Hi Guys. I recently installed an ET340 Energy meter to my ESS system. I've been running ESS for quite some time without any problems and decided to compliment the system with a External energy meter about a week ago. I printed and read the instruction manual thoroughly before installing the meter. The process went without problems and the GX immediately registered and showed the meter. I left it running until the next day to make sure there was no teething problems before tidying up.
I plugged out the USB side of the cable (Genuine Victron RS485 to USB cable) and routed it through the existing trunking, as far away possible from existing power wiring. When I plugged it into the Venus GX again, there was a spark from the cable and then smoke coming from the chip side of the cable. I could clearly see that it was burnt black on the inside of the USB housing.
Seeing that a USB device normally can be plugged and unplugged while the host device is on, I didn't think that this would be any different so I thought it might have been a faulty cable.
I ordered a new one, connected it exactly the same as the other one, re-checking the manual numerous times, powered off the meter and GX device and then plugged it into the USB port. I powered everything up but do not get any communication now. The USB cable's red LED (one closer to the back) is on constantly and the red one closer to the front occasionally flashes a few times, trying to probe the meter I guess, but nothing else happens. The ET340 has got a constant green LED on and the red KWH LED flashes according to electricity usage.
The energy meter still shows up under "energy meters" in the remote console but does not register anywhere else, like when the meter would not be powered up.
I've also tried connecting to the meter with the cable and 2 separate laptops but no success. There is still no communication with the meter. I've checked and re-checked the wiring over and over again.
Can anybody maybe give me some suggestions??