RS232 Cmmunicatin Between a Sunny By 2500U and a PC Technical Nte Revisin 1.5 July 8, 2003 Kent Sheldn Revisin Histry 1.5 July 8, 2003 Kent Sheldn Cntact update 20830 Red Dg Rad Grass Valley, CA 95945 530.273.4895
Table f Cntents Table f Cntents...2 Overview...3 Safety Warning...3 Applicatin...3 Necessary Accessry Equipment...3 SMA Cmmunicatin Prgram Cmpatibility...3 Data Acquisitin...4 Cabling Requirements...4 Hardware Installatin and Cnfiguratin...4 Inverter Preparatin...4 Resistr Remval...4 Installing the RS232 Cmmunicatin Bard in SB2500U...4 Jumper Cnfiguratin...5 Install the Cmmunicatin Wire Harness...7 Sunny Data Prgram...8 Install the Sunny Data Prgram...8 Run the Sunny Data prgram...8 Cnfigure the Cmmunicatin Prt...9 Detecting Inverters...9 Cnfigure PV Plant Display...11 Clsing the Sunny Data Prgram...13 Sunny Data Sftware Manual and Updates...14
Overview This technical nte details hw t set up cmmunicatin between a persnal cmputer and a Sunny By 2500U phtvltaic inverter. This dcument des nt attempt t describe cmmunicatin sftware r functinal peratin f cmmunicatin devices external t the SB2500U inverter. Safety Warning The Sunny By 2500U inverter perates with ptentially lethal vltage and current frm multiple pwer surces. Only qualified persnnel shuld attempt t wrk n the inverter. The Sunny By 2500U inverter must be islated and lcked-ut frm all AC and DC pwer surces prir t installing the hardware necessary fr R232 cmmunicatin. Allw five minutes fr internal capacitrs t discharge befre remving the cver t the Sunny By 2500U and beginning wrk n the inverter. Applicatin Cmmunicatin between a SB2500U inverter and a PC may be accmplished using an RS232 direct wire cnnectin. The RS232 prtcl limits cmmunicatin between a PC and nly ne inverter. The maximum wire run distance is 15 meters. Necessary Accessry Equipment The fllwing accessry equipment is required: - RS232 cmmunicatin bard - RS232 wire harness - Persnal cmputer with Windws 95 r later perating system - Sunny Data sftware prgram - Zip file decmpressin sftware (WinZip r equivalent) - German English dictinary (ptinal, a small prtin f the Sunny Data sftware text is still in German) These devices (excluding the PC) are available frm SMA-America. The wire harness is available in 5, 10 r 15 meters. Call 530-273-4895 fr infrmatin. SMA Cmmunicatin Prgram Cmpatibility The sftware prgram Sunny Data is required t cmmunicate directly t SMA Sunny By inverters. It is available, free f charge n the SMA web page: www.sma.de. Be sure t use the Sunny Data prgram and nt the Sunny Data Cntrl. Sunny Data Cntrl is designed t wrk with the Sunny By Cntrl family f remte interface devices. It will nt wrk directly with the Sunny By inverters. The Sunny Data prgram requires: - IBM -cmpatible cmputer with a minimum 486-33MHz prcessr - Micrsft Windws 95, 98, 2000, r NT - 128MB f RAM, 480x680 VGA mnitr - At least 4MB f hard disk space plus excess strage capacity fr data recrding, if desired. - A minimum f 4MB f RAM - One free cmmunicatin prt (COM1 COM4) Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 3 f 14
- Zip file decmpressin prgram (WinZip r equivelant) installed n the PC The Sunny Data sftware prgram is prperty f SMA Regelsysteme GmbH. SMA des nt warrant the peratin f this sftware nr des it make any prmises fr future prgram develpments r imprvements. The cmpany SMA in n case assumes any kind f liability fr damages, including and withut restrictin fr direct r indirect damages due t damages f hardware in use, persnal damages, prfits lst, interruptins f wrk, data lsses, r any kind f financial lsses resulting frm the use r failure f use f this sftware. Check the SMA website peridically fr current updates. Data Acquisitin The SB2500U inverter des nt have the ability t stre histrical data. The Sunny Data cmmunicatin prgram incrprates the ability t stre real-time inverter data n the lcal PC. A cmma delimited, ASCII text data file is created daily and stred n the PC hard drive. The Sunny Data prgram will lcate the date file in