Foxess inverter ethernet data to PC data and other monitoring LIE (SOLVED)

[MrMobodies]

17/02/22 Update:

I have received an official response from Fox-ess that they are now backing the use of a modbus over a serial converter so that users can run their Homeassistant/Rednode appliance in house as an alternative to the ethernet port which they have disabled since firmware version 1.50. I was told at first by my contractor/installer that connecting anything up to the serial port not approved by the manufacturer could void the warranty.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/dodgy-technology/foxess-inverter-ethernet-data-to-pc-data-and-other-monitoring-lie/msg4706369/#msg4706369

Pin outs: RS485 pins within the (Item E) plug:


W610 Converter:
Amazon: £54.98
https://www.amazon.co.uk/USR-W610-Ethernet-Wireless-Converter-WatchDog/dp/B07DNWM62H

W610 Converter instructions for Fox-ess
https://github.com/StealthChesnut/HA-FoxESS-Modbus/wiki/USR-W610-Setup-Guide

Change in menu -> setting -> installer menu -> communications:
from "ethernet" to "RS485".

September 08, 2022, 02:26:49 pm
I had solar panels installed with an inverter and charging point, all which only offer this "cloud hosting" nonsense rather than a choice to use a local datalogger or even built in webserver just to view the basic info so I switched the wifi stuff off for a start on the charging point which one of them had.

The main inverter I got has a lan port, it is pingable but no webserver and I thought great I can monitor the presence on the lan on a monitoring to see if it is on incase there is a fault and it powers down.

I found something wonderful in the manual:

6.5 Communication Device Installation (Optional)
• Ethernet
Ethernet communication is the standard communication interface.
Application Occasion
This function is appliable for the below situation:
1) For data transmission: It can transmit the inverter data from inverter to PC or other monitoring equipment

2) For monitoring: It can transmit the inverter data from inverter to Foxess monitoring website/APP though home router connected.

That raised my hopes a little so I send them an email to inquiring whether they do a monitoring standalone PC software or 3rd party manufacturer or standards it needs to work.

This bullshit response which sounds to me like they were pulling the wool other my eyes:

From: service@fox-ess.com <service@fox-ess.com>
Sent: 08 September 2022 12:05
To: Subject: Re: H1-5.0-E Inverter ethernet port
 
Hi Sir,

Which country are you from?
Are you end user or installer?
What is your H1 SN please?
The ethernet port on H1 is a reserved port , function not ready to use.

They don't explain how I go about making this function ready for use.

Obviously they are lying to me. One sensible thing in the manual and utter garbage bullshit response that it is a "reserved port" not described as in the manual which I take insult.

If they say they decided to withdraw it or mentioned that it never materialized or labelled "reserved/service only", next the ethernet label and manual then I could understand or it not being mentioned at all but written in the manual like that. Sorry I think they are lying I just don't like being lied to like that.

I should not have to do this rubbish to view the basic info about the voltages and strings, "create an account, sign in, download the app, sign in to that and whether other aspects like firmware updates and voltages can be controlled from the website and I don't want that risk.

I don't mind reporting as an optional but I want the priority inhouse first as the webhosting I see is finite. They could one day pull the plug on it on their hosting if they disappear, decide to simply stop supporting the monitoring of that model or start charging a subscription fee to view it. They could roll out a firmware update behind my back and it fails then that means I have chase them up.

So that's I refuse to use the so "cloud" hosting and don't have much expectations for it. If I got use to depending on it and they do one of the things above it would be a big let down.

I'd rather it be left alone and with a stand alone solution, appliance of laptop that won't have internet access to it or no detailed lan monitoring at all.

This Foxess one I have been given has no built in wifi module or bluetooth and I can't find or no items when checking to turn them off, only ethernet which is great and what I wanted.
2) For monitoring: It can transmit the inverter data from inverter to Foxess monitoring website/APP though home router connected.

