New communication manager is now active

[Martin Diphoorn]

When you download the last trunk then the new communication manager will be used!

The new communication is the new way to define the communication between your device configured and the real device.
So the paths off the advanced parameters will no longer be used. You will need to define them in the communication manager.

To make things easy, i have created an import button which will try to create an new communication for each device and link it.

To do this manually or if something is wrong this are the steps to follow.

1. Create or check if the communications are defined okay
2. Test the communication with the device by running the test in the communication device ( this can take 5 minutes before the test returns results)
3. Check if in the dropdown / selectionbox of the device the right communication is selected

When done and saved you need to wait at least 15 minutes. If you don't want to wait, then restart wsl.sh or restart your device.

This first item will also contains the frequent asked questions if it is needend.

Why is my smartmeter monitoring no longer working or other PHP script called by websolarlog?
Check if the uri also contains the path to PHP. (uri example: /usr/bin/php /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/utils/wslP1.php )

What should be my settings for weather monitoring?
For weather monitoring you need an device and an communication. The communication uri should be: http://openweathermap.org/data/2.5/find?units=metrics&cnt=1&mode=json
Also check if your "General" settings contains valid coordinates.

Can i delete created Communications?
In the latest trunk this is possible, just check the box before remove and press save.

[Willem Stolk]

And where can I use it for?

[Martin Diphoorn]

Updated the main post, hope it makes things more clear

[Arko de Leeuw]

Hi Martin,

I've created a new serial port but I'm getting failures when testing the device. 

Port: /dev/ttyUSB0

No results just the message "failure". In the errorlog "Invalid first line" is recorded.

When executing the script P1.py  /dev/ttyUSB0 using ssh the results are correct.

Can you give me a hint in how to fill in the fields when creating a new Communication device?

Regards,

Arko

[Martin Diphoorn]

Hi Arko,

i have added my settings as an example of how i have defined my smartmeter.

the uri is not fully visible, but it is:
uri=/usr/bin/php /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/utils/wslP1.php

You also need to set the communication on your device settings.
I have experienced that you get the same message if you did not do that.
Added screenshot off that page also.

Hope that helps.

Martin

[Bart Baars]

I noticed Websolarlog stopped logging a couple of days ago..

When testing using the new communicationsmanager, I get the following error:

SMAspot V2.0.6a
Yet another tool to read power production of SMA solar inverters
(c) 2012-2013, SBF (http://code.google.com/p/sma-spot)

Commandline Args: -i
Invalid argument: -i
Use -? for help

Please help!

[Bart Baars]

Solved! Probably the latest trunk update solved it :)

[André M.]

I think my WSL is the most beautiful one using the last trunk :(

The comm managar doesn't show buttons on the right and left so I can't edit or see them.

In the Diehl device I can choose the comm I created but no go.

Errorlog shows no live data as does the dashboard.

I's to bad that almost every update gives me new headages :(

This is about the hosted dutchandre WSL, I can't do anything else then update to a lower version like the old stable.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ac65b59xxzenvj4/Screenshot%202014-01-28%2014.46.44.png

[Marco]

I see a button, but its very narrow ;)

Click on the gray bar below active a give this communication item an name.

[André M.]

That doesn't change anything, I only have one more (not working) comm to choose in the inverter setup.

The dashboard tells that it doesn't find the Diehl and the graphs section is empty.

I tried this on a simpel xp laptop and it shows the same so it's not a browser problem.

The comm part doesn't work for some reason and the created comms don't show up on the comms page.

[André M.]

After some troubleshooting Marco got my WSL online again, I still don't know how an update from one to another trunk can go this wrong.

In the mean time I found out how to get the Weather work again, this also needs the comm manager.

Now I'm busy with a smart meter using an usb/serial device called CP2104 (IR read/write head).

My Rpi can identify this device but now I need some info how to communicate with it.

The standard smart meter has almost the same protocol as my 'dumb' meter with IR readout.

What I want is tell the device to communicate with 300bd, 8n1 (let the dumb meter identify itself) and then read it out with 4800bd.

Is the smart meter script so smart that it can get this info from my meter itself or do I need to change things somewhere?

[Marco]

Here a little bit the same story as the Delta Solivia and Diehl with serial connection.

Martin coded the script because we didn't want to talk to the smartmeter with Python.

The script is very straight forward and open-source, so you could "clone" the script and change what you want.

Look at /path/to/websolarlog/utils/SmartMeterAgent.php on lines 75-79 where you could change the parameters of the serial connection;

         $this->serial->confBaudRate(9600);

        $this->serial->confParity("even");

        $this->serial->confCharacterLength(7);

        $this->serial->confStopBits(1);

        $this->serial->confFlowControl("none");

Then you could configure a communication item that uses you script to talk to your smartmeter.

[André M.]

I have changed some values in this php and also in the wslP1.php because it is called when testing the comm.

There is no response in the test and WSL restarts for some reason when I run the test (on the prompt I see "not running, starting").

When I readout my meter using Hyper Terminal on a XP pc the next data is sent to the IR-head:

"/?!" (300bd) and then the meter responds with "/AMP45227-0614" where the 4 shows the max comm speed (4800bd).

