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Connect Your PV System for Solar Mining

To achieve true solar mining, your ASIC needs to know exactly how much excess energy your photovoltaic (PV) system is producing in real-time. The Solar Miner App acts as the brain between your inverter/smart meter and your mining hardware.

We support the two most robust methods for reading live telemetry data: Modbus TCP (direct inverter connection) and REST API (perfect for Smart Home hubs like Home Assistant).

Below is the detailed guide on how to create configuration files mapping your specific hardware registers and endpoints to our application.

🧮 The Power of the Formula Engine​

Before diving into the protocols, it is important to understand our built-in Formula Engine. Different inverter brands output data differently. Some output Watts, some output Kilowatts. Some provide a direct "Grid Surplus" value, while others only provide "Total Production" and "House Consumption".

In both the Modbus and REST configurations, you will find a Scale (Faktor) and a Formula (Formel) column.

  • Scale: The raw value read from your device is multiplied by this factor first. (e.g., If your inverter outputs 4500 for 4.5kW, a scale of 1.0 keeps it as 4500 Watts).
  • Formula (x): The letter x represents the scaled value. You can use standard math operations (e.g., x / 1000).
  • Cross-Referencing ($variable): You can calculate values based on other read fields! For example, if you need to calculate grid export manually, your formula could be: $pv_production - $house_consumption.

Method 1: Modbus TCP Configuration​

Modbus TCP is the industrial standard for smart meters and inverters (like Fronius, SMA, SolarEdge, and Victron). It is incredibly fast, operates entirely over your local network (LAN), and requires no cloud connection.

Step 1: Create a Modbus Config​

  1. Open the Modbus-PV Configurator (config/pv/modbus/tcp) in the app.
  2. In the left sidebar, select a template (e.g., PV_SITE).
  3. Enter a name for your configuration (e.g., "Fronius_Symo") and click the + button.

Step 2: Test the Connection​

Before mapping registers, ensure the app can talk to your inverter.

  1. Open the Live-Test Modbus Connection panel.
  2. Enter the IP Address of your inverter.
  3. Enter the Port (default is usually 502) and the Slave ID (often 1).
  4. Click Test Connection. A green checkmark confirms a successful local link.

Step 3: Map Your Registers​

Consult the Modbus register manual of your specific inverter brand. Fill out the table rows for the required telemetry fields (like Grid Power, PV Power, Battery Status):

  • Register (Address): The starting address (e.g., 40083 for SunSpec standard power).
  • Size (Länge): How many registers to read (usually 1 or 2).
  • Type: Select the correct data type (e.g., INT16, UINT32, FLOAT32).
  • Operation: Choose the Modbus function code (usually READ_HOLDING_REGISTER or READ_INPUT_REGISTER).
  • Byte Order: BIG_ENDIAN or LITTLE_ENDIAN depending on your inverter manufacturer.
Real-Time Validation

As soon as you enter the correct register and scale, the Live-Value column at the end of the row will instantly update every 2 seconds, showing you exactly what the app is reading. If the number looks wrong, adjust your Scale or Byte Order!

Method 2: REST API (Home Assistant)​

If your solar setup is complex (e.g., multiple inverters from different brands) or you already use a smart home hub like Home Assistant or ioBroker, the REST API configuration is the most powerful choice. It allows you to pull aggregated data directly from your smart hub.

Step 1: Create a REST Config​

  1. Open the REST-PV Configurator (config/pv/rest) in the app.
  2. Select the HOME_ASSISTANT_PV template.
  3. Enter a name (e.g., "HomeAssistant_Hub") and click the + button.

Step 2: Test the Connection​

  1. Open the Live-Test REST Connection panel.
  2. Enter your Base URL (e.g., http://192.168.178.50:8123).
  3. Enter a Long-Lived Access Token (You can generate this inside your Home Assistant profile settings).
  4. Click Test Connection to verify access.

Step 3: Define Your Endpoints​

For each required field, map the exact API path where the data is stored.

  • Method: Usually GET.
  • URL Extension / Path: The endpoint for the specific sensor. For Home Assistant, this looks like: /api/states/sensor.grid_export_power.
  • JSON Path: Home Assistant wraps the actual number inside a JSON object. Enter state here so the app knows exactly where to extract the numerical value from the API response.
  • Type: Select the data type (usually FLOAT or DOUBLE for REST APIs).

Once configured correctly, the Live-Value column will immediately start polling your Home Assistant server, confirming that the data is ready to be used by the mining controller.

🤝 Community Configurations (Discord)​

Every inverter brand has its own unique Modbus registers and API structures. To make the setup process as plug-and-play as possible, we highly encourage sharing working setups!

Join our Discord Server!

Did you successfully map the registers for a specific Huawei, Growatt, or Solax inverter? Or are you struggling to find the right Home Assistant JSON paths?

Join the official Solar Miner Discord Server (Click Here)

We have dedicated channels where users can upload, download, and share their .json configuration files. You can simply download a community-tested config, click the Import button in the app, and have your PV data flowing in seconds!

Next Steps​

Once your PV data is successfully flowing into the application—either via Modbus or REST—you are ready to define your automation logic.

Head over to the next section to learn how to set up the Miner Controller Config, where you define exactly when your ASICs should scale up, down, or shut off based on the live data you just connected!