question

bashers avatar image
bashers asked

Shouldn't VE.direct be running on the serial port on a raspberry pi3?

I need to POLL the venus OS for battery status into a solar assistant pi (solarassistant.io) as its compatible with my inverter.
So i'm assuming I need to get this over VE.direct, not the other way round which most posts seem to refer to.

To achieve this i need to use a serial to USB lead (or victron ve.direct to usb cable) and connect FROM venus OS pi3 over serial and into solar assistant via USB

I've been following the thread https://github.com/victronenergy/venus/wiki/raspberrypi-install-venus-image#serial-console where it mentions:

Serial console

A serial console with a root prompt is also provided on GPIO pins 6, 8 and 10. The pin out is available here. Remember that the serial port is 3.3V TTL and is not 5V tolerant.

You can use the Victron VE-Direct USB cable for this. Note that the VEDirect USB cable is galvanically isolated and must be powered from both ends. A 3.3V supply is available on pin 1 of the Raspberry Pi.

it mentions that the VE direct is running no the serial ports of the Pi.


So i've used a max3232 adaptor to get from 3.3 to5v and then knocked up adaptors and currently all i can see is the rasberry pi serial console.

Now ive read even deeper and this thread Raspberry Pi Connect to MPPT VE-Direct Over Serial - Victron Community (victronenergy.com) says its not possible with my pi3!It seems i need to disable the serial console on the rpi3 and remap it


What is the current situation and can anyone explain how would i get ve.direct out of a rpi3 ?

Is there any mileage in setting up the venus docker image?
I need to get battery status out of Simpbms in victron VE.Can language and then into solar assistant via serial to USBso i

VE.Direct
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2 Answers
Mike Dorsett avatar image
Mike Dorsett answered ·

Hi bashers, you don't need the serial console on the Pi when using the VEdirect / USB cables. These will appear as extra serial ports on the Pi when plugged in. (I'm running a Pi with 2 or sometimes 3 of these cables, and a Mk2). The ports appear as tty/USBx, whereas the built in com port that the serial console uses appears as tty/S0.

You can do your own thing and connect the built in port to the VEdirect source BUT it does need galvanic isolation - this is available in a chip (bit rare to find at the moment) which also takes care of the 3.3 / 5V issue.

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bashers avatar image
bashers answered ·

I'm sure that will work if i plug the USB end into the victron pi, but i need it the other way round.

I obviously cant do USB to USB, and solar assistant is closed source so i cant use the serial port, so my only option is to use the serial side of the victron pi.

As it is a more vanilla pi installl i thought it'd be easier to do

The wiki suggests its able, its just annoying that it wont.

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Related Resources

VE.Direct protocol FAQ