Orion XS reporting engine running state

DIY
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1

The Orion XS can detect engine running. Is it possible to read that status and use it in e.g. a nodered flow on the Cerbo GX?

The core of my planned setup is Solar panels + MPTT, MultiPlus, CerboGX and Orion Xs. To keep the car engine topped up, the idea is to use the trickle charger in a MultiPlus switchable via a relay in the Cerbo GX and switch off the Orion Xs if the leisure battery is full. When the RV engine is running this should not happen, i.m.h.o.

Regards,
lxh

2

Do you have a classic or smart alternator?

With a classic alternator, I stay below the switch-on voltage of the Orion XS (13.5V) with the trickle charge (13.2V).

If that doesn’t work, you can switch it off via the remote control input.

There are already several forum posts here on how to solve this problem.

3

A classic alternator. Thanks for the reply, and I know there are options to regulate on the input voltage of the Orion. But that was not my question :slight_smile:

Cheers,
lxh

4

One way to find out, which is what I would do is o ad the large firmware, enable Node-RED, add a DC to DC charger input node and see if engine running status was one of the available parameters. If not, I would then add a Custom input node, choose the Orion XS as the device and see if engine running status was one of the available parameters. Custom nodes often have more parameters.

I know this does not answer your question but it yells you how to answer it yourself.

5

Thanks!

I am my own problem here : I like to know more or less for sure that it will work before I buy anything. :slight_smile: My design is almost complete, but sometimes something pops up in my head that sends me back to the drawing table.

I found a github repository with (what I understand) is the data of devices (input and output) available in nodered. In it a section about Orion XS. Some texts and identifiers from that file::

This node allows for monitoring the state of an Orion XS.

  • “/Dc/0/Current (A DC)”
  • “/Dc/0/Temperature (Degrees celsius)”
  • “/Dc/0/Voltage (V DC)”
  • "/Dc/In/V (V DC)”
  • “/Dc/In/P (W)”
  • "/ErrorCode”
  • “/FirmwareVersion”
  • “/History/Cumulative/User/ChargedAh (Ah)”
  • “/ProductId”
  • “/State”

The state attribute seems to be able to have the following values:

  • “0”: “Off”,
  • “2”: “Fault”,
  • “3”: “Bulk”,
  • “4”: “Absorption”,
  • “5”: “Float”,
  • “6”: “Storage”,
  • “7”: “Equalize”

So, probably the answer is no. But hey, perhaps it does but just is not mapped in this services.json?

6

I would look on mine but I do not have an Orion XS. Custom Nodes offer more.

You say about switching off the Orion XS if the leisure battery is full. If the leisure battery is full then the Orion XS will go to float and charge current will fall to very little. The only thing you need to take care of is the trickle charge boosting the Orion XS input voltage making the Orion XS turn on when the engine is off.

7

Thanks for the tip on Custom Nodes, haven’t read about them but will look it up.

Exactly that issue (with the trickle charge confusing the Orion) is what I want to prevent. What logic is needed I’ll figure out. Maybe not control the trickle charger and Orion based on charge state, but on battery SoC (say > 90%) and solar and/or external power available…. AND engine not running :slight_smile: