Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Dan Fink]

John - It appears that Ubiquiti does still have a 900 MHz bridge available,
looks like a very small dish instead of a flat panel. I suggest giving them
a call or an email. They were very helpful in email and on the phone when
my first 2.4 GHz system was intermittent (worked fine in winter, not in
summer...trees grow leaves! duh.) and didn't seem to mind that I didn't
speak IT jargon.

I'm in a similar situation as you, my guest cabin is 800 feet away with
some mid size aspen trees in the way, so 2.4GHz didn't work. Ordered
Starlink just over a year ago, their latest guess is next month(!!!) to
receive mine.

I think the only issue with 900 MHz and Starlink is that your blazing
speeds (when it finally arrives) might be limited a bit. 5 GHz and up might
keep up with your newfound speed better. Yes, you can do a 2-part bridge,
but make sure you look closely at what they mean by "obstructions" and
where in your line of sight they are located. Will let you know how it goes
with mine when Dishy arrives.

Dan Fink
Owner, Buckville Energy Consulting LLC
IREC Certified Instructor for PV and Small Wind Installation
NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector
NABCEP PV Associate
d anbo...@gmail.com
970-672-4342




On Tue, Mar 22, 2022 at 8:27 AM John Blittersdorf <
john.blittersd...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Dan, are the 900 MHz flat panels still available.   I’m looking at a need
> for a 1000’ bridge with some trees in the way.  I could also do a two step
> going from my house to my barn 800’ away clear shot and then to the cabin
> another 300’ clear shot. Is that possible? I’m getting Starlink to replace
> my Viasat and need internet at the guest cabin.
>
> John Blittersdorf
>
> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 2:52 PM Dan Fink  wrote:
>
>> I concur with Luke Christy below - I have had great success with Ubiquiti
>> wireless bridges. If the line of sight is not completely clear, their 2 and
>> 5gHz dishes can be problematic, but their 900mHz flat panels will work
>> through a moderate amount of vegetation. I'm using that one to write this
>> email right now in fact, have not had to touch or reboot anything in 4
>> years. Note that they are *not* wifi extenders, you need another wifi
>> router on the other end connected to the far side of the bridge.
>>
>> Dan Fink
>> Owner, Buckville Energy Consulting LLC
>> IREC Certified Instructor for PV and Small Wind Installation
>> NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector
>> NABCEP PV Associate
>> d anbo...@gmail.com
>> 970-672-4342
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 12:39 PM Dave Tedeyan 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Luke,
>>> I wanted to try out Ubiquiti products, and bought a NanoStation M2, but
>>> haven't installed it yet. With the Lighbeam, can any device connect to it?
>>> If so, I know at least the SMA SB wifi can only connect to 2Ghz, and not
>>> 5Ghz. I'll have to see if there is a 2Ghz option. This is why I cannot use
>>> the Engenius equipment anymore, since their 202 replacement is 5Ghz only.
>>> Cheers,
>>> Dave
>>>
>>> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 2:28 PM Luke Christy 
>>> wrote:
>>>
 Adam,
 I would second Dave’s suggestion to use wireless bridges for this
 application -if hardwired internet access is available elsewhere on the
 property and if there is decent line of sight access between that point and
 where your equipment lives.

 I have used a lot of Ubiquiti Litebeam point-to-point links for this
 sort of thing and they are awesome. They have given me rock solid
 dependability once they are set up and configured, they function just like
 a virtual ethernet cable over the radio link, and you can even have a
 single access point transmit to multiple stations. Range for the
 entry-level Litebeam M5 unit is up to 10km and you can get a pre-configured
 pair of antenna dishes on Amazon for less than $200. Two devices can be had
 for around $100 if you are willing to configure them yourself with a laptop
 or the UISP app from Ubiquiti.   Worth checking out. Other versions are
 available with longer range and more features but I have found the Litebeam
 M5 is very affordable and works well for most shorter-range applications.


 Luke Christy

 Renewable energy consultant.

 NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™:

 Solar Gain Services, LLC
 PO Box 531
 Monte Vista, CO. 81144
 sgsrenewab...@gmail.com 
 719.588.3044


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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[John Blittersdorf]

Dan, are the 900 MHz flat panels still available.   I’m looking at a need
for a 1000’ bridge with some trees in the way.  I could also do a two step
going from my house to my barn 800’ away clear shot and then to the cabin
another 300’ clear shot. Is that possible? I’m getting Starlink to replace
my Viasat and need internet at the guest cabin.

John Blittersdorf

On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 2:52 PM Dan Fink  wrote:

> I concur with Luke Christy below - I have had great success with Ubiquiti
> wireless bridges. If the line of sight is not completely clear, their 2 and
> 5gHz dishes can be problematic, but their 900mHz flat panels will work
> through a moderate amount of vegetation. I'm using that one to write this
> email right now in fact, have not had to touch or reboot anything in 4
> years. Note that they are *not* wifi extenders, you need another wifi
> router on the other end connected to the far side of the bridge.
>
> Dan Fink
> Owner, Buckville Energy Consulting LLC
> IREC Certified Instructor for PV and Small Wind Installation
> NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector
> NABCEP PV Associate
> d anbo...@gmail.com
> 970-672-4342
>
> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 12:39 PM Dave Tedeyan 
> wrote:
>
>> Luke,
>> I wanted to try out Ubiquiti products, and bought a NanoStation M2, but
>> haven't installed it yet. With the Lighbeam, can any device connect to it?
>> If so, I know at least the SMA SB wifi can only connect to 2Ghz, and not
>> 5Ghz. I'll have to see if there is a 2Ghz option. This is why I cannot use
>> the Engenius equipment anymore, since their 202 replacement is 5Ghz only.
>> Cheers,
>> Dave
>>
>> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 2:28 PM Luke Christy 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Adam,
>>> I would second Dave’s suggestion to use wireless bridges for this
>>> application -if hardwired internet access is available elsewhere on the
>>> property and if there is decent line of sight access between that point and
>>> where your equipment lives.
>>>
>>> I have used a lot of Ubiquiti Litebeam point-to-point links for this
>>> sort of thing and they are awesome. They have given me rock solid
>>> dependability once they are set up and configured, they function just like
>>> a virtual ethernet cable over the radio link, and you can even have a
>>> single access point transmit to multiple stations. Range for the
>>> entry-level Litebeam M5 unit is up to 10km and you can get a pre-configured
>>> pair of antenna dishes on Amazon for less than $200. Two devices can be had
>>> for around $100 if you are willing to configure them yourself with a laptop
>>> or the UISP app from Ubiquiti.   Worth checking out. Other versions are
>>> available with longer range and more features but I have found the Litebeam
>>> M5 is very affordable and works well for most shorter-range applications.
>>>
>>>
>>> Luke Christy
>>>
>>> Renewable energy consultant.
>>>
>>> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™:
>>>
>>> Solar Gain Services, LLC
>>> PO Box 531
>>> Monte Vista, CO. 81144
>>> sgsrenewab...@gmail.com 
>>> 719.588.3044
>>>
>>>
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Dave Tedeyan]

The lower the frequency, the less it will be affected by the trees. I've
sent the 2.4GHZ radios through some trees before with no issues, but I have
not tried a quarter mile. I would not be concerned about the elevation
change though as long as you don't have to go through earth with the line
between the radios.
Cheers,
Dave

On Wed, Mar 16, 2022 at 1:22 PM AE Solar 
wrote:

