I always thought, why does this trend exist in calling things "smart" and why are they referred as smart.
I wonder because as they are called "smart" does that mean the manufacturers or developer think that you are stupid and are effectively calling you stupid.
That I would need to have my solar panel inverter report to a website half way around the world that requires me to have broadband, mobile phone, "stupid app" and an account where I have to sign in just in order to see the data and logs and this inverter is only 5 to 10m away and has a small lcd screen that don't show very much.
The inverter isn't called smart and the manual seems reasonable but very vague on the ethernet and usb port and I haven't seen that word in the inverter document called "smart but let's see:
Google search "foxess smart"
So there is something they call "Smart" and it is that stupid WIFI stick thing the installer and manufacturer wanted to sell me where they claimed that it was only with that WIFI stick connected to the broadband and to their website as the only means of monitoring and datalogging that requires me to, you guessed it, "create an account (with the installer), sign in, download the app, register this and that. sign into that... blah blah blah nonsense" and needs broadband on just view data next to me like above. I refused it and I am pleased I did. My installer seems to be letting me manage it myself where I have access to the installer menus.
WiFi Stick Installation - FOX ESShttps://www.fox-ess.com › uploads › 2021/01
PDF
Step 1: Plug the Smart WiFi 2.0 into. WiFi/GPRS port under the bottom (underside) of the inverter. Note: label face to front. Step 2: Tighten the nut clockwise ...
The Smart WiFi 2.0 is an intelligent WiFi enabled *device allowing you to monitor the status and performance of your FoxESS PV system via the FoxCloud remote website monitoring platform. System owners and installers can easily keep up-to-date with performance data in real-time, view historic records and monitor system alerts.
Joke: *Device is a mystery... none of business what it is and how it works. Because it is "smart" and "intelligent" that means it allows you idiot customers/end users to do all these wonderful amazing things that could you never do before without the need of website, an account and a phone and "app" to upload data just to download it again.
"Real time and monitor system alerts"... well that is no good if you happen to have no broadband and need to view it at the time.
Very stupid. No inverter should need a website to view the statistics and as the only means of viewing it
I find the use of the word "smart" and "intelligent" use there as an insult. What happens to that "smart intelligent" thing when the manufacturer goes out of business.
Well I could do all that before with my previous solar panel system over 10 years where I was given and appliance and it wasn't called smart and it was not dependent on a website to function. It came with the software and a bit setup password change and that was it and worked straight away out of the box.
I find I could still do that now with this inverter in question with Homeassist appliance with a bit of work (after they lied to me that the ethernet port don't function) as it supports modbus and I found it isn't anything new and this Homeassist thing does not need broadband, a website to run or account in order to function.
I think that is my justification that when I see things that are labelled "smart" that is likely they full of sh*t..
The inverter itself mentions everything and functions as detailed in the manual. The only thing nonsense that I find on this occasions seems to what they call "smart" that is linked to the cloud website nonsense.