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Tibor Johancsik avatar image
Tibor Johancsik asked

Extending ve.direct

Hi, I would like to connect my Phoenix 12/375 to my Cerbo Gx 12m away, so I need to use the usb to ve.direct converter + an usb extender. The powered usb port on the Cerbo (next to the hdmi) is still free. I would plug a (approx 11m) passive usb extender (male/female) into the cerbo powered usb, the usb to ve.direct converter to the other end of the extender, and the ve.direct end of the converter to the Phoenix. Am I wright, that I do not need any active usb extender, since my Cerbo powerded usb would do the job?

Thx,

Tibor

cerbo gxPhoenix InverterVE.Direct
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2 Answers
Matthias Lange - DE avatar image
Matthias Lange - DE answered ·

The USB port next to the HDMI is NOT for data communication it's only to supply power to the GX Touch.

You should use an active USB extension plugged to one of the other USB ports.

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Tibor Johancsik avatar image Tibor Johancsik commented ·
Thank you soo much. Clear and understood.

Tibor

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Ivar Eisma avatar image
Ivar Eisma answered ·

If you have a VE direct port free or can switch a cable to make one free, it would be much simpler to make a long cable with 4 pins jst on both ends. Victron states this can only be 10m long, but Im pretty sure a bit longer will work and its cheap to make.

I don't think the phoenix will give much usefull info over VE_direct. Just inverter state, alarms, voltage and AC output voltage & current. You can't control the inverter over VE.

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Tibor Johancsik avatar image Tibor Johancsik commented ·
Dear Ivar,


Thanks for the answer, I can always try. However if I read well, ve.direct uses TTL signal level, that can get quite noisy going through my boat engine bay, not far from some other inverter, occasionally 220, as well as tick DC amps (sorry for not sharing the noisy detalis in the first place)

And yes, I still have free VE direct port, and it is not a big deal to fabricate an extender. If it will be noisy, Cerbo will discard it anyway, as it is quite smart.

Thx,

Tibor

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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ Tibor Johancsik commented ·
Correct. Noise in the length cable is the big problem. Even when not in a boat....
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Tibor Johancsik avatar image Tibor Johancsik Alexandra ♦ commented ·
Ok, can anyone review my original question: ve.direc to usb converter + long PASSIVE usb extender. Would it work, or should it be ACTIVE extender?

thx,

Tibor

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seb71 avatar image seb71 Tibor Johancsik commented ·

By "extender" you mean an USB hub?


If yes, an unpowered USB hub will not improve anything regarding long USB cables. It would just give you more USB ports.


For such long distances (11m), even a powered USB hub might not be enough.

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Tibor Johancsik avatar image Tibor Johancsik seb71 commented ·

Hi, by extender I mean a usb cable with one end male, other end female, so U EXTEND your usb cable not the ports. Anyway, i have no more usb data port, do not want to use a usb hub, so I will fabricate a TTL to 12v and a 12v to TTL driver, so I can extend the ve.direct longer. Speed is no issue, as this communication is quite slow.

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