Venus misbehavior - inverters turn off when GX is connected with VE.Bus cable

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josmeijer asked Jan 21, '21

Venus misbehavior - inverters turn off when GX is connected with VE.Bus cable

I have a growing number of unexplainable system shutdowns. Both (parrallel) inverters switch off and become extremely dead, no leds, no way to revive them (which is extra inconvenient if I am 115 km from the spot). Not with the remote panel, nor with the switches on the inverters.

Eventually I found out that ressurrection can be achieved by breaking the VE-bus connection between the two, firing the master up, (which then shows error leds) and finally by restoring the connection everything works again.

I suspect some incompatabilities between the present firmware in the inverters and the perpetually updating software in the venus GX?

Venus GX - VGX

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Answer 1 · 2021-01-21T09:07:41Z

josmeijer answered · Jan 21, 2021 at 09:07 AM

I further tracked down the problem. It is in fact the VE-bus cable to the Venus GX that has to be unplugged to re-start the inverter ls. If I take the power off the venus it has the same result. (untill the software is loaded, then they switch off again)

It looks like the venus has the "off" flag for the multiplus and previously that was overruled by the VE-bus multicontrol.

But apparently not anymore.

But I can not find a way to reset that flag in the remote console.

In my humble opinion this resides in the VenusGX program.

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josmeijer commented · Jan 21, 2021 at 09:17 AM

Further refining : the on position of the VE-bus MULTICONTROL does overrule the Venus GX. But once switched off the VEbmc looses it's dominance.

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Answer 2 · 2021-01-21T09:59:12Z

JohnC answered · Jan 21, 2021 at 09:59 AM

Hi @josmeijer

Maybe this screen?..

1611223116225.png (75.8 KiB)

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josmeijer commented · Jan 21, 2021 at 10:39 AM

Not really

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screenshot-20210121-113541-orgmozillafirefox.jpg (327.0 KiB)

Answer 3 · 2021-01-21T11:52:10Z

josmeijer answered · Jan 21, 2021 at 11:52 AM

But I tried to disconnect the VEbmc, redetected the system and voila I could turn the multiplus on. But..... If I reconnect the VEbmc and switch off, the off tickbox in the remote console is selected. And we are back at the start and I cant switch it on, neither with the switch, nor with the remote console as access to the switch is blocked again.

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Answer 4 · 2021-01-21T14:27:12Z

Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) answered · Jan 21, 2021 at 02:27 PM

Hi @josmeijer

Please tell what components are in the system, and what assistants etc.

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josmeijer commented · Jan 21, 2021 at 05:10 PM

There are 2 24/3000/70 multi's running in parallel single-phase, a VE-bus MULTICONTROL, a BVM700 and a Venus GX

https://vrm.victronenergy.com/installation/27397/share/8efa415f

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josmeijer josmeijer commented · Jan 28, 2021 at 07:53 AM

No particular assistants

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Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ josmeijer commented · Jan 28, 2021 at 01:56 PM

Hi @josmeijer

The inverters are running on ancient firmware, version 115

I'd first update the firmware before looking further

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josmeijer Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Feb 02, 2021 at 02:43 PM

I considered updating the multi' s firmware and proposed it here. It was discouraged by someone else of your staff.

It's a quantum leap from the running firmware to te present version and I kind of share his concerns. (and I can't find the RS485 interface :-)

Further I think that the fact that my various trials (described before) prove that the command for switching the inverters off comes from the Venus GX.

As soon as I break power from the Venus, the inverters come back alive and the remote panel works as it is supposed to.

I guess that updating the multi's won't change much then.

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josmeijer Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ commented · Feb 24, 2021 at 09:33 AM

So I replaced the firmware with the latest available (I found my MK2) Nothing changed.

I did some more experiments: I suspected some quirk as when the inverter is shut off the router switches off too so I powered it from a back up power source.

I tried the virtual panel in VE configure.

The results are very consistent. Whatever way I use to switch off the inverters, they will never come alive again unless I power-off the Venus GX.

So I repeat that i.m.h.o. there is a bug in the software there.

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firmware159.jpg (20.8 KiB)

Answer 5 · 2021-02-02T14:43:03Z

josmeijer answered · Feb 02, 2021 at 02:43 PM

I considered updating the multi' s firmware and proposed it here. It was discouraged by someone else of your staff.

It's a quantum leap from the running firmware to te present version and I kind of share his concerns. (and I can't find the RS485 interface :-)

Further I think that the fact that my various trials (described before) prove that the command for switching the inverters off comes from the Venus GX.

As soon as I break power from the Venus, the inverters come back alive and the remote panel works as it is supposed to.

I guess that updating the multi's won't change much then.

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Answer 6 · 2021-04-13T10:48:11Z

mvader (Victron Energy) answered · Apr 13, 2021 at 10:48 AM

Hi all, with some help from a colleague, this was eventually resolved, and found to be a broken VE.Bus cable.

Specifically pin 6 wasn't making proper contact. Tested by @josmeijer with a cable tester; I whish more people used those now and then! :-).

One more story where a broken cable causes lots of time going down the drain; but glad its solved!

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