"000" (4800bd) lets the meter show the data in this format:

0.00.6.0(F8F20000)
0.00.6.1(22197710)
2.18.1(000000.00)
2.18.2(006027.42)
2.18.0(006027.42)
3.28.1(000000.00)
3.28.2(000000.00)
3.28.0(000000.00)! %

As far as I know the smart meter has the same output and it can add some lines for a gas meter.

Maybe my CP2104 device doen't work like expected, the Rpi lists it and dmesg shows it is connected to USB1 (I changed this in the .php).

[Marco]

Looks like the "telegram" is not compatible with DSMR2+ 

The current SmartMeter converter uses the following codes:

case "1-0:1.8.1": //tariff 1 1224kWh low usage 1.8.1

                                   $live->lowUsage = Util::telegramStringLineToInterUsage($data,"kWh");

                                   break;

                         case "1-0:1.8.2": //tariff 2 822kWh high usage 1.8.2

                                   $live->highUsage = Util::telegramStringLineToInterUsage($data,"kWh");

                                  break;

                         case "1-0:2.8.1": //tariff 1 233kWh low return 2.8.1

                                   $live->lowReturn = Util::telegramStringLineToInterUsage($data,"kWh");

                                  break;

                         case "1-0:2.8.2": //tariff 2 571kWh high return 2.8.2

                                  $live->highReturn = Util::telegramStringLineToInterUsage($data,"kWh");

                                 break;

                         case "0-0:96.14.0":

                                    $live->currentTariff = Util::telegramStringLineToInterUsage($data,"");

                                 break;

                         case "1-0:1.7.0": // Current usage

                                     $live->liveUsage = Util::telegramStringLineToInterUsage($data,"kW");

                                   break;

                         case "1-0:2.7.0": // Current return

                                    $live->liveReturn = Util::telegramStringLineToInterUsage($data,"kW");

                                  break;

So we need a different converter thats understand the telegram of your meter and can convert it in data that WSL could use.

[André M.]

Ok, so that's probably why WSL doesn't eat my data.

At least my telegram looks more simpel then the smart meter's.

[Marco]

What's the exact brand/model/type of this meter?

As soon as Martin told me how to add new devices in WSL, i will add this device :)

[André M.]

That would be great!

It is an Ampy 5227F-E

Here is a short manual telling nothing about protocols and here where it has moved.

http://www.metsys.hu/villamosenergia/files/5227%20User%20manual%20ver%201_HUN.pdf tells some more but you have to translate it.

The numbers in this pdf are clear to me and it could be a brother of my meter because the pic is different.

Mine has a blue button top right to toggle the display line.

The pic shows how hyperterminal shows the data and the comms.

Probably it reads all data with 300bd, 4800bd is the max speed for the Ampy.

[Marco]

Could you sent me or post a complete plain-text telegram of the device?

You know my email address ;)

[Umberto Favari]

Hi,

I just installed last trunk version (1788) and I have a problem with comunication configuration for my aurora inverter.

Can you post an example of standard configuration of comunicator for aurora?

I have a ftdi rs485/usb converter on ttyUSB0.

I set:

Name: RS485-FTDI

usi: 

port: /dev/ttyUSB0

optional: -M3 -Y3 -l

But test show failed

If I run aurora manually it seem it is ok: 

root@cubieboard2:/var/www/utils# aurora -a 2 -Y3 -M3 -l3 -c -d 0 -e  /dev/ttyUSB0

 457.411377     8.258057  3777.329102   457.350708     8.632507  3948.083252   232.209198    10.479702  7592.999023    49.997002    98.286011    35.453064    40.581635       13.100       13.100        0.000      209.500     1037.100     9966.000     9966.000    OK

[Marco]

Hi Umberto,

Here is the config of my Communication item Admin::Communication::comm.PowerOne4.2;

======================================================================================

======================================================================================

======================================================================================

The is de config of my Admin::Device::PowerOne4.2

======================================================================================

Let us know if this is working for you.

[Umberto Favari]

I copied your configuration and it works well!

Thanks for your work!

[chris archer]

Hi Marco,
I have a similar problem with my Aurora inverters.
I have just installed a fresh copy on a new SD card of the 1.1 stable release anc copied the wsl.sdb over from my old installation.
I have created a Comms object as shown in your post to Umberto, but WSL can't get the data from the inverters.
From command line I get :

pi@raspberrypi ~/aurora-1.8.7 $ aurora -a 2 -Y15 -l5 -M15 -d 0 /dev/ttyUSB0

Input 1 Voltage             =    268.930481 V
Input 1 Current             =      1.708678 A
Input 1 Power               =    459.515503 W

Input 2 Voltage             =    280.880768 V
Input 2 Current             =      1.415439 A
Input 2 Power               =    397.569672 W

Grid Voltage Reading        =    241.605148 V
Grid Current Reading        =      3.466649 A
Grid Power Reading          =    831.823486 W
Frequency Reading           =     50.033020 Hz.

