Solplanet Weather Station

The required sensors in your weather station

Product Photo	Sensor
	Sensor Type: Irradiance Sensor Item Code: 3S-IS+ Product: Advanced Irradiance Sensor – 3S-IS+
	Sensor Type: Ambient Temperature Sensor PT1000 Item Code: 3S-AT-PT1000 Product: Ambient Temperature Sensor-PT1000 – 3S-AT-PT1000
	Sensor Type: Module Temperature Sensor PT1000 Item Code: 3S-MT-PT1000 Product: Module Temperature Sensor – 3S-MT-PT1000
	Sensor Type: Wind Speed Sensor Item Code: 3S-WS-PLS-P Product: Plastic Wind Speed Sensor with Pulse Output – 3S-WS-PLS-P
	Sensor Type: Wind Direction Sensor Item Code: 3S-WD-P Product: Plastic Wind Direction Sensor – 3S-WD-P
	Sensor Type: Relative Humidity & Ambient Temperature Sensor Item Code: 3S-RH&AT Product: Relative Humidity & Ambient Temperature Sensor – 3S-RH&AT

What sensors are included in the Solplanet Weather Station setup?

The logic of the setup is simple. Measure field conditions that directly explain energy production and send the data to the Ai-Logger 1000 via RS485 Modbus RTU. A standard Solplanet weather station is built around the following sensors.

• Irradiance Sensor (PV pyranometer / reference cell): Measures solar irradiance, the most important input for a PV power plant. The SEVEN irradiance sensor is designed as a sensor box with an integrated cell temperature sensor that provides a temperature-compensated irradiance value. It also features up to four input ports for additional sensors and an RS485 output to a datalogger.
• Ambient Temperature Sensor: Indicates how the production process is affected by temperature. This sensor is mounted inside a solar radiation shield which has four aspirated plates that allow air to pass freely. The shield has the ability to protect the ambient temperature sensor from radiation and other sources of radiant heat.
• Module Temperature Sensor: Mounted on the back of the panel to measure surface temperature. It is the most recommended sensor after the irradiance sensor as it provides the back of module temperature value which is used in the calculation of the Performance Ratio of the PV Plant.
• Wind Speed Sensor: Also known as an anemometer, is used to measure wind speed in solar power plants and transmits the value to the datalogger.
• Wind Direction Sensor: Measures the direction of the wind.

How do Solplanet Weather Station help monitor performance ratio (PR)?

When sensors send their data to the Ai-Logger 1000, reading metrics like PR becomes much easier. This is because you can compare the plant’s production to the conditions the plant actually experiences.

A simple example:

• If irradiance production is decreasing and irradiance is also decreasing, the cause is most likely the weather.
• If output drops while irradiance remains constant, this is a stronger indication to investigate dust accumulation, inverter behavior, shading, or string issues.

How to connect and monitor the Solplanet weather station?

RS485 isolator is used for connection of SEVEN Sensor Box with Ai Logger 1000. SEVEN Sensor Box is connected to the isolator. The data cables from the isolator are then connected to the Ai Logger 1000 COM port.

The green wire of the cable from the Sensor Box (RS485 A / Data (+)) is connected to section 9 of the RS485 isolator and the yellow wire of the cable from the sensor box (RS485 B / Data (-)) is connected to section 10 of the RS485 isolator.

The cable connected to the 1st part of the isolator is connected to the COM port (RS485 A/Data(+)) on the 1000 data logger, and the cable to the 2nd part of the isolator is connected to the COM port (RS485B/Data(-)) of the 1000 data logger.

Because the irradiance sensor functions like a hub, a single RS485 line transmits all measurements to the Ai-Logger 1000. Since the Ai-Logger 1000 can manage up to 80 devices simultaneously, the weather station, inverters, and meters are all monitored through a single interface within the same system.

Ai-Logger 1000 has a built-in web page. From this page, you can manage the entire power plant from a single point and view irradiance, temperature and wind data from the weather station.

Furthermore, Ai-Logger 1000 connects to Solplanet Cloud. This allows you to monitor the status of the power plant and weather data remotely, without being on-site. When weather data is read together with production data, performance analysis become much more meaningful.

How is the Solplanet Weather Station configured?

Here’s a brief summary of the process. For details, please refer to the Solplanet compatibility list, setting instructions, and our configuration video.

1. Install the sensors on the PV plant according to the installation instructions in the user manual.
2. Connect the RS485 communication lines to the isolator then connect the isolator to the Ai-Logger 1000 and power cables to a suitable power supply.
3. Select SEVEN Sensor 3S-IS as Device Model.
4. By clicking on the “Weather station” menu, you can see the meteorological data provided by SEVEN Sensors.
5. Verify the live reads and confirm that the data appears on the Ai-Logger 1000 webpage and in Solplanet Cloud.

If you wish, our team can provide remote support for the commissioning process after installation.

Which irradiance sensor models are compatible with Solplanet?

The following models connect to the Ai-Logger 1000 via RS485 Modbus RTU. The irradiance sensor acts as a hub; the external sensor column shows what can be added to each model.