Hello,
I am curious about connecting a Cerbo GX to solar panels.
What is required to do this?
I suspect current transformers are required.
Which current transformers? How are they physically connected to the Cerbo GX?
asked
Can the Cerbo GX be connected directly to solar panels without solar chargers or an inverter?
I am assuming you mean particulary for communication and data recording specifically here? (Stranger questions have been asked)
You can use a smart shunt or bmv like a dc energy meter for the output of the mppt to the battery. That connects with VE direct to the GX.
Hi Alexandra,
This would be mainly for monitoring, communication, instantaneous data, and past data.
So if I understand your answer a smart shunt or BMV between the (positive? cable of the) solar panels connected to the VE direct connector of the Cerbo GX without using a current transformer.
If I was to make a bill of materials, would it look like this:
- Cerbo GX
- Smart shunt
- VE cable
- Anything missing?
How many amperes and volts DC will this arrangement manage?
1. Battery
2. Shunt (BMV or Smartshunt for monitoring battery current)
3. Charge Controller (MPPT).
4. Solar panels
Optional:
5. Cerbo GX
6. VE.Direct cables.
Cerbo GX is a data management internet gateway. It does not manage the electrical energy directly.
I have a direct PV system without batteries, inverters, or charge controllers.
I would say no to direct solar panel to Cerbo connection. You need some amount of DC energy storage to maintain the Cerbo through the night (or cloudy skies). Plus the voltage from the solar array will vary substantially. Cerbo can tolerate a wide voltage range but ...
Can Cerbo with a shunt tolerate 300 VDC coming in from a solar array at less than 11-amps?
Can Cerbo accept an additional DC power supply from a small battery or power supply converter not connected to the solar panels to maintain it?
The DC power supply in the cerbo takes between 8v and 70v dc only. So designed to run off a battery based system.
See the datasheet.
You would need to use an energy meter like the carlo gavazzi meter for the AC PV to measure your AC in and out.
Does your PV inverter has something like a data card with modbus?
“Can the Cerbo GX be connected directly to solar panels without solar chargers or an inverter?”
There are no inverters, no charge controllers, and there is no alternating current in this installation.
I am simply looking for a DC monitoring solution of the energy produced from the solar panels.
I understood from a previous comment that perhaps either the BMV-12, the smart shunt, the lynx shunt or the lynx distributor had the ability to take the high voltage from the solar panel array and take a voltage reading, and then transmit this information to the Cerbo GX at a lower voltage; however, it is possible that I misunderstood.
They are all designed for dc battery monitoring, not high voltage dc panel monitoring.
You will need to look more at other equipment not compatible to connectable to the cerbo.
