Home

ProcessPV

ProcessPV is a utility to enable data logging from Fronius inverters. These are typically used with Photo-Voltaic (PV) installations - in other words, solar panels.

Fronius offer data-logging facilities themselves, but they're a rather expensive add on. By default the inverters have no external data interfaces, but they do have space to add expansion cards, much like the expansion cards in a PC. Fronius offer a range of cards, including a general purpose RS-422 card (used to link multiple inverters together) and a relatively simple RS-232 card (to get data out of a single inverter).

This utility is intended for use with the RS-232 card. In addition to that you will need.

• Null modem cable
• USB <=> Serial converter (assuming your computer has no serial port)
• Linux computer (e.g. Sheevaplug, RaspberryPi)

Obviously you could use a much more powerful computer, but since it needs to be on all the time it makes sense to use something which uses as little power as possible.

The main analysis script is written in Ruby, and is tested to work with both Ruby 1.8 and Ruby 1.9.