> Hey all,
>
> Thanks for all the good info and sorry for the slow reply. I meant to
> mention in the first post that line of sight is an issue. It’s probably a
> quarter mile (maybe less) through forested terrain to the nearest building
> on the property that has WiFi. There is also a decent elevation change (the
> array is uphill from the building…maybe 40’ of difference in elevation?)
>
>
>
> To answer Sam’s questions, we could put AC at each inverter if that needed
> to happen.  Maybe since line of sight is an issue, Glenn’s suggestion of
> looking into a Yagi antenna is best place to start?
>
> Adam
>
>
> Adam Katzman (he/him)
> Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator
> www.AutonomousEnergies.com 
> (518) 567-1468
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 6:00 PM Foxfire Energy 
> wrote:
>
>> We’ve had success with Wilson amplifiers and a cell phone modem hotspot
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:58 PM, Sam Haraldson 
>> wrote:
>>
>> 
>> Adam,
>>
>> What kind of distance between the inverters and the existing internet
>> connection?  Is there line of sight between the two?  Is there an
>> electrical panel at the inverters that would allow you to install a low
>> amperage AC circuit for powering comms devices?  Folks have made some good
>> suggestions so far regarding building wireless bridges or using a
>> directional (yagi) antenna to beam a wireless but depending on distance and
>> line of sight these options may not be possible.  I have successfully
>> installed both of these options but the devil is in the details as to
>> whether it will work.
>> Sam Haraldson 
>> Installation & Service Manager
>> 
>>
>>
>> | o. (406) 551-6135
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>
>> 
>>
>>>
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-- 
[image: Logo] 
Dave Tedeyan, P.E.
Owner | Sungineer Solar
p: he | him | his
a: 1653 Slaterville Rd. | Ithaca, NY 14850
w: www.sungineersolar.com 
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[AE Solar]

Hey all,

Thanks for all the good info and sorry for the slow reply. I meant to
mention in the first post that line of sight is an issue. It’s probably a
quarter mile (maybe less) through forested terrain to the nearest building
on the property that has WiFi. There is also a decent elevation change (the
array is uphill from the building…maybe 40’ of difference in elevation?)



To answer Sam’s questions, we could put AC at each inverter if that needed
to happen.  Maybe since line of sight is an issue, Glenn’s suggestion of
looking into a Yagi antenna is best place to start?

Adam


Adam Katzman (he/him)
Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator
www.AutonomousEnergies.com 
(518) 567-1468




On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 6:00 PM Foxfire Energy 
wrote:

> We’ve had success with Wilson amplifiers and a cell phone modem hotspot
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:58 PM, Sam Haraldson 
> wrote:
>
> 
> Adam,
>
> What kind of distance between the inverters and the existing internet
> connection?  Is there line of sight between the two?  Is there an
> electrical panel at the inverters that would allow you to install a low
> amperage AC circuit for powering comms devices?  Folks have made some good
> suggestions so far regarding building wireless bridges or using a
> directional (yagi) antenna to beam a wireless but depending on distance and
> line of sight these options may not be possible.  I have successfully
> installed both of these options but the devil is in the details as to
> whether it will work.
> Sam Haraldson 
> Installation & Service Manager
> 
>
>
> | o. (406) 551-6135
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
> 
>
>>
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Foxfire Energy]

We’ve had success with Wilson amplifiers and a cell phone modem hotspot

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 14, 2022, at 5:58 PM, Sam Haraldson  wrote:


Adam,

What kind of distance between the inverters and the existing internet 
connection?  Is there line of sight between the two?  Is there an electrical 
panel at the inverters that would allow you to install a low amperage AC 
circuit for powering comms devices?  Folks have made some good suggestions so 
far regarding building wireless bridges or using a directional (yagi) antenna 
to beam a wireless but depending on distance and line of sight these options 
may not be possible.  I have successfully installed both of these options but 
the devil is in the details as to whether it will work.
Sam Haraldson
Installation & Service Manager
[https://esr-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/images/21230/108433/default/images/218965d24e62dbfc42.jpeg?override=1564075269]

|   o. (406) 551-6135
[https://esr-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/images/21230/108433/icons/5d39e8855c857.png]
 
[https://esr-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/images/21230/108433/icons/5d39e8856b4e0.png]
  
[https://esr-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/images/21230/108433/icons/5d39e88595af2.png]
 
[https://esr-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/images/21230/108433/icons/5d39e885a04f2.png]
 
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Sam Haraldson]

