Android App for SMA Bluetooth Inverters

[wstevew]

I have been working in my spare time on an android app and thought I would share a screenshot.

It provides a live view via Bluetooth connection, it works fine on my 4000TL and should work on all Bluetooth enabled SMA Inverters. It can also retrieve historic data from the inverter for the previous 90 days, as that's all the inverter holds.

I don't have a name for the app yet though.

 

[poheZ]

nice! What does it do that the sma android app doesnt?

 

[wstevew]

Its remains connected to the inverter and the screen you see above updates in real time (similar to a sunny beam).

 

[SolarCity]

Nice work!

 

[poheZ]

ok, one reason the sunny beam is geared up for a snap shot is to save battery life. I dont have a smart phone but would your app drain the battery like any other app?

Also what is useful is being able to link weather reports to days and showing comparisons on the same screen (or is this askig too much!)

 

[wstevew]

ok, one reason the sunny beam is geared up for a snap shot is to save battery life. I dont have a smart phone but would your app drain the battery like any other app?

Yes of course, it uses the processor and Bluetooth radio so will use battery like any other application. (I have left It running for a few hours on battery and no major usage, main power user is usually the display and cellular radio).

Its update is real time whilst connected to and inverter, but the graph is 5 minute average from the inverter like the sunny beam and sunny explorer, if you connect ad-hoc then it requests the current day from the last time it has stored. Nothing is lost of you are unable to connect for up to 90 days as a facility exists to request a date from and to from the inverter. (the inverter holds 90 days).

Below the graph are real time instantaneous values.

A more permanent solution would be a tablet connected to a PSU (or mini solar panel).

Also what is useful is being able to link weather reports to days and showing comparisons on the same screen (or is this askig too much!)

Its possible to do as there are various weather web services, but keeping the database compact is important too, maybe a future feature to get a general weather condition stored in a database against the date. (saying this im sure most can easily spot when the clouds are there on the graph!).

This evening I have been coding the ability to export to pvoutput.org and its working, I just have to tidy it up now as it was a bit too fast as their server only allows posting of one batch per second, I just have to allow setting of the API key.

pvoutput.org do add the general weather conditions against uploaded data.

At the moment I am putting the efforts into providing a stable multi threaded app, which means you can browse the graph's etc whilst at the same time it is downloading data from the inverter.

 

[pwboston]

I personally would use this and wondered why there wasnt such an app already.

If you need a beta tester give me a shout.

 

[finchy]

Well done, I did wonder why SMA haven't developed one !! I'll be interest if you make it into a iPhone/pad app --

 

[Del Boy]

Great job! I wanted to do something similar but haven't got the same skills you have!

Have you made it compatible for Android Tablets?

+1 for a beta tester, phone and/or tablet.

 

[wstevew]

Thanks for the comments.

I believe the reason there is not more like this is that SMA have not documented the Bluetooth protocol. This had to be worked out by researching on the web, some help from another forum member "stuart99" (Thanks). and a few other techniques involving trial and error.


It should work on any android device that supports Bluetooth and is 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) or above, I have tested it on Galaxy S2 running 2.3.5 and now 4.0.3. All Display code is device independent (the same code produces both the landscape and portrait views) so should scale up to larger tablet displays ok.

 

[wstevew]

To those that are interested I have published the App tonight on Google Play, Its Called "Sunny Solar Log". If you download and need anything then give me a shout on here or via the support email for the app.

 

[yellowvanman]

Just tried finding it and can't!

 

[wstevew]

Just tried finding it and can't!

http://market.android.com/details?id=com.felixthepuddytat.SMASolarLog

What device do you have and what version of android?

 

[yellowvanman]

HTC Desire 2.2.2 - looks like this isn't supported!

 

[finchy]

How about iPhone ??

 

[wstevew]

HTC Desire 2.2.2 - looks like this isn't supported!

Yes currently requires 2.3.3 or above. If I get the time and can get it working with the 2.2 api I will let you know.

Here's a link, how to upgrade the firmware. 2.3.3 on my old samsung gave much better battery life.

Download And Install Official Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread On HTC Desire [How-To Tutorial] | Redmond Pie

 

[wstevew]

How about iPhone ??

Hmmm. I do have an iPhone and iPad2 so I wont say never but not highly likely at the moment.

I am not sure its even possible with iOS, it has dire support for Bluetooth mainly audio only. Just try and do anything other than connect to your car or wireless headphones and it seems impossible.

Also, so far to do this project I have been working on it in my spare time over 3 months, brought a laptop to write it, paid for a google play developer account and now ordered an android tablet.

Im not sure what the develper costs are for iOS and the possibility of developing it and then apple say well no you cant publish it because we dont like it or verify it works as we dont have an inverter is not that appealing.

I think there will be further developments on the android one first.

 

[esentinel]

Hi for the iPhone the problem is Apple..... They don't use a standard bluetooth connection but an apple modified version. You have to pay and signate a ton of paper.........
Just develop this solution for our platform eSense but not possible to integrate without legal problems.
have a look at the app just search on google play for eSense.

 

[wstevew]

Added new function today to Import CSV Files from Sunny explorer.

With this function if you have files older than the inverters 90 day capacity then you can import the history if you have previously exported the data using Sunny Explorer.

 

[wstevew]

1.04 released tonight, It is now possible to put multiple SMA csv files into a folder on the device and import the whole lot in one go.