I wonder:
1: As they put it in their response, if it was a "reserved" port" and "non functioning", why are they mentioning the other option above in their manual.
2: With no built in wifi, how else is it suppose to connect up to their "cloud" platform which reinforces why I think I am being lied to.
3: Why am I getting DHCP and traffic statistics and is pingable on the router I was testing it with (no broadand).

So it does function in some way.

Maybe I should do some more testing and see if it connect up to their cloud platform to validate this lie.

What do you think?

[helio0centra@gmail.com]

Almost all cloud services are built to harvest your data. They want you to connect your solar panels to the internet so they can sell your usage data. That and the possibility that it is vaporware means you need to find a way to track locally it even if it means building your own sensors.

[MrMobodies]

I connected it up, monitoring using NTOPING and checked open states and it does nothing after DHCP. So I am please it does not make connections outside to their website or cloud nonsense.

I did a port scan of the usual port range and found one port open.
Port 502 modbus:

I found this tool and it does indeed transmit data using that Modbus protocol.


A simple search shows it is used for monitoring stuff like this and there are some monitoring stuff but what I can see needs adjustments. So all I have to do is find something that will interpret the data, well actually that is all too easy said than done, I believe I will have to do a lot of work to get something working in house.

If they said to me, that is there for 3rd party monitoring solutions that we don't support and can't help you with it and you'll have to find out about it and set it up yourself then fine.

From: service@fox-ess.com <service@fox-ess.com>
Sent: 08 September 2022 12:05
To: Subject: Re: H1-5.0-E Inverter ethernet port
 
Hi Sir,
The ethernet port on H1 is a reserved port , function not ready to use.

Instead they outright lied and insulted me and spoke to me in a way like am stupid and confused ignoring what I pointed out in their manual.  Saying it is "reserved" whatever that is suppose to mean for whom and what? and pretending it is "nonfunctional"... Utter bullshit. Trying to pull wool over my eyes when I can see in plain sight and then see it operate. As shown that ethernet port is functional and does exactly what is mentioned in there except it doesn't seem to mention the details such the protocol, what the sensors are what or to label up for third party monitor (I assume from the registers?) and any compatible monitoring pc software or appliances.

The ethernet port has a screw on cover as with the other ports and their response reminds me of a scene that Thunderf00t sometimes put in his video:
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

21 Seconds in this clip.

[MrMobodies]

I was searching for menu items from the inverter in the manual that didn't seem to go into detail. So search them up to find that there is another manufacturer, Solax that has the same menu items in the same style, same screen and buttons on some of their inverters.

Now I found a video of someone, Ben Fletcher who was not happy with his "Solax cloud" nonsense in that it only updates every 5 minutes from the stick that plugs into it. Here is his channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9BG5gVmhSM-KRk4P4YBDig/videos
Thanks to him I got something to barely show some results.

I found that "FC4 Read input registers" in 300 and 99 sensors seem to work, only a few sensors show up which don't seem correct and it is night time.

https://github.com/StealthChesnut/HA-FoxESS-Modbus
I found a script somewhere for Foxess inverters  to run in conjunction with another appliance to make it run on standalone or something like that and then I see the registers they use.

# v0.9
sensors:
input_type: holding
slave: 247
data_type: int16
address: 31000 - name: "PV1-Voltage"
address: 31001 - name: "PV1-Current"
address: 31002 - name: "PV1-Power"
address: 31003 - name: "PV2-Voltage
address: 31004 - name: "PV2-Current"
address: 31005 - name: "PV2-Power"
address: 31006 - name: "RVolt" # Grid Voltage
address: 31007 - name: "RCurrent" # Generated AC Current ?
address: 31008 - name: "31008" # Generated AC Watts ? 
address: 31009 - name: "RFreq" # Grid Frequency
address: 31014 - name: "Grid CT"
address: 31016 - name: "Load Power"
address: 31018 - name: "AmbTemp"
address: 31019 - name: "InvTemp"
address: 31020 - name: "BatVolt"
address: 31021 - name: "BatCurrent"
address: 31022 - name: "Battery-Discharge-Power"
address: 31023 - name: "Battery-Temp"
address: 31024 - name: "Battery-SoC"

Changing FC from "FC4 Read input registers to "FC3 Reading Holding Register" and the addresses seems to show a few accurate results on some of the counters so that looks promising if I know what to change. It is night time at the moment. The voltage on the LCD panel for the solar is actually reporting 2.4v. Maybe residual current?

