RPC HTTP or UDP support?

Balistar

I can confirm that Mango works perfectly with SMA's Webbox. Follow Jeremyh instructions. Critical is to have the the device profile updated, as I found out a few months ago after weeks of trying to get good data. SMA does not post this profile on any of their websites. You have to ask for it. Idiots.

jeremyh

SMA does not post this profile on any of their websites. You have to ask for it.

I posted a link to 1.39 (latest as of a month or two ago) a few posts up

Balistar

And thank you for that. It might help a lot of Webbox users. There must be thousands who with outdated profiles/firmwares. But I guess "if it works, don't mess with it.

Working on designing a DGlux page.

jeremyh

@Balistar said:

Working on designing a DGlux page.

Would love to see a screenshot of that if you can share!

The issues with the Webbox took many calls to SMA to sort out. It's hard to get a straight answer out of SMA sometimes. And we are not a small customer!
The Modbus implementation on the Cluster Controller (which is the successor to the Webbox) still has some similar problems with certain counter (yield) registers. I've contacted SMA about it and apparently it's being worked on.

Balistar

The issues with the Webbox took many calls to SMA to sort out. It's hard to get a straight answer out of SMA sometimes. And we are not a small customer!

Same.

Nothing really to show yet. For the moment I am mostly just doing basic designs to get data onto the page(s). DGlux makes it difficult to create nice designs. Manuals are very basic. They don't publish sample designs that use the more fancy interactions. Makes the learning curve steep. Mango, I am sorry to say, does not make it easy either. For example infinite automation must have figured out how to configure modbus, bacnet, RS485, etc from most common products from vendors like SMA, Siemens, eGauge, etc. Yet they don't publish this knowledge about their own product.

Once I have something decent I will post.

Balistar

Simple to start with. As you can see PV output gets throttled around 10am. Under full load it should be able to get to 45kW. Small load at the moment.

alexcclarke

Hi Everyone,

my update to 1.53F12 just wont run off the SD Card. I have unpacked the firmware directly into the SD card update directory without any luck. If anyone can share the exact update procedure that would be great!

Alex

coke

http://files.sma.de/dl/2585/SWebBox-BA-en-36.pdf

Page 67

alexcclarke

did you use the SD card update by copying the FW to the Update directory?

alexcclarke

did you use the SD card update by copying the FW to the Update directory?

alexcclarke

Cant get the instructions on Page 67 to work besides there is no Browse button under WebBox > Info - I am logged in as installer.

Click the [Browse...] button under "WebBox > Info" in the "Manual update" field in the user
interface

coke

You have to switch off and on (power) the Webbox.
After that give it some time and it will automatically update.

jeremyh

There is no 'browse' button because this is not a feature that was included in firmware before 1.53. The update can only be done by copying the binary onto SD card (or by SMA support remotely).

A power cycle is NOT necessary (edit: and I would not do one and risk bricking the device by interrupting the update process, which may have already started). The webbox will detect the card and update file and begin the process automatically.

It really would be best to contact SMA support in your country. They can help you most efficiently and accurately. In my country (Australia) you can just call them; you don't need to be an installer or reseller etc.

alexcclarke

The binary is usually just one file, right? When I download the FW from the SMA website and unpack it there a a whole lot of files in the archive. I have copied all these file into the update folder.

Approximately how long should the update take? hours, minutes?

Cannot understand how this process can be so un-user-friendly.

jeremyh

When I download the FW from the SMA website and unpack it there a a whole lot of files in the archive.

Do not unpack it. Where does it tell you to do that?

It's really straight forward -

Download the 1.53F12 file from here: http://files.sma.de/dl/2585/WbApplication_1.53F12.upd

(the file is directly linked under the downloads > firmware section on the webbox web page, http://www.sma-america.com/products/monitoring-control/sunny-webbox.html#Downloads-136308 )

Copy it to your SD card as per the user manual, pg. 66:

From memory, you need to wait a few moments after putting the card in, then the webbox will star the update process automatically. The LEDs flash during upgrade.
The webbox will automatically reboot during the upgrade and no other intervention is required. It usually takes only a few minutes from start to finish.

alexcclarke

Right so you just pasted the .upd into the Update folder and the webbox takes care of the unpacking etc.

Strange, I tried this without any success. Will give it another shot.

Thx.

jeremyh

Is the SD card formatted correctly for the Webbox? Do you see the DATA folder on it?

alexcclarke

Huh what data folder? I formatted the SD card in windows on FAT (default) and default allocation size. Then added the Update folder and under this I pasted the FW and put the card in the Webbox SD slot. Never saw a DATA folder....

jeremyh

You probably formatted it as FAT32 then.. The Webbox uses FAT16 with TFAT filesystem for data integrity.

Also SDHC cards are not supported either, if you are using one of those.

Best to read the user manual, p.53
"9.6 Saving Recorded Data on an SD Card"
http://files.sma.de/dl/4253/SWebBox-BA-US-en-34.pdf

alexcclarke

so I have formatted the card then enabled the "External Memory" and the Webbox accesses the card and starts writing data to this confirms the FAT16. If I then remove the card disable the external memory (according to SMA this does not have to be enabled to do the upgrade) copy the FW into the update folder insert the card into the SD slot .... nothing. No upgrade.