Adam,

What kind of distance between the inverters and the existing internet
connection?  Is there line of sight between the two?  Is there an
electrical panel at the inverters that would allow you to install a low
amperage AC circuit for powering comms devices?  Folks have made some good
suggestions so far regarding building wireless bridges or using a
directional (yagi) antenna to beam a wireless but depending on distance and
line of sight these options may not be possible.  I have successfully
installed both of these options but the devil is in the details as to
whether it will work.
Sam Haraldson 
Installation & Service Manager



| o. (406) 551-6135







>
>
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Glenn Burt]

I have also been able to use a Yagi antenna and the proper cable to acquire 
2.4GHz WiFi from a remote source. My work has been with Fronius inverters, but 
I would imagine SMA would be similar. They also have parabolic dishes with 
higher gain

L-Com is where I get them from.

A couple of advantages here – no programming and no active powered parts.

 

-Glenn

 

From: RE-wrenches  On Behalf Of AE 
Solar
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2022 1:48 PM
To: RE-wrenches 
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

 

Wrenchers,

We have a project on a large property, where the install site has no internet 
(there is internet much further away on the property, and on a different 
service) and cell reception is pretty bad. We attempted to use SMA Cell Modem 
Kits (sunny boy inverters), but couldn't get a good enough signal for them to 
work. The client was fine with having just a production meter with no internet 
based monitoring. Now there is the possibility of expanding the system quite a 
bit (also with Sunny Boy's), and I'd prefer to figure out a way to monitor 
everything from offsite. Has anyone had any success using a third party antenna 
with the SMA Cell Modem Kits? Or have thoughts on other methods for setting up 
monitoring where we could, at a minimum, see the combined output of all the 
inverters? Thanks for any thoughts.

Adam

 

Adam Katzman (he/him)
Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator

www.AutonomousEnergies.com <http://www.autonomousenergies.com> 
(518) 567-1468

 

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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Luke Christy]

Dave-
As Dan pointed out, the Litebeam products are not wifi extenders. They must be 
used in pairs or other multi-device arrangements. Put simply, they allow you to 
transfer a hard ethernet connection wirelessly through  a 5ghz radio link. One 
nice thing about them is that they function exactly like an ethernet cable when 
it comes to connections, so you can simply plug in a device at the far end of 
the link to use as a 2.4gHz access point for your SMA inverters. Your 
Nanostation M2 would be idea to connect to the far end of the Litebeam link to 
provide a 2.4gHz wireless access point there. 
I have used all sorts of solutions for wireless access at the far end of my 
radio links. Standard household wireless routers reconfigured to not use DHCP 
work fine as a wireless access point in most cases. I have also used lots of 
Ubiquiti Unifi AP devices as access points and those are better because you can 
set them up with a laptop and they are much more reliable than a low-end 
residential wireless router. They are pricier though and a little fussy to set 
up. 


