Using the Command Line Interface

The sungazer command-line interface provides easy access to all PVS6 functionality from the terminal. This guide covers all available commands and options.

Getting Help

Basic Help

# Show main help
sungazer --help

# Show help for specific command groups
sungazer session --help
sungazer device --help
sungazer network --help
sungazer firmware --help
sungazer grid-profile --help

Command Structure

The CLI follows a hierarchical command structure:

sungazer [global-options] <command-group> <subcommand> [options]

Global Options

Common options available for all commands:

# Specify custom base URL
sungazer --base-url http://192.168.1.100/cgi-bin session start

# Set custom timeout
sungazer --timeout 60 device list

# Choose output format
sungazer --output table network list

# Use environment variables to change configuration
export SUNGAZER_BASE_URL="http://192.168.1.100/cgi-bin"
export SUNGAZER_TIMEOUT="30"
sungazer session start

Session Management

Session commands manage the connection to your PVS6 device.

Starting a Session

# Start a new session
sungazer session start

# Start with custom device
sungazer --base-url http://sunpowerconsole.com/cgi-bin session start

# Start with verbose output
sungazer --output table session start

Example output:

{
  "result": "succeed",
  "supervisor": {
    "MODEL": "PVS6",
    "SERIAL": "ZT01234567890ABCDEF",
    "SWVER": "2021.9, Build 41001",
    "FWVER": "1.0.0",
    "BUILD": 41001,
    "EASICVER": 131329,
    "SCVER": 16504,
    "SCBUILD": 1185,
    "WNMODEL": 400,
    "WNVER": 3000,
    "WNSERIAL": 16
  }
}

Stopping a Session

# Stop the current session
sungazer session stop

# Stop with custom output format
sungazer --output table session stop

Device Management

Device commands provide access to all connected devices in your solar system.

Listing All Devices

# List all devices
sungazer device list

# List in table format
sungazer --output table device list

Example JSON output:

{
  "devices": [
    {
      "DETAIL": "detail",
      "STATE": "working",
      "STATEDESCR": "Working",
      "SERIAL": "ZT21234123451234123",
      "MODEL": "PV Supervisor PVS6",
      "HWVER": "6.02",
      "SWVER": "2025.06, Build 61839",
      "DEVICE_TYPE": "PVS",
      "DATATIME": "2025,06,21,23,24,05",
      "dl_err_count": "0",
      "dl_comm_err": "2573",
      "dl_skipped_scans": "0",
      "dl_scan_time": "14",
      "dl_untransmitted": "0",
      "dl_uptime": "8003",
      "dl_cpu_load": "0.46",
      "dl_mem_used": "78348",
      "dl_flash_avail": "59052",
      "panid": 590287501,
      "CURTIME": "2025,06,22,00,16,18"
    },
    {
      "ISDETAIL": true,
      "SERIAL": "PVS6M12341231p",
      "TYPE": "PVS5-METER-P",
      "STATE": "working",
      "STATEDESCR": "Working",
      "MODEL": "PVS6M0400p",
      "DESCR": "Power Meter PVS6M12341231p",
      "DEVICE_TYPE": "Power Meter",
      "interface": "mime",
      "production_subtype_enum": "GROSS_PRODUCTION_SITE",
      "subtype": "GROSS_PRODUCTION_SITE",
      "SWVER": "3000",
      "PORT": "",
      "DATATIME": "2025,06,22,00,16,18",
      "ct_scl_fctr": "50",
      "net_ltea_3phsum_kwh": "20733.1699",
      "p_3phsum_kw": "0.5154",
      "q_3phsum_kvar": "-0.0126",
      "s_3phsum_kva": "0.5209",
      "tot_pf_rto": "0.9962",
      "freq_hz": "60",
      "i_a": "2.1162",
      "v12_v": "246.1551",
      "CAL0": "50",
      "origin": "data_logger",
      "OPERATION": "noop",
      "CURTIME": "2025,06,22,00,16,19"
    }
  ]
}

Device-Specific Commands

Access specific device types:

# Get PV (solar panel) devices
sungazer device pvs

# Get inverter devices (your actual per-solar panel outputs)
sungazer device inverters

# Get production meter (how much electricity you're producing)
sungazer device production-meter

# Get consumption meter (how much electricity you're using)
sungazer device consumption-meter

# All commands support table output
sungazer --output table device pvs

Network Management

Network commands monitor and manage network connectivity.

Network Status

# Get network status
sungazer network list

# Get network status in table format
sungazer --output table network list

Example JSON output:

{
  "result": "succeed",
  "networkstatus": {
    "interfaces": [
      {
        "interface": "wan",
        "internet": "down",
        "ipaddr": "",
        "link": "disconnected",
        "mode": "wan",
        "sms": "unreachable",
        "state": "down"
      },
      {
        "interface": "sta0",
        "internet": "up",
        "ipaddr": "192.168.10.239",
        "ssid": "Starfield",
        "status": "connected",
        "sms": "reachable"
      }
    ],
    "system": {
      "interface": "sta0",
      "internet": "up",
      "sms": "reachable"
    },
    "ts": "1635315583"
  }
}

Firmware Management

Firmware commands check and manage firmware updates.

Check Firmware

# Check firmware status
sungazer firmware check

# Check firmware with table output
sungazer --output table firmware check

Example output:

{
  "url": "none",
}

Grid Profile Management

Grid profile commands manage grid profile settings.

A grid profile is a collection of utility-approved operating parameters for a system. Selecting the appropriate grid profile ensures compliance and interoperability with the local electric utility.

Get Current Profile

# Get current grid profile
sungazer grid-profile get

# Get profile in table format
sungazer --output table grid-profile get

Example output:

{
  "result": "succeed",
  "active_name": "IEEE-1547a-2014 + 2020 CA Rule21",
  "active_id": "816bf3302d337a42680b996227ddbc46abf9cd05",
  "pending_name": "IEEE-1547a-2014 + 2020 CA Rule21",
  "pending_id": "816bf3302d337a42680b996227ddbc46abf9cd05",
  "percent": 100,
  "supported_by": "ALL",
  "status": "success"
}

Refresh Grid Profile

Important

I suspect that this causes internal state of the PVS6 to be updated, so use this with caution.

# Refresh grid profile
sungazer grid-profile refresh

# Refresh with table output
sungazer --output table grid-profile refresh

Output Formats

JSON Format (Default)

# Default JSON output
sungazer device list

# Pretty-printed JSON
sungazer --output json device list

Table Format

# Table output for better readability
sungazer --output table device list

# Table output for network status
sungazer --output table network list

Configuration

See Configuration: Command Line Tool for details on how to configure sungazer for your specific PVS6 monitoring use case.

Examples

Basic Usage Examples

# Start session and check devices
sungazer session start
sungazer device list

# Check network status
sungazer network list

# Check firmware
sungazer firmware check

# Stop session
sungazer session stop

Advanced Usage Examples

# Monitor system health
sungazer --output table session start
sungazer --output table device list
sungazer --output table network list
sungazer --output table firmware check
sungazer session stop

# Use with custom hostname or IP address
sungazer --base-url http://192.168.1.100/cgi-bin \
         --output table \
         session start

# Check specific device types
sungazer device pvs
sungazer device inverters
sungazer device production-meter
sungazer device consumption-meter

Scripting Examples

#!/bin/bash
# Monitor script example

echo "Starting system monitoring..."

# Start session
sungazer session start

# Check devices
echo "Device Status:"
sungazer --output table device list

# Check network
echo "Network Status:"
sungazer --output table network list

# Check firmware
echo "Firmware Status:"
sungazer --output table firmware check

# Stop session
sungazer session stop

echo "Monitoring complete."

Error Handling

Common Error Scenarios

Connection Refused

# Error: Connection refused
sungazer session start
# Error: Failed to connect to http://sunpowerconsole.com/cgi-bin

# Solution: Check device IP and connectivity
telnet sunpowerconsole.com 443

Session Errors

# Error: Session failed
sungazer session start
# Error: Start failed: 500 Internal Server Error

# Solution: Check device status and restart if needed

Timeout Errors

# Error: Request timeout
sungazer device list
# Error: Request timed out

# Solution: Increase timeout
sungazer --timeout 60 device list

SSL Certificate Errors

# Error: SSL certificate verification failed
sungazer session start

# Solution: The library automatically handles SSL issues
# If problems persist, open an issue on the GitHub repository

Troubleshooting

Debugging Commands

# Check if device is reachable
telnet sunpowerconsole.com 443

# Test basic connectivity
curl --no-check-certificate -v http://sunpowerconsole.com/cgi-bin/dl_cgi?Command=Start

# Test with verbose output
sungazer --output table session start

Common Issues

Device Not Found

• Verify the IP address or hostname of the PVS6 is correct

• Check that the PVS6 is powered on

• Check network connectivity

Connection Refused or 403 Forbidden

• Check network connectivity

• Try restarting the PVS6 device by disabling the breaker for it and then re-enabling it again. The community has said that this works.

Slow Response

• Increase timeout value

• Check network performance

Permission Errors

• Check file permissions for configuration files

• Ensure proper user permissions

Best Practices

Output Format Selection

Choose appropriate output formats:

# Use JSON for scripting and automation
sungazer device list > devices.json

# Use table for human reading
sungazer --output table device list

# Use table for monitoring
sungazer --output table network list

Configuration Management

Use configuration files when necessary. The default configuration shipped with sungazer is is typically fine if you are connecting directly to the PVS6 itself, but you can override it with a configuration file. See Configuration: Command Line Tool for more details.