DEVELOPMENT OF A WIRELESS MONITORING AND CONTROL COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR A 4.2KVA 24 V SMART SOLAR POWERED SYSTEM

Abstract

The development of a Wi-Fi-based wireless communication and control system for a 4.2kVA 24V smart solar-powered system is an important contribution to renewable energy technology. With global solar capacity jumping by over 22% in 2023, efficient and cost-effective management solutions are increasingly vital. This paper addresses this need, providing a practical innovation for mid-capacity solar systems with technical, economic, and social implications. In addition, it enhances smart solar systems by incorporating Wi-Fi into a 4.2kVA 24V setup, moving beyond traditional manual or wired methods to provide real-time monitoring and remote control, thus improving reliability. The aim of this paper is to develops and simulates a wireless monitoring and control system for a 4.2 kVA 24V smart solar-powered setup with the use of Wi-Fi technology. However, the primary objectives of this paper will be to achieve the following: to design a wireless communication system for a smart solar system, based on Wi-Fi. Also, to create a user-friendly, straight forward interface for users to control and monitor the system on a real-time basis. To develop an efficient and secure local communication protocol for real-time data transmission from the system to the user interface. In addition, to assess the performance of the wireless communication system based on data transmission rate, latency as well as packet loss. However, traditional solar installations were based on human eyes or wired intelligence; both have a weak base for immediate monitoring, creativity, and readiness, especially in remote or standalone locations. Eventually, these limitations result in hidden flaws, high maintenance cost, and lower efficiency of energy spoil points very difficult to touch in the installation, like the medium-sized 4.2kVA application. The absence of remote control also degrades users ability to manage operations optimally, an inability for which existing technologies like GSM or Bluetooth do not provide adequate compensation due to cost, range, or bandwidth constraints. Wi-Fi, owing to its high-speed, ubiquitous availability, and low cost, is a promising substitute, but its use in such solar systems is not very well researched. This work is justified by its ability to bridge these gaps with a Wi-Fi-based system that enables real-time monitoring, remote control, and fault detection using low-cost devices like the ESP32 microcontroller. It optimizes the consistency of energy and benefit consumers by conserving their money, particularly in developing nations where access to energy is extremely essential. In addition, it makes contributions to research through scholarly publishing by establishing the feasibility of Wi-Fi in smart solar application, opening doors to future expansion. Through technical, economic, and social needs, the project offers a realistic and timely approach to the development of sustainable energy management. This system will increase the efficiency, usability as well as the safety of any solar installation since it gives parameters on voltage, current, temperature, and power consumption in real-time. Data is read from sensors by ESP32 microcontroller which also supports local web server user interface. Users may monitor remotely and control the inverter via an interface that supports mobile access through a webpage hosted locally. Design and implementation were done in Proteus Design Suite simulation firmware created by Arduino IDE. Data accuracy, control latency, and interface responsiveness served as the evaluation criteria. The system's ability to efficiently display sensor data, react swiftly to user commands, and sustain steady operation was demonstrated by the results. This work shows that smart energy systems can be managed with low-cost microcontrollers and local web hosting, offering a scalable solution for small-scale and residential solar applications. To improve user accessibility and interaction, a dedicated Android and iOS mobile application can be developed. This app can replicate the web interface, send push notifications for faults, and offer easier controls for non-technical users.