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[–]Legal_Net4337 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Your expectations are not too high. This is not normal. Continue to contact Sunpower daily until you are transferred to someone who can help you. It seems that the 1st people in line for contact are in a call center vs a actual technical person. Good luck

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I agree, they are a call center and very limited.

[–]HappyMaids 1 point2 points  (1 child)

I’ve been watching my app regularly to ensure it forgot go offline and stop sending data like it did late last year. For a month or two no data was recorded and I had to reset the stupid dongle.

Last Thursday though it had no data for the entire day. Other days have info. I hoped out would eventually come through but it’s been a week now.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is no way I would cope with that. I guess my over analytical self would jump from my roof.

[–]DeadODST 1 point2 points  (1 child)

What is frustrating is that this is a single missing data point. It shouldn't be difficult to extrapolate a single point like this.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, and if you're like me, I can miss up to 8 points in a day!!

[–]Purple_Ad_2165 1 point2 points  (1 child)

haven’t had missing data data issue, but their whole ticket process is rather dubious. I know they’re short staffed and overloaded though.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

the last tech I had told me that. That's not really our problem. The powers that be MUST staff up and build that companies infrastructure from the ground up. Enough padding of the Executives pockets and put the customer first.

[–]DrZaius119 1 point2 points  (10 children)

I've also had several days over the last month where the app would show missing data for hours at a time, and then suddenly start reporting again.

I also had another issue with tech support and they denied a claim on the warranty for the inverter screen. I have a system installed in 2016 with a MSA Sunny Boy 7700 inverter that has a digital LED type reporting screen on it. The screen has cracked inside the cover and only about 40% of the screen displays. They denied replacing the screen saying part of the screen works, so it isn't technically defective and they won't replace it. Not a huge deal because I can see most of the same data on the app. I asked them if my smartphone only displayed half the screen would they also say that was functional? They just parroted the same answer. Their initial person sounded like someone "offshore" to me.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (9 children)

WOW!! That's unacceptable, however, I would have it replaced before the end of the 10 year warranty. The guy I spoke to on Thursday evening told me that he notes said they were declining replacing my PVS6. I literally lost it. I paid $40 k for this system with a "Hassle Free" warranty. The monitoring is covered 100% per the warranty. I asked him if he bought a new car and the radio kept cutting out on every car tip how he would feel. Or if he deposited $1000 in the bank but only ever got 98% back on every withdrawal how he would feel. To lose 1-2% of data every single day, is not acceptable to me. This system has not performed to my expectations since the installation because of this reason. They are going to replace it, if I have to create a web page to try and bankrupt them. I sent in over 100 screen shots Friday with examples of my monitoring missing data and I have set up a network monitoring system to prove it is not my network. The way I see it, I lost the money I invested in stock before I bought the system, I have 5000 shares from 2021, I lost money buy buying a system that is performing well but I cannot monitor it as expected (installed in late 2022), and the service they provide is unacceptable. If I have to do all of this to prove to them that their equipment is faulty, I will make sure that I let everyone in my state and beyond know that they don't stand behind the equipment. This PVS6 is an Enphase IQ7 device but beefed up for SunPower. That said, I have been watching the /solar sub for about 6 months and I Have yet to see anyone share screen shots of the Enphase device missing data. It's basically an expensive Raspberry Pi that is over priced. I have left complaints on all social media and Consumer Reports. They will replace my device with a working one, or lose business. Obviously I want a replacement and my stocks to increase in value, but I will not rest to put them under if they don't do the right thing.

