Is there a Linux version of VictronConnect available?
Ronald
asked
victronConnect on Linux
in a few weeks I will have time to dive into this - I will be happy to collaborate with anyone on this.
Ronald
VictronConnect for Linux is now available, see here: https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/43667/victronconnect-for-linux-download-instructions.html
ps. I accepted my own answer, to make it show on top of the list.
Not that I could find - I have asked the question since even pairing with them is not an easy task under Linux.
I will gladly opensource my code if I can get the stats.
Have you found any documentation on the API over bluetooth? Or trying to rev-engineer the windows app? Ronald...
No documentation that I could find - yes, reverse engineering might be the only way :(
I have tagged the community manager into my question so let's hope :)
Reverse engineering - while legal in the EU (see Article 5 of the EU Directive 2009/24/EC) - is way too tedious. I'm pretty sure if asked nicely, Victron management is not overly reluctant to provide information.
While we lack interest or energy to reverse engineer Windows software, there is already Linux software communication with every Victron product, and a lot (not everything) of it is open source:
https://github.com/victronenergy/venus
So maybe start there. My guess would be, that the BT communication is just the VE.Direct protocol over BT Layer.
And if you need the VE.Direct protocol (and it is not already published somewhere and Victron would be reluctant to publish it - why?), then I could snoop on one of the vedirect-dbus processes ;-)
/opt/victronenergy/vedirect-interface/vedirect-dbus -v --log-before 25 --log-after 25 -t 0 --banner -s /dev/ttyO2
Oh... This is very helpful. When XMAS comes with free time I will try this approach! Thanks!
Ronald
One step closer - got pairing to work....
[SmartSolar HQ1723JQJWI]# info C7:09:FE:67:96:49
Device C7:09:FE:67:96:49
Name: SmartSolar HQ1723JQJWI
Alias: SmartSolar HQ1723JQJWI
Paired: yes
Trusted: yes
Blocked: no
Connected: yes
LegacyPairing: no
UUID: Generic Access Profile (00001800-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: Generic Attribute Profile (00001801-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb)
UUID: Vendor specific (306b0001-b081-4037-83dc-e59fcc3cdfd0)
UUID: Vendor specific (68c10001-b17f-4d3a-a290-34ad6499937c)
UUID: Vendor specific (97580001-ddf1-48be-b73e-182664615d8e)
Now to figure out how/where/what :)
So far python and bluez are not playing along
Hi all, having fun? ;-).
someone wrote:
> My guess would be, that the BT communication is just the VE.Direct protocol over BT Layer.
Its (by far) not that simple I’m afraid.
but, the good news is, that currently one of the developers is looking into making a Linux build of VictronConnect available. Be warned that there might be some limitations/issues wrt distributions, required Bluez version etc; and limited support on all that from us; but you should be able to habdle that.
so now lets just keep fingers crossed that its doable and you’ll see a version pop up soon.
Hi,
I am also looking for a possibility, to grab data from some Victrons (BMV, MPPT) via BLE for further usage in homeautomation.
Very SAD, that Victron will not publish BLE documentation
I started looking at the BLE Interfaces of BMV712 and 3 different MPPTs
Till now i found, that the Service UUIDs and the Properties (of the 4 devices) are _absolute_ identical !
Planned next, is to sniff the BT Communication between ‚Victron Connect‘ and one of the devices...
I would apreciate finding somebody, to share Knowledge
Regards stefan
@Nafets, the choice to not publish the BLE API is simply one of practicality; as Victron states:
"Making the bluetooth API an official public one would mean that we can’t change it as simply as we can today; and also it means that we’ll get questions about it: bluetooth is not simple. Far more complicated than a serial port.
And then only our developers will be able to answer them: taking away development resources. Hence we chose to not make the Bluetooth API public."
Meanwhile started a new (consoldidation) thread on this:
https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/40048/victron-data-capture-via-bluetooth.html
I'll be happy to work with you starting March when I have more time...
Hi all. An update back on the original topic (VictronConnect for Linux): we have a working version now internally; and I expect to be able to share it soon (days or max a few weeks).
Please can you also supply an ARM version for the people that have Raspberry PI's at sites :)
We’ve not worked on a rpi version, so have to disappoint in that. Note that added value of having victronconnect locally to the systen is reducing, since we’re coming with the “remote” function in VC. See victronconnect beta page.
In other words: having an rpi there (or a commercial Gx product) with Venus OS installed will already take care of most remote requirements anyone might have.
Most boaters with a rpi run raspbian beacause of OpenCPN. Making VenusOS a less desirable option. And, if I'm not mistaken, running VenusOS would still need wired connections, right?
That is no option for most people.
I like Victron products very much and would buy more if it was possible to connect over BT to the rpi.
I had a look at VC v5.17beta3 (under OS X)
As far as I understand, the mentioned „remote“ is VRM.
I am not used to VRM (which is for sure a great system) but, we are looking for local data acquisition via BLE ideally on a small device like Raspi (zero), due to energy consumption
...and not first collecting data via cable (and Venus) from the Victrons and sending them in the cloud
VictronConnect and its architecture are not at all designed for that. Issue one: it can only connect to one device at a time.
to make for reliable local datalogging, over BLE, my personal way forward would still be Venus OS. Tasks:
1) implement a driver that can read data over BLE
2) for rpi zero: make it work on a rpi zero
And for OpenCPN: perhaps you can make something (to read data from BLE) that works on both OpenCPN and Venus OS.
perhaps signalk can also play a role.
But, then lets make a new thread, this is about VictronConnect on Linux :-)
imho good suggestions
For me, VenusOS would be ok
1) would there be some BLE stuff from VC available for development ?
1b) the connection to the different Victrons has to be serialized
2) would be a feature for future development, if RpiZero is fast enough
I would be aboard, for design & development
suggest, to use my BLE datalogging thread for this.
https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/40048/victron-data-capture-via-bluetooth.html
Hi Matthijs,
Thanks for your answer on my other thread.
When will the Linux version be released ?
Will it be available for Raspi ?
Not for rpi, we are not building it for the rpi.
when? When we’re ready. Which I think is soon.
@mvader (Victron Energy) could you please put a Linux AppImage badge on pages with products, eg https://www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers/multi-rs-solar?
Currently there's only App Store, Google Play, Mac app, and Windows. I had no idea there was one for Linux until I went into Downloads & Support -> VictronConnect and saw it there.
Thank you.