> On Mar 14, 2022, at 12:38 PM, Dave Tedeyan  wrote:
> 
> Luke, 
> I wanted to try out Ubiquiti products, and bought a NanoStation M2, but 
> haven't installed it yet. With the Lighbeam, can any device connect to it? If 
> so, I know at least the SMA SB wifi can only connect to 2Ghz, and not 5Ghz. 
> I'll have to see if there is a 2Ghz option. This is why I cannot use the 
> Engenius equipment anymore, since their 202 replacement is 5Ghz only.
> Cheers,
> Dave
> 
> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 2:28 PM Luke Christy  > wrote:
> Adam,
> I would second Dave’s suggestion to use wireless bridges for this application 
> -if hardwired internet access is available elsewhere on the property and if 
> there is decent line of sight access between that point and where your 
> equipment lives. 
> 
> I have used a lot of Ubiquiti Litebeam point-to-point links for this sort of 
> thing and they are awesome. They have given me rock solid dependability once 
> they are set up and configured, they function just like a virtual ethernet 
> cable over the radio link, and you can even have a single access point 
> transmit to multiple stations. Range for the entry-level Litebeam M5 unit is 
> up to 10km and you can get a pre-configured pair of antenna dishes on Amazon 
> for less than $200. Two devices can be had for around $100 if you are willing 
> to configure them yourself with a laptop or the UISP app from Ubiquiti.   
> Worth checking out. Other versions are available with longer range and more 
> features but I have found the Litebeam M5 is very affordable and works well 
> for most shorter-range applications. 
> 
> 
> Luke Christy
> 
> Renewable energy consultant.
> 
> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™: 
> 
> Solar Gain Services, LLC
> PO Box 531
> Monte Vista, CO. 81144
> sgsrenewab...@gmail.com 
> 719.588.3044
> 
> 
>> On Mar 14, 2022, at 11:48 AM, AE Solar > > wrote:
>> 
>> Wrenchers,
>> We have a project on a large property, where the install site has no 
>> internet (there is internet much further away on the property, and on a 
>> different service) and cell reception is pretty bad. We attempted to use SMA 
>> Cell Modem Kits (sunny boy inverters), but couldn't get a good enough signal 
>> for them to work. The client was fine with having just a production meter 
>> with no internet based monitoring. Now there is the possibility of expanding 
>> the system quite a bit (also with Sunny Boy's), and I'd prefer to figure out 
>> a way to monitor everything from offsite. Has anyone had any success using a 
>> third party antenna with the SMA Cell Modem Kits? Or have thoughts on other 
>> methods for setting up monitoring where we could, at a minimum, see the 
>> combined output of all the inverters? Thanks for any thoughts.
>> Adam
>> 
>> Adam Katzman (he/him)
>> Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator
>> www.AutonomousEnergies.com 
>> (518) 567-1468
>> 
>> 
>> ___
>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
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>> 
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Dan Fink]

I concur with Luke Christy below - I have had great success with Ubiquiti
wireless bridges. If the line of sight is not completely clear, their 2 and
5gHz dishes can be problematic, but their 900mHz flat panels will work
through a moderate amount of vegetation. I'm using that one to write this
email right now in fact, have not had to touch or reboot anything in 4
years. Note that they are *not* wifi extenders, you need another wifi
router on the other end connected to the far side of the bridge.

Dan Fink
Owner, Buckville Energy Consulting LLC
IREC Certified Instructor for PV and Small Wind Installation
NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector
NABCEP PV Associate
d anbo...@gmail.com
970-672-4342

On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 12:39 PM Dave Tedeyan 
wrote:

> Luke,
> I wanted to try out Ubiquiti products, and bought a NanoStation M2, but
> haven't installed it yet. With the Lighbeam, can any device connect to it?
> If so, I know at least the SMA SB wifi can only connect to 2Ghz, and not
> 5Ghz. I'll have to see if there is a 2Ghz option. This is why I cannot use
> the Engenius equipment anymore, since their 202 replacement is 5Ghz only.
> Cheers,
> Dave
>
> On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 2:28 PM Luke Christy 
> wrote:
>
>> Adam,
>> I would second Dave’s suggestion to use wireless bridges for this
>> application -if hardwired internet access is available elsewhere on the
>> property and if there is decent line of sight access between that point and
>> where your equipment lives.
>>
>> I have used a lot of Ubiquiti Litebeam point-to-point links for this sort
>> of thing and they are awesome. They have given me rock solid dependability
>> once they are set up and configured, they function just like a virtual
>> ethernet cable over the radio link, and you can even have a single access
>> point transmit to multiple stations. Range for the entry-level Litebeam M5
>> unit is up to 10km and you can get a pre-configured pair of antenna dishes
>> on Amazon for less than $200. Two devices can be had for around $100 if you
>> are willing to configure them yourself with a laptop or the UISP app from
>> Ubiquiti.   Worth checking out. Other versions are available with longer
>> range and more features but I have found the Litebeam M5 is very affordable
>> and works well for most shorter-range applications.
>>
>>
>> Luke Christy
>>
>> Renewable energy consultant.
>>
>> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™:
>>
>> Solar Gain Services, LLC
>> PO Box 531
>> Monte Vista, CO. 81144
>> sgsrenewab...@gmail.com 
>> 719.588.3044
>>
>>
>
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Dave Tedeyan]

