Remote condition monitoring of a PV system using an embedded web server

The architecture and construction of a simple embedded web server system with due account of its application for remote condition monitoring of a photovoltaic (PV) installation is presented. The system, which is based on a PIC18 microcontroller, uses the Internet as a medium for communications between a central control point and a PV system. It allows various parameters of a PV installation such as the temperature of an individual PV module and its open-circuit voltage to be remotely accurately measured and monitored. This permits early detection of any technical problem such as a faulty PV module to be communicated over the Internet to a desired location. Inspection of the PV system is also possible from any Internet enabled computer terminal.