Ideally, your SolaX battery inverter should always be connected to the internet. This ensures the firmware is always up to date and allows Levelise; your installer; and SolaX to monitor the health of your SolaX inverter and battery.
This photo shows the SolaX X1-AC battery inverter but you may have a slightly different model.
Is my SolaX inverter connected to the internet?
To find out if your SolaX battery inverter is potentially connected to the internet, please follow the below steps.
- There should be a white dongle protruding from the underside of the inverter (green arrow). If not, please look around your installation as the installer should have provided one. If not, please let us know and we will help you obtain one.
- There is a 10-digit code starting with "S" printed on the dongle. Please take a clear photo of this code as we may need it later.
- There should be an ethernet (internet) cable plugged into the dongle (orange arrow). If not, please see if you can find any loose ethernet cables in the area. If you are concerned about plugging in a cable to the inverter, please take a photo of it and send it to us first so that we can check it is the correct cable. If you cannot find a cable, please refer to the section below.
- If there is an ethernet cable attached to the dongle, see if you can trace the cable to find where the other end is connected. It should be connected to a source of the internet - either a Powerline Adaptor, a network switch, a Wi-Fi bridge/router, or directly into your internet router. If it doesn't appear to be connected, please see the section below.
How can I provide an internet connection to my SolaX inverter?
There are several methods of enabling your SolaX inverter to connect to the internet. The best method usually depends on how the Social Energy/Levelise Hub is connected to the internet. Please refer to this guide before progressing:
How is my system connected to the internet?
Jump to your set up:
Powerline Adaptors
Some models of powerline adaptor have two ports in the adaptor. If yours is like this, you should find that one of the ports is connected to the Social Energy Hub and the other port is empty. If so, just connect the SolaX inverter to this spare port with an ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
If your Powerline Adaptor only has one port (or you are using the second one already), you will need a Network Switch. A Network Switch is a device, powered by mains electricity, that enables an internet connection to be shared with multiple devices.
We suggest this Network Switch from Amazon, but other models are available from a variety of retailers https://amzn.eu/d/btRxHqL. You will also need an extra ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
Once network switch obtained:
- Disconnect the ethernet cable from the Powerline Adaptor which is coming from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub.
- Connect the Network Switch to the Powerline Adaptor with an ethernet cable. It doesn't matter which port you use for this or the other connections.
- Plug the ethernet cable from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub into one of the ports of the Network Switch.
- Connect the SolaX inverter dongle to the Network Switch with an ethernet cable
- Plug the Network Switch into a wall socket to provide it with power and switch it on at the socket.
- The internet signal should now travel from the Powerline Adaptor, into the network Switch, and out to the Social Energy/Levelise hub and SolaX inverter.
- Please get in touch once complete and we will check everything is connected. Don't forget to send us the photo of the serial number on the SolaX dongle.
Direct connection
If you have a single continuous ethernet cable that connects your Social Energy/Levelise Hub to your internet router, there are two potential options.
- Run a second ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above) alongside the existing cable, connecting one end to the SolaX dongle and the other end to a spare port of your internet router.
- Use a Network Switch. A Network Switch is a device, powered by mains electricity, that enables an internet connection to be shared with multiple devices.
- We suggest this Network Switch from Amazon, but other models are available from a variety of retailers https://amzn.eu/d/btRxHqL. You will also need an extra ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
- Once network switch obtained:
- Disconnect the ethernet cable from the LAN port on the underside of the Social Energy/Levelise Hub.
- Connect this ethernet cable to one of the Network Switch ports. It doesn't matter which port you use for this or the other connections.
- Connect the SolaX inverter dongle to the Network Switch with an ethernet cable
- Plug the Network Switch into a wall socket to provide it with power and switch it on at the socket.
- The internet signal should now travel from the your internet router into the network Switch, and out to the Social Energy/Levelise hub and SolaX inverter.
