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Remote monitoring of a rooftop solar system performance

solar remote monitoring

The solar remote monitoring system provides you with energy production data from your rooftop solar system. It is the ideal way to check the performance of your plant. By installing a solar remote monitoring system, you can track the performance of your plant from the comfort of your computer or mobile.  It will give real-time energy data statistics.

A remote monitoring system collects the data through smart monitors. Data updates will happen every five seconds. The data statistics are mainly based on the factors like energy use, solar panel and inverter performance, and weather. It also includes information from the grid and the meter.

The solar remote monitoring system is a combination of hardware and software. The hardware part consists of antenna-equipped boxes that can be fit into your meter box alongside the circuit breaker. It is connected to electricity mains and solar inverters.

The solar panel and the inverter can be connected to the internet through Wi-Fi. So the energy data can be sent to your mobile or computer.

Is solar consumption monitoring worth it?

The efficiency of solar panels depends not only on the materials used but also on various environmental and climatic conditions. Solar panels are vulnerable to various climate conditions such as temperature, humidity, and snow or rain. Installing remote monitoring will help you to monitor the performance as well as find out the faults. In addition to that, it will help to check your panel’s performance. The latest inverters are coming with a monitoring portal that can be connected to the internet.

Most of the portals have a smartphone app, which provides you with historical, and real-time solar energy production and its consumption. Installing a monitoring device into your solar panels means you are stepping into maximizing the utility of solar energy.

The consumption graph will help you to increase energy savings, for example, by using the most power-consuming device during sunny times. Furthermore, it will help you to find out when your solar system requires maintenance as it is helpful to check the system’s efficiency.

What is the benefit of solar monitoring system?

The first and foremost benefit of installing solar monitoring system is that you will get accurate data on your solar energy production. Data can compare with the solar panel’s efficiency. This helps you to decide whether your inverter needs maintenance or you may have to add solar panels to increase energy production. Monitoring devices keep updating the data that will help you to know the performance of your solar system in real time.  Most of the monitoring systems give an alarm if any problem occurs to the solar panel system. This will help to take preventive care, thus avoiding any failure.

Various technical algorithms are used for monitoring the panels as well as the entire system. In addition to the performance, the monitoring system will display an error code for any defects in connections, cables, etc.

Limitations of solar system monitoring

Most of the inverter in-built monitoring devices are basic models that show only how much energy your system has produced. In addition to that, it may not alert underperformance issues. However, in general, installing a monitoring device is a perfect way to ensure the performance of your solar system.

Top 5 Solar Monitoring Apps

Various solar monitoring apps are available now. Among these, the top five monitoring apps are:-

1.     Energy Monitoring & Analysis App (EMA)

This mobile application is for those who own the products by APS microinverter. The app will provide the historical and real-time performance of your solar system. You can also calculate environmental savings by using this app.

 2.     MySolarEdge Monitoring App

It gives an enhanced photovoltaic performance monitoring feature. It immediately detects solar system failures. Read more

3.     Enphase Enlighten App

This app gives you the performance details of each panel. You can also view the energy & per-panel production data with one click.

4.     Fronius Solar.Web App

It is available as a web as well as a mobile app. You can track the energy production of your solar system with this app. In addition to that, you also get access to energy yield snapshots over any timeframe.

5.     SMA Sunny Portal App

This app provides an option for data analysis. Simple and beautiful data visualization is also available on this app. Inverters yield calculation and comparison is possible through this app.

Related topic:-

Questions to ask before going for rooftop solar 

Rooftop solar system and EV Charger, a winning combination 

When should upgrade your solar system

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