WinVerter™-Monitor OB[1] , WattPlot™ , and WattPlot™ PRO compared
(as of October 2009)
There are two major software developers supplying mature monitoring products for the OutBack MATE: Winverter™ by RightHand Engineering and WattPlot™ by Intallact. Our belief is that both products have different strengths, and will be best fits for different situations. We hope the reader will find this comparison to be accurate and honest. This material is intended to assist people in choosing the product that might be right for their situation.
Please Note that these are subjective opinions, and feedback is welcomed. We do try to keep this page up-to-date, and have responded to feedback by making changes to the content. (We may be unique in that respect.) Also be aware that some of the products included on this page are still very much in development, and available features are changing often. If you would like to comment constructively on any of this resource, please contact us, and we will try to improve it.FLASH: Please read the following IMPORTANT NOTICE.
The following is an overview of the two major products. More information about WattPlot itself is available from our extensive Frequently Asked Questions page.
Single System Applications
(Read about WattPlot's Multiple MATE solutions here)
Winverter™
Winverter-Monitor OB is very graphical, with one window per device, showing pictures of components with arrows and LCD-like numbers to show what power is flowing where. The product is simple and straightforward, making it easy to use and see what is happening with your system in real-time. Data logging is minimal (calculated key values by hour), although values-per-minute are available in the PRO version. This basic Windows-based product is established, stable, and is priced by what kind of devices you wish to monitor. We think that Winverter is well-suited to non-technical residential customers with few devices who want to see what their system is doing right now, and want an idea of what their overall power production and usage looks like. $60/module ($120 for PRO), up to $180/$360
WattPlot™
Wattplot uses a single multi-document-interface to show both real-time snap-shots and per-second pen-plots of system values for each device. The product is feature-rich and thus there are many optional user-customizable settings available to take full advantage of the capabilities. Its key strength is in plotting and logging every one of the system performance values, showing exactly what the system has done (every second) for any space of time. This extremely user-friendly, Windows-based, package-priced product is regularly being enhanced (often in response to user requests) so new versions can be a frequent occurrence. We think that WattPlot is well-suited to sophisticated users and dealers who need to precisely track complex system behaviour or perform detailed analysis and diagnostics for one or more client systems. $100 all-inclusive ($150 for PRO)OutBack's own support department staff use WattPlot to monitor in-house systems and to resolve firmware issues. Customers have often had their system problems diagnosed by emailing WattPlot logs to the support staff who then can then review precise per-second system behaviors.
Some Clarifications
ALL of the products that monitor an OutBack MATE must be running in order to capture data. No data or errors or anything else is logged unless a program is running (either locally or remotely).
Feature Table
(Note that WattPlot MultiMATE is equivalent to WattPlot PRO,
except that MultiMATE supports any number of simultaneous MATE
connections on a single display and can combine multi-system data)Click on any underlined feature for a more complete description of the differences:
Customers Compare..."One nice thing about WattPlot is the constant logging to disk. With WinVerter, if a power failure or other event occurs during the night/early morning hours, I have no way of knowing what time we switched to battery power until after midnight (when the logs are saved to disk). Utility power went out Friday at 3:10am, and the batteries died at 6:00am after the coffee pot turned on at 5:30."
- James Stringham, http://www.wiseowlnetworks.us
"The capture capability proved very useful. I used graph from March and last month to prove to my installer that something had changed when he replaced a FET board in one of the inverters. He is now a believer in your software."
- Andreas Jensen, Irving, TX
"WattPlot is a really nice piece of software and we recommend it to customers on a regular basis."
- Matt James, Customer Service Manager, OutBack Power Systems
"Wow, great program -- much, much better than WinVerter -- now I'm glad they didn't respond or I wouldn't have found your program."
Read our best WattPlot testmonials here.
Monitoring Concept
Winverter displays the current state of your system, for any given second. The screen shows both the raw numbers and some informative graphics to indicate where power is going. Numbers are accumulated in the background, but the actual history of system behaviour and per/second performance is lost. Performance history and events are not viewable until after midnight. The data produced is best used to show approximate performance over a long period of time. The output has limited use for system support purposes.
WattPlot was developed around the central concept of retaining every single piece of data sent by the MATE. The pen-plot approach also shows exactly what the system is doing and has been doing over the last several hours (or days). The screens also show the current state data per second. All data and history is instantly viewable and captured immediately to disk. The data can be used to perform sophisticated analysis of device settings for fine-tuning of the entire system, as well as tracking performance over the long-term. System support staff have the option of connecting in immediately to remote systems and the option of analysing detailed past performance.
