Recommendations for monitor that shows produced wattage with NO alarm

[bigmanonahill]

HI all, new to Solar and the forum so go easy please. I searched the forum for topics on this but was not able to find an answer...if this has been addressed in a previous thread please point me in that direction.

I'm hoping someone can recommend a digital (sub $200) monitor that shows actual real time power output of a panel in watts? I see several battery monitors such as the Renogy that *appear* to have this functionality (or something similar) but they all have ALARMS. For reasons I won't go into here, I don't want or need an alarm.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

 

[snoobler]

Welcome to the forum.

Don't be scared.

What's your motivation for this? Do you need logging? Are you looking for a separate device, or do you want a charge controller with this feature?

 

[bigmanonahill]

Hi and thanks.

Looking for a separate device to accompany a Renogy 30A PWM charge controller. Renogy offers a bluetooth add on device to this controller for like 40 bucks that provides this type of feature and uses their app (this solution has some fairly strong negative reviews online and I don't need bluetooth since I won't be in range of the setup anyway).

My motivation is information; not only about actual use/consumption as it relates to produced power over time but also I'd like to clearly understand the effects of environmental variables in my specific location- so yes logging would be sweet but not required if it drives up $ too much.

 

[JoeHam]

IF I understand your goal take a look at the Victron SmartShunt.

You can monitor it via Bluetooth on a phone, tablet, PC.

See here:

https://www.solar-electric.com/lib/wind-sun/VE-Datasheet-SmartShunt-500a.pdf

 

[HRTKD]

Output of panels should be a function of your MPPT device. My Victron 100/50 solar charge controller has tracking of amps/volts/watts in and the same going out.

 

[Rocketman]

The Victron GX system is probably too much $$$ for what you are wanting.
Use Victron smartsolar charge controller.
BMV battery monitor
Tie together with GX device (cerbo or CCGX).
Connect GX to internet or add data card.
it makes a very nice monitoring system. You can monitor system from anywhere.

 

[bigmanonahill]

IF I understand your goal take a look at the Victron SmartShunt.

You can monitor it via Bluetooth on a phone, tablet, PC.

See here:

https://www.solar-electric.com/lib/wind-sun/VE-Datasheet-SmartShunt-500a.pdf

I think this might fit the bill...but to be clear; it will connect directly to phone app with no GX device....?

 

[HRTKD]

I think this might fit the bill...but to be clear; it will connect directly to phone app with no GX device....?

Yes.

However, the shunt is only going to see power going into and out of the battery. Your panel could be producing 1000 watts and an inverter consuming 1000 watts and the shunt could very well show zero watts. This is how many systems work. It's not a big deal, it's just something to be aware of.

I have a set of Victron components that talk/work together. The Victron BMV-712 (similar to the suggested Smart Shunt, but with a wall display) is my battery monitor. The Victron 100/50 is my MPPT solar charge controller. Using the above example, my BMV isn't showing any amps/watts going into the battery. But the 100/50 solar charge controller is showing an output of watts/amps.

Power doesn't have to go into the battery to be used within the system.

If I had the Victron Multiplus inverter/charger and the more intelligent GX, I suspect that it would show overall power production and consumption, which the BMV isn't showing.

 

[Rocketman]

yes you can connect directly to your phone with the BMV-712. This will tell you what’s going on with your batteries-

Watts in or out
Voltage
State of charge

From your question- the way it was phrased made me think you wanted to know about your panels- not necessarily your batteries (don’t get me wrong I think the BMV-712 should be the first thing someone puts on an RV (or any other battery storage system)).

The BMV712 will tell you there are 135 watts flowing into your batteries. What it will not tell you (by itself) is your solar is producing 210 watts and you are using 75 watts.

 

[bigmanonahill]

got it. That makes sense. Your assessment is correct in that I am interested in the production output of the panel. I can back into the battery consumption/capacity and how other devices play into that accordingly.

 

[Rocketman]

Look at Victron’s smart solar charge controller. That will tell you:
Panel voltage
Watts produced
It also has daily production going back (30?) Days.
plus more - I don’t remember everything that was on the screen.

 

[bigmanonahill]

Look at Victron’s smart solar charge controller. That will tell you:
Panel voltage
Watts produced
It also has daily production going back (30?) Days.
plus more - I don’t remember everything that was on the screen.

already have controller. Dont' want to buy another when I already have one...also don't want to use native Renogy monitoring solution.

 

[Rocketman]

Look at Victron’s smart solar charge controller. That will tell you:
Panel voltage
Watts produced
It also has daily production going back (30?) Days.
plus more - I don’t remember everything that was on the screen.

Also on each day in history it has how much power was produced in bulk- absorption and float modes. And total KWH produced lifetime.
plus low voltage and high voltage for the day.

 

[bigmanonahill]

Also on each day in history it has how much power was produced in bulk- absorption and float modes. And total KWH produced lifetime.
plus low voltage and high voltage for the day.

see above

 

[JoeHam]

Ok so here is an idea.

Put the SmartShunt between the panels and the battery only. It’s just a current monitor with voltage measurement to calculate watts.

Problem solved ?

 

[snoobler]

Ok so here is an idea.

Put the SmartShunt between the panels and the battery only. It’s just a current monitor with voltage measurement to calculate watts.

Problem solved ?

Not sure. The only concern is the voltage. The smart shunt has a limit of 70V, but it should work if Voc isn't above that. Not sure how it will behave when the voltage drops below 6.5V.