VE.DIRECT Doesnt Initalize

Question

question

whfarms asked Apr 18, '24

VE.DIRECT Doesnt Initalize

I have a MPPT 100|50 solar controller. I pruchased a VE.Direct cable. I cut one end off and attempted to wire it to my teensy 4.1 via an ADUM1201 optocoupler.

The end I cut off left me 4 wires Red, Black, Green, White. When I tested it with my multimeter RED=GRN and BLACK = +5V. I read a few articles and could not get a great understanding if the white or green would be transmit or receive. I have tried both combinations.

I downloaded some code written by Brendan McLearie from github. I set the code to use my serial 6 port. I am never able to connect.

I have switched TX and RX on both sides of the ADUM1201. I am at a loss. Is there some process that needs to be taken to "initialize" the VE.Direct output?

MPPT Controllers VE.Direct arduino

2 |3000

Attachments: Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

114 People are following this question.

Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2024-04-20T14:34:16Z

whfarms answered · Apr 20 at 02:34 PM

Anybody have any help out there?

1

2 |3000

Attachments: Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

captaintactful commented · Apr 21 at 12:02 PM

The ve direct works at a 1 second interval out of the box, you just need the right devices connected.

The usb to ve direct victron cable has isolation built in from what I've read. Needed for firmware updates. I found that out irritatingly.

This is what I've used to connect to my serial ports and parse into influx/grafana.

JST PH 2.0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266159397039

To a 5v TTL to RS232 converter

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314832754354

I haven't bothered with opto isolation yet but you could use this i think,

RS232 opto isolation

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174783183013

The data comes in a bit too fast for my parser so I've had to limit the scope of the integers in the code.

HTH

regards

also rs232 is what serial is

0 ·

Answer 2 · 2024-04-23T02:05:36Z

whfarms answered · Apr 23 at 02:05 AM

I got it to read tonight. I changed to a very simple couple line code that simple says serial.available print

I was using code from Richard Peterson and Brandon Mclery(memory) that was recommended on these boards. That code refused to create a serial connection and is quite complex to read so troubleshooting it is very difficult for me.

I would like to try to get it working so the git repo could be updated as I feel it is probably regularly sought after. It seems to be the most complete (and complex) code to connect an arduino to a be.direct port.

I do have full isolation using a ADUM1201. I use the teensy 4.1 board that is 3v so I didn’t want to fry it with the 5 volt MPPT.

2 |3000

Attachments: Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

Answer 3 · 2024-04-23T15:45:00Z

VEDirect::VEDirect(HardwareSerial& port):

VESerial(port)

// Initialise the serial port that the

// VE.Direct device is connected to and

// store it for later use.

{

}

VEDirect::~VEDirect() {

// virtual destructor

}

uint8_t VEDirect::begin() {

// Check connection the serial port

VESerial.begin(19200);

if (VESerial) {

delay(500);

if(VESerial.available()) {

VESerial.flush();

VESerial.end();

return 1;

}

return 0;

}

int32_t VEDirect::read(uint8_t target) {

// Read VE.Direct lines from the serial port

// Search for the label specified by enum target

// Extract and return the corresponding value

// If value is "ON" return 1. If "OFF" return 0;

uint16_t loops = VED_MAX_READ_LOOPS;

uint8_t lines = VED_MAX_READ_LINES;

int32_t ret = 0; // The value to be returned

char line[VED_LINE_SIZE] = "\0"; // Line buffer

uint8_t idx = 0; // Line buffer index

char* label;

char* value_str;

int8_t b; // byte read from the stream

VESerial.begin(VED_BAUD_RATE);

while (lines > 0) {

if (VESerial.available()) {

while (loops > 0) {

b = VESerial.read();

if ((b == -1) || (b == '\r')) { // Ignore '\r' and empty reads

loops--;

} else {

if (b == '\n') { // EOL

break;

} else {

if (idx < VED_LINE_SIZE) {

line[idx++] = b; // Add it to the buffer

} else {

return 0; // Buffer overrun

}

line[idx] = '\0'; // Terminate the string

// Line in buffer

if (target == VE_DUMP) {

// Diagnostic routine - just print to Serial0;

Serial.println(line);

// Continue on rather than break to reset for next line

}

label = strtok(line, "\t");

if (strcmp_P(label, ved_labels[target]) == 0) {

value_str = strtok(0, "\t");

if (value_str[0] == 'O') { //ON OFF type

if (value_str[1] == 'N') {

ret = 1; // ON

break;

} else {

ret = 0; // OFF

break;

}

} else {

sscanf(value_str, "%ld", &ret);

break;

}

} else { // Line not of interest

lines--;

loops = VED_MAX_READ_LOOPS;

line[0] = '\0';

idx = 0;

}

return ret;

}

void VEDirect::copy_raw_to_serial0() {

read(VE_DUMP);

}

question