APsystems ECU-3 User manual

Installation / User Manual
Rev 1.1
© All Rights Reserved
APsystems ECU-3 (V4)
Energy Communication Unit(ECU)

APsystems ECU-3 V4 Installation/User Manual
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Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................... 2
Interface Explanation.................................................................................................3
Interface Position............................................................................................................. 3
Power Connection Port.................................................................................................... 3
RS232 Serial Port..............................................................................................................3
Network Port....................................................................................................................4
USB Interface................................................................................................................... 4
Reset................................................................................................................................ 4
Hardware Installation................................................................................................ 5
Preparation...................................................................................................................... 5
Selecting an Installation Location for the ECU.................................................................5
Cable Connections........................................................................................................... 7
Internet Connection.........................................................................................................7
Power Up ECU.................................................................................................................. 9
ECU Initialization Sequence.......................................................................................9
Step 1: Power on ECU.................................................................................................... 10
Step 2: ECU time zone setting........................................................................................12
Step 3: EMA Monitoring................................................................................................ 12
Basic Operation........................................................................................................13
Menu Structure..............................................................................................................13
Restore the factory set operation.................................................................................. 14
Troubleshooting............................................................................................................. 15
Local Network Interface.......................................................................................... 16
Connecting to the ECU via the LAN................................................................................16
Connecting directly to the ECU via wired lan................................................................ 16
Connecting to the ECU via the Wi-Fi hotspot................................................................ 18
Home Screen..................................................................................................................19
Real-time Data Screen....................................................................................................20
Administration Screen....................................................................................................22
Remote ECU Management (EMA)........................................................................... 30
ECU Configuration/ECU Status Page..............................................................................31
Setting the ECU Time Zone............................................................................................ 32
Managing Inverter IDs and Updating the Inverter ID List..............................................32
Technical Data.......................................................................................................... 34

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Introduction
The APsystems Communicator, our state-of-the-art Energy
Communication Unit (ECU), is the information gateway for our
microinverters. The unit collects module performance data from
each individual microinverter and transfers this information to
an Internet database in real time, requiring only a single data
and power cable. Through the APsystems Monitor software, the
APsystems Communicator gives you precise analysis of each
microinverter and module in your solar installation from any
web-connected device. The APsystems Communicator’s integrated
http webserver offers the simplest and most flexible network
integration of any data logger on the market. The user-friendly
browser-based interface lets you access your solar array in seconds.
Features
Collects individual module and microinverter statistics
Communicates in real time
Requires no additional wiring
The APsystems Microinverter is used in utility-interactive grid-tied
applications, and is made up of three key elements:
APsystems Microinverter
APsystems Energy Communication Unit (ECU)
APsystems Energy Monitor and Analysis (EMA)
web-based monitoring and analysis system
Figure 1

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Interface Explanation
Interface Position
All of the ECU interface as below, from left to right, are power
connection port, serial port, network port, USB interface and reset.
Power Connection Port RS232 Serial port Network port USB interface Reset
Figure 2
Power Connection Port
Power connection port connects power through the power line.
Figure 3
RS232 Serial Port
You can connect GPRS module to RS232 serial port, select GPRS
module to connect to the network on “Network Connectivity” page,
and communicate with the EMA, to check the system data.
Figure 4

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Interface Explanation
Network Port
RJ45 Ethernet network port: ECU allows user to communicate
with EMA, or log in ECU's local page in the case of the absence
of the wired LAN and WLAN, set up the system and view the
system data via Ethernet network port.
USB Interface
USB interface is reserved.
Reset
Press the “Reset” button for three seconds or longer, ECU will
automatically return to the default settings.
NOTE: The historical power generation won't be cleared.

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Hardware Installation
Preparation
Make sure you have the following things taken care of before
attempting to install the ECU:
A dedicated standard AC electrical outlet (located
electrically as close to the array as is possible).
A broadband Internet connection is available for your
use.
A broadband router with either a CAT5 Ethernet, or
wireless router is available for your use.
A laptop with a web browser (to view the APsystems
EMA online monitoring application).
A pre-programmed ECU.
Selecting an Installation Location for the ECU
A location that is electrically as close to the array as
is possible-preferably a dedicated outlet installed
directly to the solar system sub-panel.
The ECU is NOT rated for outdoor use, so if installing
outdoors near a junction box or breaker panel, making
sure that you enclose it in an appropriate weather proof
NEMA electrical box.
1) Using Electrical Mounting Din Rail
Loosen the two (2) M3 mounting screws on the back of
the ECU and rotate the two (2) rail holders so that the
holders are above the ECU.
Figure 5
113mm
M3 Screw
Holder
42mm
182mm