I didn't know from where that file came from is for another appliance that I might give a ago but very useful in trying to get something to work in house with the need, of a whole load of a crap.

I can't find very much from the manufacturer other than they part of some alliance named Sunspec and also SolarEdge are part of it.
https://sunspec.org/project/fox-ess/

Fox is a global leader in the development of inverter and energy storage solutions. Engineered by some of the world’s leading inverter and battery experts, our products are breaking new ground; offering customers the most advanced product features currently available, coupled with unrivalled performance and reliability.

Fox is part of a global conglomerate of renowned and recognised companies. A key shareholder is Tsingshan Group, a Fortune Global 500 company and the largest producer of stainless steel in the world. It has more than 56,000 employees and annual sales revenues in 2020 of 42.4 billion USD.

They release software but require what seems to be a yearly license to use it.

The Foxess (Tsingshan Group, Wenzhou), , and Solax (Hangzhou) don't seem to be related despite looking very similar.

I can't trace back what I searched for to connect to Solax so I took a sentence:
Google:
"The inverter has integrated export limitation functionality."
And a few turned up, one from a Candian firm and another from Energizer with a few differences:

Foxess H1/ACI:
https://www.fox-ess.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Hybrid-AC-User-Manual.pdf


Energizer:
https://www.energizersolar.com/s/Approved-Energizer-Solar-Inverter-User-Installer-Manual-Approved-21-09-09_Online.pdf

Don't the manuals look similar in wording?

Foxess H1/ACI:


Solax X1 Hybrid 3-5KW

As in Youtube video
 youtube.com/watch?v=yci6Z35J3C0
Ben Fletcher: Solax Hybrid Modbus setup part 1

The same dome buttons and positions with the lights but varying with symbols and colours.

I believed that these possibly came out of the same place or factory ordered by specification or maybe it could just be coincidence and that they are making it similar in house and using a generic template to write their manuals.

[MrMobodies]

I had a look at this solution where I found those registers:
https://github.com/StealthChesnut/HA-FoxESS-Modbus

youtube.com/watch?v=uMPr0V6lTHg
Setup FoxESS and Home Assistant using RS485/Modbus
iameccles 2,934 views3 May 2022

All working as detailed in the video with a few changes in location of the files but works straight away so those registers are indeed correct and I have two choices.



History seems okay too:


I'd never thought I'd get this working.

Not the nicest I find of the user interface. Some sticky/fixed elements don't seem to hide with the headerhider extension and I hid some stupid dimming overlays as as shown in the video as the man was looking for files where it dimmed even more on creating files causing major distraction and obscuring the background:

##.mdc-dialog__scrim
###sidenav-overlay
##.modal-overlay

I am very pleased that it worked straight away.

All I have to do now is move it onto something concrete.

Isn't that nice? It does exactly what I want it to do and as described in the manual unlike their response:

From: service@fox-ess.com <service@fox-ess.com>
Sent: 08 September 2022 12:05
To: Subject: Re: H1-5.0-E Inverter ethernet port
 
Hi Sir,
The ethernet port on H1 is a reserved port , function not ready to use.

Liars

It looks like they don't want me using the built in ethernet port.

When it is in place working for a couple of days I think it is time to reply to Fox ess again and challenge them with the results and have a go at them some more. I don't expect a response from my last message which was a bit blunt.

Joke: After showing them this I bet in the next firmware update they may disable the ethernet or modbus interface.

