Victron CCGX vs Venus GX

[wildebus]

This is maybe a question aimed at Admin Phil, but others with posh vans might have either of these systems installed as well?

Victron make two versions of their system management & monitoring unit - the CCGX and the Venus GX.
To use the Venus GX you need to use a Computer of some kind (PC/Tablet/Smartphone); The Colour Control GX has a built-in Monitoring Display Planel so can be uses standalone.

Down to the question:
How useful is the built-in display and if you have the GGCX do you use the screen much or do you use a computer?

The Venus GX is significantly cheaper than the CCGX and I usually have a phone and/or tablet to hand and think the saving would be worthwhile as I reckon I would likely use a computer even if there were a display available (for example, I use the Victron App to read the BMV-712 rather then using the display itself)

 

[Silver sprinter]

How do I get that translated into English, sounds sore hope you get a cure:scared:

 

[Admin]

I use the Color Control every day. It is an easy way to control my inverter.

I think for you there may be another option...

Victron release the Venus / CCGX software as an open source package, this includes a build for the raspberry pi. They also supply the extra packages to make the Venus OS work the same as the CCGX. So with a raspberry pi and a touchscreen, you can build your own. Now that is a lot more fun!

A Raspberry PI kit with a 5in touchscreen will cost around £100. Then £26 for your VE.Direct to USB dongles. But think of all those lovely input-output options you could use the GPIO for. Temp, tank gauges, gas levels, switch stuff on (heating, lights), switch fridge to solar once batteries float, GPS tracking, immobiliser, outside lights, GEO-Fence, CCTV recording.

Raspberry Pi running Victron’s Venus firmware | Victron Energy

 

[wildebus]

I use the Color Control every day. It is an easy way to control my inverter.

I think for you there may be another option...

Victron release the Venus / CCGX software as an open source package, this includes a build for the raspberry pi. They also supply the extra packages to make the Venus OS work the same as the CCGX. So with a raspberry pi and a touchscreen, you can build your own. Now that is a lot more fun!

A Raspberry PI kit with a 5in touchscreen will cost around £100. Then £26 for your VE.Direct to USB dongles. But think of all those lovely input-output options you could use the GPIO for. Temp, tank gauges, gas levels, switch stuff on (heating, lights), switch fridge to solar once batteries float, GPS tracking, immobiliser, outside lights, GEO-Fence, CCTV recording.

Raspberry Pi running Victron’s Venus firmware | Victron Energy

Interesting ....
I already have the Victron kit viewable by Smartphone App (and how I can also set the Inverter to On, Off or Eco). I like the way the GX brings it all together - and Venus with your smartphone or even just get a cheap tablet dedicated to it could save the extra over a CCGX.
But sounds like the Pi running the software would do that

 

[izwozral]

Why oh why do I open threads like this only to feel a right dumb ass?

All the above is gobbledygook to me, although raspberry pi sounds nice!

 

[wildebus]

Why oh why do I open threads like this only to feel a right dumb ass?

All the above is gobbledygook to me, although raspberry pi sounds nice!

I've never used one as yet, but the Raspberry Pi was originally developed as a very cheap computer for third world countries where existing computers would be too expensive for schools. A kind of BBC Micro for the Millennium.

 

[jagmanx]

Raspberry Pi

Is this an update on the Don McLean song

YouTube

But more seriously with so many apps available for android/apple I see the R Pi as a specialist item

Yes very good.
Do not tell TrevSkoda it is better than Linux !

 

[yorkslass]

Why oh why do I open threads like this only to feel a right dumb ass?

All the above is gobbledygook to me, although raspberry pi sounds nice!

Would that be with ice cream or creme anglaise (custard to normal people)

 

[ChrisInNotts]

I use the Color Control every day. It is an easy way to control my inverter.

I think for you there may be another option...

Victron release the Venus / CCGX software as an open source package, this includes a build for the raspberry pi. They also supply the extra packages to make the Venus OS work the same as the CCGX. So with a raspberry pi and a touchscreen, you can build your own. Now that is a lot more fun!

A Raspberry PI kit with a 5in touchscreen will cost around £100. Then £26 for your VE.Direct to USB dongles. But think of all those lovely input-output options you could use the GPIO for. Temp, tank gauges, gas levels, switch stuff on (heating, lights), switch fridge to solar once batteries float, GPS tracking, immobiliser, outside lights, GEO-Fence, CCTV recording.

Raspberry Pi running Victron’s Venus firmware | Victron Energy

Is there a good guide (on line or otherwise) to PI programming and interfacing out there? I used to love playing with electronic projects but I never got into microprocessors etc. This all looks interesting

Keith

 

[Trotter]

Victronitis

I'm sure Boots would have an ointment for this. Just speak to the Pharmacist.
Dadad

 

[izwozral]

Would that be with ice cream or creme anglaise (custard to normal people)

I'm normal. Allegedly.

Creme anglaise indeed. Tut.

 

[wildebus]

Is this an update on the Don McLean song

YouTube

But more seriously with so many apps available for android/apple I see the R Pi as a specialist item

Yes very good.
Do not tell TrevSkoda it is better than Linux !

I don't think it is quite plug and play, but could be good

I make a little change today on my setup ... finally got round to installing the Victron VE Direct Network. Purely a software thing, but now the MPPT Solar Controller is communicating with the BMV-712 via Bluetooth.
Benefit of this is the MPPT Controller now has the exact battery voltage rather than the voltage it reads from the cable into (with associated voltage drops). This will optimize the charging regime better and avoid any overcharging.
Another factor this lets it do better IF you have the right device ... optimize charging based on battery temperature. I have AGMs which are less critical, but this can be vital for Lithium Batteries which should be not charged at low temps (and something which until recently the Victron SmartSolar MPPT Controllers had no way to monitor I believe).
Don't have the temp probe and weighing up between the dedicated cable for the BMV - £30 and you loose the ability to monitor an 2nd battery (e.g the Starter Battery) - or get a new little unit Victron have released - Voltage & Temperature Sense for Solar Chargers | Victron Energy - which is a bit more expensive at £36 but it is seperate from the BMV so you get to keep the Aux battery info. Think this is the better option personally.

 

[wildebus]

I use the Color Control every day. It is an easy way to control my inverter.

I think for you there may be another option...

Victron release the Venus / CCGX software as an open source package, this includes a build for the raspberry pi. They also supply the extra packages to make the Venus OS work the same as the CCGX. So with a raspberry pi and a touchscreen, you can build your own. Now that is a lot more fun!

A Raspberry PI kit with a 5in touchscreen will cost around £100. Then £26 for your VE.Direct to USB dongles. But think of all those lovely input-output options you could use the GPIO for. Temp, tank gauges, gas levels, switch stuff on (heating, lights), switch fridge to solar once batteries float, GPS tracking, immobiliser, outside lights, GEO-Fence, CCTV recording.

Raspberry Pi running Victron’s Venus firmware | Victron Energy

After some investigations, ordered a Raspberry Pi 3 kit (it was unclear if the Pi 2 may have been better, but the 3 is also supported; has built-in Wi-Fi which is supported (bonus!); has Bluetooth but is disabled by default (which kinda implies it could be enabled anyway?) but there was no mention of if you could use BT for in this setup anyway.
Also a VE.Direct Cable to USB ordered from meadowtech. Will look at a little screen later, but if I can connect via WiFi using a browser that could be just ideal!
I'll let you know what happens!

 

[wildebus]

Right ... Onwards and Upwards .....

Ordered a Raspberry Pi 3 Kit via Amazon
Bought an official kit, specifically this one: Raspberry Pi 3 Official Desktop Starter Kit (16Gb, Black): Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
There are lots of different options - opted for this one as it comes with a ready to use OS on a microSD card - not required for this project, but maybe for others could be handy (the Pi is a very good multipurpose item); A Case and a Power Supply.
The Case is VERY nice and am most impressed with it.
The Power Supply is a handy to have. The Pi uses microUSB connector for power same as most phones but having an 'approved' supply is good to eliminate power issues for initial troubleshooting

Also ordered this Heatsink Kit: Aukru - Heat Sink for Raspberry Pi (Aluminium, Pack of 3, Silver: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories
Worth adding extra passive cooling I think, especially to the Pi 3 that runs quite a bit faster than the Pi 2 (this is why I opted for Pi 3 in fact)

Fitted headsinks to Pi Computer, assembled into box (pictures will come later), and then followed instructions from Phils link, specifically these ones: raspberrypi install venus image * victronenergy/venus Wiki * GitHub .

Followed the instructions step-by-step and this is what I got ...

ccgx-pi-1 by David, on Flickr
:dance:
So far a very easy installation


Looked at some of the screens ....

Change the time zone from the default ...
ccgx-pi-4 by David, on Flickr

Checked Firmware Revision ...
ccgx-pi-3 by David, on Flickr

And another typical screen - summary of devices used in the CCGX display ...
ccgx-pi-2 by David, on Flickr


Ok, clearly no actual information being displayed as I have not connected anything to the Raspberry Pi. The First - testing - cable will arrive in next couple of days and then will really get an idea of what is what :rabbit:

Thanks for the heads up , Phil. I did not realise there was a open source build available :bow:


Network wise, I used my Ubquiti Network setup - See this thread - WiFi (not MiFi) installation (need to fix the photos on it I see post photobucket rubbish ) so it will be ready to work within the Camper on my own Intranet. Accessing via the wider Internet will take some more configuration which I will look at at a later date (not sure if I really want or need this feature yet?)
(to explain further in avoid confusion ... Routers are setup by default to allow computers connected to them to access outwards, not to allow computers from outside to come into the network - that is what the firewall in them does. You open specific ports to allow and control access inwards)

 

[wildebus]

The Raspberry Pi

promised a few pics of the Pi ...

