Xantrex Communications gateway User Manual Download

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Communications
Gateway

Installation Guide

Communications Gateway

Inverter

Modbus / RS485

Summary of Contents for Communications gateway

Page 1: ...Communications Gateway Installation Guide Communications Gateway Inverter Modbus RS485 ...

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Page 3: ...Communications Gateway Installation Guide ...

Page 4: ... IN WRITING XANTREX TECHNOLOGY INC XANTREX A MAKES NO WARRANTY AS TO THE ACCURACY SUFFICIENCY OR SUITABILITY OF ANY TECHNICAL OR OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED IN ITS MANUALS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION B ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSSES DAMAGES COSTS OR EXPENSES WHETHER SPECIAL DIRECT INDIRECT CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL WHICH MIGHT ARISE OUT OF THE USE OF SUCH INFORMATION THE USE OF ANY ...

Page 5: ...ization This Guide is organized into three chapters and one appendix Chapter 1 Introduction contains information about the features and functions of the Communications Gateway Chapter 2 Installation contains information and procedures to install the Communications Gateway Chapter 3 Configuration contains information and procedures to configure the Communications Gateway Chapter 4 Troubleshooting c...

Page 6: ...ou can find more information about Xantrex Technology Inc as well as its products and services at www xantrex com WARNING Warnings identify conditions or practices that could result in personal injury or loss of life CAUTION Cautions identify conditions or practices that could result in damage to the unit or other equipment Important These notes describe things which are important for you to know ...

Page 7: ...Gateway be sure to read understand and save these safety instructions WARNING Shock and energy hazards Connecting the Gateway to other equipment may require access to wiring compartments containing circuits that are shock and or energy hazards Refer to this manual and the manual provided with the other equipment and to any warning or caution labels on the equipment Be sure to disconnect all source...

Page 8: ...Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver Connect the equipment to a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help This equipment contains a radio transmitter with the following ID numbers FCC R68WIPORT Industry Canada 2867A WIPORT Wireless Networking Security This device can be configured to co...

Page 9: ...ateway to a Router or Computer 2 6 Connecting the Gateway to the Xanbus Network 2 6 Network Layout 2 8 Guidelines for Routing the Network Cables 2 8 Connecting the Gateway to a GT Inverter 2 9 Connecting the Gateway to a XW Hybrid Inverter Charger 2 10 Applying Power to the Gateway 2 11 Adding Devices to the Network 2 11 Installing Yahoo Widgets 2 12 3 Configuration Configuring the Gateway 3 2 Vie...

Page 10: ...are 3 17 Resetting the Gateway to Factory Defaults 3 19 Power System Monitoring on the Internet 3 20 4 Troubleshooting Device Discovery 4 2 Loss of Communication 4 3 Email Messages 4 4 Miscellaneous Issues 4 5 Router Compatibility 4 6 A Specifications Electrical Specifications A 2 Communication Specifications A 2 History Data Storage A 2 Mechanical Specifications A 3 Environmental Specifications A...

Page 11: ...ion Chapter 1 Introduction contains information about the features and functions of the Communications Gateway This chapter covers the following topics Gateway Overview External Features Types of Gateway Networks ...

Page 12: ... 11b g and Embedded web services to support Yahoo Widgets Xantrex provides a Solar Monitor Widget to display data transmitted by the Gateway Embedded web page for configuring the Gateway and upgrading device firmware The Gateway logs and transmits performance data such as Power system energy production Individual inverter energy production Energy production history daily weekly monthly Inverter fa...

Page 13: ...rk Red the Gateway has stopped communicating in the network 2 Modbus RS485 LED indicates message transmission between the Gateway and an Internet protocol connected computer The LED blinks during regular operation The LED is on steadily when the Gateway is upgrading device software or the Gateway is in bootloader mode and requires its own software to be loaded See Upgrading Device Firmware on page...

Page 14: ...devices do not use not supported at this time 6 Zigbee RJ 11 port do not use not supported at this time CAUTION Equipment damage Although the cables and connectors that connect the Gateway to the Xanbus network are identical to Ethernet cables and connectors the communication interface is not Ethernet It is based on CAN bus and also supplies the Xanbus network devices with DC power The DC power in...

Page 15: ...e computer Data is displayed using the Solar Monitor Widget available free from Xantrex Connections between the Gateway router and computer can be wired or wireless but not both at the same time An Ethernet connection between the Gateway and router or computer is required for initial installation and configuration after which the Gateway can be set to wireless mode and the cable removed Figure 1 3...