Actually this was my latest reply to them after that response in which I didn't expect anything back as I couldn't get rational explanation about that ethernet port.

Service@fox-ess.com <service@fox-ess.com>
Subject: Fw: H1-5.0-E Inverter ethernet port
 
England.
End user and installer

"The ethernet port on H1 is a reserved port, function not ready to use."
You dodged the question. You are talking bullsh*t. That is UTTER GARBAGE and I take that an insult.
1) For data transmission: It can transmit the inverter data from inverter to PC or other monitoring equipment.

That is NOT what it says in your manual as above and and you're telling me otherwise.
Obviously you are lying to me.

Now how do I go about using as mentioned above, with a PC monitoring or other monitoring equipment then may be I will give you the serial number.

In my contract, the insurance excludes, first person or third party damage to the system caused by any viruses or malware or misuse or hacking.

So damage caused by a hacked/compromised phone or in future your hosting being compromised could invalidate my warranty.

I find this "cloud" based hosting nonsense and a security risk, one inverter I was about to be supplied with before this where you could change the voltages on the website which is a big nono and they only give me that option with WIFI (no ethernet), which can be decypted also a big nono.

If any monitoring equipment I expect it to last as operate as long as the inverter works in house and has to function regardless of what happens out there on your web hosting or "cloud" whatever. That means on site solution Not through the manufacturer deciding not to; support it anymore and withdraw monitoring only provided through them or possibly decide charge a subscription fee in future.

Those are the reasons why I refuse to have any diagnostics or monitoring done over a webserver available from any connection and a matter time when a vulnerable is found and I feel this is deliberate limiting my choices.

It is also very stupid  being the distance of meters away as well as the possible security risk associated.

[MrMobodies]

Almost all cloud services are built to harvest your data. They want you to connect your solar panels to the internet so they can sell your usage data. That and the possibility that it is vaporware means you need to find a way to track locally it even if it means building your own sensors.

I maybe willing to give them all of that voluntary (as long as it doesn't identify my name or address) if they let me run it in house first in exchange for easy remote monitoring but no, they want everything their way to the means of controlling the equipment and doing what they feel  like to it. Like in this thread on Enphase I just found from last year and some complaining recently about being locked out.

https://support.enphase.com/s/question/0D53m00006ySLuRCAW/unimpressed-with-loss-of-local-api-connectivity-to-envoys

Unimpressed with loss of local API connectivity to Envoy-S
Phillips_1325 asked a question. Edited by Gajendra (Moderator) November 19, 2021 at 12:09 PM
Unimpressed with loss of local API connectivity to Envoy-S
The recent firmware update to my Envoy S gateway that was pushed by Enphase without my consent has now restricted local API connectivity and broken my home automation setup.

Wouldn’t have anything to do with attempting to force your customers to pay for cloud API services to access data that used to be freely accessible?? I PAID for that system, the data that solar system is producing is MY OWN data. I should not have to sign up for any ‘cloud’ API requiring that I provide ‘attribution to Enphase’. This behaviour by Enphase is questionable to say the least..

This is why I am frightened to buy anything now without researching and inquiring everything about it. I would monitor equipment in this day and age at first for stuff like this and set firewall rules accordingly put a stop to unauthorized access outside where things like this could happen and in this case where the manufacturer assumes total control, denies access to the user, remove features and do what they feel like. So it s not the same as what they chose it for and brought it with.

Jeremy Walton (Moderator) 7 months ago
We understand that certain users want their energy systems connected only locally, and to dispense with our token authentication process. However, our token authentication solution is currently applicable to all locally-connected Envoys, and we stand by this decision which we feel gives an enhanced level of security for such systems , where unauthorized access is largely in the hands of the system-owner . To be clear, we did not move to token-based authentication to obstruct users from obtaining their own data or to somehow profit from that (which we do not).

To clarify a misunderstanding around this issue, tokens for system-owners are valid for 6 months and therefore present extremely low inconvenience and risk that a token expires during an extended outage. If you are receiving a shorter token (1 hour or 12 hours) then the problem is likely that you are logging in as “installer” and you will need to use a “system-owner” enlighten account instead. Customer Service can assist with this.

Okay so where does the need of a website and tokens come into it for local viewing. They admitted they are not seeking to a subscription model but they could change their minds.

As well as betraying their own customers, they accuse and blame them for unauthorized access to their own equipment when it is Enphase doing the unauthorized things themselves like assuming control over appliances (by opportunity when connected up) paid for by the end users and removing access and features to things that were brought at the at the time of purchase.

Weber_2910 5 days ago
Wow! What a a devastating answer from enphase:

"Good morning, Unfortunately, the gateway requires an internet connection . For further questions, *don't hesitate to contact us.     
Interestingly they used the word "unfortunately" - they accept the loss of customers. So I will not make the project with enphase.

Sully 4 days ago
@Weber_2910​  I'm almost 1 year into my Enphase system and I'm wishing I had gone another route, the panels and microinverters are working fine but I dislike the requirement for internet connectivity :[/u]bullshit:. I also have a battery that has been failing for the past 6 months and I can't get them to RMA it.

linder_1760 4 days ago
My enphase is working sweetly. I do not, and will not, allow envoy to call home  , allowing Enphase to (ssh) tunnel back. The single issue I see is the database becoming full but since envoy is a linux system without doubt the DB is sqlite with pragmas to limit the size and being full is not an issue if all this is true. A rainy winters day with wireshark should reveal all. Any requirement for internet connectivity is marketing gobbledy-gook  .

I like that answer. Very very wise and proactive in their approach for not falling for that nonsense.

Here's what I expect like what I had before with my previous solar panel system:
Customers first and then company/contractor second:
Inverter data output -> direct or appliance (basic webserver via lan) -> *customer -> internet (to company/contractor if desired).
*(onsite where the customers can always get it and retrieve the information locally stored)

Not the other way round:
Inverter data output -> wifi dongle -> *internet -> webhosting and account -> company/contractor -> internet -> *stupid "app" on phone.
*No internet no monitoring or datalogging.

I had never thought of this as the only option, I find that beyond stupid but obviously for them to do this sounds to me like they are up to something or some incentive involved (data gathering, revenue from subscription/licensing etc) for them to care to lock users out for this internet-only viewer approach when it's operations are local and don't need it.

This internet-only viewing nonsense reminds me a little of America in history with the way coloured and black skinned people were treated, when they would paid at the front of a bus like everyone else and was told because of their skin colour they had to go round to the back to get on but then as I was reading on occasions the bus would drive off (that being the internet when it is not available or they go out of business and leave you without monitoring or access to the data gathered and the possibility of running an appliance to do it locally).

[s1977]

Hi MrMobodies

    Hopefully given your work above I wanted to check if you can provide some guidance with an issue I am facing. I have a Fox H1 6KW hybrid inverter with PV and battery storage. I have recently started building the dashboards using Home Assistant and got the Fox ESS Cloud based solution working. However I wanted to check the RS485/Modbus solution too as data is moving out of my local network, so might as well get it off the inverter and not the cloud interface. Having tried the Modbus option, I kept on getting connection errors when connecting on port 502 on my inverter's local IP address.

    I was offered the default wi-fi dongle initially; however I replaced it for a wired connection, so currently using the Smart LAN dongle to patch it into my network. Now I have tried connecting with the Smart LAN on or directly patching into the Ethernet port (labelled F in the manual), which is what you started off with. Neither connections permit me to make a local connection. Would you be able to advise if you had to enable the Ethernet port or something to get it to work?

Thanks

[MrMobodies]

I'll try and help.

I was offered the default wi-fi dongle initially; however I replaced it for a wired connection, so currently using the Smart LAN dongle to patch it into my network.

I read from a forum somewhere that the pocketlan thing will not do this.

directly patching into the Ethernet port (labelled F in the manual), which is what you started off with.

