question

seamaster avatar image
seamaster asked

Generator start stop via mod-bus

I have Northern Lights Generator 5 kW M643 marine generator on my vessel and recently installed DC20-MKII controller that monitors the generator and allows me to start/stop it. It also supports mod-bus. I spent considerable amount of time installing, configuring the controller and interfacing it from a PC via mod-bus. At this stage, I can communicate to the controller, read the registers for oil pressure temperature RPM etc, and also start stop the generator via mod-bus command from a PC running free mod-bus program QModMaster or any other mod-bus program.

My ultimate goal is to monitor (read the engine data as well the generator status -running/stopped etc.) and control the generator (start/stop) from the RPI running Venus OS. I DO NOT want to use relay output, considering that mod-bus is working well from the test PC and i have full access to generator data and control.

Where do I start? Is there a similar mod-bus driver that I can modify with the mod-bus registers that are specific to DC20-MKII? If not, how do I read/write mod-bus register from Cerbo? I did read the documentation, but I need little more guidance.

How I deploy it? What is the easier way to achieve my goals? Consider also that I would like to have generator cool down time implemented which is already available and implemented on the DC20-MKII controller but it needs to tell some how to my Quattro II 120V X2 that it should turn off the generator AC source to achieve the actual cool-down.

For anyone interested, attached is the mod-bus protocol and user manual for DC20-MKII

To whoever reads and/or answers this message thank you for your time/help!

DC20D MKII MODBUS_Communication protocol_V1.0-20210707.pdf

DC20D MK2 GENSET CONTROLLER USER MANUAL.pdf

GeneratorModbus TCP
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2 Answers
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seamaster answered ·

Bump! Can anybody help ?


1 comment
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andrii-podanenko avatar image
andrii-podanenko answered ·

If modbus registers can't be remapped by your controller, then only Node-RED would be the option, to send modbus command based on the logic you need

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