Installation and Setup
All Winverter system configuration data must be supplied by the user before the software can be run. Fortunately, not a lot of configuration data is required. The user manual is well-written and provides good information to the non-sophisticated user.
The strength of WattPlot's user interface will be apparent the very first time you run it. New users are walked through every step of the installation with friendly informative 'wizard' screens that immediately test communication parameters, analyze incoming data, fill-in device information, and only prompt for relevant information. The entire setup can be completed in under 5 minutes in order to achieve the full functionality. You may want to leave the advanced features until you are more familiar with the product, but they are ready right away. Clients actually write to us just about the excellence of our user documentation, but most of them can still install and use the system without it.
User Interface
Winverter is very picturesque, with one window per device, showing pictures of components with arrows and LCD-like numbers to show what power is flowing where. The only display adjustments permitted are for the user to select maximum wattages for various 'thermometer' scales from a preset list of values. For inverter status, WinVerter has 3 ‘LED’s, similar to what is found on the front of the actual FX inverter. These operate in a similar manner to the real LEDs. For example, warning conditions make the red LED flash, while error conditions turn the red one on solidly.
Almost every single WattPlot data field is programmed to provide additional real-time information to the user simply by hovering the mouse over the field. WattPlot pen-plot wattage and DC voltage scales are completely user-customizable (both minimum and maximums) - there is even a option to have a centered zero-line for wattages, so certain power transactions are treated as positive or negative. Full information for all devices is visible simultaneously (subject only to screen-size limitations). WattPlot highlights the appropriate display area in yellow for warnings and red for errors. For example, a Low VAC Output error would change the AC Out display background for the appropriate device to red. You see your entire system (or what's wrong) at a glance. WattPlot takes a unique approach to MATE settings that our users rave about.
Activity Logging
Winverter produces a daily file that contains a series of different hourly averages and cumulative values, along with a large block of embedded instructions as to how to manually load the data into an Excel spreadsheet. “Aux output on” is not indicated or tracked, although it might be presumptuously reported as generator hours(?).
In addition to logging every second of system activity, WattPlot can log a selection of mode changes, and other events flagged by the Mate, as well as detecting and interpreting events from the raw data. Most importantly, it maintains all events viewable and on file. Logs can be sorted by time, event type, or device, and sort either most recent first or most recent last. The user can search for any occurrence of some specified text in the log. WattPlot PRO can automatically log any user-defined event. WattPlot accumulates primary usage data to a single spreadsheet file every month that does not require any conversion (including support of European decimal format!). The spreadsheet file uses a non-proprietary Comma-Separated Value (.CSV) format that can opened directly by any major spreadsheet program, or emailed on-demand.
Error Logging
The Winverter program logs slightly fewer errors, warnings, mode changes, and other events than WattPlot, and it only maintains the most recent 100 events. Logs are sorted in chronological order, with the most recent event at the bottom. There is no log search capability. As noted above, inverter errors are flagged to the user in real time by the same very basic LED system used on the inverter itself.
WattPlot can log a selection of errors, warnings, mode changes, and other events flagged by the Mate, as well as detecting and interpreting events from the raw data. Most importantly, it maintains all errors and warnings viewable and on file. Logs can be sorted by time, event type, or device, and sort either most recent first or most recent last. The user can search for any occurrence of some specified text in the log. As noted earlier, all alerts are immediately displayed on the user interface by highlighting the actual value(s) affected as well as presenting an alert window. WattPlot PRO can automatically respond to errors and alerts.
Device Limits
Winverter software is limited to 8 inverters, whereas an OutBack HUB can support up to 10. It is also limited to 8 charge controllers, while an OutBack HUB can support up to 10. For systems with FXs and MXs, WinVerter requires MXs in the highest HUB port numbers, contrary to Outback's suggestion that contiguous ports be used. Furthermore, WinVerter wants FXs in odd and even HUB ports to represent the different AC phases, but Outback examples do not follow this requirement.
WattPlot has no arbitrary limitation on number of inverters or charge controllers, or special rules for port assignments. WattPlot tracks the specific phase of each inverter explicitly (including 3-phase systems), and inverters can be in any port (so long as Master is in first one). Devices can be combined in reporting sets, allowing for effective real-time and historical summaries of related devices or components in series.
Information Sharing
Winverter is limited to one computer monitoring single-MATE systems. The only meaningful data that Winverter can share with other users is the power production summary, which is a text file of various power values, averaged out by hour. Each file comes with embedded text instructions as to how the user might manual import the data into a spreadsheet program for viewing. Web access to screens should be possible using indirect screen capture.