Page 16: ... Router Xanbus cable Inverter Gateway Router Home computer with Widget Ethernet Connection Wireless Internet Protocol connection Xanbus cable Inverter Gateway Router Home computer with Widget Ethernet connection Wireless Internet Protocol connection Xanbus cable Inverter Gateway Router Home computer with Widget Wireless Internet Protocol connection ...

Page 17: ...o specify Figure 1 7 Wired Network Without Router Figure 1 8 Wireless Network Without Router Important Figure 1 7 and Figure 1 8 are Ad Hoc networks that do not allow access to the Internet For more information see Configuring Wireless Mode on page 3 12 Important The wired connections shown in Figure 1 3 Figure 1 5 and Figure 1 7 are required for initial system configuration Xanbus cable Inverter ...

Page 18: ...sk Changing your router s firewall settings to allow port forwarding can potentially leave your home network open to attacks from external computers Do not change your firewall settings unless you are absolutely sure of how to do it correctly The PORT Forward web site www portforward com has collected information on how to configure most popular routers Xantrex does not provide any guarantees as t...

Page 19: ... Chapter 2 Installation contains information and procedures to install the Communications Gateway Gateway installation includes mounting the Gateway then connecting it to a computer network and to the Xanbus network ...

Page 20: ...twork Connecting the Gateway to the Xanbus network also applies power to the Gateway 5 Installing Yahoo Widgets also known as Konfabulator or Yahoo Widget Engine and Solar Monitor Widget on your computer The Solar Monitor Widget displays power system performance data transmitted from the Gateway WARNING Shock and energy hazards Connections to other equipment may require accessing wiring compartmen...

Page 21: ... the Gateway has delivered acceptable performance under optimal conditions up to 300 feet 90 meters away from another wireless device Many factors can affect network performance including house construction antenna orientation and distance between devices For best performance a wired Ethernet connection between the Gateway and the Internet router is recommended Important During Gateway configurati...

Page 22: ...ough Ethernet cable CAT 5e p Four 6 screws p Network terminators supplied with the Gateway and the inverter Figure 2 1 Maximum Distances Between Devices 130 ft 40 m 300 ft 90 m Wireless Varies with router Router Personal Computer Gateway Inverter CAUTION Equipment damage Do not use crossover cable for the Xanbus network cable On crossover cable the order of color coded wires at each end of the cab...

Page 23: ...ower drill p Cable clamps or hardware fasteners Mounting the Gateway Indoors Mount the Gateway on a wall with the connectors facing downwards For Gateway dimensions see Figure A 1 on page A 3 To mount the Gateway 1 Hold the unit flush and square against the wall panel or horizontal surface If the mounting surface requires pre drilled holes for the screws use the supplied mounting template to mark ...

Page 24: ... up to 20 GT Inverters up to five GT Inverters if a GT Solar Inverter Monitor is installed or an XW Power System with up to three XW Inverter Chargers two Charge Controllers an AGS SCP and Gateway This is the current maximum size of an XW Power System Future XW releases will allow more than three XW Series Inverter Chargers to operate in a Xanbus network In systems that combine GT and XW inverters...

Page 25: ...and performance on the network is reduced Permanent configuration without terminators is not supported by Xantrex One terminator is included with the Gateway Depending on your network layout this terminator may need to be inserted into another device elsewhere in the network Important If the Gateway is connected to a single GT Inverter manufactured before spring 2008 then an external Xanbus power ...

Page 26: ...s for Routing the Network Cables To ensure maximum performance of your network follow these guidelines when routing the network cables Route the cables away from sharp edges that might damage the insulation Figure 2 3 Network Layout Diagram WARNING Shock hazard Do not route the network cables in the same conduit as the AC and DC power cabling When connecting and routing the network cable in the in...

Page 27: ...nverter Owner s Manual CAUTION Unpredictable device behavior Do not connect one end of the network to the other to make a ring or loop CAUTION Equipment damage Although the cables and connectors that connect the Gateway to the Xanbus network are identical to Ethernet cables and connectors the communication interface is not Ethernet It is based on CAN bus and also supplies the Xanbus network device...

Page 28: ... on the bottom of the inverter charger Follow the guidelines for connecting devices and terminating the network as described in Network Layout on page 2 8 and in Xanbus Network Installation in the XW Power System Installation Guide Figure 2 5 XW Inverter Charger Xanbus Ports CHASSIS GROUND AC SYNC XANBUS BTS AUX POS NEG REFER TO MANUAL 270 1407 01 01 TIGHTENING TORQUE 6 4 45 in lbs 2 1 0 50 in lbs...