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Hardware Instrallation
Attach the ECU to the mounting rail with machine screws.
Figure 6
2) Using Wall Mount
When mounting the ECU to a wall, make sure to select a
cool, dry, indoor location.
Depending on the wall surface you are mounting the
ECU to, use either two (2) #8 drywall screws or wall
anchors, installed 130 mm apart. The drywall screws
and wall anchors are NOT included in the ECU kit.
Align and slide the ECU onto the mounting screws.
Figure 7
Best Practice: Install and connect the ECU to the Internet
(see below instructions) while the rest of the array is being
installed. Doing so allows the ECU to automatically update
its internal software while the rest of the physical installation
is underway. The ECU will then communicate with the inverters
when the installation is complete and the array is energized.
80mm
138mm
130mm

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Hardware Installation
Cable Connections
Power Connection Port Network port
Figure 8
Connect the supplied power cable to the power
connection port on the bottom of the ECU.
Connect the supplied LAN cable to the network
port on the bottom of the ECU.
Internet Connection
There are three different approaches to connecting the ECU
to the Internet:
Option 1: Direct LAN cable connection.
1) Make sure the LAN cable is connected to the network
port on the bottom of the ECU.
2) Connect the LAN cable into a spare port on the
broadband router.
Figure 9
Option 2: Wireless Connection.
Use ECU internal WLAN (see Managing the WLAN
connection pg. 25).

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Hardware Installation
Option 3: Using a PLC bridge:
1) Make sure the LAN cable is connected to the network
port on the bottom of the ECU.
2) Connect the LAN cable into the “send” unit of the PLC
bridge.
3) Connect a LAN cable from the “receive” unit of the PLC
bridge into a spare port on the broadband router (refer
to bridge users manual for specific operating instructions).
Figure 10
NOTE: The network cable in the package could be used for
the users to connect the ECU with PC directly. One side is
connected with the ECU and the other side is connected with
the PC. Then change the IP address and the network mask
into 192.168.131.1 and 255.255.255.0 respectively.
NOTE: 1. A PLC bridge uses the power line to communicate
and requires both a “send” and “receive” unit.
2. The quality and length of LAN cable will affect
the ECU communication quality. You can use a Switch to
enhance the communication quality if necessary.

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Hardware Installation
Power Up ECU
Make sure the power cable is correctly connected to the
power connection port on the bottom of the ECU.
Plug the power cable into a dedicated standard AC
electrical outlet.
WARNING: Make sure to use a dedicated outlet for the
ECU. Do NOT plug any other devices into the same outlet
as the ECU.
Figure 11
WARNING: Do NOT plug the ECU into a power strip,
surge protector, or uninterruptable power supply (UPS).
The surge suppression and/or filtering on these sorts
of devices will substantially diminish PLC performance.
ECU power cord

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ECU Initialization Sequence
Once power is supplied to the ECU, it automatically steps through
a series of initialization screens on its LCD display.
LCD Display
Figure 12
Step 1: Power on ECU
The following information will be displayed on LCD after ten seconds.
1) Loading the software firmware:
Figure 13
2) Waiting user to enter the inverter IDs on local web. Alternate
displaying 1 and 2 for every 5 seconds:
Lan IP Address
Display 1
Wireless IP Address
Display 2 Figure 14
A word about network communication protocols. The ECU needs
to have access to the router via a lan IP address. The ECU will only
search for and obtain a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
IP address during its powering up sequence.
For example, the LCD screen on the front of the ECU displays an lan
IP address such as “192.168.1.101” if the connection to the router is
successful (the IP address will vary based on router supplier, so check
with the user manual for specifics). If, however, the LCD displays
“192.168.131.228”, the ECU-router connection has not been successful,
in which case you’ll need to check all of the cabling connections and
reboot the ECU by removing the power cable for a few seconds and
reconnecting.
Loading…
Input Inverter ID
on local web
L: 192.168.1.101
W: 192.168.1.102

