I have a site with satellite internet. it's router would not recognize the Mate
3s or an eguage monitor. I used a Verizon data sim card / jetpack with a
repeater to create a Lan connection and all is fine for 9 months now.
Kirk Herander / kirkh@vermont.solar [mailto:kirkh@vermont.solar]
Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC
Celebrating our 29th Anniversary 1991-2020
www.vermont.solar
[https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=www.vermontsolarnow.com&data=02%7C01%7C%7C9f0330d75a244870112408d685311841%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636842843233477645&sdata=0NjyuKeQbEK6245SNnk8X4XnP9Q%2B%2BqtvcALkdDghvk4%3D&reserved=0]
dba Vermont Solar Engineering
802.863.1202
On 10/12/2020 8:51:19 PM, Howie Michaelson <howie.michael...@gmail.com> wrote:
Thanks guys. I really appreciate the info. That does a lot to clear up my
misgivings with attempting this!
My only hesitancy at this point is switching to the Mate3. When it first came
out, I put it into an off grid upgrade, but ended up hating it - I found it
more complicated and less intuitive than the original Mate (which says a lot
considering the lack of intuitive design of that). So it seemed harder to
explain to my clients. (Maybe I just hate change).
Dan, do you know why satellite won't work for the optics internet connections?
Many of my remote sites only have satellite internet access.
Thanks again,
Howie
Howie Michaelson
Sun Catcher
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
Solar Electric & Heat Pumps Systems Sales & Service
802-272-0004
On Mon, Oct 12, 2020, 7:56 PM Dan Fink <danbo...@gmail.com
[mailto:danbo...@gmail.com]> wrote:
Howie; I'm pretty satisfied with the current condition of the OpticsRE world.
Most of the past problems have been ironed out, and I've had good email tech
support from Outback (!).
You'll need a Mate 3S, an Outback Hub, and a Flexnet DC with shunts for each
channel you want to measure. If all your equipment is Outback, you only need
the Net shunt on the FLexnet DC, otherwise, more shunts. As Jerry mentioned,
the Mate 3S will automatically get it's IP address from the router and connect
online, you just type its MAC address into the OpticsRE portal and it starts
communicating.
The critical thing is the internet connection -- it must be rock solid or
you'll have no end of woes. Satellite internet (Hughes, Exced) will NOT work
with it (nor with Midnite's monitoring system BTW). Wired LAN (Cat 5) has
worked the best for me, but do NOT exceed (or even approach, in my experience)
the 50 foot limit. If you use a wifi adaptor on the Mate 3S instead of wired,
make sure you have an *excellent* wifi signal in the room with the Mate 3S.
I've never tried a cell adaptor, as where I work cell service is weak and
spotty if it even exists, but I assume a very strong cell connection would be
needed. In one situation with no cell service, long wire run for ethernet and
bad interior wifi (concrete/stucco/adobe style walls) but good local coax
modem internet, I just ran fiber optic cable with a fiber to ethernet adaptor
on each end (Mate 3S and cable modem) outdoors in conduit, about $150 in
equipment, and that cable could be half mile long but seem like 3 feet to the
Mate 3S.
As for the Midnite controller, just put one shunt for the Flexnet DC on the
output of the Midnite CC, and you'll at least be able to read amperage and work
the watt/hour meter. The Flexnet DC gives you a shunt channel for net on the
main DC negative, plus 3 more shunt channels to measure whatever you want --
wind turbine, other brand CCs, etc.
The configurable email alerts and automated daily data dumps are super handy
for systems that are hours drive away. I also learned to set the Mate 3S to
automatically reboot every 24 hours....this (oddly) cleared up many problems I
had in the past with the Mate 3S dropping offline randomly.
Dan Fink
Owner, Buckville Energy Consulting
NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector
IREC Certified Instructor™ for:
~ PV Installation Professional
~ Small Wind Installer
NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providers
d [mailto:dan.f...@greendustrialtraining.com]anbo...@gmail.com
[mailto:anbo...@gmail.com]
970-672-4342
On Mon, Oct 12, 2020 at 5:05 PM Howie Michaelson <howie.michael...@gmail.com
[mailto:howie.michael...@gmail.com]> wrote:
Hey FOlks,
While Outback had been my goto offgrid system, over the last many years I have
gravitated to the Conext and Sol-Ark systems. However, I have many legacy
Outback VFX systems out there and some could really use remote communication.
Unfortunately, I have stayed far away from Optics RE, as I haven't been
thrilled with the reports of issues the system had. However, it seems it is the
best option for remote oversight, so I am trying to figure out what is required
and what it is capable of.
I've read through the initial documentation and as best I can gather, I need a
Mate 3s and an internet connection - is that all? I assume having a FlexnetDC
in the system is critical as well. I'm also wondering if there is a way to
monitor basic production data from a Midnite Classic through the Optics system.
And is the Optics RE system fairly solid since I'm not thrilled about putting
in systems that need too much fussing or attention to keep operating once they
are set up properly. Finally, are there any other comparable monitoring
equipment that would work for monitoring such systems?
Thanks,
Howie
Howie Michaelson
Sun Catcher
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