Multiple computers running WattPlot can access real-time data from a single MATE (either using WattPlot's built-in TCP/IP MATE Data Server, or by taking advantage of an incidental benefit of the WattPlot Remote program). If the data sharing does not need to be in real-time, then the portability of WattPlot's data logs becomes its unique strength. WattPlot uses powerful data compression schemes to produce daily performance files that store every second of activity in an easily emailed file. The format is proprietary, however WattPlot can be used as a free file viewer without being licensed. Log files can even be dragged and dropped on the application, which instantly opens them for viewing. WattPlot PRO can be easily set to automatically email daily log files to other users. In fact, any WattPlot PRO log can be emailed on-demand from the program itself. Users have successfully employed a variety of tools (ranging from virtual private networks (VPN) to automated screen-capture) to post WattPlot screens on web pages.
Pricing and Licensing
The Winverter software for is licensed is by computer and consists of three separately licensed modules, each of which monitor one kind of device only. If you want to monitor a system with an FX inverter, an MX charge controller, and a FLEXnet DC monitor, you have to buy 3 licenses ($180). WinVerter PRO for those mixed devices costs $360. No discounts are advertised. Licensing. If you want to move the software to another PC (or significantly change the original PC's hardware, you have to request a new activation code from RightHand Engineering. You may do this twice only. Software upgrades cost the difference in price, plus $5 shipping.
WattPlot's price ($100) includes the monitoring of all devices: FX inverters, Charge controllers, and the FLEXnet DC monitor. Licensing is by computer. One computer can easily monitor multiple OutBack Systems. WattPlot PRO is available for $150. Dealer discounts are available. Updates are available anytime by download, free-of-charge.
Product Evaluation
You can download a limited functionality version of Winverter from the RightHand Engineering web site, fill out the registration form, and then request an unlock code to look at it. You have to pay to try out the fully functional product. The user manual is only available with a registered evaluation.
You can download the complete WattPlot product from our web site. We will send you a free activation code, on request, giving you a 15-day (or more) trial period for the fully functional product. If you want to move a license to another PC, WattPlot will issue a new activation code, allowing you to do this yourself, as often as you need. The friendly and informative user guide is available as a free download.
Multiple Devices
With Winverter each device type (FX or MX) gets its own monitoring screen. Logging options are set system-wide and cannot be set for individual devices. The user can only specify whether multiple inverters are in parallel or series (or both). Phase assignments for values are calculated based on the port the device is plugged into.
With WattPlot the state of each device appears at the top of a single screen. Each device can have its own pen-plot window, with a single multi-document interface. Logging and plot options can be set for individual devices. The software allows the user to define device groups to intelligently combine data from inverters or charge controllers in series or parallel. For inverters, it tracks the specific phase wiring of each component. Data from combined devices can appear as a single device, although specific values are still attributed to specific components in the background.
Historical Tracking
Winverter captures performance averages by hour and stores them in a difficult-to-read daily text file, which is small enough to send by email. No monthly summary is provided.
WattPlot was designed to create incredibly efficient historical logs of per-second performance data. Daily and monthly log files can be dragged and dropped on to WattPlot (or 'run' them from your Windows Explorer) to immediately show a full plot of the device history for any given day or month. Despite storing every second of activity, these files are small enough to email to remote support staff, allowing for easy and intuitive diagnostics. The monthly summary plots allow any combination of menu-selected bar and line graphs, with special bar graph displays for battery voltage and total power production. Double-click on the day to drill-down into the full pen-plot for that day.
Remote Operation
Winverter does not support fully remote operation. The program can only be run on the computer that is connected to the MATE. Viewing of real-time information across a network or the web is only possible with 3rd-party PC emulation software that allows you to access the desktop of the remote PC. WinVerter has the capability to post periodic screen shots of its display to a web site, permitting internet system 'glances'.
WattPlot supports three kinds of remote MATE access. Firstly, it supports direct TCP/IP port connections to a MATE anywhere in the world (which is connected to a Serial-to-IP converter). Secondly, you can TCP into any other WattPlot program (including the Remote program) allowing simultaneous Piggy-Back monitoring using WattPlot's built-in TCP Server. Access to data and/or MATE commands is protected by passwords. Thirdly, it can be run in two parts with common access to a network folder to support fully remote real-time operation. (Part 1 is a very efficient remote monitor that captures raw data off the MATE, verifies its integrity, and then writes it to a user-specified location, which might be a network drive or an internet site. Part 2 will read the raw data from the remote location in real-time and process it as if it were connected to the MATE locally.) The third strategy also supports simultaneous remote and local monitoring, and all three strategies support the remote sending of MATE commands.