So this is the Pi, which is a full-blown computer.
IMG_20180404_102223 by David, on Flickr

Something with this much processor power and this much storage capacity would have been a bit more than £70 or so not that long ago.
As an example, when I first started working at Dell, the current price for storage was around £1/MB - so the capacity offer by the current 32GB micro SD card I am using here (£10 from Amazon) would have back then both taken up the space of a house with the power needed to drive it, and cost over THIRTY THOUSAND POUNDS.
Computing power to match this back then .... maybe £100,000? (the intel i486 Processor had just been released then - single core, no quad-core, and 25MHz rather then 1,200MHz. The speed increases and price drops in IT still blows me away despite (or maybe why?) having been involved in it for so long!

Anyways, the Pi 3 above features a quad-core processor running at 1.2GHz, 4 USB Ports, a Wired Ethernet Port plus a seperate Wi-Fi Connection, Micro-SD Card Slot, HDMI port and a special GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) set of pins, which is how people use the Pi for special control projects

This is the case deconstructed ...
IMG_20180403_145923 by David, on Flickr


I mentioned I bought a set of heatsinks ...
IMG_20180403_150149 by David, on Flickr
These stick on via 3M thermal tape. I think they were originally designed for the Pi 2 as there is one two many for the Pi 3 and the flat copper one is too large for the chip underneath.

These are the heatsinks fitted ...
Underneath the board
IMG_20180404_102212 by David, on Flickr
Cut down to match the chip side

On Top
IMG_20180404_102223 by David, on Flickr

And in the case, put together with the lid still off
IMG_20180403_190545 by David, on Flickr

So that is the device I am using for this work.

 

[wildebus]

I got my VE.Direct to USB Cable in the post today and tried it on my various devices in turn. All units got recognised :banana:

So below is when it was plugged into the Solar Controller
Screenshot_20180404-132050 by David, on Flickr

And here is when plugged into the Inverter
Screenshot_20180404-132050 by David, on Flickr

Not got a similar screenshot of the BMV-712, but this one here will show Voltage, SOC and consumption info in the Graphic Block type display
Screenshot_20180404-131844 by David, on Flickr
The "DC Power" block at 17W is showing power that is being consumed.
The Battery icon gives the key battery info - SOC (State of Charge), Voltage and Current Draw


When the cable is in the Solar Controller, we see this...
Screenshot_20180404-132444 by David, on Flickr
(note it is total coincidence that the Solar is bringing in 17W and there is a 17W draw on the battery!)

Going to order up another VE.Direct to USB Cable now so I can have one on the Solar and one on the BMV.

I was initially unsure about if I would use this with the Inverter or not. Both the Solar Controller and the BMV-712 have built-in Bluetooth, so I can use the Victron Apps directly to read them, OR use the CCGX interface shown here, as I wish. The Inverter is one OR other.
And the potential problem with connecting the Inverter to the CCGX Pi is if I use the CCGX interface to turn off the Inverter, it will also turn off the router, which will stop the browser being able to talk to the CCGX, so you end up with a lockout situation (someone with the 'proper' CCGX with a built-in display, like Phil has, will not have the same type of issue, but Victron do warn you that if you power the CCXG from AC, you WILL have a similar issue).
So I will almost certainly be keeping the Inverter on the Bluetooth. The "DC Power" graphic will include power used by the inverter as well of course anyway.



And Finally .... the kind of information which is why I looked into the Victron CCGX/Venus GX setup ...
The MPPT Solar Controller App allows you to download information on the Solar Charging performance, and is broken down on a day-by-day basis, with peak and troughs for batteries on each day. This is good information, but just like Carmel, I want More More More!

And this is achieved via the Victron Portal :cool1:
Info is limited with just the one data cable installed, but once I have the Solar (My Primary Charging system) and the BMV (showing consumption and SOC) fed in, it will be pretty awesome I think!
But in the meantime, check it out - https://vrm.victronenergy.com/installation/19383/dashboard

(UPDATE: to see this, goto the address posted above, and login with the user name "viewclarence@wildebus.co.uk" and the password "viewclarence" (ommiting quotes in both cases))

(anyone wondering why the solar is not that impressive? think the snow is not making it easy )

Hope this update is of interest! Once the 2nd cable comes and I have some Charging AND Consumption data I will post another update.

 

[Nabsim]

Now stop it please! I am nicely getting old and forgetful and Caz will not be happy if I start turning the mh into a rolling intranet/extranet. I have stopped building anything unless forced into it at work and happily have managed to avoid the Pi so far. Almost had to pick one up but got a fire stick in the nick of time

You need a warning on this type of thread so I don't get tempted ha ha