DC/AC Conversion Efficiency =          97.1 %
Inverter Temperature        =     35.680340 C
Booster Temperature         =     34.371197 C

What have I done wrong?  I copied the config style in your post.  I originally had the /de/ttyUSB0 on the "port:" line.

Thanks
Chris

[Marco]

You say; Inverters(!)

So you have 2 or more PowerOne inverters?

If so, have you added the RS485 address number of the inverters to each inverter device?

Go to; Admin::Devices::"your inverter(s)"::RS485/IP:: >> set the right address of the inverter

Do this for each inverter!

If i'm right, the first in the bus is  number 2, the second one is number 3, etc.

in my item::uri i have: "/home/pi/aurora-1.8.3/aurora -l5 -M5 /dev/ttyUSB0"

So your config of the Comm. item looks ok.

[chris archer]

Hi Marco,

Thanks for the reply.  Yes there are 2.  One is address 2 and the other is address 6 on the RS485 network.

I have the address numbers set in the Device configs.

Could the problem be related to importing the wsl.sdb from the old setup?  I was not expecting the config to import - just all the data, but all my old config came across as well.

The address of the pi is :

sunbeams.no-ip.biz

Thanks

Chris

[Willem Stolk]

are the access rights correct on the folders and database? And try updating to the stable version again, i'm missing the info ;

version:  (build )

[chris archer]

Hi Willem,

Thanks for the reply.  I did an update to v1.1 and it seems to be showing the correct version number now.  I did the chmod 777 on the WSL folder again after the update, but still no data from aurora?

I re-checked and at the command line aurora is still working fine.

Thanks

Chris

[Willem Stolk]

WSL is started? Nothing strange in the diagnostic page and in the log file?

Does a test do something in the communication page?

[chris archer]

The comms test on the comms manager reports a failure.  Diagnostics look all OK and WSL is running.  I have pasted the Diagnostics below.

Thanks
Chris

WSL running state:

PID file:exists
WSL running state:running
Currenttime:19-09-2014 12:53:50 
last change:19-09-2014 12:53:21 

WebSolarLog is running.
Please run the following command on the prompt of your Linux system to start WebSolarLog:
If you want to stop WebSolarLog run:
sudo /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/./wsl.sh stop
If you want to restart(stop/start) WebSolarLog run:
sudo /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/./wsl.sh restart
If you want to know the running state of WebSolarLog:
sudo /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/./wsl.sh status

DB :

Let take a look at your Database;
DSN:
We use the following DSN to talk to the DB, please check if this looks good to you; sqlite:/usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/database/wsl.sdb

No tests available for this DB engine... coming soon... 

Check the database

Logging:

If you experience any problems with WebSolarLog, please check the WebSolarLog logfiles.

Below you find the logfile locations;
wsl:
/usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/log/wsl.log
http://sunbeams.no-ip.biz/log/wsl.log

Time settings:

WSL needs correct date/time and timezone settings:

UCT timezone:
date and time: 2014-09-19 11:53:51

Your system:
Timezone: UTC
date and time: 2014-09-19 11:53:51

offset between UTC and UTC:
0 hour(s)

Check functions/extensions:

Here we check if necessary functions and extensions are loaded and working.

Check if extensions are loaded:
- extension "curl": Loaded 
This looks good.

---

- extension "sqlite3": Loaded 
This looks good.

---

- extension "json": Loaded 
This looks good.

---

- extension "calendar": Loaded 
This looks good.

---

- extension "mcrypt": Loaded 
This looks good.

---

- function "mcrypt_module_open": Exists 
This looks good.

---

Encrypting test passed
This looks good. 

SQLite3:
We need atleast version 3.7.11.
You are on version:3.7.13
This is good. 

PHP:
We need atleast version 5.3.10
You are on version:5.4.4-14+deb7u14
This is good.

language:

Your browser supports the following languages:

• - en-GB
• - en-US
• - en

WebSolarLog tries to set:
locale: en_GB.UTF-8
domain: default
WebSolarLog session language set to:
session language: en_GB

[Willem Stolk]

ok. Is the path allright to the aurora program?

i saw in the screenshot that you used /home/aurora-1.8.7/aurora *. in WSL.

is that correct? did you extract the files to that path or is it /home/pi/aurora-1.8.7/aurora * ? (or another username)

[chris archer]

Hi Willem,

Thanks - that's it ! I'm and idiot!  Very sorry - typo/copy paste error - the path was wrong.  All going fine now with the addition of "pi/"  

Thanks

Chris

[paul.c...@telenet.be]

I installed WSL on Raspberry Pi.

everything went well, but after finishing the installation I couldn't find /usr/shar/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/./wsl.sh.status or ..../wsl.sh.status.

Anyone an idea what I did wrong?

[JanPedaal]

Hi Oosterlo,

Not sure if you made a typo but the correct path would be /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/

The "status" is typed as an option behind the script name "wsl.sh", so there's a space in between. Command line input should look like this:

To start WSL: sudo /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/./wsl.sh start

To stop WSL: sudo /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/./wsl.sh stop

To query the status: sudo /usr/share/nginx/www/websolarlog/scripts/./wsl.sh status