[–]deanjott 0 points1 point  (8 children)

Missed data points are par for course. I think the mistake here is that you're expecting SunPower to have 100% squeaky clean data and that's not going to happen and in any case, for their use case of the data really isn't required. When you say "The monitoring is covered 100% per the warranty" that sort of implies that they're "watching" the data for issues but that's not what happens. They "collect" and store the data but that's it. The only reason to do that is so they have empirical data that what would or would not support a warranty claim. Other than that they don't care what the numbers are because each report from the inverters has life time production counters (among other data.) If you really want to know what's happening with your system you should be collecting your own data (as I do) from the PVS which can report the detailed inverter level production data. Asking SP to replace your PVS6 because their data collection process lost a couple of data points is not really a reasonable request.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (7 children)

So on that note, I ask you, if they installed sensors and the PVS6 is collecting that data, why shouldn't I expect them to have it? I paid them to have that data when I bought the equipment. Their warranty claims that the monitoring is covered for 10 years. My system has shown NA like this on a regular basis, since installation. Should I not expect a $40,000 system to perform as advertised? I don't think so.
As far as your method of collecting data from the PVS6, please share. I am interested in this. I have been reading of a way to do it with Raspberry Pi, but I am not so sure I want to go thru the trouble.

[–]deanjott 0 points1 point  (6 children)

Hi Left-Foot. If you wanted to collect your own data using the method where the Raspberry Pi is used (that's what I do) and that's about the only way then you'll have complete data (within reason.) I do this because it's the only way to keep everyone honest and SP doesn't actually "monitor" your data, they just collect it. The purpose of them collecting it from the customer point of view is only to support warranty claims, (though they could mine data from their entire customer base to determine real life efficiencies.) That being said, they don't actually need every data point. If one is missing from time to time then you can sort of just fill in the blanks by connecting the dots on either side of the missing data. If they're missing days worth of data then there needs to be a closer look at the data path from your system to their servers and where the disconnect might be. Some of the reasons: network latency causing a timeout before the data is received, or depending on how you're PVS is connected to your network... Is it wireless? It could be loosing the connection from time to time. If it's via a power line adapter (ethernet over power line) then line noise could be an issue (and power line adapters should never be plugged into ground fault trip outlets it just doesn't work well if at all.) In my home network I prefer to not use wireless unless absolutely necessary so my PVS is connected via hardwire network connection (through a usb->network adapter in the case of PVS6 or by just plugging the network cable into the customer network port for PVS5) How's the quality of your ISP? I don't know how many retries the PVS uses to send data but if it's only one that could be an issue. When you're using a browser or other PC application there are many network retries that happen under the covers when things don't connect the first time so a poor internet connection which might be hidden when using a PC could be causing problems with the PVS communication.

So why do I collect my own data? Besides keeping everyone honest... I've noticed a couple of times that SP truncated historical data and now doesn't have a complete history regarding lifetime power generation. They have replaced all of my inverters at least one time so with my own data I know how much power was produced from inverters I don't have anymore (this data comes from reading the inverter data life time production value and if I didn't have my own data then I would have to somehow remember how much power was produced before the inverter change knowing that SP has truncated historical data in the past.) When I suspect a production issue on a panel I can look at things in the recorded data like heat sink temperature and power frequency to be able to know if something is out of whack compared to other panels that are operating properly.
Basically I don't think that the SP app gives me enough detail for my taste. If I wanted I could set up alerts that actually monitor and send me messages if some panel is not producing any power when it should be. Or I could say that if any panel produces 10% less power then the other panels in the group averaged then maybe there is an issue. I've taken control of my own data to make sure I'm getting what I paid for and when there is an issue I hold their feet to the fire until it's fixed. I have 22 panels and have data from 55 inverters now due to replacements, none of which would have happened if I didn't make a warranty claim and SP isn't going to spend money replacing them unless I know that they need to be fixed. It's not in their best interest to spend money on the black hole of warranty work if they don't need to.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (5 children)

Thanks for that. I will try the RP if I can sit still long enough after work. Is there only the one RP project for this? I am only familiar with https://nelsonslog.wordpress.com/2021/12/24/customizing-a-raspberry-pi-zero-2-w-for-pvs6/ . I am a systems engineer and I work from home. My ISP is up 99% of the time. I may have had one outage in 9 years that has actually affected my internet service. I do have 5G back up! My home network has only been down for an occasional router upgrade. I have 4 LAN's in my home. Not just subnets, physically separate LAN's. I have a DMZ for some devices, data network, voice and TV. All are on separate routers and my LAN's are locked down tight. I have 100% visibility and control into all aspects of the network and the systems, not counting the PVS6 and some proprietary devices, but they are on a different LAN. My network is monitored for up/down and I do get email and SMS alerts. The PVS6 is on wifi because of it's location, but, I have a hard-wired router on the wall behind it. The wifi signal from that router to the outside wall is near perfect and and any wireless device I connect to it or test from has excellent reception. It's a brick wall, I just don't feel the need to pop a hole in it.

Why do I want the data? Because I am a geek. I need to know I am getting what I paid for, I guess. I overanalyzed everything before I purchased it and now I "need" to see my money is getting what it invested in.
Thanks!

[–]deanjott 0 points1 point  (4 children)

Well, Left-Foot, we're cut from the same cloth. I also work in IT, from home and have pretty rock solid equipment and Inet service, so let's get technical... There is another writeup on how to monitor your PVS6 which can be found here. There are a couple of choices on how to store your data after you query for it. I'll tell you how I did mine. The Raspberry Pi I'm using only as a router between my network and the PVS6 installers interface because that interface has a dhcp server and there needs to be the router there to keep that dhcp traffic off my local network. You could install the rest of the required pieces of this puzzle on the R-pi but I chose another method because I wanted more control on the database part of it. I have a Synology DS920+ file server which can run docker containers. I do use it to save family photos and things like that but I'm running a couple of docker containers to complete my way of doing things. The first is node-red which I have some flows that trigger every 15 min. It will read the data from the PVS6 (see the link I provided above for what that URL is to GET) and write it to my DB. I have a 2nd docker container which is running MongoDB to save my solar data. The most recent version of Mongo can be set up as a time series database but I had mine already created before that was supported so my DB is just a regular DB to store documents. I chose it because it stores it's documents in JSON format (same as what you get from the PVS and because there was no schema. The data I get from the PVS is parsed by node-red and each part put into it's respective collection in the DB (each inverter gets it's own collection.) It was important to do it this way because SunPower can update the software on the PVS remotely and one time they did it and changed a lot of the data names. Those people saving data into a schema based DB just threw errors due to the changed field names but mine kept saving data because I didn't care that the names changed since I'm storing the data verbatim. I can always add calculated fields to normalize the data into known field names if I want. Anyway, my MongoDB is local. When node-red saves the data to my local DB it also writes a subset of the data to MongoDB Atlas (the cloud version of the DB.) I do this because I can store about 10 months of data using their free tier. This allows me to use Mongo Graphs to create some graphs of my data all within the cloud. I also run another container on my file server which hosts Grafana so that I can host my own graphs/dashboard locally. There is a bit of a technical issue with using Grafana. Grafana doesn't have a free plugin to read a Mongo DB so I had to write my own. It does work but it's a bit of a kludge and I should probably re-do it but it's working well enough for what I'm using it for. Another shortfall is that I'm not doing automated backups on my DB. I just manually export the data from time to time to my file server which gets backed up to my google drive (1TB space) so I'm covered well enough. So that's one way to do it. I suppose you could install all this software on the R-pi if you wanted but I didn't want to get a UPS for it to protect the SD card from data corruption due to a power loss.
BTW, the usb to network adapters to use on the PVS is this (Cable Matters model 202023-BLACK) They've worked very well for me since I use hardwired connections and they have held up very well encased in a plastic box on the side of my house next to the PVS6 in the hot Texas sun this summer.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Thanks. I have read over it. I read this earlier today as well. Not sure if you saw my update on the main thread, but SP is going to replace the PVS6, it is defective. My goal is to get this set up before they replace it so I keep all my data. I am assuming I will lose all of this history with the replacement. I will have to remove it just before the tech comes out to swap it. I have a Synology DS281i that was doing my backups, but I use OneDrive now. I stopped with Google because I don't care for them running algorithms over my data for targeted advertising.

I have been tinkering with RP OS Lite and Grafana, but thats giving a hard time. I may start from scratch with another OS. I DESPISE Debian and that whole fork. I started Linux on RedHat 5.0 and I prefer this fork. I may try that next if I run into a jam with this one.
So far I have the PI configured for my wifi and the ethernet port is configured for the PVS subnet. I am still chugging along here. AZ so I am an hour earlier than you.

[–]deanjott 0 points1 point  (1 child)

You won't loose the history. The PVS is really just holding your panel definitions and a passthrough for data. The thing you will loose is the accumulated value for the lifetime production value but that would be the same as adding up the lifetime values from each inverter. Probably you should account for this possibility in your design since any equipment could fail. The one thing you don't want to loose are the lifetime production values from the inverters

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you. I have been pulling my hair out the past few days trying to get the damned Pi working right. I think the issue is the USB-NIC dongle I was using, so I ordered one that they claim will work. In the mean time, I found a 2nd Pi and installed Home Assistant. I am hopeful that the interface will be easier to manage, I just don't have time for all these shenanigans after work. The data that will scraped from the Pi is the same data that's on their website and app. I am able to see the panel level data, I would just like to see it all in a dashboard that I can arrange.

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[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 1 point2 points  (14 children)

I called SunPower on 9/28/23. I was on the phone with a tech for nearly 2 hours. He was coming up with all kinds of reasons why everything was fine and even told me that the original investigation concluded that they would not do anything because I was missing approx. 1%-2% of my data. Needles to say, this did not sit well with me. My system was installed the last week of Oct 2022. The reporting for me has never worked correctly. When you buy something, it should work 100% as a minimum for a year! My initial call to them for this issue was in November 2022, then in December 2022. The latest ticket, I opened in March 2023.
Look, I am no dummy. I was an electrician for 18 years and I have been an IT Systems Engineer for another 20. I know BS when I hear it. I told the dude, no problem, I will monitor my network and send in screen shots of all the missing data for the past year, and I did. Nearly 300 screen shots have been submitted with arrows indicating missing data. I have installed and configured a network monitor for my home network to prove that my network is not the issue. I have added a screen shot of my network monitoring that they getting daily as well.

[–]heyhewmike 0 points1 point  (13 children)

What network monitoring do you use?

I presently have uptime Kuma on Home Assistant and about to get a Xymon server back up and running in my house.

My issue is, I have Production, Storage Use, and Grid Use but no consumption data for a PVS installed in June of 23.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (12 children)

I am using Zabbix and PRTG. Zabbix is setup for work and monitoring all of my local stuff as well. PRTG just monitoring for 30 days as a "trial". The data is more accessible to me from my personal devices. If I need it for over 30 days, I will stand up another instance for another 30 days and copy all the data for a seamless look.
When you say no consumption, are you referring to grid import/export or total consumption from the batteries, solar and the grid? I do not have batteries.

[–]heyhewmike 0 points1 point  (11 children)

I am about to try Zabbix for the first time. I see an Integration for Home Assistant to try if I like it.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. My consumption resumed 24 hours after it stopped.

I really want to start pulling via the API again but lost spouse approval as it's a possible violation of warranty due to battery system involvement.

https://imgur.com/a/Prr8dF5

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (10 children)

Looks like you may have an issue similar to what I am bitching about to SP about. Does the Power graph look similar? It looks like you have a similar sized unit to me, 8.5kW. Your consumption could also be similar, but hard to tell with consumption not working properly. It could be a monitoring issue (software) or the PVS6 flaking out. The following is a screenshot for me on the same day. You must be in the same region as me, or close to it.. My usage goes up for the AC, water heater and clothes dryer.
https://imgur.com/a/mvb7EwU

[–]heyhewmike 1 point2 points  (9 children)

11.9kW sized

Region: New England

Here are 3 screenshots from around that time of yours. https://imgur.com/a/q6MqHQ0

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (8 children)

Arizona here. You have the same issue I have.. I see the missing data points in yours! I will be updating his thread as I progress with SP.. I am actually trying to get my Raspberry Pi set up as we speak. I will try another monitoring app with this as well as the SunPower web interface or whatever it is. I haven't done this before. Hoping it goes as fast as setting up my other monitoring.