Luke,
I wanted to try out Ubiquiti products, and bought a NanoStation M2, but
haven't installed it yet. With the Lighbeam, can any device connect to it?
If so, I know at least the SMA SB wifi can only connect to 2Ghz, and not
5Ghz. I'll have to see if there is a 2Ghz option. This is why I cannot use
the Engenius equipment anymore, since their 202 replacement is 5Ghz only.
Cheers,
Dave

On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 2:28 PM Luke Christy 
wrote:

> Adam,
> I would second Dave’s suggestion to use wireless bridges for this
> application -if hardwired internet access is available elsewhere on the
> property and if there is decent line of sight access between that point and
> where your equipment lives.
>
> I have used a lot of Ubiquiti Litebeam point-to-point links for this sort
> of thing and they are awesome. They have given me rock solid dependability
> once they are set up and configured, they function just like a virtual
> ethernet cable over the radio link, and you can even have a single access
> point transmit to multiple stations. Range for the entry-level Litebeam M5
> unit is up to 10km and you can get a pre-configured pair of antenna dishes
> on Amazon for less than $200. Two devices can be had for around $100 if you
> are willing to configure them yourself with a laptop or the UISP app from
> Ubiquiti.   Worth checking out. Other versions are available with longer
> range and more features but I have found the Litebeam M5 is very affordable
> and works well for most shorter-range applications.
>
>
> Luke Christy
>
> Renewable energy consultant.
>
> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™:
>
> Solar Gain Services, LLC
> PO Box 531
> Monte Vista, CO. 81144
> sgsrenewab...@gmail.com 
> 719.588.3044
>
>
> On Mar 14, 2022, at 11:48 AM, AE Solar 
> wrote:
>
> Wrenchers,
> We have a project on a large property, where the install site has no
> internet (there is internet much further away on the property, and on a
> different service) and cell reception is pretty bad. We attempted to use
> SMA Cell Modem Kits (sunny boy inverters), but couldn't get a good enough
> signal for them to work. The client was fine with having just a production
> meter with no internet based monitoring. Now there is the possibility of
> expanding the system quite a bit (also with Sunny Boy's), and I'd prefer to
> figure out a way to monitor everything from offsite. Has anyone had
> any success using a third party antenna with the SMA Cell Modem Kits? Or
> have thoughts on other methods for setting up monitoring where we could, at
> a minimum, see the combined output of all the inverters? Thanks for any
> thoughts.
> Adam
>
> Adam Katzman (he/him)
> Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator
> www.AutonomousEnergies.com 
> (518) 567-1468
>
>
> ___
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
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> other:
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> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
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> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
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> Change listserver email address & settings:
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-- 
[image: Logo] 
Dave Tedeyan, P.E.
Owner | Sungineer Solar
p: he | him | his
a: 1653 Slaterville Rd. | Ithaca, NY 14850
w: www.sungineersolar.com 
c: (607) 288-2898
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Che

Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Luke Christy]

Adam,
I would second Dave’s suggestion to use wireless bridges for this application 
-if hardwired internet access is available elsewhere on the property and if 
there is decent line of sight access between that point and where your 
equipment lives. 

I have used a lot of Ubiquiti Litebeam point-to-point links for this sort of 
thing and they are awesome. They have given me rock solid dependability once 
they are set up and configured, they function just like a virtual ethernet 
cable over the radio link, and you can even have a single access point transmit 
to multiple stations. Range for the entry-level Litebeam M5 unit is up to 10km 
and you can get a pre-configured pair of antenna dishes on Amazon for less than 
$200. Two devices can be had for around $100 if you are willing to configure 
them yourself with a laptop or the UISP app from Ubiquiti.   Worth checking 
out. Other versions are available with longer range and more features but I 
have found the Litebeam M5 is very affordable and works well for most 
shorter-range applications. 