Page 29: ...ateway to the Xanbus network the Gateway performs a power up test The Inverter LED lights up green for 1 second the Modbus LED lights up yellow for 1 second then the Inverter LED lights up red 1 second During normal operation the Inverter LED blinks green and the Modbus LED blinks occasionally The Inverter LED blinks green if the Xanbus network is working properly It blinks yellow or red if there ...

Page 30: ...ts Operating Systems Supported as of the first release of the Gateway Windows XP SP2 2000 SP4 Windows Vista Mac OS X 10 3 9 and up Yahoo recommends Connection to the Internet 512 megabytes of RAM After installing Yahoo Widgets install the Xantrex Solar Monitor Widget To install the Solar Monitor Widget 1 Select and copy the xtSolarMonitor xx xx widget file on the supplied CD The Widget file is in ...

Page 31: ...ains information and procedures to configure the Communications Gateway This chapter includes the following topics Configuring the Gateway Upgrading Device Firmware Resetting the Gateway to Factory Defaults Power System Monitoring on the Internet ...

Page 32: ...fter the device discovery process finds the Gateway you can use the Widget to view the Gateway configuration web page See Using the Solar Monitor Widget on page 3 3 If you have multiple Gateways installed on the same network the device discovery process attempts to locate them all You can use the Widget to check which Gateways have been located see the Solar Monitor Widget User Guide If the device...

Page 33: ...irst time 1 Right click the Yahoo Widgets icon 2 Click Preferences select the Consolidate Widgets check box then click Save 3 Double click the Solar Monitor Widget file xtSolarMonitor xx xx widget where xx xx is the version number The Widget file moves to the default location which makes it easier to find and keep track of Widget files on your computer The Widget opens and requests a password 4 In...

Page 34: ... Solar Monitor Widget 2 Wait for the Widget to contact the Gateway and enter the password x The main status screen appears 3 On the Widget click Details The Details drawer extends 4 Under Component Details click Gateway The Gateway IP address is listed to the right of the Gateway name Your web browser opens 5 If a password prompt appears enter the password the default password is x and click Sign ...

Page 35: ...all devices connected to your router For example on the Linksys WRT300N router this can be accessed under Status Local Network then by clicking on DHCP Client Table Other routers may list devices under Hostname Some routers do not show this information at all If that is the case follow the directions in Finding the Gateway IP Address with No Router in the System on page 3 7 4 The router page shoul...

Page 36: ...the Widget preferences 7 Under Comm in Widget Preferences clear the Auto detect Device check box 8 In the Device IP address box enter the Gateway IP address 9 Click Save 10 On the Widget click Details The Details drawer extends 11 Under Component Details click Gateway Figure 3 5 Widget Comm Preferences Figure 3 6 Widget Details Drawer ...

Page 37: ...e IP addresses of devices connected to it you can use the application DeviceInstaller supplied by Lantronix at www lantronix com Enter the name DeviceInstaller into the search box on the Lantronix home page and follow the links to download the application You may need to install Microsoft NET Framework which is available at the same site When running DeviceInstaller a search button in the toolbar ...

Page 38: ...ring email sent by the Gateway See Configuring Email on page 3 16 Upgrade Device upgrade the firmware of any Xantrex network enabled device in the system Upgrading Device Firmware on page 3 17 CAUTION Equipment damage Use DeviceInstaller only to search for the Gateway IP address Other functions provided by the program can damage your Gateway Important Set Network and Wireless Configuration first I...

Page 39: ...the default x 1 In Old Password enter the current password 2 In New Password enter the new password you would like to have Select a secure password by including at least one number and one non numeric character 3 Enter the new password again to confirm it 4 Click Change Password Renaming Devices To rename an inverter or another device 1 In the Select Device list click the device you want to rename...

Page 40: ...ind it easier to manage if a static address is set The easiest way to do this is to first configure the Gateway for a dynamic address so that all the addresses get filled in then clear the Get Address Dynamically check box and configure only the new static Gateway IP address outside the range of addresses supplied by your router Xantrex Gateway Address The Xantrex Gateway Address is the IP address...

Page 41: ...ress Dynamically check box and enter a mask here Domain Name Enter a name for the Gateway and the networked power system This is the name your power system uses on the network to identify itself to other computers It is included in all email sent from the Gateway The default domain name is POWERSYSTEM This name also appears in the list of auto detected IP addresses on the Solar Monitor Widget Afte...