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ECU Initilization Sequence
NOTE: The complete initialization sequence can take
several minutes (up to 15 minutes depending on the
complexity of the installation).
3) Operation interface. Alternate displaying 3 and 4 for every 1 minutes:
Lan IP Address EMA Communication
Display 3
Current Power Production Lifetime Production Reporting Inverters
Wireless IP Address
Display 4 Figure 15
Lan IP Address:
When ECU connect internet by LAN cable, the LCD screen
on the front of the ECU displays an lan IP address such as
“192.168.1.101”, if the connection to the router is successful
(the IP address will vary based on router supplier, so check
with the user manual for specifics). If, however, the LCD
displays “192.168.131.228”, the ECU-router connection has
not been successful, in which case you’ll need to check all
of the cabling connections and reboot the ECU by removing
the power cable for a few seconds and reconnecting.
Wireless IP Address:
When ECU connect internet by WiFi, enter the wireless IP
address into the computer nternet browser to login the ECU
local network interface.
EMA Communication:
A “+W” indicates that the ECU is communicating with
the APsystems EMA via the Internet. “-W” is an indication
that there is a problem and the ECU is not communicating
with the APsystems EMA. Need to setup the security authority
to offer Auto IP configuration.
Current Power Production:
What the solar array is producing currently (in Watts).
Lifetime Production:
The lifetime power output of the system (in kWh).
L: 192.168.1.101 +W
750W 11.54Kwh 012
W: 192.168.1.102 +W
750W 11.54Kwh 012

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ECU Initilization Sequence
Reporting Inverters:
The number of inverters reporting into the ECU. If the
number is followed by an “!”, then the number of reporting
inverters does not match the number of IDs that have been
programmed into the ECU.
NOTE: The inverter IDs must be programmed into
the ECU for the ECU to recognize the inverters. The
ECU will NOT auto-sense the inverters (see Managing
Inverter IDs pg. 20).
Step 2: ECU time zone setting
Enter the IP address shown on the ECU LCD into the
internet browser, and then open the web page.
Click “Administration”, then “Date, Time, Time zone”.
In the corresponding box, enter local date/time/time
zone, click Update after finished. For details, refer to
Date, Time Zone management in p.25.
Step 3: EMA Monitoring
After ECU display “+W”，contact installers or APsystems technical
staffs in your local area and they will setup an EMA account with
User Name and Password, then complete EMA management(see pg.28).

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Basic Operation
The APsystems ECU has one two-line, 40-character LCD display
with alphanumeric. Set the mode using a single button.
NOTE: ECU functions as a gateway and monitors the
microinverters that are connected to the PV modules.
Therefore, the communication between inverters and
ECU does not affect inverters' performance, even if ECU
drops inverters. The power production data collected by
ECU is for reference only, please check the power meter
for the real power production of the whole system.
Menu Structure
You can access the ECU’s menu by pressing and holding the
Menu Button on the side of the ECU for 2 seconds.
MENU Button
Figure 16
NOTE: The Menu Button will only cycle through its menu
selections once the ECU has been successfully initialized.
The ECU has the following menu structure (displayed on LCD
screen):
Exit Menu
Signal Level
Status
Turn Off All
Figure 17
Press and hold the MENU Button, releasing the button to gain
access to the functionality of each menu item.
Exit Menu: Return the ECU to the normal operating
screen (see Operating Interface Pg. 10).
Signal Level: The communication strength between
inverters and ECU measured from 1-5.
With more “=” being stronger signal
strength.

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Basic Operation
Figure 18
Status: Report both the number of inverters that
should be connected to the ECU (Total), and
the number that are actually connected
(Connected). These numbers should match.
Figure 19
Turn off all: Turn off all the entire system. Choose “Ok”,
and the system of inverter will be turned off.
Choose “Cancel”, ECU will exit the menu.
Figure 20
If within one minute without pressing the button again, then
automatically exit the menu button.
NOTE: The above operation should be done under the
guidance of technicist.
Restore the factory set operation
The following diagram guides to the connectors back of APsystems
ECU.
Figure 21
RESET
For the ECU restoring the factory set, simply press the “Reset”
button for three seconds or longer, ECU will automatically
return to the default settings.
Connected: 12
Total: 15
Ok
Cancel
Level:
[= = = = =]

