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darcilisa avatar image
darcilisa asked

does my MK3 work?

I am trying to configure a MultiPlus using a MK3 but when I plug in the Cat5 cable into the MK3 I get the MultiPlus go into error mode and get 14 (Device cannot transmit). Using a HP computer with Windows10, I see the MK3 is on USB serial port COM3. My Multi firmware sticker says 2702481.VFD

MK3
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darcilisa avatar image darcilisa commented ·
I forgot to add this information, I inspected the RJ45 Jacks and none of the pins were bent. I ran a TDR on the cable, all 8 lines are fine, it is 7 ft long, straight through (pin 1 to 1, 2 to 2, .....8 to 8)


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ejrossouw avatar image ejrossouw darcilisa commented ·

Have you tried to find the answer here?https://www.victronenergy.com/live/ve.bus:ve.bus_error_codes

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darcilisa avatar image darcilisa ejrossouw commented ·
That is basically the same information as in my MultiPlus manual, error 14 is can not transmit. My current guess is Victron does not do MDI or MDI-X so I need to use a crossover cable. I ordered a actual Victron cable and should get that in the next few days and I’ll TDR that cable to know what type it is and try that.

Other related information, I can plug in the cable to the Multi and have no issues, it is when I plug the other end into the MK3 that I get the error.

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Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) avatar image Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ darcilisa commented ·
It's a CAT5 straight UTP cable. Doesn't need to be from Victron, but quality wins over price.
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kevgermany avatar image kevgermany ♦♦ darcilisa commented ·
Have you tried another cable, could be that, even though yours tested ok. Must be the full 8 wire, non crossover as Stefanie said.

Also do you have something else connected to the multi? When VE configure starts, it warns about disconnecting these.

Ote hrwise may be a faulty unit, that's a dealer job.


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darcilisa avatar image darcilisa kevgermany ♦♦ commented ·
I ordered another cable, should get that today. The cable was tested with a cat5 cable tester though, it tests all 8 paths. Are you saying a crossover cable will not work? That would surprise me because when connecting like equipment you normally use a crossover cable.
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darcilisa avatar image darcilisa darcilisa commented ·
Sorry, forgot to answer, nothing else is connected to the Multi
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Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) avatar image Stefanie (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ darcilisa commented ·
You would use a crossover cable when both ends connect to the same type of devices, for example two computers. Straight cables are used with devices of different types, for example a computer connected via ethernet to a router or in your case a computer to a MK3 device.
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Kevin Windrem avatar image Kevin Windrem darcilisa commented ·
To be clear, the UTP cable between the MK3 and the Multi is NOT ethernet. VE.Bus is a proprietary interconnect that happens to use RJ45 connectors and CAT5 or better wire. Do NOT use a crossover cable!!!


Proper continuity between pins does not guarantee the pairs are connected properly. I've seen a cable pass a simple continuity test and work at 1 and 10 Mb/s but fail at 100 Mb/s because the pairs were crossed. The resultant crosstalk killed communications. That was with ethernet connections but VE.Bus may in fact have similar needs for twisted pair connections between devices and with pairs interwoven crosstalk could kill that communications also.

Most inexpensive cable testers do not test at speed and will not detect pair integrity.

Victron recommends a purchased cable over home made.

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darcilisa avatar image darcilisa Kevin Windrem commented ·
I was not going to use a crossover cable, I ordered a cable from a Victron distributer. On a related note, my cable tester tests at speed, it is actually faster than normal speed because is is a TDR (Time Domain Reflectivity), sees cross talk, measures the actual signal length, etc., on this subject, the issue was a bad MK3, it is being returned to Victron.
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1 Answer
darcilisa avatar image
darcilisa answered ·

The issue was a bad MK3.

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