The new EcoSolar monitor provides a visual representation of the solar water heating system and provides extensive data logging using graphs and an energy balance. This allows you to determine the system performance and also provides an effective tool for commissioning systems.
The monitor and logging is provided free of charge to both our own customers and customers of other solar system suppliers and installers.
What equipment is required?
The system requires an EcoSolar Controller and Bootloader to be installed.
How does the system work?
The solar controller monitors the sensors installed in the solar system, the customer can install sensors from an extensive range of sensors. These include temperature, solar radiation, flow meters and electrical monitors. The bootloader is connected to the solar controller and the bootloader is then connected to the customer's router on a fixed IP address. The EcoSolar website and server polls the customer's bootloader, requesting the data from the customer's bootloader which is automatically uploaded to the customers installation page thereby providing realtime data. The customer provides to EcoSolar details of the points they wish to monitor.
What information can we obtain from the Monitor?
The base level of solar system will normally have the following monitored and data logged;
- temperature in the top of the cylinder
- temperature in the bottom of the cylinder
- solar collector temperature
- pump operation
The above values are shown graphically on the data logging graphs
The next level of monitoring will also include;
- Solar water circuit flow rate using a flow meter
- flow temperature,
The monitoring of the above points will enable the heat provided by the solar system to be quantified. The monitor will then display an instantaneous kW value and will log how much heat the system has recovered since the counter was reset.
If the solar radiation is also measured and logged, the above instanataneous heat recovered value can be graphed against the solar radiation to provide a system efficiency.
The next level of data logging will provide an energy balance of the hot water system.
- The cold water flow rate in to the cylinder is measured. If the heat provided needs to be accurate, this flow meter needs to be of a type tht provides 1 pulse per litre of water or less. The flow meters that provide 1 pulse per 100 litres of water do not allow the amount of water to be referenced against the temperature rise such as required in an energy balance
- Hot water outlet temperature - possibly using the top cylinder temperature
- Cold water inlet temperature
- Backup heating energy input - a sensor is wired in to the electricity supply to monitor when the electric element is switched on
Is the system secure?
Yes, Only the EcoSolar server polls the customer's data logger, EcoSolar cannot access anything except for the information held on the bootloader.
Can I select the people that I want to be able to see the information from my system?
Yes, the customer is able to choose from three level's of security for thier installation page, which includes the monitor and data logging, these being;
- Private Installation - only the customer can see the information.
- Selected access - the customer allows a select group of people to access the information.
- Public - the customer allows free access the the information
Users are provided with a user name and password which they must use to gain access.
Can people change the settings on my system?
No, the monitoring system only allows monitoring, however, the bootloader does allow remote access which is a person is given the corrrect access codes will allow customers to acces thier bootloader and change settings remotely, however, we do not allow this facility through our website.
: