Pvmet200userguide Updated
Pvmet200userguide Updated
User’s Guide
04/17/18
Rev. 8
Copyright © 2018 by RainWise, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced in any form except by
written permission of the publisher. All rights of translation are reserved.
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INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 5
UNPACKING THE SYSTEM................................................................................................. 5
INSTALLING THE WEATHER STATION ................................................................. 5
SITE REQUIREMENTS AND CONSIDERATIONS ................................................................... 5
INSTALLATION ................................................................................................................. 6
Weather Station ........................................................................................................... 6
Irradiance Sensors ...................................................................................................... 6
PV Temperature Sensors............................................................................................. 7
Anemometer ................................................................................................................ 7
WIRING ............................................................................................................................ 8
Connecting Plane-of-Array and Global Irradiance Sensors ...................................... 8
Connecting External PV Temperature Sensor ............................................................ 9
Connecting RS-485 ..................................................................................................... 9
Connecting the Power Supply ..................................................................................... 9
SUNSPEC AND MODBUS ............................................................................................ 11
REGISTER MAP .............................................................................................................. 11
CHANGING THE MODBUS DEVICE ADDRESS .................................................................. 12
CHANGING THE BAUD RATE .......................................................................................... 13
COMMAND MODE ....................................................................................................... 14
COMMAND SET .............................................................................................................. 14
Get Column Headers: HEADER ............................................................................... 14
Get Current Data: NOW ........................................................................................... 15
Auto Output: AUTO .................................................................................................. 15
Software Reboot: REBOOT ...................................................................................... 15
Version Information: VERSION ............................................................................... 15
Modbus Device Address: MBID ............................................................................... 16
Baud Rate: BAUD ..................................................................................................... 16
Serial Number: SERIAL ............................................................................................ 16
Command Mode: EXIT ............................................................................................. 17
Calculating the Checksum: ....................................................................................... 17
SOFTWARE/FIRMWARE UPDATES ........................................................................ 19
MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ................................................................... 20
RS-485 ....................................................................................................................... 20
Software .................................................................................................................... 20
Sensor Assembly: ...................................................................................................... 21
Enclosure: ................................................................................................................. 21
Pyranometer Sensor: ................................................................................................ 21
Ambient Air Temperature Sensor: ............................................................................ 21
PV Panel Temperature Sensors: ............................................................................... 21
Electronics: ............................................................................................................... 21
Physical: ................................................................................................................... 21
HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................... 22
Power Specifications: ............................................................................................... 22
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Operating Environment: ........................................................................................... 22
Pyranometer Sensors: ............................................................................................... 22
Ambient Air Temperature Sensor: ............................................................................ 22
PV Panel Temperature Sensors: ............................................................................... 22
Anemometer: ............................................................................................................. 22
RS-485 Serial Specifications: ................................................................................... 22
CONTACT INFORMATION ........................................................................................ 23
WARRANTY................................................................................................................... 23
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Introduction
The PVMET-200 weather station is a compact and economical solution for photovoltaic
installations. It measures ambient air temperature, PV panel temperature, wind speed and
direction, global irradiance, and is capable of measuring plane-of-array irradiance. The
PVMET-200 is SunSpec compliant and uses a 2-wire half duplex serial port for Modbus
communication to a host.
If any of the components are damaged or malfunctioning upon receipt, RainWise should
be contacted.
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times any obstruction’s height and should be placed away from any dark, heat-absorbing
surface.
When roof-mounting the sensor assembly, the unit should be mounted toward an edge of
the roof preferably on the prevailing wind side of the building and should be at least 2-1/2
feet above the roofline. Avoid locating the station near any heat sources such as chimneys
or vents.
Installation
Weather Station
Mount the support mast securely to a support structure. This may be done by using the
Mono-Mount, which is sold as an accessory to the PVMET-200. The mast may also be
attached to a support structure using U-Bolts. Do not tighten the support structure to the
PVMET-200 unit, as directional orientation will be required.
Rotate the assembled unit until the electronics enclosure faces TRUE SOUTH or TRUE
NORTH if you are in the northern or southern hemisphere, respectively. Secure the
support mast to the assembly. Rotation is prevented by lining up the two holes in each
mast. At this point, the entire unit should be secured to the support structure.
It is crucial that the device is oriented as precisely as possible. The wind direction
measurement is directly related to this positioning.
Irradiance Sensors
The PVMET-200 uses two pyranometers to measure global and plane-of-array irradiance.
The global pyranometer is directly attached to the sensor assembly and does not have to
be adjusted in any way. The plane-of-array pyranometer is supplied with 25ft of cable
and a solar panel mounting bracket. The plane-of-array pyranometer is user installed.
Both pyranometers are shipped with a protective cap on their lens. During installation,
the cap should be removed exposing the opaque white lens.
Global Irradiance
The pyranometer is attached to the sensor assembly and is oriented to measure global
irradiance. To accurately measure this quantity the sensor must be level, orientated either
TRUE SOUTH or TRUE NORTH if you are in the northern or southern hemisphere
respectively. Objects above 10° above the horizontal plane must not block the sensor. If
the station is to be installed in the tropics (within 23° latitude of the equator) it is
suggested that the A2020 global irradiance bracket is used to avoid potential shadowing.
Alternatively, the global irradiance sensor can be remotely mounted.
Refer to the “PVmet-200 Equatorial Solar Bracket Retrofit” instruction manual for
A2020 installation instructions.
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Plane-of-Array Irradiance
The plane-of array pyranometer is mounted on the side of the solar array. The sensor
should be at the same zenith and azimuth angle as the solar array to correctly measure the
plane-of-array irradiance.
PV Temperature Sensors
This sensor is designed to attach directly to any solar
panel. When placed on the center back side of the
panel, it accurately measures the temperature of the
panel.
After cleaning, peel off the protective adhesive tape on the temperature sensor and stick it
onto the back of the panel. Firmly press the sensor into place. Refer to the picture below.
The cable should be secured within 8 inches of the temperature-sensing element.
Anemometer
The anemometer is directly attached to the top of the sensor assembly. For correct wind
direction operation, the PVmet-200 must be oriented correctly.
By default, the PVmet-200 is configured for operation in the Northern hemisphere. This
only requires that the irradiance sensor faces due South. If the PVmet-200 is going to be
used in the Southern hemisphere it must be mounted with the irradiance sensor facing
North. In addition, the hemisphere jumper inside the PVmet-200 must be changed from
Northern to Southern as shown in the image be in the wiring section.
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Wiring
To enter the enclosure with a cable, the front cover must first be removed. Remove the
four Philips head screws from the back of the enclosure. Once the lid is removed, the
circuit board is exposed. The inside of the enclosure will appear as below.
Due to the Modbus register map, the Plane-of-Array and Global Irradiance sensors are
not interchangeable. The global irradiance sensor connects to “Pyranometer #1” and the
plane-of-array irradiance sensor connects to “Pyranometer #2”. Each is labeled on the
printed circuit board.
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Global Irradiance Sensor Terminals
Pyranometer #1: Positive Signal
Ground: Negative Signal
Shield: Cable Shield and Drain
PV Temperature Terminals
PV Temp #2: Signal
PV Temp #2: Signal
PV Temp #2 Shield: Cable Shield and Drain
Connecting RS-485
The PVMET-200 is supplied with a half-duplex RS-485 serial port. Wiring connections are
made using the 4-pin screw terminal inside of the PVMET-200 electronics enclosure. Cable
is not supplied with the unit. The RS-485 lines can be terminated with a 120-ohm resistor.
This can be enabled by moving the termination jumper, located inside the unit, to the “ON”
position. This requires removing the enclosure cover. To do this, remove the 4 screws on
the bottom side of the unit.
RS-485 Terminals
A (-) : Negative RS-485
B (+) : Positive RS-485
Gnd: Signal Ground
Shield: Cable Shield and Drain
RS-485 is rated to 4,000 feet (1,200 m) at 90 kbps. The RS-485 port on the PVMET-200 is
surge protected but not isolated.
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When replacing the cover, make sure that all installed cables are pinched by the black
foam on the bottom of the enclosure. This will enable a weather-tight seal.
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SunSpec and Modbus
The PVMET-200 follows the SunSpec standard. Refer to the official SunSpec
specifications for application information. The full register map is listed below. The
PVMET-200 has the following default communication settings:
Serial/ General
Baud Rate: 9600
Parity: None
Stop Bits: 1
RS-485
Interface Mode: 2-Wire Half Duplex
Modbus
Device ID: 60
Register Map
Scale
Start End # Name Type Units Factor Contents Description
0001 0002 2 C_SunSpec_ID uint32 N/A N/A "SunS" Well-known value. Uniquely
identifies this as a SunSpec
Modbus Map
0003 0003 1 C_SunSpec_DID uint16 N/A N/A 0x0001 Well-known value. Uniquely
identifies this as a SunSpec
Common Model block
0004 0004 1 C_SunSpec_Length uint16 registers N/A 65 Length of common model block
0005 0020 16 C-Manufacturer String(32) N/A N/A "Rainwise_Inc" Well-known value
0021 0036 16 C-Model String(32) N/A N/A "PVmet-200" Manuf specific value
0037 0044 8 C-Options String(16) N/A N/A "0" Manuf specific value
0045 0052 8 C-Version String(16) N/A N/A "1" Manuf specific value
0053 0068 16 C_Serial Number String(32) N/A N/A "Serial" Manuf specific value
0069 0069 1 C_DeviceAddress unint16 N/A N/A 60 Modbus Id
0070 0070 1 C_SunSpec_DID int16 N/A N/A 307 Start of next Device
0071 0071 1 C_SunSpec_Length int16 N/A N/A 11 Device Model Block Size
0072 0072 1 E_BaseMet_Air int16 °C -1 Measured Ambient Air Temperature
Temperature
0073 0073 1 E_BaseMet_Relative int16 % 0 N/A Relative Humidity
Humidity
0074 0074 1 E_BaseMet_Barometric int16 Hpa
_Pressure 0 N/A Barometric Pressure
0075 0075 1 E_BaseMet_Wind int16 m/s 0 Measured Wind Speed
_Speed
0076 0076 1 E_BaseMet_Wind int16 Degrees 0 Measured Wind Direction
_Direction
0077 0077 1 E_BaseMet_Rain int16 Inches 0 N/A Rainfall
0078 0078 1 E_BaseMet_Snow int16 Inches 0 N/A Snowfall since last poll
0079 0079 1 E_BaseMet_PPT_Type int16 Inches N/A N/A Precipitation Type (WMO 4680
SYNOP code reference)
0080 0080 1 E_BaseMet_Electric int16 V/m 0 N/A Electric Field
_Field
0081 0081 1 E_BaseMet_Surface int16 kOhms 0 N/A Surface Wetness
_Wetness
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0082 0082 1 E_BaseMet_Soil int16 % 0 N/A Soil Moisture
_Moisture
0094 0094 1 EndOfSunspecBlock uint16 N/A N/A 0xFFFF End of SunSpec Block
0095 0095 1 C_Sunspec_Length uint16 N/A 0 0 Terminate length, zero
0200 0200 1 Modbus Id - Write int16 N/A N/A 60 Modbus device address, write
Register register
0205 0205 1 Baud Rate uint16 N/A N/A 9600 Baud Rate, write register
The Modbus device can be changed using either the MBID command or directly through
Modbus. Refer to the Command Mode instructions to set the address using the command
mode.
Modbus register 200 contains the unsigned 16-bit address. Writing to this register will
update the device's Modbus address. The write request will be acknowledged but will
change immediately after the response has been issued. The valid address range is 1
through 255. Write requests outside this range will not update the address. The address is
stored in flash memory and will remain until it is changed again.
In order to use the Modbus method to change a device address, you must know the
current device address. If you do not know the address and cannot scan for it, you will
have to use the Command Mode. The command mode requires a PC but does not require
an address. It can only be used with a point-to-point RS-485 connection.
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Changing the Baud Rate
The baud rate can be set to either 9600 or 19200. Modbus register 205 contains the
unsigned 16-bit baud rate. Writing to this register will update the device's baud rate. If an
attempt is made to set the baud rate to anything other than 9600 or 19200 the device will
default to 9600. The device must be power cycled for the new baud rate to take effect.
The baud rate is stored in flash memory and will remain until it is changed again.
The baud rate can be changed using either the BAUD command or directly through
Modbus. Refer to the Command Mode instructions to set the baud rate using the
command mode.
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Command Mode
By default, the PVMET-200 will boot in Modbus mode and will not respond to the
commands listed here. To enter the command mode, issue three '+' characters one second
apart. The PVMET-200 will return a message indicating that it is in command mode. After
one minute of inactivity, it will exit command mode and return to the default Modbus
mode.
Commands must be terminated with a <CR> character. Responses begin and end with a
<CR><LF>.
If the command syntax or parameters are incorrect, the device will respond with
ERROR. If the command is accepted, the device will respond with OK. Commands may
not be chained together. Commands are not case sensitive.
Command Set
Values: None
Syntax: HEADER
Sample Response:
Key:
HDR : Identifier, HDR= Header, MSG= Message, REC= Data Record, MAX=
Maximums and MIN= Minimums.
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Get Current Data: NOW
Description: Returns the current values in a comma-delimited format. The order
of the data values corresponds to the output of the HEADER command. NO DATA
is returned if the unit has not received a transmission from the weather station.
Values: None
Syntax: NOW
Sample Response:
22.5,-40.0,-40.0,0, 0,180,29.3,!168
Values: None
Syntax: AUTO
Sample Response:
OK
Values: None
Syntax: REBOOT
Sample Response:
None
Values: None
Syntax: VERSION
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Sample Response:
60
OK
19200
OK
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Description: The serial number of the device can be viewed or changed using
this command. The serial number string is returned in the SunSpec Common block.
ABC123
OK
Values: None
Syntax: EXIT
Sample Response:
x16 + x12 + x5 + 1
The CRC calculation starts at the first ASCII character of the response. Leading carriage
return line feeds are not included. All characters are included in the calculation until but
not including the exclamation character. The checksum is represented as a hexadecimal
number.
