The growatt inverter sends log data to the growatt website at the internet. At this website (or with the mobile app) you can see detailed information on how the inverter is performing.

Grott will monitor and process this data (containing information about performance and status of the inverter) and send this to:

• MQTT
• PVOutput.org
• InfluxDB (V1 and V2)
• Using the extension functionality you can add your own processing and output functionality,

MQTT can be used to distribute the data to other applications like: NodeRed, Grafana (using InfluxDB), Home Assistant, OpenHab and Domoticz. Descriptions and examples are available in the Wiki

The program is written in python and runs under Linux, Windows and is available in a docker container on Docker Hub (see: https://github.com/johanmeijer/grott/wiki/Docker-support, containers available at:https://hub.docker.com/u/ledidobe).

Grott can be started from the command line or as a (linux or Windows ) service.

To "see" the growatt data, the network traffic needs to be routed via the system Grott is running (see: https://github.com/johanmeijer/grott/wiki/Rerouting-Growatt-Wifi-TCPIP-data-via-your-Grott-Server).

Please see the wiki (https://github.com/johanmeijer/grott/wiki) for more information and installation details. There is also a short first time installation description available.

see issue #42/#46: add invtype=spf in grott.ini [Generic] section (or use ginvtype=spf environmental variable e.g. for docker)

see issue #34: add invtype=sph in grott.ini [Generic] section (or use ginvtype=sph environmental variable e.g. for docker)

see issue #47: data will be processed automatically and send to MQTT, InfluxDB and PVOutput.org

Improved dynamic data processing and dynamic generation of output allowing:

• add new output (values) without changing code (using external layout definitions)
• rename keywords in MQTT JSON message and influxDB to own naming convention
• format the verbose output values
• Allow negative values for pvpowerout. New (always on) inverters can also use power.
• Bugfix inluxdb port error

see: https://github.com/johanmeijer/grott/wiki/Grott-advanced-(customize-behaviour)

Added new outout values to mqtt and influxDB to support 3 phase grid connection (actual information on voltage, current and power delivered), total active worktime (in 0.5 S) and energy generation per PV string (day and total)

Improve environmental processing for mqtt/influxDB/growatt ip and port definitions

Introduce possibility to add extensions for additional (personalized) processing. ,br.
see: https://github.com/johanmeijer/grott/wiki/Extensions

Direct output to inlfuxdb (v1 and v2)

see: https://github.com/johanmeijer/grott/wiki/InfluxDB-Support

Mulitiple inverter (multiple system id's) support in PVOutput.org
see: https://github.com/johanmeijer/grott/wiki/PVOutput.org-support

This file is deleted from the grott default directory to simply github installation (not overwrite your settings). It is advised to copy this file into the Grott default directory (and customise it) during first time installation

Limited .ini configuration needed (inverterid, encryption, offset and record layout is automaticially detected)

Specify pvoutput = True and apikey and systemid in .ini file to enable it.

2 docker containers are created ledidobe/grottrpi (specific old RPI with ARM32) and ledidobe/grott (generic one, tested on synology NAS and Ubuntu). See https://hub.docker.com/search?q=ledidobe&type=image. See issue 4 and 15 on how to use it (wiki will be updated soon)

with blockcmd = True specified in .ini (configure/reboot) commands from outside to the inverter are blocked. This protects the inverter from beeing controlled from the outside while data exchange with server.growatt.com for reporting is still active.

If date/time is available in the data (inserted by the inverter) this will be used. In this way buffered records will be sent with the original creation time (in the past). If date/time is not available in the data record the server time will be used (as it was originally). In the mqtt message the key buffered is added (yes/no) which indicates that the message is from the buffer (past) or actual.

In sniff mode (default and compatable with older Grott versions) IP sniffering technology is used (based on: https://github.com/buckyroberts/Python-Packet-Sniffer). In this mode the data needs to be "re-routed" using linux IP forwarding on the device Grott is running. In this mode Grott "sees" every IP package and when a Growatt TCP packages passes it will be processed and a MQTT will be sent if inverter status information is detected.

With the proxy mode Grott is listening on a IP port (default 5279), processes the data (sent MQTT message) and routes the original packet to the growatt website.

The proxy mode functionality can be enabled by:

• mode = proxy in the conf.ini file
• m proxy parameter during startup

Pro / Cons:

sniff mode
+ Data will also be routed to the growatt server if Grott is not active
- All TCP packages (also not growatt) need to be processed by Grott. 
  This is more resource (processor) intesive and can have a negative impact on the device performance.
- Configure IP forwarding can be complex if a lot of other network routing is configured (e.g. by Docker). 
- Sudo rights necessary to allow network sniffering

proxy mode: 
+ Simple configuration 
+ Only Growatt IP records are being analysed and processed by Grott 
+ Less resource intensive 
+ No sudo rights needed
+ Blocking / Filtering of commands from the outside is possible
- If Grott is not running no data will be sent to the Growatt server

The adivse is to use the proxy mode. This mode is strategic and will be used for enhanced features like automatic protocol detection and command blocking filtering.

Sniff mode is not supported under Windows
In sniff mode it is necessary to run Grott with SUDO rights.

The following modules are needed the use Grott:

• grott.py
• grott.ini (available in examples direcory)
• grottconf.py
• grottdata.py
• grottproxy.py
• grottsniffer.py

• 1500-S (ShineWiFi)
• 3000-S (Shinelan)
• 2500-MTL-S (ShineWiFi)
• 4200-MTL-S (Shinelan)
• 5000TL-X (ShineWifi-X)
• 3600TL-XE (ShineLink-X)
• 3600TL-XE (ShineLan)