a sub-directry f the prgram file, typically: c:\prgram Files\SMA\Sunny Data\Plant##\Data\########.SOU The file name is a 6 digit date cde fllwed by a 2-digit index. It may be imprted and pstprcessed by a prgram such as Micrsft Excel r Access. This data is stred in a user-defined time interval. It is nt averaged ver the time interval. It is a snapsht f the inverter at the time the data is stred. Cabling Requirements If yu chse t cnstruct yur wn cable, we recmmend using the fllwing wire type: - #24 AWG, stranded cpper cnductrs - Tw twisted-pair (fur wires) with verall shield (fil r braid), with drain wire - Lw capacitance, less than 20pF - Outer insulatin suitable fr the specific applicatin (utdr, wire tray, UV resistant, wet weather, etc.) - The cnnectr fr the PC COM1 is typically a DB9-Female, sme cmputers may require a DB25-Female. The inverter side is pen wire fr cnnectin t a screw type terminal strip n the inverter cntrl bard within the enclsure (shwn in the fllwing diagrams). Hardware Installatin and Cnfiguratin The fllwing hardware changes must be made fr RS232 cmmunicatin t a SB2500U inverter: Inverter Preparatin Discnnect the inverter frm AC and DC pwer surces. Wait 5 minutes befre remving the cver t let the internal capacitrs discharge. Resistr Remval Remve the cver f the Sunny By 2500U inverter. There are tw resistrs (light-blue r tan clr) in the lwer left regin f the small cntrl bard in the center f the inverter enclsure (these are shwn in the diagram at the end f this sectin). They are part f the pwerline cmmunicatin circuitry which must be disabled fr RS232 cmmunicatin. These need t be remved. We recmmend carefully cutting ne side f each resistr and bending them up frm the bard. This will simply recnnectin if pwerline cmmunicatin is desired in the future. Installing the RS232 Cmmunicatin Bard in SB2500U T the left f the resistrs are tw, tw-rw headers (shwn in the diagram in the next sectin). Install the RS232 piggy-back nt these headers. The lng scket n the RS232 bard mates with the upper set f header pins n the inverter cntrl bard. The lwer header rw will have an extra set f pins t the right side that d nt cnnect with the RS232 bard. Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 4 f 14
RS 232 Piggyback Bard Jumper Cnfiguratin Belw the pwerline cupling resistrs n the inverter cntrl bard are three dual rws f jumper pins. Remve all jumpers frm these pins. We recmmend leaving any existing jumpers hanging frm just ne pin n each rw fr future use. The fllwing picture shws the interir f the SB2500 inverter. Nte the lcatin f the RS232 piggy-back bard, the blue resistrs and the terminal blck fr cnnecting the cmmunicatin harness. Pwerline Resistrs Jumpers SB2500U Cntrl Bard Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 5 f 14
RS 232 Installed in SB2500U Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 6 f 14
Install the Cmmunicatin Wire Harness Install the cmmunicatin wire harness t the green terminal blck n the lwer left sectin f the inverter cntrl bard as shwn belw. The fllwing diagram shws the cmmunicatin harness wire cnfiguratin and cnnectin t the inverter: Sunny By Main Cntrl Bard RS232 Piggyback Cmmunicatin Bard 232PB-G3 Light Blue r Tan Resistrs Remved (Cut and Lift) S4 12345678910 Open Pins Nt Used Jumper Pins Nt Munted Cnnect Shield t Inverter Chassis 5 GND 3 TXD 2 RXD DB9-Female t PC Cmmunicatin Prt 7 GND DB25-Female t PC Cmmunicatin Prt 3 RXD 2 TXD Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 7 f 14
