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sbman avatar image
sbman asked

Remote control - Relays, inverter powers, etc... - missing features or missing information?

I've been looking for any way to remotely control the relays on the Victron products I am using. I have a BMV-712, and a Cerbo GX that both have relays. I'd also like to control the on/off state of the phoenix inverter.

The only way I can find to remotely control the relay on the BMV-712 is to use the Victron Connect app, connect to the Cerbo GX, then go into the BMV-712, then go to the settings, then go to relay, make sure it is set to manual and then 'invert relay'. This turns the relay contacts on or off.

I've tried setting the relay mode to 'Remote' and rebooted the Cerbo hoping it would recognize the relay. It doesn't.

Then to control Cerbo GX relays, I can't find any way to do that remotely at all, except a sub-sub menu in the console. And VRM console simply refuses to work in my installation (I've been through all the suggestions, none of it helps). So no remote control at all.

To turn the Phoenix inverter on/off is the same situation as the relay control on the BMV-712, only through Victron Connect under several menus/settings screens.


Am I missing something? These seem like obvious features and glaring omissions. Even using the local GX interface, I cannot find a way to do these things, there should be a standard screen on the Touch 50/70 to turn relays on/off and inverters on/off.

Relay
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2 Answers
Kevin Windrem avatar image
Kevin Windrem answered ·

I just added a relay control overview as part of my GuiMods

https://github.com/kwindrem/GuiMods

This doesn't add any functionality that isn't already in the menus but gets the on/off control for manual relays closer to the user.

Only the first relay can be assigned to functions (generator start/stop or pump on/off or alarm).

If your Phoenix inverter is a VE.Direct model, I have also integrated these into the GUI so you can control on/off/eco from the Mobile Overview and Flow Overview. That's part of GuiMods also. Phoenix inverters that use VE.Bus should already work but if not, try my GuiMods to see if changes I made add support for those too. I haven't tested them. I also believe the RS unit is also supported in more recent versions of the stock firmware and should carry over to my GuiMods.

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sbman avatar image
sbman answered ·

I appreciate the thought there Kevin, the Cerbo has so much potential but there are things like this that leave it falling short. Just simple things like, why can't I click on the map in the VRM portal to open a larger one? Why can't I control relays? Basics. Seems like posting here is a bit of a black hole that Victron doesn't have any interest in what the users are saying.

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