the installers to utilize the Ethernet port automatically you should get a blue light on the front of the inverter which would be the S_OK status for monitoring
Likely you don't know which power optimizers are on which panels, that will likely require a lot of work to get exact positions for a correct layout, but if you do have this information you can use another SE app (SiteMapper) to create your layout
If the inverter doesn't have a blue light then likely your Ethernet connection isn't good or the installers didn't enable Ethernet since the Zigbee module is present, in this case you will need to use your SE installer account and the mySolarEdge app to do a partial commissioning of the system (SE's word for 'configuring' is commissioning, but its making any configuration change to the inverters including connection options like Ethernet rather than Zigbee).
Spend sometime on monitoring.solaredge.com checking out options and what not to get the monitoring of your system the way you want it.
Some of the above steps are extreme (waiting for day break), but done by me for my own system and said here to encourage ways of minimizing risk.
To finish.. there are a few risks in doing this. Tesla will say if you screw something up you'll void your warranty. Break something in the inverter and you'll likely get the same response from SolarEdge. Touch something that you aren't supposed to when you aren't supposed to and you could severly hurt yourself or others.
There is marginal value for most people in my opinion of monitoring the individual panels. Yes, it helps look for and spot shading and other issues. Yes, its neat to watch the numbers add up on the monitoring tools. Yes, its nice to have a secondary data point to check Tesla's app against SolarEdge's app info (I did that earlier today in fact in another post). But, does the value of messing with the inverter and the effort necessary justify doing the above steps. Your call, your risk.
Do I think Tesla should have this monitoring configured still for you/new users? Absolutely. I think its a cut corner by them intentionally or otherwise to reduce end-user confusion and complaints to Tesla support and better utilize their installer teams by removing paperwork of a sort.
My recommendation to new to-be owners or anyone that gets a replacement inverter that wants to do module level monitoring is to ask the installers to install the Ethernet cable for you (even if its connected inside the inverter, but just dangling out of the inverter bottom when they finish), ask them to do the monitoring layout (they will likely refuse, but ask for the power optimizer/string map with all the QR codes as a fall back request), and then politely ask SolarEdge to help you get a local installer to help you the rest of the way for a little bit of money (they may offer you an installer account of your own).
Have you ever been able to monitor individual panels? If so, how? Which application, which website?
You stated you now have a SolarEdge inverter without LCD.
Did your installer of the replacement SolarEdge inverter give you any information after replacement? Monitoring site ID?
Does your system have power optimizers?
Did the installer install an Ethernet cable for you in the system already?
My path to getting per module monitoring via the SolarEdge mySolarEdge app:
Starting point:
Newly installed system, Zigbee communicating through Tesla labeled flat black box connected to my home network
Incomplete SolarEdge configuration by installers in mySolarEdge app and the monitoring.solaredge.com website (site ID existed and a single inverter out of two had been added)
No ethernet cables added to inverters by installers
Installers did leave a partial map of strings to power optimizers for my location
System was otherwise working (solar production, storage, and reporting through Tesla app)
Steps:
Apps and accounts:
Create a SolarEdge installer account for yourself (don't be surprised that you get pushed back on doing so) [take the 8 hours or so of on-line training for fun! allowed me to be a lot more willing to do the Ethernet wiring and to understand the inverter as a whole..]
Create a new site that you have admin control of in the monitoring tool
Likely contact SolarEdge support to transfer the existing site ID's inverters to your new site ID that you control
Ethernet wiring:
Open up inverter (dangerous to life, limb, and property! don't take this step if you don't have a good idea of what you are doing and messing with!) [Work at night with the inverter fully de-energized, wait for capacitors to discharge, isolate the system via the breakers, ....]
Route Ethernet cable through gromet and inverter housing to hidden jack within inverter (on-line videos for this)
Close inverter
Get Ethernet cable to rest of home network (mine is bridged via a wireless repeater)
Site configuration:
Re-energize the system
At first light (day break) watch for the system to go through its start-up process
Once the power optimizers are connected (enough sunlight to pair) they should be recognized by the inverter
If the inverter was left configured by the installers to utilize the Ethernet port automatically you should get a blue light on the front of the inverter which would be the S_OK status for monitoring
Likely you don't know which power optimizers are on which panels, that will likely require a lot of work to get exact positions for a correct layout, but if you do have this information you can use another SE app (SiteMapper) to create your layout
If the inverter doesn't have a blue light then likely your Ethernet connection isn't good or the installers didn't enable Ethernet since the Zigbee module is present, in this case you will need to use your SE installer account and the mySolarEdge app to do a partial commissioning of the system (SE's word for 'configuring' is commissioning, but its making any configuration change to the inverters including connection options like Ethernet rather than Zigbee).
Spend sometime on monitoring.solaredge.com checking out options and what not to get the monitoring of your system the way you want it.
Some of the above steps are extreme (waiting for day break), but done by me for my own system and said here to encourage ways of minimizing risk.