Sunny Data Prgram The fllwing steps will walk yu thrugh cnfiguring the PC t cmmunicate with a Sunny By inverter. This prcedure is nt intended t cver the cmplete peratin f the Sunny Data prgram. It is nly prvided t assist in initial cmmunicatin between the Sunny By 2500U and a PC. Fr detailed infrmatin n the functin f the Sunny Data sftware prgram, please refer t the Sunny Data Operatin Manual. Install the Sunny Data Prgram - Install the Sunny Data, V1.70 prgram n the PC. The installatin wizard will guide yu thrugh installatin prcess. The riginal prgram supplied by SMA is Zip cmpressed. Yu must have a Zip decmpressin prgram installed n the PC prir t installing Sunny Data. - Verify the cmmunicatin cable is cnnected between the PC and Sunny By inverter (refer t diagram frm previus sectin). - Verify the cmmunicatin prt is active n the PC. This is typically fund by: Right clicking n the My Cmputer icn n the Desktp Select Prperties Left click the Hardware tab Left click Device Manager Left click the + symbl t the left f Prts (Cm & LPT) Right click n Cmmunicatins Prt (COM1). If there is a red X ver the plug icn, the device is disabled. Right clicking n the device may prvide the ptin t enable the prt. If the ptin is nt available, the prt may be disabled in the system BIOS. This will require rebting the cmputer and entering the BIOS t enable the COM1 prt. Cnsult the PC manual fr changing BIOS settings. Select Prperties In the Device Status windw will state whether the device is wrking prperly Run the Sunny Data prgram. - It may be fund in the Start menu, Prgrams, Sunny Data, Sunny Data V1.70. Running the prgram fr the first time will result in a blank prgram windw with a rw f pull dwn menus. Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 8 f 14
Cnfigure the Cmmunicatin Prt - Select the Optins pull-dwn menu and then Serial Prt - Select COM1, RS232 and set the Baud Rate t 1200. Sme cmputers may be cnfigured t use a different cmmunicatin prt. - Click OK Detecting Inverters - Select the Optins pull-dwn menu and then Device Detect / Cnfigure - The fllwing windw will appear after tw secnds: Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 9 f 14
- Click Aut Install and the fllwing warning message will appear: Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 10 f 14
- Click OK. A blue scrlling timer will appear. After a secnd the windw shuld shw 1 device as fund. After the timer has finished scrlling, the device serial number will shw in the Detected Device windw and the fllwing windw will appear: - Click OK - Click Dne If the prgram times ut withut detecting the SB2500 inverter, verify the cmmunicatin prt is cnfigured prperly in sftware. Als verify the cmmunicatin wire harness is cnfigured and cnnected prperly. Cnfigure PV Plant Display - Frm the pull-dwn menu Display, select Scheme PV Plant - The fllwing screen will appear. This artwrk may be changed by selecting New Backgrund frm the Display pull-dwn menu. Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 11 f 14
- Right click in the display windw and select Insert New Display. The fllwing windw will appear: Device WR25U02E-1 is the Sunny By 2500U inverter. Select the channels yu want t display frm the Channel menu. Select multiple channels by clicking them with the shift r ctrl keys held dwn. When finished click OK. These channels will appear in the display screen. Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 12 f 14
Arrange the channels by dragging them where desired r right click the display screen and select Arrange All At Grid, r Arrange All Displays Autmatically. The Sunny Data prgram is nw cmmunicating with the Sunny By 2500U inverter in real time. Each parameter will update every 5 secnds. Fr infrmatin n cnfiguring the Sunny Data prgram t stre real-time data values t the cmputer hard drive, refer t the Sunny Data Operatins manual. Clsing the Sunny Data Prgram - Frm the File pull-dwn menu select Exit. The fllwing message will appear since changes have been made t the PV Plant display: - Select Yes t save the desktp cnfiguratin. The next time the prgram is started, it will autmatically begin cmmunicating with the inverter cnfigured in this example. Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 13 f 14
Sunny Data Sftware Manual and Updates Please refer t the Sunny Data Operatins manual fr further infrmatin n the functins and peratin f the Sunny Data prgram. Current versins f this manual may be dwnladed frm the SMA website: www.sma-america.cm /dcumentatin. Revisin 1.5 Cpyright 2002 Page 14 f 14