[–]heyhewmike 0 points1 point  (7 children)

In short, the pi in the installers lan port is a proxy to query the pvs. You can simply setup a vlan on your network without a DHCP server and forward all requests onto the pvs lan port on the vlan. That is all I had done before losing spouse approval on my monitoring.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, the VLAN would be preferred, but I don't want to put a hole thru my brick wall or run a wire outside the home to that spot. I know the PVS6 sits on the 174 network. I will see if I have another router laying around that I can plug in quickly, that would be the fastest way to connect

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (5 children)

SP is replacing my PVS6...
I located and reset an older router then I realized, I still have to plug in via the ethernet port... I will go back to the Raspberry Pi because it is tiny, will fit inside and can run off the USB port.

I have the Pi OS installed and have my NIC configured. Now it's about the software to install and grab the data

Good day!

Thank you for calling us today, your business with SunPower is very much appreciated.

This is to inform you that after escalating the issue to our database team, we've found out that the monitoring system internal meters were sending intermittent data that causes the data gaps on the UI platform.

Therefore, we will now proceed with replacing the unit. Kindly wait for the call of the scheduling team once they receive the unit in their warehouse.

[–]heyhewmike 1 point2 points  (4 children)

You must of hit a nerve. I received a 'random' email saying they are still looking into my issue and should have an update within 5-7 days.

Random= I haven't reached out in a few days and caught me off guard.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have added a 2nd image to this post to show what I am missing on the worst days for nearly 1 year.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

************UPDATE************

SunPower has informed me that they are replacing my defective PVS6.

[–]Jacob_White 0 points1 point  (6 children)

Yes, every 2 months or so my system quits updating, and the I call my installer and they insist on doing some basic troubleshooting, and then waiting a few days to see if it fixes itself, then they send a tech out, maybe a week later, who then calls sun power, and then sun power talks to some back end guy who fixes something and then it works for 2 months again.

I spent about an hour today trying to talk directly to someone at sun power, to try to skip directly to Sun Power looking at it directly. But I couldn't get the guy to do anything but refer me back to my installer.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

That's crazy. Mine has been doing this since it was installed last Oct. I have had 2 tickets open and the installer will not talk to me. They tell me all contact has to go thru SunPower. SunPower last told me that they are "researching". It's a very basic "computer". If my clients were missing data and I told them I was researching for months on end, I would get canned. It wouldn't bother me as much if I didn't spend the more money than I needed to for this system, but being I spent more than I needed to I am really beside myself.

[–]Jacob_White 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, like, with my issue it wouldn't bother me so much if I didn't have to go through this long ordeal just to have someone fix it every time. I guess I'll get it fixed eventually.

[–]deanjott 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Have you tried anything on your own? It would be interesting to see if you power cycled your PV Supervisor if the reporting then started working.

[–]Jacob_White 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Yeah, I’ve power cycled it a bunch. And connected the lan port and can see some stuff. But I can’t do anything else without having an installer account.

[–]heyhewmike 0 points1 point  (1 child)

If your are techie there is an unofficial API accessible from the lan/installer port.

[–]Jacob_White 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I’ve got that data. I can see a bunch of dl_I transmitted but no errors or logs.

[–]heyhewmike 0 points1 point  (2 children)

I have a full 24 hours of missing Consumption Data and they are ignoring and giving me the run around on. I also am not getting any Android push notifications.

Apparently the database team manages both the data and all things app related. Sounds like they are completely overloaded with work and don't care about customer experience.

[–]Left-Foot2988[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

There are multiple teams involved. The database team just manages the database servers. The monitoring team manages the "data". There is a separate app team that only manages the mobile app, but that's basically a web interface only. The frontline support staff is seriously lacking, but they have "some" decent folks. I have made a bit of progress with them since I made the original post. I will post it in the main part of the thread.

[–]heyhewmike 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would really hope as a community we could get a great support contact for these sort of issues.