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/* Global Variables */
unsigned short int acc;
/* ****************************************************************************
/* Initialize Accumulator
/* ****************************************************************************/
void
crc16Init(void)
{
acc= 0;
}
/* ****************************************************************************
/* Add byte
/* ****************************************************************************/
void
crc16Add( unsigned short int _data )
{
unsigned char n;
/* ****************************************************************************
/* Return CRC accumulator
/* ****************************************************************************/
unsigned short int crc16Acc(void)
{
unsigned short int tmp= acc, retval;
crc16Add(0);
crc16Add(0); // add two zeros to get a valid crc
retval= acc;
acc= tmp; //restore acc
return retval;
}
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Software/Firmware Updates
The software or firmware in the PVMET-200 can be updated or changed using the RS-485
port. Make sure you read the update instructions carefully and be sure you are installing
the correct software. As with all updates, there are risks associated with changing the
flash memory.
Updates are loaded using a Windows-based program called IAPflash. This program is
supplied with the “.enc” file along with instructions. Windows is required to perform
updates. No other operating systems are currently supported.
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Minimum System Requirements
The PVMET-200 is equipped with an RS-485 serial port.
RS-485
Baud rate: 9600 bps
Parity: None
Data bits: 8
Stop bits: 1
Flow Control: None
Interface mode: 2-Wire Half Duplex
Software
The PVMET-200 is designed to work with an RS-485 SunSpec compliant host. A terminal
emulator program is required to change settings.
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Material Specifications
Sensor Assembly:
RoHS Compliant
Mast: Polyvinyl Chloride
Heat Shields: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
Insolation Sensor Bracket: Delrin
Hardware: Stainless Steel and Nylon Locknut
Foam Gasket: Vinyl and Acrylic
Enclosure:
RoHS Compliant
IP65 Rated Outdoor Enclosures
UL 94 V-2
Body: Polycarbonate
Pyranometer Sensor:
RoHS Compliant
Body: Anodized Aluminum with Cast Acrylic Lens
Cable: Santoprene Jacket
Electronics:
RoHS Compliant
Physical:
Packaged Weight: 7 lbs
Packaged Dimensions: 6cm x 20.3cm x 20.3cm (10.25” x 8” x 8”)
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Hardware Specifications
Power Specifications:
Power Requirements: 10 to 30VDC at 50mA
Operating Environment:
Temperature: -40°C to 60°C (-40 to 140°F)
Humidity: 0-100% Condensing
Pyranometer Sensors:
Range: 0 to 1750 W/m2
Accuracy: +/-5%
Cosine Response 45° +/-1%
Cosine Response 75° +/-5%
Operational Temperature: -25 to 55°C (-13 to 131°F)
Anemometer:
Operational Temperature: -40 to 60°C (-40 to 140°F)
Speed
Range: 0 - 67 m/sec (150 mph)
Accuracy: Greater of 0.45m/sec. (1 mph) or 5%
Threshold: 0.89m/sec. (2 mph)
Direction
Range: 360°
Resolution: 22.5°
Accuracy: +/- 22.5°
Threshold: 0.9 m/sec. (2 mph) at a 10° deflection.
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Contact Information
RainWise Inc.
23 Creek Circle
Boothwyn, PA 19061 USA
Phone: (207)-288-5169
Warranty
RainWise, Inc. warrants RainWise, Inc. manufactured PVMET products against defects in
materials and/or workmanship for a period of two years from the date of purchase and
agrees to repair or replace any defective product without charge. Equipment supplied by
RainWise but not manufactured by RainWise is covered by the particular warranty of that
manufacturer.
IMPORTANT: This warranty does not cover damages resulting from accident, misuse or
abuse, lack of reasonable care, the fixing of any attachment not provided with the product
or damage due to a lightning strike or power surge. RainWise, Inc. will not reimburse for
take-down or installation charges. RainWise, Inc. will not pay for warranty service
performed by a non-authorized repair service and will not reimburse the consumer for
damage resulting from warranty service performed by a non-authorized repair service. No
responsibility is assumed for any special, incidental or consequential damages.
To return a unit under this warranty, call (800)762-5723 within the continental US or
(207)288-5169. The service department will document the need for repair/replacement and
arrange such. Shipping costs from the customer to RainWise are borne by the customer,
RainWise will cover return shipment. It is the customer's responsibility to see that the
unit is properly packed, preferably in the original box, because damage occurring during
return shipment is not covered by this warranty.
NOTE: No other warranty, written or oral, is authorized by RainWise, Inc. This warranty
gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary from state
to state. Some states do not allow the exclusion of limitation of incidental or
consequential damages, so the above exclusion and limitations may not apply to you.
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