Luke Christy

Renewable energy consultant.

NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™: 

Solar Gain Services, LLC
PO Box 531
Monte Vista, CO. 81144
sgsrenewab...@gmail.com 
719.588.3044


> On Mar 14, 2022, at 11:48 AM, AE Solar  wrote:
> 
> Wrenchers,
> We have a project on a large property, where the install site has no internet 
> (there is internet much further away on the property, and on a different 
> service) and cell reception is pretty bad. We attempted to use SMA Cell Modem 
> Kits (sunny boy inverters), but couldn't get a good enough signal for them to 
> work. The client was fine with having just a production meter with no 
> internet based monitoring. Now there is the possibility of expanding the 
> system quite a bit (also with Sunny Boy's), and I'd prefer to figure out a 
> way to monitor everything from offsite. Has anyone had any success using a 
> third party antenna with the SMA Cell Modem Kits? Or have thoughts on other 
> methods for setting up monitoring where we could, at a minimum, see the 
> combined output of all the inverters? Thanks for any thoughts.
> Adam
> 
> Adam Katzman (he/him)
> Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator
> www.AutonomousEnergies.com 
> (518) 567-1468
> 
> 
> ___
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
> 
> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
> 
> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
> 
> Change listserver email address & settings:
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[Dave Tedeyan]

Hi Adam,
I have had good luck in the past setting up a wireless bridge. You will
need an outlet at the array to power the radio there, but these things can
work over long distances as long as there is line of sight. In the past, I
have used the Engenius ENH202. They often would even make the wifi signal
strong enough that the SMA inverter internal wifi could pick it up without
a second radio at the array (and sometimes with the radio mounted inside
the house). Unfortunately this product no longer exists. I have used some
of the TP-link CPE210, but they are not nearly as strong as the Engenius
one, and always need to get mounted outside.

I would also be curious to hear what models others have tried.
Cheers,
Dave

On Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 1:48 PM AE Solar 
wrote:

> Wrenchers,
> We have a project on a large property, where the install site has no
> internet (there is internet much further away on the property, and on a
> different service) and cell reception is pretty bad. We attempted to use
> SMA Cell Modem Kits (sunny boy inverters), but couldn't get a good enough
> signal for them to work. The client was fine with having just a production
> meter with no internet based monitoring. Now there is the possibility of
> expanding the system quite a bit (also with Sunny Boy's), and I'd prefer to
> figure out a way to monitor everything from offsite. Has anyone had
> any success using a third party antenna with the SMA Cell Modem Kits? Or
> have thoughts on other methods for setting up monitoring where we could, at
> a minimum, see the combined output of all the inverters? Thanks for any
> thoughts.
> Adam
>
> Adam Katzman (he/him)
> Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator
> www.AutonomousEnergies.com 
> (518) 567-1468
>
>
> ___
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
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> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
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-- 
[image: Logo] 
Dave Tedeyan, P.E.
Owner | Sungineer Solar
p: he | him | his
a: 1653 Slaterville Rd. | Ithaca, NY 14850
w: www.sungineersolar.com 
c: (607) 288-2898
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[RE-wrenches] Monitoring on Remote Sites

[AE Solar]

Wrenchers,
We have a project on a large property, where the install site has no
internet (there is internet much further away on the property, and on a
different service) and cell reception is pretty bad. We attempted to use
SMA Cell Modem Kits (sunny boy inverters), but couldn't get a good enough
signal for them to work. The client was fine with having just a production
meter with no internet based monitoring. Now there is the possibility of
expanding the system quite a bit (also with Sunny Boy's), and I'd prefer to
figure out a way to monitor everything from offsite. Has anyone had
any success using a third party antenna with the SMA Cell Modem Kits? Or
have thoughts on other methods for setting up monitoring where we could, at
a minimum, see the combined output of all the inverters? Thanks for any
thoughts.
Adam

Adam Katzman (he/him)
Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator
www.AutonomousEnergies.com 
(518) 567-1468
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