- Please get in touch once complete and we will check everything is connected. Don't forget to send us the photo of the serial number on the SolaX dongle.
Wi-Fi bridge
It is likely that your Wi-Fi bridge only has one port, so you will need a Network Switch. A Network Switch is a device, powered by mains electricity, that enables an internet connection to be shared with multiple devices.
We suggest this Network Switch from Amazon, but other models are available from a variety of retailers https://amzn.eu/d/btRxHqL. You will also need an extra ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
Once network switch obtained:
- Disconnect the ethernet cable from the Wi-Fi bridge which is coming from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub.
- Connect the Network Switch to the Wi-Fi bridge with an ethernet cable. It doesn't matter which port you use for this or the other connections.
- Plug the ethernet cable from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub into one of the ports of the Network Switch.
- Connect the SolaX inverter dongle to the Network Switch with an ethernet cable
- Plug the Network Switch into a wall socket to provide it with power and switch it on at the socket.
- The internet signal should now travel from the Wi-Fi bridge, into the network Switch, and out to the Social Energy/Levelise hub and SolaX inverter.
- Please get in touch once complete and we will check everything is connected. Don't forget to send us the photo of the serial number on the SolaX dongle.
Wi-Fi extender
Some models of Wi-Fi extender have two ports. If yours is like this, you should find that one of the ports is connected to the Social Energy Hub and the other port is empty. If so, just connect the SolaX inverter to this spare port with an ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
If your Wi-Fi extender only has one port (or you are using the second one already), you will need a Network Switch. A Network Switch is a device, powered by mains electricity, that enables an internet connection to be shared with multiple devices.
We suggest this Network Switch from Amazon, but other models are available from a variety of retailers https://amzn.eu/d/btRxHqL. You will also need an extra ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
Once network switch obtained:
- Disconnect the ethernet cable from the Wi-Fi extender which is coming from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub.
- Connect the Network Switch to the Wi-Fi extender with an ethernet cable. It doesn't matter which port you use for this or the other connections.
- Plug the ethernet cable from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub into one of the ports of the Network Switch.
- Connect the SolaX inverter dongle to the Network Switch with an ethernet cable
- Plug the Network Switch into a wall socket to provide it with power and switch it on at the socket.
- The internet signal should now travel from the Wi-Fi extender, into the network Switch, and out to the Social Energy/Levelise hub and SolaX inverter.
- Please get in touch once complete and we will check everything is connected. Don't forget to send us the photo of the serial number on the SolaX dongle.
Wi-Fi router
It is likely that your Wi-Fi router has two ports. If yours is like this, you should find that one of the ports is connected to the Social Energy Hub and the other port is empty. If so, just connect the SolaX inverter to this spare port with an ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
If your Wi-Fi router only has one port (or you are using the second one already), you will need a Network Switch. A Network Switch is a device, powered by mains electricity, that enables an internet connection to be shared with multiple devices.
We suggest this Network Switch from Amazon, but other models are available from a variety of retailers https://amzn.eu/d/btRxHqL. You will also need an extra ethernet cable (you can buy these from Amazon, Argos or hardware stores. They just need to be rated Cat5e or above).
Once network switch obtained:
- Disconnect the ethernet cable from the Wi-Fi router which is coming from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub.
- Connect the Network Switch to the Wi-Fi router with an ethernet cable. It doesn't matter which port you use for this or the other connections.
- Plug the ethernet cable from the Social Energy/Levelise Hub into one of the ports of the Network Switch.
- Connect the SolaX inverter dongle to the Network Switch with an ethernet cable
- Plug the Network Switch into a wall socket to provide it with power and switch it on at the socket.
- The internet signal should now travel from the Wi-Fi router, into the network Switch, and out to the Social Energy/Levelise hub and SolaX inverter.
- Please get in touch once complete and we will check everything is connected. Don't forget to send us the photo of the serial number on the SolaX dongle.