how to add APSystems ECU-3 solar inverter monitor

[josemi]

I am sending function Create Array for 4 devices per inverter after updating ECU-C to v 1.2.0 (DC Voltage per panel)

Code: Select all

var i;
for (i = 0; i < msg.payload.length/19; i++) {
var InverterIDA = msg.payload[19*i+0];
var CurrentPowerA = msg.payload[19*i+1];
var DCVoltageA = msg.payload[19*i+2];
var GridFreq = msg.payload[19*i+3];
var GridVoltageA = msg.payload[19*i+4];
var GridTemp = msg.payload[19*i+5];
var GridReportTime = msg.payload[19*i+6];
var InverterIDB = msg.payload[19*i+7];
var CurrentPowerB = msg.payload[19*i+8];
var DCVoltageB = msg.payload[19*i+9];
var GridVoltageB = msg.payload[19*i+10];
var InverterIDC = msg.payload[19*i+11];
var CurrentPowerC = msg.payload[19*i+12];
var DCVoltageC = msg.payload[19*i+13];
var GridVoltageC = msg.payload[19*i+14];
var InverterIDD = msg.payload[19*i+15];
var CurrentPowerD = msg.payload[19*i+16];
var DCVoltageD = msg.payload[19*i+17];
var GridVoltageD = msg.payload[19*i+18];
newMsg = {payload: ([InverterIDA.substr(0,12),CurrentPowerA.slice(0,-2),GridVoltageA.slice(0,-2),CurrentPowerB.slice(0,-2),GridVoltageB.slice(0,-2),CurrentPowerC.slice(0,-2),GridVoltageC.slice(0,-2),CurrentPowerD.slice(0,-2),GridVoltageD.slice(0,-2),GridFreq.slice(0,-3),GridTemp.slice(0,-8)])}
node.send(newMsg);
}

[FireWizard]

Hi, @josemi,

That is exactly the way to do it.

Is it working as intended?

Regards

[josemi]

Hi
Yes, it is working properly for my installation 2 inverters, 4 panels per inverter.
My Unit is ECU-C, I do not know if other ECUs are affected.

(Today values are wrong because the past behaviour after update). Tomorrow they will be ok.

Hi, @josemi,

That is exactly the way to do it.

Is it working as intended?

Regards

[rstolk]

I wrote this python script for use with my APS ECU-R.
https://github.com/daanvdl/-ecu2pvoutput

(I dont own a ECU-C, so i can't confirm this will work well with the APS ECU-C)

It scrapes the HTML form on the local webinterface, sum the panel values,collects voltages and inverter temperture and push the data to a pvoutput account.

When the ECU-R Reports a "-" in the date field (after dark) the scipt fails, any tips ?

[rstolk]

Also a negatieve temperatures causes the script to fail

[kaka83136]

Hi
I got installed my solar panels today with a ECU-C, and I followed your instructions and it is working as a charm.
Thank you for sharing your configuration.

Hi, How did you integrate the ECU-C with Domoticz?

[kaka83136]

Hello,

I have read a lot of answers, do you have a summary of what you have to do to be able to read the data from an ECU-C to Domoticz
Plugin?
Script?

What to modify and how to do it?

Thanks to you

[lsp242]

Hi all

had a giant crash off all my electronics in my house, so also crashes domoticz where i had to program(and still programming) all my stuff.

I have one minor thing for monitorring, the day generation should be in kWh and not in Watt..
What did i wrong.. i think a stupid little thing :oops

[FireWizard]

Hi @lsp242,

Which type of virtual sensor did you select?

If I remember well, it should be a Custom sensor, with kWh on the x-axis.

Regards

[lsp242]

@firewizard yes i used the wrong device (electric is standars watt)

Now generic with kWh

(Now trying to manual add my values from old database - do you have tip(s) or a how to?)

[FireWizard]

Hi @lsp242,

No, I do not have tips or a howto.
But copying from one database to another should not be that difficult, but perhaps someone else has an answer. As this has nothing to do with APSystems, I suggest to create a new topic.
But check first, if such a topic already exists.

Regards

[willemd]

Hi
I got installed my solar panels today with a ECU-C, and I followed your instructions and it is working as a charm.
Thank you for sharing your configuration.

Hi, How did you integrate the ECU-C with Domoticz?

