FoxESS Community - Owners & Installers Forum

7 days after installation. App worked reasonably well until now, but last night it suddenly stopped showing the normal screens and gives me a pretty picture of a house and the instruction "Create a plant", with the message "invalid plant" I don't want to blunder about trying to set up the app again with my system. What should I do?

Timbloomfield wrote: Fri Jan 17, 2025 9:26 am 7 days after installation. App worked reasonably well until now, but last night it suddenly stopped showing the normal screens and gives me a pretty picture of a house and the instruction "Create a plant", with the message "invalid plant" I don't want to blunder about trying to set up the app again with my system. What should I do?

Have you also tried logging into the Foxcloud website using the same credentials - just to rule out the app.

If it's not showing there you could try to create a plant ('New Site'), and add the serial number of your data logger to it where it says bind to device

But it's probably best to contact your installer as they may have deleted the plant from the installer without realising the impact on the user account.

Update: about an hour ago the system returned, but all the components (inverter, battery etc.) are flagged as offline.

Update:
I have just checked the Foxcloud website. The system is visible but the inverter and datalogger are shown as offline.
Suggestions?

Is your datalogger connected via wifi ?, if it is has anything changed with your home wifi.

If it is showing as off-line then the datalogger is not connected to wifi, can you see a red light on it flashing rapidly (or is it a slow flash).

The dongle (Datalogger?) is flashing about twice a second.
The inverter looks fine (blue & green).
What do I need to do?

Timbloomfield wrote: Sat Jan 18, 2025 10:54 am The dongle (Datalogger?) is flashing about twice a second.
The inverter looks fine (blue & green).
What do I need to do?

The inverter will be working fine, it’s just that you cannot see it in the cloud - a slow red flash means it’s connected (you would know if it was rapid) and approx every 30 seconds there will be a green flash.

I think at this stage it is best to do a full inverter restart as that will reset the datalogger at the same time. There is a video in the guides here https://foxesscommunity.com/viewtopic.php?t=5 that will help but the basic process is this -

Isolate PV (open DC switch)
Isolate AC (open AC isolator or breaker)
Power off battery
Open DC isolator on battery.

Wait for inverter screen to go blank.

Then

Close DC isolator on battery.
Power on battery
Close AC isolator (or breaker)
Close DC isolator

The inverter will perform checks and will shortly go back to normal mode - wait 10 minutes and then check the status in the cloud.

If it is still not showing call your installer as it looks like there is a problem with the account and it may need to be set up again to bind the datalogger correctly to your user account.

Hi,
My system isn't as in the video.
The battery & inverted are a retrofit to my existing solar PV.
I think the PV input is taken from the AC board at the consumer meter, so there is no DC PV input.
The Inverter and battery are not quite the same either. I have attempted to attach photos, but can't make it work.
I have a large rotary switch on the cable to the consumer meter labelled "AC isolator"
The only connection to the PV set-up in the loft is a thin data cable.
The battery (EP11) has what appears to be a silver push switch with a "switch" symbol, on the right hand side, above three cable attachments,
( I guess this is the "power off") and on the left hand side is a large rotary switch with On at 12 o'clock and Off at 9 o'clock (I guess the battery isolator?).
I hope this is clear. (How do I upload photos?)
Tim

Ok thanks, it sounds like an AC1 inverter with your solar being managed by another inverter (or micro inverters).

The shutdown sequence is easier,

On the large rotary AC isolator, switch that to OFF
On the EP11, press and hold the power button for 5 seconds, when all the led's start blinking release the switch, then turn off the battery DC 'rotary' switch.

Wait for the inverter screen to go blank

On the EP11, turn on the battery DC 'rotary' switch, press and hold the power button for 3 seconds
Close the rotary AC isolator.

(To upload photo's click on the Attachments tab below the post window and click Add files)

Thanks,
Carried out the reset, everything came back on, the dongle flashing again at 2/s and nothing changed in the cloud.
I'll contact my installer as you suggest.
Ho Hum.
Tim

It's just happened again! The app as set up by my installer has vanished, leaving the "set up a plant" screen of a virgin system. Online my system is still visible and logging data, but without the app I can't program the battery to charge overnight if I want that.
I guess it's just a problem with the app, and I'll just wait it out, but it's VERY annoying.
Why can't the app just work?