Wind generator Integration, full UART protocol available

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freaky930 asked Feb 18, '22

Wind generator Integration, full UART protocol available

I've got a Silentwind Windgenerator with "smart" regulator.

The serial connector is easily retrofitted and I've got the full UART Data protocol documentation for that regulator.

So how do I start to integrate that regulator into the existing Victron network?

What I'd like to achieve is to monitor the output, the generated energy, to manage the charging of the turbine and to automatically shut it off if batteries are charged and the warm water heater is hot.

Ideally it's gonna be an open source project, maybe even with help of an Arduino or the raspberry venus OS.

Kind regards,. Will

Raspberry Pi software Hydro and Wind Power arduino

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bathnm answered · Feb 21, 2022 at 02:11 PM

@freaky930

Take a look at the following links..

https://github.com/victronenergy/venus/wiki/howto-add-a-driver-to-Venus

That gives you the basics.

This link gives details of dbus paths, where data can be stored, and some default paths that will need to be created and written too.

https://github.com/victronenergy/venus/wiki/dbus

I would follow the alternator-and-dcsource paths as the basics. One of the options not shown for dc-source is Settings/MonitorMode, which defines the type of DC Source. A value of -8 I believe would be for a wind generator.

Another good dbus reference is

https://github.com/victronenergy/venus/wiki/dbus-api

Look in Victron's GIT repository at GitHub.com and you will find some examples of other services that have been written in python. You will need to make use of the Victron velib_python as a simple means of interfacing with the dBUS. it can be found here

https://github.com/victronenergy/velib_python

The good news is that if you write it as a DCSource, then it will automatically get displayed in the VenusOS GUI and when Victron pull DCSource information to VRM, it should be visible there as well. Also as DCSource is built into the SignalK and NodeRed interfaces, you ill see the dBus data you write for voltage, current and amps available in those applications as well. You just need to make sure that the path is com.victronenergy.dcsource...... but that is easy and all defined above.

I have thought about writing a driver for this, but as I do not have a SilentWind its a bit difficult and replacing my Rutland 1200 with a a SilentWind is a bit costly just to write a driver.

Do not underestimate the time to get this done and tested, but would make a nice winters project.

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bathnm commented · Feb 21, 2022 at 02:22 PM

This might also be a good starting point...

https://github.com/victronenergy/dbus-bornay-windplus

It is based on an RS485 serial interface for the Borney Wind Generator. If you mimic'd this you would get Current, Power and Voltage (as with a DCSource), but a also RPM of the turbine and possibly even wind speed in the GUI.

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bathnm answered · Dec 20, 2022 at 07:40 PM

@freaky930, I have just invested in a silent wind and contemplating the integration into VenusOS. I see that the charge controller has a Bluetooth interface, but do not see any serial interface. Is this a modification required to gain access to this? Do you also have a copy of the protocol you a share, as would be happy to build a driver to get the data into dBus. If not then some reverse engineering of the bluetooth data would allow an interface into dbus.

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Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2022-02-19T07:19:33Z

Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) answered · Feb 19, 2022 at 07:19 AM

Hi @freaky930,

I don't have a wind generator myself, but that would certainly be an application that Node-RED is very well suited to.

Node-RED is part of the large image of Venus OS, which is also available for a Raspberry Pi. Once installed, you can start creating a flow that suits your needs almost immediately. This image also has node-red-contrib-victron nodes on board, giving you access to lots of data from your Victron devices.

node-red-node-serialport node might be helpful to access data from the Windgenerators UART.

More on Venus OS large image here: https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:large

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bathnm commented · Feb 21, 2022 at 02:00 PM

One issue that needs to be addressed is what does NodeRed push the data to interns of paths in dbus.....

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Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ bathnm commented · Feb 21, 2022 at 02:03 PM

This is addressed here: https://github.com/victronenergy/node-red-contrib-victron/issues/82

and hopefully will come soon.

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bathnm Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Feb 21, 2022 at 02:20 PM

Yes that could certainly help, however does what gets pushed through nodered into specific dbus paths also get pulled into the GUI and VRM, we don't know yet.