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Basic Operation
Troubleshooting
Potential Problems and Solutions
IP Address Problem:
If the lan IP address displayed on the ECU’s LCD does not match
the subnet on your internal network and shows “192.168.131.228”,
it means that it was unsuccessful in obtaining a DHCP IP address
from your router.
Check network connectivity to the router or other
DHCP server. You may need to contact your Internet
Service Provider or refer to your router documentation
for troubleshooting assistance.
LCD Displays “-W”:
The ECU could not connect to the APsystems website.
Check network connectivity to the router. You may
need to contact your Internet Service Provider or refer
to your router documentation for troubleshooting
assistance.
the communication between microinverter and ECU is
abnormal. Check the communication of microinverter
and ECU.
LCD Display “!”:
The number of installed units doesn’t match the microinverter-count.
This may indicate that the ECU is having difficulty communicating
over the power lines. It could also be caused by low light levels,
resulting in module voltage that is too low for the microinverter to
power up.
Figure 22
Plug the ECU into an electrical socket in a different
location. Keep it away from your router.
L: 192.168.1.101 +W
750W 11.54kWh 012!

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Local Network Interface
The ECU can be configured, and its data reviewed, by connecting
a computer to the ECU via the Local Area Network (LAN), or by
connecting directly to the ECU via its Ethernet port or Wi-Fi hotspot.
Connecting to the ECU via the LAN
1. Make sure both your computer and the ECU are correctly
connected by the LAN.
2. Using a standard web browser on your computer, enter the
IP Address that is displayed on your ECU in to the URL
search field.
The ECU’s “splash” screen is displayed.
Figure 23
Connecting directly to the ECU via wired lan
Using a Windows-based PC
1. Connect the computer to the ECU using a CAT5
network cable.
2. Power up the ECU by connecting the power cable.
3. Open the “Network and Sharing Center” in the
Control Panel on the PC.
4. Select “Local Area Connection” for “Unidentified
Network”.
5. Select “Properties” when “Local Area Connection
Status” (LAC) window is displayed.
6. Highlight “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)”
when the “Local Area Connection Properties” window
is displayed.
7. Select “Use the Following IP Address” radial button
and the enter IP Address and Subnet Mask as listed
below. Do not enter anything in the DNS Server address
section.
IP Address: 192.168.131.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

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Local Network Interface
8. Select “OK” on the IPv4 Properties window.
9. Close the LAC Properties window.
10. Close the LAC Status window.
11. Close the Network and Sharing Center.
12. Using a standard web browser on your computer,
enter the lan IP address that is displayed on your ECU
in to the URL search field.
The ECU’s “splash” screen is displayed.
Figure 23
Using an Apple Mac
1. Connect the computer to the ECU using a CAT5
network cable.
2. Power up the ECU by connecting the power cable.
3. Select the Apple icon in the menu bar to access
“System Preferences”.
4. Select “Network” in the “Internet & Wireless” section
of the System Preferences.
5. Select “Ethernet” on the left side of the Network window.
6. Select “Manually” from the “Configure IPv4” drop
down menu.
7. Enter the following in the appropriate fields:
IP Address: 192.168.131.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
8. Leave the “Router” field blank.
9. Select “Apply”.
10. Using a standard web browser on your computer,
enter the lan IP address that is displayed on your ECU
in to the URL search field.
The ECU’s “splash” screen is displayed .

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Local Network Interface
Figure 23
Connecting to the ECU via the Wi-Fi hotspot
1. Turn on the Wi-Fi function on PC.
2. Connect to the ECU’s Wi-Fi named with ECU-WIFI_xxxx
(the “xxxx” means ECU’s last 4 numbers of its ID), and
connect. The first connection have no password.
3. Using a standard web browser on your computer, enter
the wireless IP address that is displayed on your ECU into
the URL search field.
The ECU’s “splash” screen is displayed.
Figure 23

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Local Network Interface
Home Screen
Select “Home” at the top of the page.
The Home Page is displayed.
Figure 24
ECU ID:
Lifetime Generation:
Last System Power:
Generation of
Current Day:
Last connection to
Website:
This is a unique number that identifies
this specific ECU.
Amount of power this system has generated
during its lifetime.
Amount of power the system was generating
during its last polling cycle.
Amount of power that has been generated
during the most current day.
The last time the ECU checked into the
central APsystems EMA database.
Number of Inverters:
Last Number of
Inverters Online:
Current Software
Version:
Current Timezone:
ECU Eth0 Mac
Address
ECU Wlan0 Mac
Address
Inverter Comm.
Signal Level
Number of inverters that have programmed
into the ECU.
Number of inverters that are checking in
with the ECU.
Version of software firmware.
Time zone that has been programmed into
the ECU.
Address of ECU’s LAN.
Address” of the ECU’s internal WLAN.
The communication strength between inverters
and ECU. The range is 1-5, the higher the better.