1. Price
What determines the price?
Based on market pricing practices, here is an overview of prices: ¥80 — DC monitoring module on Taobao (Smart monitoring device for PV combiner boxes; 8-channel DC current/voltage acquisition module; LoRa/RS485 communication; ¥80.00; 15 buyers; Gesheng Electric, Wenzhou, Zhejiang); ¥198 — DC monitoring module on Taobao (Smart PV DC combiner box monitoring device; RS485 communication; multi-channel electrical data monitoring; ¥198.00; 12 buyers); ¥260 — DC monitoring module on Taobao (Smart PV DC combiner box monitoring device; RS485 communication; multi-channel electrical data monitoring; ¥260.00; 2 buyers; Gao-Di Electric Home, Shenzhen, Guangdong); ¥30.0 — 16-channel combiner box on Alibaba (Smart monitoring device for PV combiner boxes; 24/16/8-channel detection and multi-channel current acquisition; dropshipping available; 48-hour dispatch; ¥30.0; 1688 Enterprise Procurement Mall); ¥199.00 — Inverter data logger on Alibaba (WiFi data logger for grid-tied PV inverters; remote monitoring via Yibang App for Android/iOS; ¥199.00; Shenzhen Jingyang New Energy Co., Ltd. [4-year tenure]); ¥1050 — AGF-M20T rooftop PV smart combiner acquisition module (Price: ¥1050/unit; Brand: Acrel; Model: AGF-M20T; Origin: Jiangyin; Acrel Co., Ltd.) — A review of six price points: ¥80, ¥198, ¥260, ¥30.0, ¥199.00, and ¥1050; these six points cover the relevant price range.
II.
Models
What to look for in model specifications.
Based on model conventions, the models are interpreted as follows: AGF-M20T — AGF-M20T Rooftop PV Intelligent Combiner Data Acquisition Module (20-channel DC 0-20A PV string monitoring; ¥1,050/unit; Brand: Acrel; Model: AGF-M20T; Manufacturer: Acrel Co., Ltd.); AGF-M12t — AGF Solar String Monitoring Device (Acrel AGF-M12t DIN-rail mounted device for monitoring solar panel operating status in PV arrays; FOB Price: US$123.9/unit); AGF-M — Acrel AGF-M Multi-Channel DC String Energy Meter (Multi-channel DC string energy meter for PV combiner box power monitoring with RS485 Modbus-RTU; US$103.60–207.20/unit; Model No.: AGF-M); DataBox2.4 — Inverter Data Collector (DataBox2.4 data collector for solar micro-grid-tie inverters/PV power generation systems; Factory direct price: ¥560.00); FR-PVMS — Solar Smart Energy Monitor (FR-PVMS-MDEB intelligent PV monitor for connecting to PV power optimizers; ¥821.10–1,014.70; MOQ: 2 units; Manufacturer: Fonrich (Shanghai) New Energy).
Energy, Alibaba); eyes4sungrow—PV data logger (Sungrow 4G data stick, mobile app, remote PV monitoring module; ¥329.06; 0 sales; 1688)—models include: AGF-M20T, AGF-M12t, AGF-M, DataBox2.4, FR-PVMS, and eyes4sungrow; a full range of models is available.
III.
Manufacturers
What to look for in manufacturers.
Based on industry practice, here are six manufacturers to consider: Acrel (AGF-M20T rooftop PV smart combiner data acquisition module; 20-channel DC 0-20A monitoring; ¥1,050/unit); Chenyun (PV data logger; compatible with AISWEI inverters via third-party WiFi dongle; ¥200.00; Anhui Chenyun New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.; Hefei; 1688); Jingyang (Inverter data logger; WiFi-enabled for grid-tied inverters; remote monitoring via Yibang app on Android/iOS; ¥199.00; Shenzhen Jingyang New Energy Co., Ltd.; Shenzhen, Guangdong; 1688); Xinhe (16-channel combiner box; Xinhe brand; 48-hour shipping; ¥1,187.5; Dongguan Xinhe Electrical Co., Ltd.; 1688); Gesheng (DC monitoring module; smart monitoring unit for PV combiner boxes; 8-channel DC current/voltage acquisition; LoRa/RS485 communication; ¥80.00; Wenzhou, Zhejiang; Gesheng Electric; Taobao); and Ruixin (Energy metering module; DDS-315RS model; smart digital meter for university dormitories; ¥560.00; Changzhou Ruixin Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.; Xinbei District, Changzhou; 1688). These six manufacturers—Acrel, Chenyun, Jingyang, Xinhe, Gesheng, and Ruixin—are solid options to evaluate.
IV.
Procurement
What to look for during procurement.
