A solar monitoring system is necessary to control energy production and consumption. It also shows the slightest problems in the system, which can be quickly eliminated without turning into serious issues. This is important to ensure that your solar installation continues to perform optimally and that you feel comfortable and can continually benefit from solar energy.
The scheme of a monitoring system is as follows:
It is also essential for a solar remote monitoring system to offer an app, helping users to keep tabs on its real-time performance and everything related to the solar system, like electricity generation and consumption, and electrical appliances in the house.
This article will explore the top 7 solar power monitoring systems, their advantages and differences, and give tips on choosing the most suitable solar system monitoring app.
If you have not yet picked the monitoring system that goes with your solar installation, consider taking a closer look at the types of such systems.
There are three main types of solar panel monitoring systems:
The table below shows the best solar monitoring systems in Chicago grouped by type:
| Integrated | Installation | Autonomous |
| ➥ Enphase Enlighten ➥ SolarEdge Monitoring ➥ SMA SunnyPortal | ➥ Tesla | ➥ Sense Monitor ➥ Curb Energy Monitoring ➥ Emporia Energy Monitoring |
In Chicago, the best solar monitoring systems are offered by companies such as Enphase, SolarEdge, and SMA, which specialize in inverters. Enphase and SolarEdge monitoring systems have a long warranty period for solar system service and monitoring. SMA offers a shorter warranty period, but solar panel monitoring systems are much cheaper.
Tesla installs monitoring systems in Chicago on its own. However, their systems can only be used if your household has Tesla solar panels and Tesla Powerwall or if you own a Tesla electric car.
Autonomous home monitoring in Chicago is offered by the following companies: Sense Monitor, Curb Energy Monitoring, and Emporia Energy Monitoring. Such a system can be called a DIY solar monitoring system. You buy a separate monitoring system, which you then integrate into your solar scheme. Such systems are affordable but require specific qualifications for proper installation.
Regardless of the solution you choose, the main functions of your solar energy monitoring system will be basically the same. Here are the basic functions:
➥ The monitoring systems help you ensure your solar system is running and producing solar energy.
➥ The monitoring systems allow you to compare the expected performance with actual performance over time.
If you’re a Chicagoan looking to install a monitoring unit on your solar system, the following information will likely interest you.
So, what is the best solar monitoring system currently available in Chicago? We present you with the 7 best companies that deserve your attention, consideration, and trust.
Get your free solar quote and find the best solar monitoring system in Chicago, Illinois!
Enphase Enlighten is a solar remote monitoring system from a leading microinverter manufacturer. Enphase’s microinverters send data from each solar panel to its cloud-based monitoring platform, which can be monitored either through an app or a web portal. The Enphase solar monitoring system provides detailed information in real-time, showing how each solar panel works and sends alerts for faulty panels or low performance levels.
Homeowners can access system data through the Enphase website or the Enlighten Mobile app (available for Android or iOS devices). The application contains a wide range of input and output analysis tools that allow users to see how their systems produce and use energy over time.
Advantages of a solar panel monitoring system from Enlighten:
The application Enlighten Mobile is free upon installation of Enlighten equipment and allows users to stay up to date with the efficiency of their solar installation.
Get your free solar quote and find the best solar panel monitoring system in Chicago, Illinois!
SolarEdge Monitoring is a solar energy monitoring system from a leading manufacturer of inverters and optimizers SolarEdge, popular not only in the USA but throughout the world.
A key feature of the SolarEdge monitoring system is its user-friendly control panel. It is designed to provide detailed analytics about energy production, reports on the health of the overall system, and possible problems that require attention.
The application is available for Android and iOS mobile devices, and the existing SolarEdge web portal is similar in functionality to the Enphase platform, but the user interface differs a lot.
Advantages of a solar power monitoring system from SolarEdge:
One of the best solar monitoring systems from SolarEdge is an excellent choice for homeowners who want to monitor the performance and health of their solar panel system any time of the day, anywhere.
Sunny Portal is a high-level monitoring system from SMA designed specifically for SMA inverter systems. It allows users to understand exactly how much solar energy they produce while analyzing how well their installation performs.
Homeowners or businesses can easily access the SMA Sunny portal through web browsers or download the app for mobile devices (Android and iOS), so system tracking can be done on the go. Users can see how much energy the panels produce, how much is used, and how much is saved.
Advantages of a solar energy monitoring system from SMA:
Flaws of the SMA solar monitoring system:
Users can download the SMA Sunny Portal app for free and begin to easily monitor solar panel performance and compare a household’s energy production and consumption with others in their area.
Tesla Monitoring is a monitoring application that works with Tesla solar panels, Tesla Powerwall, and Tesla electric vehicles. This solar PV monitoring system is offered to users only by the installation company Tesla.
The app allows you to comprehensively manage your Tesla products by simply adding them to your tracking system. The application also makes it possible to visualize the monitoring object with detailed information for each module in real-time.
Advantages of solar system monitoring from Tesla:
The main disadvantage of this system is that Tesla offers monitoring of solar energy generation and consumption activity only through a mobile application and does not provide alternatives through a web portal.
Get your free solar quote and find the best solar panel monitoring system in Chicago, Illinois!
Sense Monitor is an innovative home solar monitoring system from the Sense company that uses AI device profiles to monitor and optimize energy consumption throughout the home.
It assures users that they will get the maximum return on their investment in solar energy shortly after implementing the monitoring system ( the system offers home automation, cloud storage, and early warnings of operational disruptions).
Access to monitoring data is carried out through an application for mobile devices (iOS or Android) or via a web portal.
Advantages of the monitoring system from Sense Monitor:
If you’re still looking for a way to monitor solar energy production, Sense Monitor is an inexpensive and easy-to-install solution that provides instant access and accurate data on monitoring parameters. No wonder it’s considered one of the best solar monitoring systems in the United States.
Emporia Energy Monitoring is a solar panel monitoring system from Emporia that provides accurate and detailed analysis of household energy consumption and practical recommendations that help homeowners save energy and money.
By clearly analyzing the energy consumption pattern of each individual case, the system provides the user with energy usage data and offers various options to achieve greater energy efficiency.
Advantages of a solar panel monitoring system from Emporia:
A home solar monitoring system from Emporia has many additional features that are useful to average U.S. households and is also a low-cost solution for monitoring solar installations.
Curb Energy Monitoring is a solar monitoring system by Curb. It includes energy consumption alerts for set thresholds. The alerts are customizable to the data the user needs. Ultimately, it allows you to control energy consumption and save household money. Instead of using AI devices, Curb uses current transformers connected to each circuit.
In 2020, CURB merged with Elevation Solar and became part of its division. The Energy Curb app is available in the Apple Store and Google Play. This solar battery monitoring system offers real-time performance tracking of solar energy systems, home appliances, as well as electric vehicle chargers, and even smart home devices.
Advantages of a solar panel monitoring system by Curb:
The home solar monitoring system Curb does not require connecting numerous pieces of equipment. It is easy to install and remains one of the best low-cost solutions for U.S. households.
The cost of a solar panel remote monitoring system depends on the complexity of features and design. To figure out which system can meet your needs, you need to compare the installation and maintenance costs.
Don’t waste another second—get your free solar quote and find the best solar monitoring system in Chicago, Illinois!