Give proprietary nature of Victron VE.bus, I'm not expecting it to work; but hoping someone has tried and can provided some real experience.
asked
Has anybody used Victron Color Monitor with Mangnum Inverter and/or OB Inveter?
The problem is not Victron's proprietary nature. They are the most open of all the major players in their industry. I have an Outback Power system in my off grid house and it is totally proprietary, no external communications unless you are willing to buy a Modbus RTU interface and use a application written for the SunSpec Modbus protocol. I interfaced my Venus device (CCGX) with an industrial PLC and can read all the VE.Bus data points and can turn-on and turn-off the Inverter/Charger and Solar Charge Controller from the PLC. It worked the first time I tried it.
BTW Victron is a contributing member of the SunSpec Alliance.
Pat
So if I call magnum they should be able to tell me if they comply with sunspec? I have a magnum dealer who gives me really good wholesale prices and if I can use it to get my customers 6S to give 100% instead of 60% with victron and a color monitor they want, they are going to be thrilled.
Do very detailed research. Outback states in their literature that the Modbus interface is designed for "Industrial" users. You can use it or their Mate3s controller, similar to Victron's CCGX; but, not both at the same time. It also requires a HMI server to work with the Modbus interface.
Not sure about Magnum's offerings, just do in-depth research.
Pat
Thank you. I will. As I said, I'm still waiting for my customer to tell me what they want to do. The heart of the issue is this custom 6S they had made. If they can get that upgraded to an 8S then Victron is the shortest path. If not then, I think I'll have to go non-Victron for Inverter because they are not happy when I told them 50 - 70% is all they are going to get.
(Of course her first reaction was "honey, why do we not just use AGMs and stay with what we have" -- so I'm pretty anxious to get them Color Monitor and their 6S working -- even if I have to go OB or Magnum!!!)
