Victron Venus OS and a Rasberry

[Diabalo]

This seller has some stock of the PL2303HX if you want one.

USB To RS232 TTL UART PL2303HX Converter USB to COM Module Serial Cable Adapter | eBay

PL2303 PL2303HX USB to UART TTL Cable Module 4p 4 pin RS232 Converter. USB To RS232 TTL UART PL2303HX Auto Converter USB to COM Cable Adapter Module. 1 simple serial communication. Wire sequence is defined.

www.ebay.co.uk

Cheers, Just placed an order for one of them as I will need another anyway.

 

[Two on Tour]

I'm using 3 USBs on an RPi 3+ with a 2amp feed

I needed 5 USB connections so I'm running a 7 port powered USB hub with just 1 USB cable to the Pi.

 

[Guigsy]

I managed to get it to communicate with an ESP board without many issues (running ESPHome to Home Assistant).

 

[Diabalo]

Not sure I can be of much help, I didn't deliberately buy the HX version, I just plugged the cables in and booted up the RPI. Looking at the MPPT the only setting I can see that would effect matters is the RX TX settings but why would they have been changed from their defaults anyways. I'm still on an earlier version of Venus OS 2.72. Do the devices appear in the device list on the remote console, is VRM online portal two-way communication enabled?. I assume Venus OS will log events so you should be able to tell whether the PL2302' are active- don't ask me how but presumably accessible via ssh. The PL2302 do require some power but I'm using 3 USBs on an RPi 3+ with a 2amp feed

The device was showing as off thats why I thought it was a comms prob. 2 way comms is enabled. I didn't have time to hard wire everything in and plugged into a cigarette power adapter and that may be an issue also. Will be doing a hard wire later and try the other things. If all fails I will try the different USB adapter cable.

Thanks for yor suggestions.

 

[Raul]

I know you said you got the wires the right way round on the plug, I looked at various sources on the net, and lucky I did. First time I had the wires on the wrong pins. It’s worth eliminating this before you change the serial converter. Once plugged into the RPi, any device that’s on, you should see it on local.

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[busby]

Not got a clue what the above posts relate to are they written in code?BUSBY.

 

[Raul]

He knows what I meant. Two on tour posted a photo with the plug, I’m on about those wires going into the plug. When you plug it into mppt, I realised it’s the other way facing and my pins was in wrong order. If they are in the wrong order, the raspbery pi will not see the device. If they right, it will show within seconds on local network, and vrm.

 

[Diabalo]

I managed to get it to communicate with an ESP board without many issues (running ESPHome to Home Assistant).

 

[Diabalo]

It's showing on local as Rpi3 with IP Addy and Vrm ID I think pinout is ok see photo

 

[Diabalo]

I'm seeing this VRM device list

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[Two on Tour]

Your seeing your Pi because it communicating with the VRM portal via your WiFi, but your Pi is not seeing your MPPT data.

 

[Diabalo]

Your seeing your Pi because it communicating with the VRM portal via your WiFi, but your Pi is not seeing your MPPT data.

Comms issue then

 

[Two on Tour]

Yes, between the MPPT and the Pi.

 

[Wissel]

Slightly off topic (as using a Cerbo GX), but I get to wire this lot up next week:

Ignore the EHU charger, but it's likely there will be another two MPPT 100/30's (change in solar config). Think this is the most Victron I've ever fitted to a van. Should be fun

 

[Bessy765]

What current draw would you expect from all this monitoring capability?

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[Diabalo]

Yes, between the MPPT and the Pi.

Hopefully the different usb to serial cable I have on order will sort it out. Watch this space

 

[Raul]

What current draw would you expect from all this monitoring capability?

View attachment 566140

View attachment 566144

About 10-12w, that’s including the router directly to 12v feed. A tad under a amp.

 

[Bessy765]

Thank you for the info!

 

[Raul]

Hopefully the different usb to serial cable I have on order will sort it out. Watch this space

Any luck yet?

 

[Diabalo]

Any luck yet?

No, the new usb to serial adapter lead only came today, I will give it another go sometime in the next few days and let you know.

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[steveh57]

As far as I’m aware the Linux kernel should have drivers inbuilt for both the HX and TA versions

 

[Diabalo]

Just got back from trying the PL2303TA lead and all good, so either the PL2303HX chip is not supported or my one was duff.
Anyway all good now and many thanks for all the help.

 

[autorouter]

The descriptions I've seen are a bit vague, but the TA and HX are both USB-to-Serial adapters. USB = Universal Serial Bus, as I'm sure you already know. I think the TA is a general serial converter, maybe 5V levels, and the HX is for RS232, which has 12V Receive and Transmit lines.

 

[steveh57]

I'm non the wiser but hopefully someone else maybe, slightly worrying if the TA is required it's EOL.

TA http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=153&pcid=41


HX. http://www.prolific.com.tw/US/ShowProduct.aspx?p_id=8&pcid=41

 

[Guigsy]

If an ESP board can connect to it with boggo serial ports, it shouldn't be a major issue.

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[Two on Tour]

Just got back from trying the PL2303TA lead and all good, so either the PL2303HX chip is not supported or my one was duff.
Anyway all good now and many thanks for all the help.

Was that not the other way around?

 

[Diabalo]

Was that not the other way around?

Yes, well spotted, the 1st one that didn't work was the PL2303 TA due to either not being supported by the Venus OS or duff, the second one the TA2303 HX worked. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[Two on Tour]

Yes, well spotted, the 1st one that didn't work was the PL2303 TA due to either not being supported by the Venus OS or duff, the second one the TA2303 HX worked. Sorry for the confusion.

I was not trying to be cocky or trip you up, I was just concerned that if somebody was reading through the thread for information, that it might have caused some confusion.

 

[Diabalo]

I was not trying to be cocky or trip you up, I was just concerned that if somebody was reading through the thread for information, that it might have caused some confusion.

Didn't think that for one minute, I would have done the same

 

[Raul]

Are you life on VRM now?

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