Monitoring SMA Inverters

Inverter Prerequisites

SMA Sunny Boy models need to be ordered or retrofitted with an RS485 communications card to integrate with WattMetrics. HF-series models require the "RS485-Quick Module". All other SMA models require a 485PB-NR or 485PB-MS-NR or equivalent communications card.

A Sunny WebBox or a subscription to Sunny Portal is not required. A WebBox cannot be installed in parallel with a WattMetrics agent.

Supported Models

WattMetrics is compatible with the models listed below. If your inverter model isn't listed below, that doesn't necessarily mean that it won't work with WattMetrics. Please contact us if you don't see your inverter here.

Sunny Boy / Sunny Tower-US

2000HF-US, 2500HF-US, 3000HF-US

3000-US, 3800-US, 4000-US, 5000-US, 6000-US, 7000-US, 8000-US

Connecting to a WattMetrics Agent

1. Install the RS485 communication card(s).

Install the SMA 485PB-NR communications card or RS485-Quick Module in every inverter to be monitored, following the instructions in the SMA installation manual.

2. If there are multiple inverters:

The RS485 cards in each inverter must be connected to each other in series, according to the manufacturer's instructions, using shielded CAT5/6 cable.

3a. If a WattMetrics Residential agent is being used,

Connect the USB end of the WattMetrics-provided cable to one of the USB ports on the agent.

Connect the bare wires at the other end of the cable to the SMA 485PB-NR communications card or the RS485-Quick Module on the first inverter in the series, as outlined in the SMA instruction manual.

WattMetrics USB-485 Cable	Color	Function	485PB-NR or RS485-Quick Module
485+	orange	data (B) +	2
485-	yellow	data (A) -	7
GND	black	common	5
(do not connect)	(bare)	shield/drain	(shielding clamp)

3b. If a WattMetrics Commercial agent is being used:

Use shielded CAT5/6 cable to connect the agent to the SMA 485PB-NR communications card or the RS485-Quick Module in the first inverter in the series, as specified in the SMA instruction manual.

Agent COM1 or COM2	Color	Function	RS485-Quick Module
485+	white w/orange stripe	data (B) +	2
485-	orange	data (A) -	7
GND	brown	common	5
(do not connect)	(bare)	shield/drain	(shielding clamp)

Agent COM1 or COM2	Color	Function	485PB-NR
485+	white w/orange stripe	data (B) +	2
485-	orange	data (A) -	7
GND	brown	common	5

4. The WattMetrics system will automatically assign network addresses.

It is not necessary to manually assign each inverter an address, as specified in the SMA installation manual.

5. Finish installing the agent as outlined in the "installing agents" section of this manual.

(click any image for more detail)

SMA 485PB-NR communications card

SMA RS485-Quick Module

commercial agent communication ports