Getting Started

The DER Simulator runs as a standalone process you launch from the command line, drive over its REST + WebSocket API, or operate from the DERSec LabTest GUI. This page walks the three usual entry points and points at the deeper reference for each.

Running the simulator from DERSec LabTest

The DER Simulator can be operated from the DERSec LabTest GUI. Details of this operation are in the LabTest Pro User Manual.

Scripting the simulator via DERSec LabTest

LabTest exposes a small REST surface at port 8555 for starting, configuring, and stopping a simulator from a test script.

Update the simulator parameters:

curl 'http://localhost:8555/info/der_sim' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json; charset=UTF-8' \
  --data-raw '{"der_sim":{"num_of_devices":"1","static_sim":"no","device_type":"PV-3Phase","filename":"<<Using Default>>","mb_enable":"yes","mb_port":"502","mb_enc":"no","root-pem":"<<Using Default>>","cert-pem":"<<Using Default>>","key-pem":"<<Using Default>>","csip_enable":"no","csip_server_ip":"127.0.0.1","csip_server_port":"8443","csip_enc":"yes","dnp3_enable":"no","dnp3_outstation_addr":"1234","dnp3_port":"8777","dnp3_remote_addr":"1234"}}'

Start the simulator:

curl 'http://localhost:8555/sim' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json; charset=UTF-8' \
  --data-raw '"{\"num_of_devices\": \"1\", \"device_type\": \"PV-3Phase\", \"mb_enable\": \"yes\", \"mb_port\": \"502\"}"'

Stop the simulator:

curl -X DELETE 'http://localhost:8555/sim'

Running the simulator as a binary

The simulator also ships as a standalone binary that runs without LabTest. See Deployment for the form factors (Docker image, .deb, .ipk) and the install + license workflow.

Once installed, the binary is driven through CLI flags grouped by concern. Each flag set has its own reference chapter:

Concern Reference
Picking a device type (PV / battery / wind / fuel cell / hybrid DC / EVSE) Device Types
SunSpec Modbus server (TCP + RTU + TLS) SunSpec Modbus Server
IEEE 2030.5 / CSIP client IEEE 2030.5 Client
OCPP charge-point (EVSE devices) OCPP Charge Point
DNP3 outstation DNP3 Outstation
Simulation inputs (time, irradiance, grid environment, nameplate) Simulation Inputs
Grid-support modes (Volt-Var, Volt-Watt, freq-droop, fixed PF, Watt-Var) Power Simulation chapters

For the complete CLI flag list, run:

./sim --help

Driving the simulator from a script

The simulator's dashboard, REST endpoints, WebSocket telemetry stream, and SunSpec Modbus server are all live the moment the binary starts. For programmatic test harnesses, the REST + WebSocket API chapter covers the surface; the live Swagger UI at http://<host>:8111/docs is always the authoritative reference.

Where to go next