January 3, 2020 | Engineering + Technology
[Updated 27 Jan 2020]
NOTE: SymphoniePRO Desktop (SPD) version 3.8.2 supersedes the now deprecated 3.8.0 and 3.8.1. See SPD release notes for details on relevant bug fixes.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Support for serial devices
- New calculated channels including useful solar calculation options
- NRG S1 Anemometer added to default sensor list
- Additional site file distinction to allow import of *.RLD files from different sites with same site number
- Added application logging for command line file processing
DETAILS
SPD versions 3.7 and 3.8 and their corresponding logger/iPack firmware versions have added some exciting new functionality to the SymphoniePRO Data Logger system. In order to take full advantage of the updates described below, users will need to use SPD 3.8.1+ in combination with data loggers running firmware 3.2.3+. Note: Older versions of SPD will not support the latest logger firmware, so it is important to update the desktop application first.
Serial Sensor Support
New in SPD 3.7 and logger firmware (LFW) 3.1.4 was the addition of serial sensor support on SymphoniePRO, allowing users to take advantage of the RS-485 communication ports found on 26-channel versions of SymphoniePRO loggers. The initial release in July 2019 included support for the Modbus RTU-enabled SR30-D1 pyranometer from Hukseflux, and several other serial devices have been added since that time. With 24 available channels (#s 27-50), SymphoniePRO can be flexibly configured to measure one or numerous parameters from one or more connected Modbus RTU-capable serial devices (e.g., SR30-D1 default measurement options shown below).
We expect to continue adding new serial devices to the list of default options which can be done without logger firmware or software updates provided the corresponding device supports the common Modbus RTU communication settings expected by SymphoniePRO. Please contact out technical support team (support@nrgsystems.com) if you wish to use a serial device not presently available in SPD’s Channels configuration screen.
Calculated Channels
Our solar customers in particular have made quick use of the serial device support described above. Continuing on that theme, we have also recently introduced another new channel section called “Calculated.” These ten new channels (#s 100-109) allow users to add real-time calculated or virtual measurements to logged data including Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI), Solar Zenith Angle (SZA), Solar Azimuth Angle (SAA), Albedo (as provided by our popular Albedo Measurement Kit), and generic Ratio calculation types.
SZA and SAA, which provide solar position information, are required for DNI calculations but are independently useful when analyzing solar resource data. Enabling these calculations on the logger ensures the data are generated coincident with other measured values and are immediately available once the data files are processed, avoiding the effort of additional post-processing steps to add such information.
These calculated channels are supported and available in all the usual places (e.g., live data display, 1 Hz sample or configurable statistical storage in *.RLDs, and via the Modbus registers using iPackACCESS for SCADA applications).
Added Site Distinction
New in SPD 3.8+ is the ability to display multiple different sites that have the same site number. Users who manage campaigns or data from multiple clients may find this feature useful rather than having to switch between different site file location settings. This can also prevent the accidental import of the wrong data into a given site file. SPD enables this by automatically checking the logger serial number in addition to the site number during file import. If the serial number does not match the logger serial number in the existing site file, an option is presented to import to the existing site file or create a new site file with the same site number (e.g., site 000001 as shown in the example below).
To view all the recent changes, we encourage you to review the release notes on the SymphoniePRO Desktop Application and SymphoniePRO Data Logger Firmware pages, where you can also download the latest versions. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions or feedback!