Monitoring and control software for the Outback and Classic

[mtdoc]

Hi Matrix and mtdoc:

'Tis a busy season for sure, but I was a little disappointed not to hear back from either of you on trying out the monitoring of a MidNite Classic with OutBack components.  Since neither of you have asked for an ACKcess activation, I worry that perhaps there is a program problem that I wasn't hearing about....?  Or perhaps you are both just busy.   (Me too!)

Sorry Andrew. I had some family issues arise and that along with the holidays has kept me out of the lab.  I'll have some free time later this week and early next week so I should get to it then.  I'll post here if I'm having any issues..

Thanks for checking!

[intellact]

Okay, so it's now March...

WattPlot ACKcess has taken great leaps forward in the last few months, but still no word (and therefore no progress) on that MidNite Solar Classic testing...

[dbcollen]

I will test it for you, I have a classic 250 on a 620w array on my battery back up in the new house. I really enjoyed wattplot as a system monitor on the house we sold. Send me a private message and I will give you my new email.

Thanks,
Dustin Collen

[dapsyra]

I am willing to test for you.  I have 4.5KW array and Classic 150.

[intellact]

One important component that may not have been emphasized enough in this thread... Testers should really have an OutBack MATE3 or AXS Port at this stage of the game. I'm trying to test that combination right now. I hope to have a straight Midnite Solar version soon.

[bee88man]

Is it too soon still for the "Mate3s"?

[intellact]

Is it too soon still for the "Mate3s"?

It depends what you mean by that question! Are you asking about OutBack's network connectivity challenges or WattPlot compatibility?

WattPlot can talk to the MATE3S, but there are still a few issues that I am tracking down in Version 5. For example, Modbus can pull the model name directly from the device, but other (earlier) parts of the program were asking the user to select from a menu that had "MATE3" but not "MATE3S", so things didn't match up nicely.

For the purposes of this test, it is WattPlot version 6, so the MATE3S has been designed in from the beginning - no problem.

[intellact]

I have run up against a very tricky technical challenge.  Any and all help would be appreciated...

Challenge #1 - My VB.Net code, which maintains very robust connections to OutBack's MATE3 and AXS Port device via Modbus/TCP, is unable to connect to a MidNiteSolar Classic at all.

Challenge #2 - A reminder that I don't have a MidNite Solar Classic, so I am not actually in front of the device I'm trying to talk to or able to easily experiment with code.  Everything runs through my volunteer field tester.

Here are the technical details:

User is able to access Classic via local status panel and Grahams classic status 4 plus.

My code is VB.Net and seems to be dying at the socket Connect method (but is not generating an error message !? - I know, I'm double-checking this):

Code: [Select]

        Try
            ModbusSocket = New Socket(ResolvedIpAddress.AddressFamily, SocketType.Stream, ProtocolType.Tcp)
            With ModbusSocket
                .Connect(New IPEndPoint(ResolvedIpAddress, 502)) ' << appears to fail here
                .SetSocketOption(SocketOptionLevel.Socket, SocketOptionName.SendTimeout, 500)
                .SetSocketOption(SocketOptionLevel.Socket, SocketOptionName.ReceiveTimeout, 500)
                .SetSocketOption(SocketOptionLevel.Socket, SocketOptionName.NoDelay, 1)
                .SetSocketOption(SocketOptionLevel.Socket, SocketOptionName.DontLinger, 0)
            End With
       Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message)
        End Try

Any thoughts?  Special settings to be enabled on the Classic?  Tricks to try?

Thanks in advance (and a free software activation to the person that solves the issue!  )

[intellact]

Problem solved!  I expect to have full MidNite Solar Classic compatibility within the week. 

[dbcollen]

Thanks in advance (and a free software activation to the person that solves the issue!  )

Is that Me? 

[mtdoc]

Okay, so it's now March...

WattPlot ACKcess has taken great leaps forward in the last few months, but still no word (and therefore no progress) on that MidNite Solar Classic testing...

Sorry Andrew. I did try to get it working back in January but had no luck.  I spent about half a day trying to sort out possible network and/or AXS port issues on my end then gave up.

Because my current set up using my Mate 2 with Wattplot 5 works so well I went back to that and have not taken the time to revisit the issue - even though it means no integration with my Midnite classic monitoring.

Good news that you are making progress and eventually I will get back to it.  Priorities, priorities... If my current set up wasn't "good enough" already I might move it to the top of the list..

I appreciate your efforts and your great products 

[krementz]

Any updates? Definitely interested in control software for my Midnite Classics.