I connected it straight up to the ethernet port on the inverter.

In the installer's menu, I did remember turning on "remote access" somewhere from the start (believing it might turn on a built in webserver if it is there but isn't) and left it on before I discovered port 502 was open and MODBUS. Not sure if that will have anything to do with it. I'll see where I can find that option later.

At the beginning I did have an issue, I connected it up to a switch which was VLAN'D off between the Homeassistant and inverter and to monitor it's presence bit the inverter stopped responding twice and it hanged "nothing changed on display" the batteries (fault light on controller) but seemed to recover an hour later. So I thought I'd connected it up directly which was a USB network dongle on the appliance and no problems thereafter for a month now.

I had seen this happen with other stuff in the pat, like a black and white HP all in one laserjet that was new in 2013 where if it was polled too many times it would hang but we had three other HP printers and that seemed to be the only one to do it. That took me a while too discover that the Dude monitor would trigger it to hang.

I use an Asix USB dongle I picked up on Ebay.

Do you have access password to the installer menu?

I'd connect the inverter's built in ethernet port directly to another network interface (another nic or usb network dongle), then go into the installers menu to disable DHCP and set a static IP address in there and on the homeassistant for the secondary interface.

I am not if leaving the stick plugged in would cause the built in one not to work.

Also there if my fear that the manufacturer could change their minds at some point and release a firmware update to disable stuff like that modbus (I was told it would auto update at any time when connected up to their website and I wouldn't be able to turn it off which is another big nono).

[s1977]

Hello and thank you for your guidance below. I don't have any installer code for access.

I will try to use the USB option and see if that works. Hopefully it works unless that is blocked too.

[MrMobodies]

According to our PM's if you are getting modbus readings then that is a sign that it is likely working and you noticed with the other stick plugged in the website don't get the stats updated.

I remembered one time when I was trying to renaming the register values in a Rednode map from Solax to Foxess from the Homeassistant addon and I accidentally opened another connection to the inverter on a different map and it stopped responding and no ping reply until I stopped it and it started working a couple of minutes later.

So I'd test it without the wifi/pocket stick plugged in, once it is working with Homeassistant, then plug them in to see if it does indeed only reports to one interface at a time.

Also with the computer USB network dongle to inverter, since you can't get to the installer menu to set a static ip, I'd think you need to get a DHCP server to bind it to that dongle or maybe stick a redundant router in the middle and set the computer a static ip on that inteface to avoid setting the dead gateway.

With DHCP server binded to nic 2:
Network -> nic 1 -> computer -> nic 2 (usb dongle) -> built in ethernet port inverter

With a standalone router in the middle for DHCP:
Network -> nic 1 -> computer -> nic 2 (usb dongle set static IP same range as router after it and no gateway address)  -> router -> built in ethernet port inverter

Do change network range on the additional router if it is the same as the first router.

[s1977]

Hey, thank you for your additional inputs. I have tried a usb-to-RJ45 adapter (nic 2) but when connected, the inverter menu changes to a f/w upgrade one. Feels like the inverter tries to mount the USB as an additional drive for f/w upgrade purposes. So didn't go with that option further for the time being lest it disables or puts the inverter in some sort of safe mode prior to flashing. In my setup, i have everything patched to my Unifi switch and so is the inverter. Both inverter nics, Smart LAN and the Ethernet port do get different IPs when I enable DHCP in the Communications menu but that has caused the cloud readings to stop. Let me do a power cycle and re-try the analysis to see what breaks it.

Our solar company will provide warranty support and management, which is why I was still keeping the cloud connection alive (including reporting). I am sure I will realise there won't be much practical support for when any incidents occur and like you i will end up stopping any cloud data submissions.

[MrMobodies]

I think there maybe a misunderstanding.

I mean the nic 2 USB SIDE to connect to the computer not the inverter's usb port.

All that Homeassistant and addition does is read registers.

