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I'd like to read realtime information from a SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 controller and integrate it with a home-grown monitoring system. Pretty much like VictronConnect, except that it wouldn't be from an App on a phone, it would typically be from a script periodically running on something like a Raspberry Pi with builtin Bluetooth LE. If anyone has some experience on this, would you be so kind as to point me in the right direction?
Hi Stefan, welcome to community!
Reading it via bluetooth will be difficult: we have not made that protocol public.
With a vedirect-usb cable (or straight serial without usb) you do have various options:
- use one of the existing Python scripts; Karioja wrote this one: https://github.com/karioja/vedirect. And more here: https://www.victronenergy.com/live/open_source:start#other_victron_related_open_source_projects
- secondly you can run our Venus OS on a rpi; search google; I’m sure you’ll find the wiki page
- lastly you can even run some bits of Venus OS; see packages install.
Wouldn't be easier to have SmartSolar publish packet stream in hex format over bluetooth and we read UUID Service/Characteristic to get what we need? I am talking about read only data.
Hi, that could be a nice solution; I’ll keep it in mind.
For now though, I’n sorry but it what it is.
Hello mvader,
I'd like to use Karioja's Python script, but I cannot make it work.
Do I just need to copy this code into my Python IDE and it should run?
Do I need to do anything else?
Thanks in advance!
Hi @aatasti, I don't know. This is something you'll have to either find out yourself, or use the community for help.
I don't personally help troubleshooting VE.Direct read-out.
sorry and success!
Hi
i would recommend using the VenusOS (as described above )on a Raspi and connecting it with a VictronDirect to USB cable in the first step.
Advantages:
You have a monitoring and Control system running that reads out the values and can even upload the data for free into VRM portal, for remote access.
Second steps if that is not specific enough:
Than if i you like to have specific values (not mean values in VRM Portal), run the integrated Modbus TCP Server on the VenusOS/Raspi.
Read out each value with third party script from the Modbus Server and store them with a third party script.
BR
Oliver
