Solar Power World

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The Sunny WebBox aids in the remote monitoring and maintenance of large solar power plants.

A manufacturer of monitoring devices has developed one capable of wireless operation via Bluetooth. In addition to continuously gathering PV array data, SMA’s Sunny WebBox lets solar system owners install or house the device in a variety of configurations.

The WebBox wirelessly receives, stores, and transmits data from up to 50 solar inverters to a portal the company also manufactures. Users can access this information remotely from any web-enabled PC in the world. The Sunny Portal can also be configured to send email or text message alerts to the system owner if a power deviation is detected by the WebBox. For more detailed performance analysis, users can add the manufacturer’s SensorBox to collect irradiance data at the PV array. With the optional GSM modem, data can even be transmitted to the portal from remote locations.

The versatile WebBox with Bluetooth can withstand ambient temperatures of -4 F to more than 149 F, and can be mounted on DIN rail, wall-mounted indoors, or used as a tabletop device. Configuration is now even easier with the Sunny WebBox Assistant quick reference guide. Its maximum communication range is 164 ft (unobstructed), which can be easily extended via the optional SMA Bluetooth Repeater if necessary.

“Accurate, timely system monitoring is a critical component of any solar power array,” says Jurgen Krehnke, president and general manager of SMA America. “Because the Sunny WebBox provides system data 24 hours a day, PV owners can react quickly to performance changes, thereby maintaining maximum energy yields for the greatest return on investment.”

The WebBox offers internal memory of 12.5 MB and an SD card slot for an additional 128 MB to 2 GB of external memory. Sunny WebBox with Bluetooth software is available in 10 languages: German, English, French, Greek, Italian, Korean, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish and Czech.

SMA America www.sma.de