Some quirks when using the EverSolar PMU and AS Control software
This post is about using the EverSolar PMU and AS Control plus some quirks I’ve come across when using them.
The post is mainly to do with having all the data stored in the PMU available for AS Control to display. Especially when a PC isn’t connected to the PMU 24/7 or when accessing the data remotely (off site). If you want to do a file import / export or look at graphs of past history AS Control uses the databases on the computer AS_Control is running on. If it hasn’t been logging live data for a while then there is not much data to look at, the only data stored on the PC is data collected while connected to the PMU when the PV System is running and the inverter is on.
I run a batch file that automatically connects to the PMU and downloads all the databases to the PC, then when I open AC Control to view my data, I have the most up to date data that the PMU has recorded.
Basically I copy these files:
\HistLog\*.dat
\HistLog\*.ini
\HistLog\Daily\*.*
\HistLog\Log\*.*
delete old_ever.log
rename ever.log old_ever.log
\Histlog\Monthly\*.*
\Histlog\Weekly\*.*
\Histlog\Yearly\*.*
A little more about that file called ever.log in the /HistLog/Log/ directory.
That file uses more of the 1GB of onboard storage available than the other log files. From memory mine grew by one or two MB per day. The batch file I wrote to copy the log files to my PC renames the ever.log file to old_ever.log and the PMU then just creates a new one. I have not noticed anything going wrong by doing this. The log file size now depends on how often I run the batch file that renames it.
The ever.log file grows by a megabyte or two per day as it is written to every 10 seconds while the PMU is powered up. The rest of my data from the 6th May to the 6th of Jun only uses 1.17MB. (I have the daily log updated every 30 seconds while the inverter is running).
PMU Memory Usage
PMU FTP
PMU FTP HistLog Folder
If you click on Setting > Record > Set and adjust the values, it only affects the rate at which the data is recorded to the local database on the local computer while actually connected to the PMU. That’s OK if you have PC connected to the PMU 24/7. For me, I download the PMU database daily and use that. It doesn’t necessarily have the same resolution as PMU > Set > Sample Interval Time. (Mine does, as I adjusted them both to be the same).
EverSolar Inverter Record Setting
The PMU database is updated according to the settings in PMU > Set > Sample Interval Time > {enter password} and change the settings then restart the PMU. (Spot the typo 🙂 Sencond? I have fixed that by editing the language file (as well as a few other typo’s) C:\Program Files\AS Control\language\lang_eng.ini)
EverSolar PMU Record Settings
The other thing is if you click on any of these sub-menu’s they display the settings last entered on the local PC. i.e. If you change the PMU settings on one PC and reset the PMU and then check them on another PC, the other PC will display the default or last used settings, NOT the current PMU settings. Clicking on PMU > Set > Sample Interval Time, does not show the current values, just the last or default values on the machine used.
Connecting off site using AS Control
I set up a free account with a Dynamic DNS server company and entered the details into my ADSL wireless router, gave the PMU a static IP address in the router and then put the PMU in the DMZ of the router.
I then entered the DDNS domain into the Setting > Communication > Configure, screen.
EverSolar PMU network settings
This allows me to watch the system anywhere I have internet access and AS_Control running. I can also FTP into the PMU remotely as well.
But there is a quirk when accessing the PMU via a DDNS server. AS_Control does not totally treat the address as being dynamic at all. When you enter the DDNS domain details AS Control fetches the current IP address and puts it into its INI file and uses it, all is good until my ISP diconnects me at midnight for a few seconds and issues me with a new dynamic IP address. The next time I open AS Control (or if it is still open and running) it can’t connect to the PMU as it is using the old IP address.
I have to go to the Setting > Communication > Configure, screen, hit “Remove” on the DDNS setting and then hit “Add” and it will then go and fetch the new address and write that into the INI file and all is good again until I get a new IP address. At least I don’t have to re-type the DDNS domain each time as the details are still in the “Domain” entry box. Just hit “Remove” the hit “Add”. Perhaps it would be better if AS Control tried to fetch the Dynamic IP address each time it is started up rather than each time the DDNS domain is entered into the DDNS box.
15 Comments to Some quirks when using the EverSolar PMU and AS Control software
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Hi Steve,
There are some very silly aspects to the PMU design!
Thanks for your explanation about the data files.
On my recently installed system, it requires a password to change the sampling frequency, but there’s no explanation as to what the password is!
The help files simply do not work.
Is your batch file written for the windows environment? Would it be possible to get a full copy please? This would save me some time dealing with ftp file transfers.
We’ve got the AS control program on a shared network drive, and it executes happily from there. This means the data and configuration files are the same no matter which computer runs the program. (We had to put it on a mapped/shared drive, as the installer kept failing on one of our XP workstations!)
