This article shows you how to monitor third party devices on the Tigo monitoring platform. These include Inverters, Revenue Grade Meters, Weather Stations and pyranometers, among others.  Any device that supports the Modbus protocol may be monitored.

These devices will be physically connected to a Tigo data-logger device which include the Maximizer Management Unit (MMU), Cloud Connect (CC), or Cloud Connect Advanced (CCA) data loggers..

NOTE: You need to be physically at the CCA in order to us the SMART phone App to complete the setup sequence that follows to be able to connect the SMART phone application to the Cloud Connect Advanced.

There are two types of Modbus communication that Tigo supports:

1. Modbus TCP: which uses Ethernet and the local area network with the TCP/IP (internet) protocol.
2. Modbus RTU:  Using RS-485 communication protocol with a RS-485 cable.

There are three steps to configure and monitor a Modbus device on the Tigo website Portal.

Monitor an Inverter using Modbus TCP

• Many inverters support Modbus TCP using Ethernet cabling.  The procedure shown here is similar for all of them.
• The inverter and the CCA must be connected to the same IP address sub-network (LAN) that the CCA is using. If not, a router with packet forwarding between subnets is required.

Gather the Modbus information for the inverter to be monitored:

1. Read the inverter’s IP address from the inverter front panel. Do the same for all inverters to be monitored. 
2. Connect to each inverter with your browser
3. Log in using the username and password established when installing the inverter

Example Login web page for SMA Sunny Boy inverter:

Example SMA Inverter Status page displayed after logging on to the inverter:

Click on the text “Device Parameters”, then “Modbus”:

Make a note of the Unit ID and Port. See screenshot below values for these, circled in red. In this example Unit ID is 3, and Port is 502.

• When there is more than one inverter, each inverter must have a unique Unit ID (see screen shot, below).

Enable the TCP server:

The Inverter's TCP server must be activated, which it is not by default.

•  Note: In the screenshot below, the lower red circle around the Port value goes right through the word "Yes" which is indicating the Activated status of the Inverter's TCP Server.

Phone Application

Edit System

From the home page, tap ‘Settings’, then tap 'Edit System'.

Configure Equipment to enable inverter monitoring

Tap text ‘Select Equipment’, then tap ‘Details’.

• Tap ‘Edit’
• Tap ‘Monitoring’ to place the slider control to the ‘on’ position which is indicate by it turning green with the circle to the right, as shown below.
• If the "Monitoring" slider does not appear, it means that support for this device has not yet been added.  Gather the device modbus details (see below) and contact Tigo support.
• Tap ‘Save’ 

Configure Modbus Parameters

For this step, you will connect to the CCA via Bluetooth or Wifi, so you need to be physically at the CCA, on-site in other words.

• Return to Settings page
• Tap ‘Configure Communication’ (see screen shot, below left)
• Choose Bluetooth or Wifi method to have phone communicate with CCA.
• From the list of available Tap on the CCA to configure.
• Tap on ‘Next’

• Tap ‘Inverters Configuration’ (see below, left)
• Tap on 'Protocol' ‘modbus_tcp’
• Tap on 'Modbus Address', enter the value from the inverter setup screen.
  • For SMA this is shown as the Unit ID in the Settings screen.
• Tap on 'Host IP' (which is the Inverter IP). Enter the IP value
• Tap on 'Port', enter the TCP Port number of the inverter.
• Tap ‘Save’

Run the Monitoring Test

• Return to Settings page.
• Tap on “Select Equipment”, to go to the Inverters page
• Tap on “Test”
  • “Success” indicates the connection is complete.
  • Failure indicates some issue with above communication values, Inverter TCP Server not enabled, or a cabling problem. It may help to power down the inverter and the CCA, then power up Inverter followed a minute by the CCA - then run this Test again.
    • A computer could be added to this subnet, and used to PING the Inverter's IP to ensure it is configured and communicating.

Add Inverter to Layout

• Return to Settings home page
• Tap ‘Configure Layout’
• Tap on Layout to place Meter icon. It is used to display the monitored value of the device, Power for an inverter.

Example 2
Monitor Inverter using Modbus RTU (RS-485)

Many inverters support Modbus RTU protocol to read the power it is producing.

Modbus RTU stands for “Remote Terminal Unit”. RS-485 is a serial data transfer protocol.

The procedure shown here is similar for many of them.

Start by collecting the Modbus information for the inverter you are using.

Edit System

• From the home page, tap ‘Settings’
• Then tap ‘Edit System’

Set up Equipment

• Go to ‘Select Equipment’
• Tap ‘Details’

Set Up Inverter

• Tap ‘Edit’
• Tap ‘Monitoring’ slider to ‘on’ position
• If the "Monitoring" slider does not appear, it means that support for this device has not yet been added.  Gather the device modbus details (see below) and contact Tigo support.
• Tap ‘Save’

Setup Modbus Parameters

For this step, you will connect to the CCA via Bluetooth or Wifi, so you need to be physically near the CCA.

• Return to ‘Edit System’ home page
• Tap ‘Configure Communication’
• Choose Bluetooth or Wifi
• Tap on your CCA
• Tap on ‘Next’

• Tap ‘Inverters Configuration’
• Select Protocol = ‘modbus’
• Select Serial port from CCA (see above), etc
• Tap ‘Save’

Run the Monitoring Test

• Return to ‘Edit System’ home page
• Through “Select Equipment”, return to the inverter page
• Tap on “Test”
• “Success” indicates the connection is complete

Add Inverter to Layout

• Return to ‘Edit System’ home page
• Tap ‘Configure Layout’
• You should see the “Place:” indicator

 

Add Inverter to Layout

• Tap anywhere on the Layout to place the meter for this inverter

Example 3: Set up Meter and Sensor Monitoring

From the home page, tap ‘Settings’, then tap 'Edit System'.

Set up Equipment

• Go to ‘Select Equipment’
• Tap ‘+’

Select Equipment - RS-485 Modbus Devices

• Select “Meters and Sensors”
• Enter the information for your device
• Select Done
• Note: You can change the device information here at any time

Setup Modbus Parameters

For this step, you will connect to the CCA via Bluetooth or Wifi, so you need to be physically near the CCA.

• Return to ‘Edit System’ home page
• Tap ‘Configure Communication’
• Choose Bluetooth or Wifi
• Tap on your CCA
• Tap on ‘Next’

 

• Tap ‘Meters Configuration’
• Tap ‘Setup’

 

Setup Modbus Parameters

• Select CCA Serial port (see above)
• Enter Modbus information
• Tap ‘Save’

Add Device to Layout

• Return to ‘Edit System’ home page
• Tap ‘Configure Layout’
• Tap on Layout to place Meters