Page 42: ...ure Most installations will use Infrastructure mode For a direct connection between the Gateway and a wireless equipped computer with no connection to the Internet see Figure 1 8 on page 1 7 select Ad Hoc Ad Hoc networks also require a radio channel to be set Network Name SSID Sets the name of the wireless network or Service Set Identifier SSID The SSID is case sensitive and is only used in wirele...

Page 43: ...ess network does not perform any authentication Shared means that the wireless network uses a key entered on both the Gateway and the router to authenticate each network packet For WPA security only Pre Shared Key PSK can be selected which ensures that each network packet is authenticated Encryption Mode Configures the level of encryption used on the wireless network Set this value to be the same ...

Page 44: ... if available so that the Gateway and all computers on the network are synchronized If you are unable to contact an NTP server or are not connected to the Internet you can set the date and time manually using Local Date and Local Time Local Date and Local Time use the Gateway internal clock as a reference which is not as accurate as time from an NTP server Time Zone Offset Sets the local time zone...

Page 45: ...ed by your Internet service provider or to a computer on your local network if it has been configured as an NTP server Server Type Selects the type of time server Select Domain if you use the name of the server such as pool ntp org Select IP if you know the numerical IP address of the server Update Time Click Save and Update to save the Gateway time configuration If you have entered a server name ...

Page 46: ... the numerical IP address of the server To configure each type of message 1 Enable the message type You can configure the Gateway to send one or more message types 2 Add an address list For each enabled message type enter one or more email addresses separated by commas to receive email from the Gateway 3 Add a custom message for each enabled message type optional You can add text up to 200 charact...

Page 47: ...r system installer or dealer Harvest messages Energy Harvest email messages contain detailed power production data and can be sent every day once a week or once a month The Gateway sends harvest email at the same time each day In a multiple Gateway system each unit sends harvest email at a different time This randomized outgoing email time prevents many Gateways from sending email at the same time...

Page 48: ...r each language are available on the Gateway Quickstart CD This file enables you to configure the language on the web page without performing a full Gateway upgrade which can take several minutes For future configuration web page upgrades download the WEB xx xx YY wie or corresponding GW xx xx YY wie file see point 2 from the Xantrex web site 2 GW xx xx YY wie YY is a two letter language abbreviat...

Page 49: ...plugging and reconnecting the Xanbus network cable If removing and reconnecting Gateway power doesn t work then reset the Gateway to its factory defaults as described below To return the Gateway to its factory default settings 1 Close the configuration web page if it is open 2 Remove power from the Gateway by unplugging the Xanbus network cable from the Gateway Inverter port 3 If the Gateway was p...

Page 50: ...lick Network Configuration 3 Clear the Get Address Dynamically check box 4 Change the last field in the IP address to a number that is outside the DHCP server IP Address Range You can find this address range on your router s configuration page Do not use 0 255 or the same number your router uses usually 1 CAUTION Network security risk Changing your firewall settings to allow port forwarding can po...

Page 51: ...ress on your router s configuration page If you cannot find your external IP address the PORT Forward web site automatically detects and displays it 10 Visit the PORT Forward web site www portforward com and configure your router to forward to the Gateway IP address a Select your router b From the list of programs select Apache c Follow the instructions to configure Single Port Forwarding for Note...

Page 52: ...e provider ISP assigns your home router may change from time to time This change in external IP address prevents the Widget from locating your home network from a remote location If your ISP assigns a temporary IP address for your router you could try a dynamic domain name system DDNS service to assign a domain name to your router This service can automatically handle the changes to your ISP suppl...

Page 53: ...leshooting Chapter 4 Troubleshooting contains reference information you can consult if you have problems using the Communications Gateway This chapter also lists routers that have been tested with the Gateway ...

Page 54: ...after the Gateway is powered on Check connections When the Gateway is powered the Gateway Inverter light should blink Solar Monitor Widget configuration or installation incompatibility Search your Widget program folder for the xantrex_gateway_discovery_PC or _MAC file The Gateway CD also has these files If this discovery program finds the Widget then completely uninstall and reinstall Yahoo Widget...

Page 55: ...ght Widget shows Lost Communication and resetting the Gateway fixes the problem Gateway has a static IP address in the router s DHCP range When using static IP addresses specify an address that will not conflict with the DHCP range Otherwise the router may try to reassign the address and knock the Gateway off the network See Power System Monitoring on the Internet on page 3 20 Wireless communicati...

Page 56: ...formation in your email program s account settings Gateway email arrives from Unknown sender You have not entered your basic information on the configuration web page On the configuration web page click Home and enter your name and email address Different Logged Fault times are displayed in the Solar Monitor Widget and in Alarm email messages The Widget s local computer time is different than the ...