[s1977]

Ohh...Ok. Got you. Let me try that. As all of this is in my loft, I will try to connect the USB end to my Raspberry Pi, which has Home Assistant installed.

[s1977]

Hello

I tried using the USB-to-Ethernet interface on my HA hosted Raspberry Pi; however no success. I ended up calling my installers who advised that they had to reset something on the inverter; which means this option is a no-go. I have gone back to configuring Home Assistant to use the Cloud plugin instead for now.

[MrMobodies]

No success, and this was with the other dongle plugged in?

[s1977]

No success, and this was with the other dongle plugged in?

I tried it with both the Smart LAN connected and disconnected just to rule things out. Seems unlike your case, a setting turned off which didn't reset itself even after a power cycle. 

[MrMobodies]

Well, that is unfortunate but I am glad to hear that your contractor/installer were being cooperative.

I am going to see what happens if I disable "Remote access" later to see what happens as I think I left it on.

I am using a virtual appliance, for mine, Virtualbox on an old Duo Core but I brought a Lenovo M93P (10w idle) with Windows 10 LTSC 2019 and planning to use HyperV. It is so that I can backup and access the virtual drive image if it goes wrong and I have yet to find out about the file system it uses.

There is a glitch, I switched it off for a couple of hours before midnight and now the daily graphs don't reset to zero at midnight. I tried adjust the values in develop which apparently seem to show correctly. I installed the SQL stuff but the database Homeassistant is there but nothing in there. That's on hold until I find out what I am not doing correctly. This is so I can manually make adjustments.

Once it is all working I am going to disable the update as I want it to run long term without any disruption:
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/feature-request-block-supervisor-auto-updates/112743/58

CentralCommand MikeSep 19
This entire FR is about being able to stop supervisor from auto-updating. So, supervisor? But also none of the other stuff you listed auto-updates so I’m confused by your question.

Or are you asking when it arrives in the UI? If so the answer is it doesn’t. There’s no UI toggle, its in the cli.

ha supervisor options --auto-update=false
Btw for anyone looking to do this, two important notes:

If supervisor is out of date then all updates are blocked. Core, OS, addons, none of it can be updated while supervisor is out of date. You also cannot install new addons or add new addon repositories. Something to be aware of
Only the latest version of supervisor is supported. Your system will be treated as unsupported for purpose of issues while supervisor is out of date.

To try to maintain compatibility I copy a Chrome version that works to a folder (I use Vivaldi for this which is built in chrome):
Example:
C:\Browserprofiles\Programs\Google\Chrome90\chrome.exe

I copy the profiles: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data
Or don't bother as a default one will be made automatically wth the shortcut switch.

I copy the Chrome shortcut, rename and change the target to:
C:\Browserprofiles\Programs\Google\Chrome90\chrome.exe --user-data-dir="C:\Browserprofiles\user\Homeassistant"
And put a nice little ICO beside it and put into something like "C:\Browserprofiles\Ico"

I install the Adblock ABP Plus extension to hide the following stupid things that dim large parts of the screen on dialogues.
That hurts my eyes when that happens, small white dialogue or side menu the background dims and obscures and cuts me off which I find isn't very nice as I want it left alone I might be paying attention to something there.

##.mdc-dialog__scrim
###sidenav-overlay
##.modal-overlay
github.com##.d-flex.js-sticky.js-position-sticky.top-0.border-top-0.border-bottom.p-2.flex-items-center.flex-justify-between.color-bg-default.rounded-top-2.is-stuck
##.d-flex.js-sticky
###ha-launch-screen
##.ha-launch-screen-spacer
##.mdc-circular-progress__indeterminate-circle-graphic
##.ajax_notification.dismissable
###loading_parent
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The only other thing (some fixed with the KIOSK addon) which I go into developer tools in browser to unset the fixed position elements. The HeaderHiderFixer browser extension or StickyDucky don't seem to auto hide it on scroll. I get very distracted and irritated seeing the blue bar stuck there constantly large in size and especially with it coloured blue.

