Prototype development of a low cost data logger and monitoring system for PV application

This paper presents implementation prototype data logger of PV monitoring system based on low cost online monitoring for existing 1.6 kWp single-phase grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system in Electrical Energy Conversion Research Laboratory (EECRL) of School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics (SEEI), Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB). For cost reduction, the data logger developed by microcontroller Arduino Uno, real time clock, internal memory for data storage, telemetry 3DR radio and computer interface for online monitoring, a smart application is used to show the aggregated data graphically make the users can easily access the monitored data from the data logger and data retrieval can be taken both online and offline from existing 1.6 kWp single-phase grid connected PV systems. In field test, the data logger applied in real time for the monitoring of existing 1.6 kWp PV systems with calibration on class 0.2 standard laboratory instrumentation. The data logger used to store data during the measurement and shows the trending data of voltage, current, and power for one week measurement, and the result shows the maximum power efficiency from DC - AC converter of 1.6 kWp grid-connected is 81% until 99%.