Page 57: ... graph The Gateway and inverter have not been operating long enough Wait for a period boundary crossing before a graph can be displayed For example wait until at least a full hour has elapsed before the hourly graph displays any data until midnight for daily graph and the first of the month for the monthly graph Your changed settings do not appear on the web page The Upgrade Device section of the ...

Page 58: ...on D1 firmware version 4 00 Xantrex encountered some problems when testing the Gateway with the following routers GigaFast WLAN 11g Router model WF719 CAPR firmware v1 2 5 also sold under other generic names This router works in wired mode only Linksys BEFW11S4 Wireless B hardware version 4 firmware version 1 52 02 This router no longer has active support from Linksys The most recent version of fi...

Page 59: ...A Specifications Appendix A Specifications contains electrical mechanical and regulatory specifications for the Communications Gateway ...

Page 60: ...etwork plus the system total 2 2 years worth of 1 day blocks for each power port of each device in the network plus the system total 3 5 years worth of 15 minute blocks for the system total 4 1 block for the system total over the lifetime of the Gateway Nominal input network voltage 15 Vdc from Xanbus network Minimum operating network voltage 9 Vdc Maximum operating network voltage 16 Vdc Maximum ...

Page 61: ...l Specifications Dimensions W H D 6 4 1 190 112 45 mm Height including antenna 9 249 mm Weight 0 46 lb 207 g Figure A 1 Gateway Dimensions 11 16 3 8 3 4 3 4 4 3 8 112 3 3 16 81 Ø3 16 4 9 16 15 6 11 16 170 7 1 2 190 1 3 4 45 Dimensions in inches millimeters ...

Page 62: ...Operating humidity 5 to 95 non condensing Storage humidity 5 to 95 North America EMC FCC part 15B class B Industry Canada ICES 003 class B Europe Safety EMC Telecom Low Voltage Directive 2006 95 EC EN60950 1 2001 protective class III EMC Directive 2004 108 EC EN55022 A2 2003 EN55024 A2 2003 R TTE Directive 1999 5 EC ETSI EN 301 489 1 ver 1 6 1 ETSI EN 301 489 17 ver 1 2 1 ...

Page 63: ... repair or replacement If Xantrex repairs or replaces a product its warranty continues for the remaining portion of the original Warranty Period or 90 days from the date of the return shipment to the customer whichever is greater All replaced products and all parts removed from repaired products become the property of Xantrex Xantrex covers both parts and labor necessary to repair the product and ...

Page 64: ...g strikes c the product if repairs have been done to it other than by Xantrex or its authorized service centers hereafter ASCs d the product if it is used as a component part of a product expressly warranted by another manufac turer e the product if its original identification trade mark serial number markings have been defaced altered or removed Disclaimer Product THIS LIMITED WARRANTY IS THE SOL...

Page 65: ... to supply The serial number of your product Information about the installation and use of the unit Information about the failure and or reason for the return A copy of your dated proof of purchase Record these details in Information About Your System on page WA 4 Return Procedure 1 Package the unit safely preferably using the original box and packing materials Please ensure that your product is s...

Page 66: ...Payment options such as credit card or money order will be explained by the Customer Service Representative In cases where the minimum flat fee does not apply as with incomplete units or units with excessive damage an additional fee will be charged If applicable you will be contacted by Customer Service once your unit has been received Information About Your System As soon as you open your Communi...

Page 67: ...een devices 2 3 location 2 3 materials and tools 2 4 mounting 2 5 routing cables 2 8 K Konfabulator 2 12 M mechanical specifications A 3 mounting the Gateway 2 5 N network components 2 6 network layout 1 5 2 8 network time 3 14 4 5 P password changing 3 9 port forwarding 1 7 3 20 powering the Gateway 2 11 proof of purchase WA 4 purchase date WA 4 R remote monitoring 3 20 reset button 1 4 resetting...

Page 68: ...ty out of warranty service WA 4 terms and conditions WA 1 Widget graphs 4 5 preferences 3 6 system requirements 2 12 wireless mode configuring 3 12 X Xantrex web site iv XW Hybrid Inverter Charger network ports 2 10 Y Yahoo Widgets 2 12 ...

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Page 70: ...Xantrex Technology Inc 1 800 670 0707 Tel toll free NA 1 408 987 6030 Tel direct 1 800 994 7828 Fax toll free NA 1 360 925 5143 Fax direct customerservice xantrex com www xantrex com 975 0330 01 01 ...

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