If you are still looking for a solution, have a look here:
https://github.com/Doudou14/Domoticz-apsystems_ecu
and here
https://www.bjorn-meijer.nl/2021/05/01/ ... -domoticz/

I have installed it now for my ECU-B but it is also suitable for ECU-C

If you are installing ECU_B from the first link above, then you have to add the following lines to the program, as shown in the pull request:

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'InverterOnline = data['inverters'][Inverter]['online']
print('Online: ' + str(InverterOnline))'

Those lines are present in the program in the second link and in the ECU_C program, but are missing in the ECU_B

Also the dzvents program to trigger the script can be made much simpler. Note the second program does not use dzvents but just runs in a loop.

Code: Select all

return 
{
    on = 
    {
        timer = { 'every 5 minutes' },
        shellCommandResponses =	{ "getsolardata"} 
    },
    logging = {
		level = domoticz.LOG_INFO,
		marker = 'solar get data',
	},
   
    execute = function(domoticz, item)
        
        if item.isTimer then
            domoticz.executeShellCommand(
            {
                command ="/usr/bin/python3 /home/pi/domoticz/scripts/python/ECU/ECU_B.py",
                callback="getsolardata",
                timeout = 15,
            })
        else
            if item.isShellCommandResponse then
                domoticz.log("From ECU_B : "..item.data,domoticz.LOG_INFO)
            end    
        end    
    end
}

and finally some small improvements to the installation instructions:
1) the first line should state : create dummy hardware instead of create dummy sensor.
2) for the frequency, the axis unit is not % but of course Hz.

[lsp242]

I see now a few inverters and panels with red marked area..

seems not to be filled always looking at the dates last seen..

what are the steps to check what could cause the problem?

[FireWizard]

Hello @lsp242,

If you have any issues, it is helpful, that you are as clear as possible. This post is for everybody, willing to help, a kind of guessing.

I see now a few inverters and panels with red marked area..

I assume that you mean, that some widgets show a red colored bar at the top.
That means that those widgets have not received any update since a specified time.
The value you can set in "Settings" ===> "Other" in the field "Sensor Timeout".
By default it has been set to 7200 minutes, I believe, So you should try to remember, what has happened 5 days ago

what are the steps to check what could cause the problem?

What is the way, you collect the data from the inverters?

- Do you use Node-RED (web scraping), as this post was all about years ago.
- Do you use dzVents?
- Do you use an API?

Let us know.

Regards

[lsp242]

I get the data from Node Red, and yes I see the red bar on missing input. there are different dates in the missing widgets (from inverter to panel)

information in de original App is available. so no issue with the system itself

[FireWizard]

Hi @lsp242

Do you use the same Node-RED flow, that I created for another user, about 6 years ago?. So with web scraping?

How many micro-inverters have you in use and how many of them are failing?

As I do not have that flow anymore (I think) can you send me your flow?

Regards

[Benneton]

Hi,

I use that flow still although I have moved over to HA. When using HA I noticed that the MQTT broker of HA was not able to handle all the ID's send by node red. Would receive complete information from 3 inverters and number 4 only a few parameters. I modified the flow so it sends out information for inverter 1-3 and 4-6. See picture:


When needed I can dig out the flow for Domoticz, have that still laying around.
What you can check is does domoticz receive all info, and is all send.
Put debuggin on in node red and check if all data is send, then check on the MQTT broker that is used if all is received.
Next to this you can check if by using an online MQTT broker to see if that one is working.

Hope you all get it sorted

[FireWizard]

Hello Bernhard (@Benneton),

Nice to hear from you and that the flow is still in use.

At that time web scraping was the only solution, as there was no API.
Currently an APi exists. See: https://file.apsystemsema.com:8083/apsy ... ser_EN.pdf

Does the ECU-3 supports that API?

Regards

[Benneton]

HI Firewizard,

Yes still working as a charm. I know there is an API what I understood is that this works with ECU - C if I am not mistaken.
I tried an intergration in HA based on it and that did not work. That is why I re-worked the Flow to output for each parameter a topic as that is how it works in HA.

I switched Domoticz of in February 2025 after 9 years of service. Your flow has been working for 6 years or more without any issue

Sorry I cannot be more of a help.

[lsp242]

Yes i use still and before without any problem this "old" flow

I've 7 mini inverters and mis 4 time temp inverter strange 2 failed today 1 in may and one 2 day's ago
missing 7 panels also on different days and times also voltage frequency are failing

al generic information is looking good

when i check the debug in node red i don't see the output but the message: "Your flow credentials file is encrypted using a system-generated key.. etc.."