To finish.. there are a few risks in doing this. Tesla will say if you screw something up you'll void your warranty. Break something in the inverter and you'll likely get the same response from SolarEdge. Touch something that you aren't supposed to when you aren't supposed to and you could severly hurt yourself or others.
There is marginal value for most people in my opinion of monitoring the individual panels. Yes, it helps look for and spot shading and other issues. Yes, its neat to watch the numbers add up on the monitoring tools. Yes, its nice to have a secondary data point to check Tesla's app against SolarEdge's app info (I did that earlier today in fact in another post). But, does the value of messing with the inverter and the effort necessary justify doing the above steps. Your call, your risk.
Do I think Tesla should have this monitoring configured still for you/new users? Absolutely. I think its a cut corner by them intentionally or otherwise to reduce end-user confusion and complaints to Tesla support and better utilize their installer teams by removing paperwork of a sort.
My recommendation to new to-be owners or anyone that gets a replacement inverter that wants to do module level monitoring is to ask the installers to install the Ethernet cable for you (even if its connected inside the inverter, but just dangling out of the inverter bottom when they finish), ask them to do the monitoring layout (they will likely refuse, but ask for the power optimizer/string map with all the QR codes as a fall back request), and then politely ask SolarEdge to help you get a local installer to help you the rest of the way for a little bit of money (they may offer you an installer account of your own).
wow Troglodytes thank you for the detail explanation. I am an electrical engineer by trade and am pretty confident with all things electrical around the house, so the risks does not deter me. But I see your point of whether the effort require to do this is worth the pay out of monitoring your own system at panel level. I started looking down this path because after my Solaredge inverter failed (twice in 1 year of ownership,) I called Solaredge directly and their tech support basically told me they have no communication with neither of the inverter I own and cannot help me. Apparently Tesla did not bother to update the system with the S/N after replacement so they still think I owned the broken inverter. I am disappointed in both Solaredge's quality and Tesla lack of urgency on solving the issue...so I am not sure if I can trust either to tell me something is wrong with my system (I discovered my inverter crapped out on me only because I check the Tesla app on a daily basis and I know how much power I should get on a sunny day.) I suppose for now I will settle with the P_OK status to know that as least all optimizer are working properly.
Posting to note that when our failed inverter failed (the one with the LCD) it was also replaced with the non-LCD variety.
Tesla tech said they had been seeing a high number of failures of these models.
Tesla tech said they had been seeing a high number of failures of these models.
reddy
Active Member
I recently had one of my two SolarEdge 7600H inverters fail. It was the type with the LCD screen. I did not purchase through Tesla, and the inverter has a 12 year warranty. I called directly to SolarEdge, and the tech support there was impressively good.
They shipped out a replacement, without a LCD screen. They ALSO shipped a new Zigbee module and antenna, as the Zigbee has been updated. So, if you have a failure, be sure to ask for a replacement Zigbee module also.
The electrician and I swapped out the new unit, and installed the new Zigbee module. I then called SolarEdge tech support, who was again quite good. They stepped me through initial commissioning of the new unit with the iPhone app, and I rebooted the Zigbee base station in my house. It picked up the new Zigbee module in a couple minutes. Then SolarEdge tech support logged into my inverter remotely and finished the configuration for me.
They transferred all of the mapping and history from the failed inverter, so the SolarEdge app had a really seamless transition to the new inverter. The transfer took overnight to take effect.
My Zigbee base unit is indoors, about 120 feet from the inverters which are outside on an array that is detached from my house. No connectivity problems at all.
I'm not sure if the process differs if Tesla was the installer, but dealing with SolarEdge was easy, relatively fast, and they were more helpful than expected. A vast difference from the experience I get at a Tesla service center for my car. Sure, it's crummy that a 27 month old inverter fails, but at least they got me taken care of quickly.
They shipped out a replacement, without a LCD screen. They ALSO shipped a new Zigbee module and antenna, as the Zigbee has been updated. So, if you have a failure, be sure to ask for a replacement Zigbee module also.
The electrician and I swapped out the new unit, and installed the new Zigbee module. I then called SolarEdge tech support, who was again quite good. They stepped me through initial commissioning of the new unit with the iPhone app, and I rebooted the Zigbee base station in my house. It picked up the new Zigbee module in a couple minutes. Then SolarEdge tech support logged into my inverter remotely and finished the configuration for me.
They transferred all of the mapping and history from the failed inverter, so the SolarEdge app had a really seamless transition to the new inverter. The transfer took overnight to take effect.
My Zigbee base unit is indoors, about 120 feet from the inverters which are outside on an array that is detached from my house. No connectivity problems at all.
I'm not sure if the process differs if Tesla was the installer, but dealing with SolarEdge was easy, relatively fast, and they were more helpful than expected. A vast difference from the experience I get at a Tesla service center for my car. Sure, it's crummy that a 27 month old inverter fails, but at least they got me taken care of quickly.
