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andrevh avatar image
andrevh asked

Hubble Lithium 10AM interfacing to Multiplus /CCGX

Hi


After 8 years of good service, I had to replace my lead acid with a Hubble AM10 battery. Using their new float/absorption/ESS settings, it is currently working fine. The Hubble AM10 has a Can bus and there interface to Victron https://www.hubblelithium.co.za/victron use a type B cable which I got. I only have a CCGx Colour Control with 2 VCan busses which one is used for the Solar controller and other for the terminator plug. Without buying additional hardware, is there a way that I can connect the battery and using the battery's BMS as system monitor on the system. My inverter is a Multiplus, not Multiples 2.

BMV Battery Monitor
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7 Answers
nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

You can remove the terminator and connect the battery, the port speed will need to be configured so it matches that battery. The terminator will be on the battery side to end the chain.

I'm not overly sure about the old CCGX, this is at least how the newer ones would work.

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andrevh avatar image andrevh commented ·
I did try that, but when I remove the terminator and plug in the Type-B cable, the Solar charger does not display anymore.
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andrevh avatar image andrevh commented ·
I did not adjust any port speed, might be the problem. Where do I adjust that?


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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ andrevh commented ·
Go to settings -> services and look at the profile for the VE.CAN port.


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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ andrevh commented ·
I am not sure if you can change the individual ports or the whole CAN bus (which would break the mppt's).

In that case, you may need to ask Hubble to remotely change the BMS baud rate down from 500kb to 250kb.

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andrevh avatar image andrevh nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Thank you, my system was so old and I had update firmware. Last time I checked my services was still empty but now it has the data. Will try that. My Hubble is not yet connected to a network so they will not be able to check.


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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ andrevh commented ·
You can probably move your mppt from CAN to ve.direct or usb->ve.direct, which would free up the CAN bus for your battery.
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andrevh avatar image andrevh nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
My Solar controller only have a VE Can Bus, changing the profile to 500kbs did not work. Setting the profile to 500 and only connecting the battery did work and I got its info (As name Pylontech, doe s not matter). Do not know if Hubble would be able to access the battery this way when I enable DVCC. I presume I would first need to set the correct voltages on the solar controller if I exclude it from the ESS/CCGX.


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andrevh avatar image
andrevh answered ·

There is a RS485 bus on the Hubble. Would I be able to use that and which cable should I use then?


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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

That isn't supported, Victron wants CAN BMS connections. There are some third party (unsupported) drivers which might work but it isn't recommended. You may just have to invest in a Cerbo to get it work nicely. Contact Hubble support and see if they are willing to set the speed lower.

Alternatively you can install a shunt and control it with more traditional voltage-based methods, but you may as well spend the difference and get a newer GX.

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andrevh avatar image andrevh nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Thanks for all the feedback. I spoke to Hubble, I need to install a cloudlink where I will the be able to adjust the Hubble's CAN Bus's Speed. I do have the shunt install for the BMV700. Well, I did not want to order extra, but now I did order the cloud link so it should solve all problem.
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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ andrevh commented ·
Is the cloud link lower cost than a new cerbo? Ultimately that would provide better functionality for you.
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andrevh avatar image andrevh nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
Cloudlink R3400, Cerbo R6500. Hubble feels the cloudlink would provide better battery service (Maybe sales talk) but recommend it as a Must have.


With that installed I would need to deprioritize my BMV700.

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Bruce Rattray avatar image
Bruce Rattray answered ·

Did you manage to get Hubble conected to your multi ? I have a very similiar setup to yours except a 3KVa multi and have just got the hubble AM4 to replace lead acids first installed in 2015.

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andrevh avatar image andrevh commented ·
No, I went through a long session with Victron. The only conclusion Victron came to is there must be a FET (transistor0 problem, if the software implementation is correct . But the Hubble is brand new, so I cannot disconnect it and experience loadshedding until they do quality control on their products. I also did not get any further feedback from Hubble. My ticket queries to them , were just closed without any responses, although they asked access to my installation which I provided. So, the answer, no, I run the battery without any BMS connected to Victron, but they assured me it is safe as the battery manages itself.
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Bruce Rattray avatar image
Bruce Rattray answered ·

@andrevh@commstech.co.za thanks for the update...did you manage to change baud rate of bms via cloudlink? My cloudlink arrives later today so not sure what to expect. To clarify your setup now,have you set the battery type to lithium ion in the multi and set the voltages according to hubble specs and use the bvm 700 for SOC? Have you selected the multi or bvm as the battery monitor in the CCGX?

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andrevh avatar image andrevh commented ·
Yes, the baud rate settings works fine. One thing I had to do is replace my solar controller to use a VE Direct bus (I think, not the Ve-Can Bus). The solar controller and Hubble could not share the came VeCan bus. So electronically everything works fine, but the Hubble kept on discharging the battery when it controls the system.
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Bruce Rattray avatar image
Bruce Rattray answered ·

@andrevh@commstech.co.za I have the cloudlink set up now but not impressed by its lack of functionality. I am on the verge of ordering a smartsolar MPPT with VE Direct connection to free up the VE Can for the BMS comms, to replace the old MPPT. For my clarity, are you connecting the CCGX to the VE Can port of the battery or the cloudlink ?

Have you retained the 500kbs baude rate of the CCGX or did you manage to set the battery to 250kbs ?

Are you using the BMS to manage the inverter via DVCC ?

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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

You could just upgrade to a Cerbo or Ekrano..

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andrevh avatar image andrevh nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
I also though about that but the CCGX already have a display. With an extra solar controller you can add more panels and the 2 can communicate using the Can Bus. (Long term dream)
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Bruce Rattray avatar image Bruce Rattray nickdb ♦♦ commented ·
@nickdb The problem I have is that the MPPT is the old VE Can only type with the LCD and buttons,and the LCD is becoming unreadable so I cannot make any changes to the battery type and voltages on the MPPT to convert to Lithium batteries. I have checked on other ways to communicate via the Ve Can bus to the MPPT to change settings but not been able to find a way...
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andrevh avatar image andrevh commented ·
I could not set the battery but managed to set the CCGX baud rate. No, the BMS does not work, keep on discharging the battery, so the battery is stand alone. The new Hubble App is suppose to shot the cell levels but that is still not available. So the battery is standalone and is managing itself.
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Warwick Bruce Chapman avatar image
Warwick Bruce Chapman answered ·

The CloudLink is a ridiculously capable device - some increadie functionality hidden in there. But the biggest value is the control it exerts over the underlying BMS it is connected to.


The old style MPPT is not fully capable of being used with ESS. They’re very old technology and can’t be controlled by the GX. But they work.


CloudLink should be able to operate at 250kbps on the same CAN bus as the MPPTs.


Hubble is putting a lot of work into improved Victron support, so if you’re battling, comment here so we can get them in touch with you.

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andrevh avatar image
andrevh answered ·

I have purchased a second newer version Hubble AM10. I need a USB to RJ12 cable to update the firmware on the newer model to talk to the older model. They are connected in parallel. As soon as that is done after I can find a cable, I will try and use the new battery as BMS controller because their might have been a FET problem with the older battery which I could not believe as it was brand new. So if the new battery's BMS is working, I can get the old one fix should it be necessary because then I at least still have a working system with one less battery.

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