[vladimirus]

Hello

I also followed the instructions to setup "Setup FoxESS and Home Assistant using RS485/Modbus" and everything works great apart from one thing... So I have Fox Ess H1-6.0-E connected directly to my LAN via ethernet port then using HA-FoxESS-Modbus-LAN module in HomeAssistant to scrape data from inverter's port 502 (I also connected Prometheus to scrape data from HomeAssistant so I can build more fancy graphs in Grafana but that's a different story).

Everything works, I can see all the stats in HomeAssistant pretty much in real-time which quite cool... But... Sometimes my inverter restarts, I dont know why and there is no real pattern to it. Sometimes it can restart couple of times a day, sometimes it can run for good few days before it restarts. When it does, it looses IP address completely (if i check settings About -> IP Add) then I see 0.0.0.0. The only remedy to this, is for me to manually go to "Setting -> Communication -> Ethernet -> Enable -> Set". After I've done that, everything starts to work immediately (I see all the data flowing into HomeAssistant)

Did anyone experienced this? Or know the cause or how to fix it? This is quite annoying since it requires me to be present and start DHCP at any time otherwise the stats wont be collected.

Thanks.

[PlainName]

and start DHCP at any time

Can you expand on what you mean there? Typically, a DHCP server runs continuously so perhaps you mean something other than a server - the DHCP setting in the equipment, maybe?

[vladimirus]

Can you expand on what you mean there? Typically, a DHCP server runs continuously so perhaps you mean something other than a server - the DHCP setting in the equipment, maybe?

Yes DHCP setting in the inverter...

So when the inverter restarts, it looses IP Address. If I go and check it (in the Inverter) "About -> IP Add ->" I get 0.0.0.0. So in order for the inverter to obtain an IP, I need to set in the inverter following:

"Settings -> Communication -> Ethernet -> DHCH -> Enable -> Set"

After I do the above, the IP address appears and everything works once again...

[vladimirus]

"Settings -> Communication -> Ethernet -> DHCP -> Enable -> Set"

[MrMobodies]

I had the same trouble too and couldn't find out why so first of all set a static IP but found it was still doing it.

It seems a number of things trigger it.

When connecting it an standalone switch, fine, laptop fine to switch but as soon as I plug that switch in to the network/router then it would randonly stop for a while where the buttons on the inverter would become unresponsive until resetting.

I brought a USB dongle (as an additional interface on the MINIPC) and no problems since.

If you open close the connection too many times (noticed with rednode) restart the appliance I have seen that happen.

[PlainName]

Wow! Getting and retaining an IP address is a rather critical part of being on a network, so this must have been tested extensively to make sure it fails so easily.

[vladimirus]

I brought a USB dongle (as an additional interface on the MINIPC) and no problems since.

I am trying to understand your setup, your inverter connected to what and how? And what does this USB dongle do?

[MrMobodies]

Sorry I forgot to post some stuff but here is a diagram of my configuration:


Onboard M93p ETH0:

USB Nic ETH1:


I set static IP's for everything but static ip for the inverter and the Network card going off to the inverter is needed.

Note: I have noticed, using two or more USB nic's of  the same chipset/type where they are numbered "Local area connection 1" and "Local are connection 2" can randomly switch places at boot up, so say if they assigned to virtual machines and when this issue occurs they can switch places and go off to the wrong virtual machine.

I am uing Hyper-V to host it.
I attached some screenshots below of the network configuration with HyperV.

I have come across an issue. I find I have to insert this on every startup if I restart it or it offers updates automatically and I don't want it to auto update:

supervisor options --auto-update=false

Now I tried blocking WAN traffic to the Homeassitant package (in my setup it is not going to need that) but it doesn't seem to complete start up whilst making connection attempts  to github where I think the Foxess addition is hosted. I am not entirely sure but I am going to run another copy to try and see if I can find out what is causing it and if I can do anything about it.