Anomolies in Shelly automatic detection and control

Node-RED
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1

First post in the new forum, and I’ll try to explain this as per the Beta Testing protocol.

  1. How its expected to work

Shelly devices connected via ethernet (EM50 two-channel energy meter) and wifi (Pro1 relays) should be detected automatically on the same LAN as the Cerbo GX running Venus v.3.73. The function of the switches should be visible in the switch pane on VRM, and in the integrations page on the Cerbo Touch 50 and also on remote console. The devices should be configurable in NodeRed via the relevant Shelly nodes including using a flow to turn them on and off based on things like battery SOC/temperature/weather forecast.

Subsection: What parts are working

All devices are visible (most of the time) in Node Red and connected. The EM50 reliably provides data through Node Red to two virtual devices set up as PV Inverters. These are visible in the Remote Console/Touch 50 and on VRM Dashboard.

The actual inverter/AC Inverter/Battery etc. is all working like a dream.

  1. How it doesn’t work as expected

The Shelly devices are regularly not seen in the VRM device list for long periods, the periods are not the same between devices and there does not seem to be a pattern in that rebooting the Cerbo or power cycling the router or Shelly devices has no effect. They also do not reliably appear in the VRM switch pane but do appear on the Remote Console. The buttons do not reliably activate the Shelly devices, more often than not this is the case although sometimes they do work. The Shelly web interface works fine, as do the local controls via the Shelly device local IP address.

  1. Details on the system

2x Shelly Pro 1 relays via Wifi, Static IP

1x Shelly Pro EM50 via Ethernet, Static IP

All running latest 1.7.5 firmware

Cerbo GX with Venus 3.73 and touch 50 display

Multiplus 2 8000

2x AC coupled Solax 2.2kW microinverters

DC coupled MPPT 250

BYD LVS Battery

Teltonika RUT 951POE+ 4G router

  1. What you’ve already tried to make sure its not a setting or other issue

I have tried so many combinations that I am going a bit mad! The main issue seems to be the intermittent nature making it very difficult to repeat a fault, so the change in any given setting doesn’t make a difference and then no apparent change seems to have differing behaviour. Even in the course of taking the screen shots, things changed without me actually changing anything.

One thing I looked at quite a bit was the discovery type. The EM50 and one of the Pro1 had this listed as ‘manual’ while the other Pro1 had it listed as mDNS, by the time I had taken the screenshot all were reading mDNS.

Problems created when Shelly Cloud AND mqtt enabled simultaneously seem to be only affecting older devices with limited processing power. I am remote fro the site so am reluctant to turn off the cloud service.

I have read that there is a v.3.80 beta test version at the moment and that some users have reported erratic behaviour along similar lines but not quite the same consistent connection via Node Red and erratic connection/function elsewhere.

VRM Device Switches Pane
VRM Device Switches Pane1782×819 83.8 KB

Shelly Web Interface
Shelly Web Interface1856×508 135 KB

Remote Console shelly screen
Remote Console shelly screen1622×751 69.1 KB

Node Red Flow
Node Red Flow1907×964 327 KB

VRM Device List
VRM Device List1812×937 137 KB

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Hi @JonaAal,

Thanks for your detailed report.

Let me start with mentioning that you’re running the 3.73 release which is does not contain any fixes, changes or improvements to the shelly integration compared to other 3.7x releases. For one, the EM50 is not properly supported in Venus os 3.7x, and it is supported in 3.80 releases.

I know you have the beta feed selected in the update menu, which is correct, but currently the beta feed is occupied by a beta build of 3.73. Soon there will be a new 3.80 beta release available.

Back to the issue.
It seems that you’re using node red to interface with shellies, and not the native integration. While this is ok, do note that only the native integration provides the switch controls on the cerbo and on VRM. Virtual switches can also be created in node-red, but I don’t think you’re using those. Since you’re using Node-red to interface with the shellies, the fact that devices on VRM are missing while you would expect them is also caused by communication between node-red and the shellies.

To clarify, the devices that show up under Settings->Integrations->Shelly Devices are in no way connected to a shelly node in node red. To control a shelly using the native integration, you need to enable a channel in that settings menu, and then it should show up in the switch pane.

Summary

  • If you’re using Node-red to interface with shellies, no switch controls will show up, unless you also add virtual switches and tie everything together properly.
  • If you wish to use the shellies with the native integration, enable them in the “Shelly devices” menu, then the switch controls will show up in the switch pane. Note that in 3.73, only the switching channel of the EM50 is supported. Venus os 3.80 beta also supports the two energy measurement channels.

I hope this clarifies things.

3

Hi Rein,

Thanks for the swift reply.

In terms of the functionality we are after, Node Red is my preference. The purpose will be to control loads dependent on available energy via the relays, the EM50 is supplying data for the virtual inverter display.

I think the confusion comes from the fact that all the devices seem to work fine in Node red but are only partially supported in the native GX displays (Remote Console/VRM/Device list). I also hadn’t realised that the switches in the Shelly Devices menu were to activate the functionality, I thought they were the control for the actual switch.

Am I correct to say that if a function is working natively (EM50 or Pro1 switching channel, both of which now seem to work) that we can have that working and also use Node Red for the energy metering without problems?

Thanks again, and hopefully the documentation will also evolve to highlight some of the multiple ways of doing things with clarity.

4

Hi Jona,

Am I correct to say that if a function is working natively (EM50 or Pro1 switching channel, both of which now seem to work) that we can have that working and also use Node Red for the energy metering without problems?

Yes, the native integration and Node-red won’t interfere. You can for example connect to the EM50 with the native integration, and then use Node-red to read out the energy meter values for further use. It should also not be a problem to connect to the same shelly device with both the native integration and the Node-red node, but do note the differences in functionality both methods provide.