Hi,
I would like to connect 2 pcs Blue Solar MPPT solar charger in addition to 1 pcs BMV-712 battery monitor to a Color Control GX, but as far as i know the Color Control only got two VE.Direct ports. I would need three.
Is there a VE. Direct splitter or hub that will allow me to connect all my items with VE. Direct?
Or is there another solution to my issue?
Hi; please read this Connecting more than two devices to your CCGX using VE.Direct section in the CCGX manual; it explains how to do this by using the USB ports. If there are not enough; use a (powered) usb hub. And take note of the max number of devices. All explained in detail in that section in the manual.
Hey @mvader (Victron Energy) and @Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) please note that the MP2 GX datasheet and the "note 14" at https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:start#notes contradict one another.
The datasheet says: "A VE.Can interface. This can be used to connect to Victron VE.Can devices (eg VE.Can MPPTs), or the port can be reconfigured via the Remote Console for use with a compatible CAN-bus Li-ion Battery."
Note 14 makes it clear that the VE.Can port on the MP2 GX devices cannot handle VE.Can MPPTs.
Thanks @warwick,
The Note 14 is correct, the CANbus port is limited to BMS.
I will ask that the mistake in the data sheet is corrected now.
Perfect. I see it has been updated to:
"A BMS-Can interface. This can be used to connect to a compatible CAN-bus managed battery. Note that this not a VE.Can compatible port."
You can use a VE. Direct to USB adaptwr and connect via USB to the CCGX.
Cheers!
Any way to do one more?
As others have already written: just a usb hub is possible. Splitting doesn't work because of technical reasons.
Just in case anyone is searching for a cheap and good working USB Hub:
I tried several cheap ones for connecting my USB VE.Direct devices and after some frustrations with non stable USB Hubs, causing single devices stop reporting to Venus from time to time, I bought this one and it works rock solid and stable:
I use it without external power. But it would be possible to power it externally too.
Markus
Thanks @Markus Your link isn't working anymore but I got it from here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BU8HWI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This has been great because the VE.Direct cables are so fat they can't fit in a normal hub. I have 1 VE.Direct, 1 MK3 USB, 1 flash drive for data logging and 1 GPS hooked up to a USB extneder/amplifier to my Venus Pi and it's working great.
There were new model VE.Direct to USB cables released at Intersolar. Nice and thin now :)
I have a MPPT 50/100 without Bluetooth. So I bought an additional Victron Bluetooth Smart Dongle some time ago and successfully connected it with the MPPT 50/100. Now I would like to connect the MPTT/100 via VE.direct to USB cable to another device but would like to use the bluetooth dongle also, but there is only 1 VE.direct port at the MPTT 50/100. The bluetooth dongle has no USB therefore a USB hub does not seem to work for me. What can I do to connect the MPPT 50/100 with the bluetooth dongle and with an VE.direct USB cable (to connect it to an Raspberry Pi 3 B or B+) at the same time?
That's not possible.
The only thing you can do is to exchange the the Blue Solar with a Smart Solar. So you have build-in Bluetooth and you can use the VE.direct port to connect it to the rPi.
Or you can use this feature:
https://www.victronenergy.com/blog/2020/04/06/victronconnect-v5-20-connect-configure-remotely/
