question

fguiot avatar image
fguiot asked

Solution: Fix for the correct display of the AC source (Generator or grid)

With a simple setup where the Generator is not managed (manuel start) by Venus OS and when using a MultiPlus with only 1x AC input, I found annoying to see the main screen interface still displaying the AC source coming from the grid while in fact the AC source is coming from the Generator I started manually.

I thought that adding a Digital Multi Control GX panel would solve the problem, as it effectively knows the generator is running if we close the contact of it's connector on the back of the board, but long story short: it doesn't solve the display issue :-(


So here we are with my solution:

The solution is essentially using Node-RED to read a Digital input to know if the generator is running and then to write to the dbus interface the AC source.

To know that the generator is running, a simple contact that needs to be closed. I personally use and additional relai of the ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) to feed the Digital Input of the Cerbo GX (actually the proposed flow here is using an external Digital Input from the RGPIO project (https://github.com/Lucifer06/Venus_rgpio).

The Node-RED flow is then calling the bash that issue the write dbus command.

Both VRM portal and Venus Display are now correctly displaying the AC source.

That simple.

The repository is here: VenusOS_Generator


Multiplus-IIVenus OSGeneratorDigital Multi Control
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jwfrary avatar image jwfrary commented ·
Hi I'm going to implement this thanks for sharing!


Does it change the display in Venus OS as well as VRM?


Thanks!

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fguiot avatar image fguiot jwfrary commented ·
@Jwfrary Sorry for delay. And yes, both Venus OS and VRM are updated to display correct source.
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2 Answers
Kevin Windrem avatar image
Kevin Windrem answered ·

The node-red solution should work but if you aren't running the large version you might try this:

https://github.com/kwindrem/ExtTransferSwitch

This package uses a digital input to switch the GX device between grid and generator as well as charing input current limit. It should change what's shown on VRM as well as the local display.

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jwfrary avatar image jwfrary commented ·
Awsome, actually I already have an older version of your GUI mods installed so I'll update and get the wiring plumbed in ans should be there. Thanks for the comment and all the work you put in to this community!
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jwfrary avatar image jwfrary jwfrary commented ·
Hi @Kevin Windrem just had a bash at this, the Exttransferswitch package doesn't seem to show up in package manager, have you got any ideas?


Thanks!

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Kevin Windrem avatar image Kevin Windrem jwfrary commented ·
Look in Inactive packages. If not there, create a new one:

name: ExtTransferSwitch

user: kwindrem

branch: latest

Then Add

You should then see it in Active packages allowing you to download and install, or turn on automatic downloads and installs on the main Package Manager menu.

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jwfrary avatar image jwfrary Kevin Windrem commented ·

@Kevin Windrem thanks I'll give that a go!

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jwfrary avatar image jwfrary jwfrary commented ·
@Kevin Windrem thanks that's got it working pretty awsome work there thanks for sharing!
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fguiot avatar image
fguiot answered ·

@Kevin Windrem nice work and funny to see I was not the only one annoyed with this stupid behaviour.

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