Detail and Automation
Wattage scales, grid-tie information, nominal voltages, etc, are all under Winverter user control, and must be specified before the software will function properly. All performance data is averaged out by the hour.
All system devices can be automatically detected by the built-in WattPlot Device Wizard. Wattage scales, grid-tie information, nominal voltages, etc. are all automatically derived from the model numbers. Default scales can be adjusted to user preferences. All performance data is accurate to the second. For researchers with heavy data demands, WattPlot can turn on the capture of raw MATE data to flat text files with a single click.
Auto-Response, with Email
Winverter PRO supports limited email automated responses.
WattPlot PRO can automatically react to a wide variety of user-defined triggers, including battery voltages, errors, time-of-day, etc. These can trigger emails, Windows programs, or Mate commands being sent by WattPlot. The dialog box for setting up these triggers is extremely user friendly, telling you in plain English exactly what will happen, based on what trigger.
Features Unique to WattPlot PRO
MATE Settings
The program tracks every relevant system setting on the MATE in order to provide enhanced output and assistance. These settings are accessed in an easy-access screen, allowing immediate look-ups. The MATE settings screen also provides significant help and guidance, explaining what each setting does. Settings may also be exported to a text file for printing, emailing, etc. (Since the MATE cannot provide this information automatically, WattPlot loads the same defaults as your firmware, and then you can edit the settings that you changed.) For dealers, multiple settings can be tracked for different client systems.
Multiple Client System Tracking
WattPlot can organize the logs and settings of multiple systems, allowing dealers and installers to effectively monitor multiple client sites - without even being connected to client Mates. Client data (either coming directly from the client MATE or emailed daily from the client's WattPlot program) will be automatically directed to a separate folder unique to that client. Read an example of how this works.
Send Information for Support
With WattPlot PRO, anyone can email a copy of MATE settings, system configuration, second-by-second activity logs, or power performance summaries, directly from within the program, to any email address. The recipient need only have the free WattPlot Viewer program in order to be able to get a complete picture of the system and provide diagnostic support. For example, OutBack support staff regularly use WattPlot to view customer logs.
Dealer Branding
Dealers purchasing deeply discounted license packages can request to have their company name and logo appear prominently on WattPlot screens. From then on, any copy of any WattPlot product can be branded by that dealer.
DC Voltage Settings Scale
WattPlot PRO can show you how your Mate's DC voltage settings compare in relative terms on a unique graphic scale. The scale adjusts for temperature compensated values, so you can see how temperature affects the relative behavior of the system.
Maintenance Log
WattPlot PRO offers a single maintenance log which records critical system events such as bulk and equalization charges, equipment replacement, battery specific gravity readings and water levels, and whatever other notations the user wishes to add. The log will even display a full history of readings for specific battery cells, allowing you to spot tired or defective batteries in your bank. WattPlot already records every piece of data coming out of the MATE. The Maintenance log is an intelligent way to store addtional data that the MATE does not provide.
For more information, see our WattPlot page or contact us.
Example of Managing Client Site Data
Installation: Phil, of Phil’s Solar Emporium, wants to track the settings, performance data, and significant logs for all of his clients. When he completes an installation, he uses WattPlot PRO to create a new WattPlot System Folder for the client on his office computer. He also installs WattPlot PRO at each new site, and after configuring the client’s system, he carefully matches the settings on the client’s MATE to the MATE Settings maintained by their WattPlot PRO.
Setup: Phil also creates some Automatic Actions on the client’s computer, setting up their WattPlot PRO to email him copies of their power summaries every month, and their performance logs for the 5th and 20th of each month (just as a random sampling). (Of course, he also instructs their system to automatically email him immediately with details of any inverter errors or warnings!) He then uses WattPlot PRO's Send Information function to easily email a copy of the client's full configuration to the System Folder that he created for that client back on his office system.
Automatically thereafter: Whenever the client’s WattPlot PRO automatically sends an email from that system with a data file attached, Phil saves the attachment in the appropriate System Folder for that client. He can then use the WattPlot Viewer program to assume the client's configuration and browse through their data to see how system is performing. When a client calls with a question or problem, Phil has immediate access to their MATE settings, WattPlot configuration, and recent performance data.
[1] WinVerter™–Monitor OB is a trademark of RightHand Engineering, LLC