Based on procurement practices, here are six options to consider: US$123.9—AGF Solar String Monitoring Device (Acrel AGF-M12T, rail-mounted, monitors solar panel operating status; FOB Price: US$123.9/unit; Min. Order: 1 unit; 2-year warranty; Made in China); US$103.60—Acrel AGF-M Multi-Channel DC String Energy Meter (US$103.60–207.20/unit; Min. Order: 1 unit; 2-year warranty; LCD display; Made in China); ¥329.06—PV Data Logger (Sungrow 4G data logger/dongle, mobile app remote monitoring module “eyes4sungrow”; ¥329.06; 1688); ¥447.00—PV Data Logger (9-pin RS232 logger/GPRS dongle, 4G PV monitoring module, Growatt communication; ¥447.00; 1688); ¥267.00—PV Inverter Data Logger (GoodWe 4G logger, “Xiaogu Cloud Window” monitoring module/dongle, PV inverter 4G module; ¥267.00; 26 buyers; Beijing; PV Communication Technology; Taobao); $20.54—Solar Panel Watt Meter (IVY 400V DC Digital Solar PV Energy/Power Meter with RS485; $20.54–34.76; MOQ: 5 units; Ivy Metering; Alibaba)—A comprehensive procurement review covering these six options: US$123.9, US$103.60, ¥329.06, ¥447.00, ¥267.00, and $20.54.
V.
Trends
What to look for regarding trends? Based on practical experience, here is how to assess trends: “Free Monitoring” (PV installation bundled with a monitoring unit—e.g., promoting on Douyin: install PV, get a monitor included; cost: ¥351/unit; allows homeowners to check on their property and security from afar); 485 (DC monitoring modules on Taobao—e.g., smart PV DC combiner box monitoring unit, 485 communication, multi-channel data monitoring; ¥260.00); LoRa (DC monitoring modules on Taobao—e.g., smart monitoring unit for PV combiner boxes, 8-channel DC current/voltage acquisition, LoRa/485 communication; ¥80.00; Gecheng Electric, Wenzhou, Zhejiang); 4G (PV data loggers on Alibaba—e.g., 9-pin RS232 logger/GPRS dongle/4G PV monitoring module, Growatt compatible; ¥447.00); WiFi (Inverter data loggers on Alibaba—e.g., WiFi data logger for grid-tied PV inverters, remote monitoring via Yibang app on Android/iOS; ¥199.00; Shenzhen Jingyang); Remote (PV inverter loggers on Taobao—e.g., GoodWe 4G PV data logger, remote monitoring for power generation and communication; ¥285.00).
In summary, there are six key trend indicators: Free Monitoring, 485, LoRa, 4G, WiFi, and Remote capabilities.
Conclusion
Regarding the price of PV monitoring modules, the conclusion is that one must evaluate costs across five key aspects: price, model, manufacturer, procurement, and market trends.
Pricing—DC monitoring module (Taobao: Smart monitoring unit for PV combiner boxes, 8-channel DC current/voltage acquisition, LoRa/RS485 communication, ¥80.00, Gesheng Electric); DC monitoring module (Taobao: Smart PV DC combiner box monitoring unit, RS485 communication, multi-channel electrical data monitoring, ¥198.00/¥260.00, Gaodi Electric); 16-channel combiner box unit (1688: Smart monitoring unit for PV combiner boxes, 24/16/8-channel detection and current acquisition, ¥30.00, 1688 Enterprise Procurement Mall); Inverter data logger (1688: WiFi data logger for grid-tied PV inverters, remote monitoring via Yibang App for Android/iOS, ¥199.00, Shenzhen Jingyang); AGF-M20T rooftop PV smart combiner acquisition module (Acrel AGF-M20T, 20-channel DC 0-20A PV string detection, ¥1050/unit, Acrel Electric); Model—AGF-M20T rooftop PV smart combiner acquisition module (Acrel AGF-M20T, 20-channel DC 0-20A PV string detection, ¥1050/unit), AGF Solar String Monitoring Device (Made-in-China: Acrel AGF-M12T Solar Array String Monitoring Device, US$123.9/piece), Acrel AGF-M Multi-Channel DC String Energy Meter (Made-in-China: AGF-M, RS485)
Modbus-RTU, US$103.60–207.20/piece, Made-in-China; Inverter data logger (DataBox 2.4 PV data logger, ¥560.00, 1688); Smart PV monitor (FR-PVMS-MDEB, ¥821.10–1,014.70, Fonrich (Shanghai) New Energy); PV data logger (Sungrow 4G data logger/dongle with mobile app for remote monitoring, eyes4sungrow, ¥329.06, 1688); Manufacturer—AGF-M20T rooftop PV smart combiner box monitoring module (Acrel Co., Ltd., origin: Jiangyin, ¥1,050/unit); PV data logger (Anhui Chenyun New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., ASW inverter WiFi data logger, ¥200.00, 1688); Inverter data logger (Shenzhen Jingyang New Energy Co., Ltd., PV grid-tied inverter WiFi data logger, ¥199.00, 1688); 16-channel combiner box (Dongguan Xinhe Electric Co., Ltd., Xinhe Electric brand, ¥1,187.5, 1688); DC monitoring module (Wenzhou Gesheng Electric, 8-channel smart monitoring device for PV combiner boxes, ¥80.00, Taobao); Energy metering module (Changzhou Ruixin Electronic Technology Co., Ltd., DDS-315RS energy metering module, ¥560.00, 1688); Procurement—AGF Solar String Monitoring Device Made-in-China (Acrel AGF-M12T, FOB US$123.9/piece, 2-year warranty, Made-in-China), Acrel AGF-M Multi-Channel DC String Energy Meter.
Made-in-China (AGF-M, US$103.60–207.20/piece, LCD display), PV data collector (Alibaba)
