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Your WiFi dongle broadcasts on a 2.4 GHz Wireless signal only.
Like all radio signals, solid objects between the transmitter and receiver can weaken or even block the signal. This is not unlike if there is a large building or hill between the local TV transmitter and your TV.
Diagram 1 - TV signal blocking
Like the diagram above, the WiFi dongle also broadcasts a radio wave, and is subject to the same conditions as a TV signal. Solid objects (walls, insulation, misc. items) can reduce your dongle signal to a level where the signal is below the optimum level.
Diagram 2 - Signal blocking in your home
Some materials are worse than others for reducing signal strength. Solid brick or concrete walls, insulation, or metallic objects can all reduce signal strength. The more barriers, the lower the signal.
In the cases where the signal strength is weak, the data speed will be slower, or you may experience dropouts. Or in extreme cases, no signal.
How does this affect your system data?
There may be cases where no data is visible on the iSolarCloud APP. In such scenarios, the plant will show “Device with Problem” (with a grey dot) on the home page and plant status will be “Offline”.
Diagram 3 - Display on your phone App
This status indicates that the inverter has lost connection to the home internet hence, no data is available. However, your inverter is still working. This can occur due to a few reasons, them being:
- There are issues with the Wi-Fi signal from the internet router. For example, weak signal or incompatible signal.
- The internet password / the router itself has been changed.
- The inverter is turned off.
Before attempting to reconnect, it is helpful to understand the Sungrow Wi-Fi devices and their functionality.
Depending on the model, Sungrow Inverters either come with a Wi-Fi dongle or an eShow Screen that plugs into the bottom of the inverter, both of which can be used to connect the inverter to the internet wirelessly. These Wi-Fi accessories are only compatible with a 2.4GHz signal.
Diagram 4 - Plug-in dongle and WiFi built-in eShow
Moreover, the Wi-Fi dongles also have three indication LEDs:
- RUN – Power Indication
- COM – Wi-Fi Connection Indication
- Flashing – Not connected to the home router
- Solid – Successfully connected to the home router
- NET – iSolarCloud Server Connection Indication
Once all three lights are ON, data on the iSolarCloud APP should be visible within 5 to 10 minutes. As for the eShow Screen, it does not have any indication LEDs however, it connects to the internet through the same process.
Reconnect the inverter to iSolarCloud server
The Wi-Fi device can be reconfigured by following the steps in the video below:
Please click to access the video: How to reconfigure WiFi to Sungrow iSolarCloud server
If the WiFi password required to connect to the SG network is S/N (serial number) of the Wi-Fi communication module which can be found on the side of the dongle itself.
Diagram 5 - Sungrow WiFi dongle
- 1 indicates the model of the dongle
- 2 indicates the SN, starting from A or B followed by 10 digits
Additional videos from YouTube how to reconnect or change your WiFi network.
Checking your home WiFi signal strength:
There are free Apps available for checking WiFi signal strength. Please download one on to your phone.
Step1.
Go into your phones connection settings and select WiFi, and scan for WiFi signals. Connect to the SG********** network (your dongle)
Diagram 6 - Sungrow Dongle WiFi address
Step 2. Stand beside your Modem, open the App and scan WiFi signal strength
Diagram 7 - The difference between a strong and a weak signal
WiFi offline checklist
If the reconfiguration steps do not work, please follow the checklist below to deduce the issue.
| Test procedures |
Yes/No |
| Is the internet router within 10m of the inverter? |
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| Is the signal from the router 2.4GHz? |
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| Has the signal strength been tested to be strong? |
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| Has the Wi-Fi device been unplugged and plugged back in? |
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| Has the Wi-Fi reconfiguration been done? |
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| Is the green COM LED solid on after the configuration? (Dongle) |
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| Does the orange NET LED come on after the reconfiguration? (Dongle) |
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| Has the Wi-Fi reconfiguration been attempted on a different phone? |
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| Can the dongle connect to the mobile hotspot of the phone? |
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