Cheers,
James
Hi James,
I’ve sent you an email with the batch file in it and a later version of AS Control. The paasword that works for me is “administrator”
Regards,
Steve.
Hi there!
Ive been reading your blog with interest.
Ive just recieved my PMU – but there was no CD accompanying it and so I’m missing the AS control software.
I was wondering if I could persuade you to send it to me?
Regards
Jess Gade
Denmark
Hi Jess,
I tried to send you the software but gmail bounced the zip file back to me. It won’t go.
Thanks for the attempt.
Apparently gmail wont accept files which end with *.zip
Could I persuade you to rename it to *.zap or something similar and try again?
Recieved the file!
Thanks a lot 😀
Very good. Have fun with it!
Hi. I also did not get the CD! But I found a version of the AS control program on the internet (I think it was on http://www.zeversolar.com) It works, but I do not get the exact same menus as listed in the paper documentation I recieved. Can you also send the program to me?
Also I can not access the PMU through ftp, anyone have any ideas?
Hi,
Have you set the IP address for the PMU using AS Control under Settings, Communication, Configure?
Here is the latest version that is on the Zeversolar site (thanks Jess). I noticed it didn’t have any settings for DDNS so I went back to the latest I was using. http://www.ever-solar.com/website/product/AS_Control/AS_Control%20V1.0.4%20Build%20140setup.rar
I’m using the version before it, (Build 132)
http://wotid.com/pvsolar/
Thanks Steve.
Now I can change the IP-adress. But still no FTP. And data is only stored if the AS control runs, but no data comes up under export/import. I have noted that everytime the PMU is reset and connected to the inverters, they seem to destroy the IP setting. Setting it to something like 169.254.162.169, which do not fit with my network 192.168.1.1 standard gateway!
I am not sure what DDNS means? I don’t want to connect to the “solarcloud” right now. Maybe not ever.
Hope you can help.
You are definitely connecting to the PMU over the network? I can’t think of any reason why the PMU won’t remember your IP settings unless they’re not getting written to the confguration file on the PMU properly.
I can’t remember exactly now, it’s been too long, but if you have a machine with XP on it, download and install ActiveSync from Microsoft. Then plug the PMU into the XP machine via the USB cable, it gives you full access to the PMU and you can manually tweak the *.ini file with all the connection stuff in it (it’s a different .ini file to the one accessible via FTP).
The PMU should have a default IP of 192.168.1.110 You have to change your computer network DCHP settings to put the computer on 192.168.1.xxx then plug the PMU into the computer, run AS Control, make sure the PMU is connected, go to PMU, Set, PMU Net Set. Use administrator for the password and change the IP settings to suit your network and gateway. Then change you computer DHCP / Network settings back to normal.
i.e. My PMU is set to 192.168.0.18, my gateway (router) is 192.168.0.1 and I have no problems.
You have to FTP (or usb) into the PMU to copy the database files over so you can view and extract past data (as you’ve found out the computer only has data for the time it is running and connected to the PMU.
On an XP machine the databases need to be copied to where you installed AS Control. On a W7 machine, the path for the database files is something like this >> C:\Users\”Username”\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\AS Control\HistLog my batch file does it automatically for me.
The DDNS is Dynamic Domain Name System. It’s what I use to monitor my Inverters via AS Control when I’m not at home i.e. at work.
I cant FTP to my PMU as well.
Apparantly there are more versions of the PMU out there.
It dosent look like the advertising images as well.
The software that Steve kindly sent to me only detected the PMU but not the inverters (I have 2 TL3000) -but the latest version on the Zever solar site did.
I’ve never received a PMU firmware upgrade, I’m still running what it came with. Build 11, Version 1.0.3 are any others different?
I’m sure the PMU firmware has more to do with FTP access rather than the AS Conrtol version.
What PMU version are you getting reported?
FTP, anonymous account, no password. i.e. ftp://anonymous@192.168.0.18
If using Windows Explorer “To view this FTP site in Windows Explorer: press Alt, click View, and then click Open FTP Site in Windows Internet Explorer”
Hi Steve. I’ve had AS Control running OK on an XP machine but am having trouble installing it on a Windows 7 notebook. Could I have a copy of your latest version? I can’t find it on the zeversolar site or anywhere for that matter. Thanks
Jim Mccarthy
Wangandary Australia
Hi Jim,
All the versions I have are here. >> http://wotid.com/pvsolar/ I’m now running with the new type of PMU and only the latest version of AS Control works with it and I can’t FTP into it like I could with the old one. (The network port stopped working on the old one).
edit: I’ve successfully installed and run all of those on a Windows 7 machine – the only weird thing is windows will install it into “C:\Program Files\AS Control” but the dynamic files are actually here >> “C:\Users\Steve\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\AS Control\HistLog”
Steve