Write a driver in python to look like a DCSource or DCLoad and all the upper layers are taken care of as teh GUI and (eventually) VRM will know what a DCLoad or DCSource is.

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Answer 2 · 2022-02-20T15:05:33Z

freaky930 answered · Feb 20, 2022 at 03:05 PM

Hi Stefanie,

Thank you for the pointer to node red, I know that it does exist but I haven't looked into it yet.

I've got a RPI running with Venus, so I guess I'll give it a try if I can integrate the controller into the victron setup.

Thanks a lot,

Will

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Answer 3 · 2022-12-20T20:01:04Z

freaky930 answered · Dec 20, 2022 at 08:01 PM

Hi @Bathnm

What I've done is to replace the inbuilt Bluetooth module with a hc-05 module to add a PIN-Code to the regulator.

With this you can easily connect via a Bluetooth serial console to the regulator.

I will need to look back into this since it's been a while that I've tried to implement the regulator into the Venus (I didn't succeed eventually)

If you like, you can also connect via isolated ttl to USB cable to the regulator, an original Victron cable will do and then connect via serial console to the regulator.

If you can provide an email address, I can send you the modbusp protocol.

It would be great if you were able to write the appropriate driver to read out and control the regulator.

Any command is issued to and within the regulator via the modbus protocol, so you'll gain full control over the turbine and regilaro, just like a proper generator.

Cheers and kind regards Will

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Answer 4 · 2022-12-20T20:12:24Z

freaky930 answered · Dec 20, 2022 at 08:12 PM

Thats how to connect theother Bluetooth module

dsc-0017.jpg (3.5 MiB)

dsc-0016.jpg (3.7 MiB)

dsc-0014.jpg (2.6 MiB)

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Answer 5 · 2022-12-20T20:54:25Z

freaky930 answered · Dec 20, 2022 at 08:54 PM

@Bathnm

Since the module will only convert the serial communication to Bluetooth and BLE, any device withe BLE integration should be able to communicate with it.

I'll send you an email ;-)

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Answer 6 · 2022-12-21T07:49:24Z

Michelle Konzack answered · Dec 21, 2022 at 07:49 AM

I have 4 WindMax2500 and 1 WindMax1000 MPPT Wind chargers and they have the serial D-Sub on the front, have also the serial protocol and also willing to get a driver running.

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geraldusmagnus commented · Jan 07 at 04:41 PM

Good evening, your wind turbines communicate with Victron? What kind of batteries do you have? I have 4 BYD LVL 15.4 and would like to attach a wind turbine to the system.

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Michelle Konzack geraldusmagnus commented · Jan 08 at 11:49 AM

I have SOPzSBatteries 24V/2940Ah.

My WindMax2500 MPPT Controller can not be set to anything.

The Serial Port is only for reading the Data, not writing.

From my point of view it would be easy to change the Firmware that it would accept a WRITE to set the charging voltage or Feed-Back signal, when the Windmill has to break.

Then a custom VenusOS-Large driver can control the Windmill.

Unfortunately the Manufacturer of the WindMaxXXXX MPPT Chargers do not want to do that.

The WindMaxXXXX can be only set by a inside turning switch and a DIL-Switch to the Voltage 12/24/48V and then the Maximum Charging Voltage. It also equalize it automatic EVERY day, because it is usually not sure, WHEN you get wind, hence equalizing is every day.

I am looking already around, whether I can get another MPPT Wind-Charger with more functions, but it seems, this is something on my OWN development list (I am electronic Engineer but have for this not enough time)

I would like to develop something like a SmartWind MPPT 250/100-Tr VE.Can ;-)

and make it 100% compatible Victron. VE.Can because it could syncronise with the SmartSolars, however, it would require ONE FEATURE in the SmartSolar which should be disabled by default but can be activated as needed:

STAY ALIVE and do not go to sleep.

because the SmartSolar Master-Controller has also to work at night to let this work and the SmartWind need only to be a Slave-Controller.

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