⚡ Mini Solar Energy Monitoring System

A real-time, embedded solar monitoring system built on ESP8266 with live WebSocket streaming, historical analytics, and an advanced browser-based dashboard.

Note: This system is currently under development. Ongoing testing, adjustments, and improvements are being made to enhance its performance and reliability over time.

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Disclaimer

This project is a DIY Solar Energy Monitoring created for learning, Research, experimentation, and hobby use purposes only.

Readings may differ slightly (±1–2%) from standard digital multimeters due to component tolerances and ADC resolution. It is not intended for precision or laboratory-grade measurements.

The author is not responsible for any damage, injury, or loss caused by using this project. Always handle electronics safely.

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Overview

This project measures and visualizes solar energy parameters including:

• Voltage (V)
• Current (mA / A)
• Power (mW / W)
• Energy Accumulation (Wh / kWh)

It features a real-time dashboard with charts, hourly peak tracking, and system controls, all hosted directly on the ESP8266.

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Circuit Diagram

Hardware Used

• ESP8266 (NodeMCU)
• INA226 Current/Voltage Sensor
• DS1302 RTC Module
• Shunt Resistor (e.g. 0.1Ω)
• Solar Panel / Power Source

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Features

Real-Time Monitoring

• Live updates via WebSocket (no polling)
• Instant UI refresh without delay

Data Visualization

• Trend chart (last 60 readings)
• Hourly peak power tracking (0–23)
• Stability indicators for signal quality

Time-Based Analytics

• RTC-based timestamping (12-hour AM/PM format)
• Automatic midnight reset of daily peak values

Persistence

• Energy accumulation stored in EEPROM
• Survives power cycles

Control Panel

• Zero current calibration
• RTC time sync (browser → device)
• Reset energy counter
• Reset peak values
• Light/Dark UI mode

Network Mode

• Runs as a WiFi Access Point
• No internet required
• Captive portal support

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System Architecture

INA226 Sensor → ESP8266 → WebSocket Server → Web Dashboard
                       ↓
                  EEPROM Storage
                       ↓
                    RTC Time

• Sensor Layer: Reads voltage/current via INA226
• Processing Layer: Filtering, averaging, power calculation
• Storage Layer: Energy accumulation (EEPROM)
• Time Layer: RTC for hourly/daily tracking
• UI Layer: Web dashboard served from PROGMEM

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Measurement Limits

Parameter	Range
Voltage	0 – 36 V
Current	0 – 1.3 A
Power	~0 µW – 30+ W

Note: Limits depend on shunt resistor and hardware configuration.

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How It Works

1. Sensor reads voltage and current every ~1 second

2. Values are filtered (EMA + averaging)

3. Power is calculated:

   Power (mW) = Voltage × Current
   

4. Energy is accumulated over time (Wh)

5. Data is:

   • Broadcast via WebSocket (live UI)
   • Stored in history buffer
   • Compared for hourly peak tracking

6. RTC ensures proper time alignment and daily resets

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Calibration

• Use /zerocal when no load is connected
• Adjust CAL_FACTOR in code for voltage accuracy
• Verify readings using a multimeter

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Dashboard Preview

Real-time web dashboard with:

• Voltage / Current / Power cards
• Trend chart
• Hourly peak graph
• Control panel

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Author

• Created with passion ❤ by Roy Cuadra
• Updated Date: 04-24-2026

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

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Thank you for checking out this project! You are welcome to fork, improve, or use it for learning purposes.