Fronius Wireless Monitor Rumor

[Walt Bilofsky]

A PV system salesman told me today that he was told Fronius is about
to come out with a wireless monitor for their inverters - somethiing
similar to the Sunny Beam. He said that it would be "hard to get the
data to your computer, though." Strange.

Anyone else hear that rumor, or have any more info?

 

[Walt Bilofsky]

I could not disagree more.

I don't have a wireless monitor, but the "normal" data card, and still I
cannot get at the data by automatic mans. Sigh.

Ch.

He said that it would be "hard to get the
data to your computer, though." Strange.

I could not disagree more.

I don't have a wireless monitor, but the "normal" data card, and still
I
cannot get at the data by automatic mans. Sigh.

Ch.

I talked to Fronius US today and learned a couple of things:

1) Yes, there is a wireless monitor - it was introduced a few weeks
ago at some solar power show. See
http://www.fronius.com/solar.electronics/products/froniusig/personal_display.htm
.. It uses 900 MHz. I am told the price point will be around $300 -
$400. Unfortunately there is no computer link.

2) There is a "public interface box" now in beta test that will allow
computers to access the Fronius data. Apparently there are
proprietary elements in their protocol left over from their welding
machine technology, so they can't make the protocol public. So they
are building a piece of hardware to convert that secret protocol into
one that can be made public.

Apparently they are trying to be user-friendly. Obviously they are
learning but very slowly.

 

[Martin Riddle]

They should just put a web server in it and be done with it.

Every body has a wireless router these days, make use of it.

Cheers

 

[Walt Bilofsky]

Sunny Boy inverters have a built-in powerline network data port, and
the Sunny Beam is a wireless add-in option that displays lots of data
plus has a USB port for the computer software.

Much better.

People tell me Fronius is better quality but I sure like Sunny Boy's
gadgets.