question

Henning Lillehagen avatar image
Henning Lillehagen asked

VE.Direct splitter/ hub

Hi,


I would like to connect 2 pcs Blue Solar MPPT solar charger in addition to 1 pcs BMV-712 battery monitor to a Color Control GX, but as far as i know the Color Control only got two VE.Direct ports. I would need three.


Is there a VE. Direct splitter or hub that will allow me to connect all my items with VE. Direct?

Or is there another solution to my issue?


CCGX Color Controlchargerbmv-712
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5 Answers
mvader (Victron Energy) avatar image
mvader (Victron Energy) answered ·

Hi; please read this Connecting more than two devices to your CCGX using VE.Direct section in the CCGX manual; it explains how to do this by using the USB ports. If there are not enough; use a (powered) usb hub. And take note of the max number of devices. All explained in detail in that section in the manual.

3 comments
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Warwick Bruce Chapman avatar image Warwick Bruce Chapman commented ·

Hey @mvader (Victron Energy) and @Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) please note that the MP2 GX datasheet and the "note 14" at https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:start#notes contradict one another.


The datasheet says: "A VE.Can interface. This can be used to connect to Victron VE.Can devices (eg VE.Can MPPTs), or the port can be reconfigured via the Remote Console for use with a compatible CAN-bus Li-ion Battery."

Note 14 makes it clear that the VE.Can port on the MP2 GX devices cannot handle VE.Can MPPTs.

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) avatar image Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ Warwick Bruce Chapman commented ·

Thanks @warwick,

The Note 14 is correct, the CANbus port is limited to BMS.

I will ask that the mistake in the data sheet is corrected now.

1 Like 1 ·
Warwick Bruce Chapman avatar image Warwick Bruce Chapman Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented ·

Perfect. I see it has been updated to:

"A BMS-Can interface. This can be used to connect to a compatible CAN-bus managed battery. Note that this not a VE.Can compatible port."

1 Like 1 ·
fcriado avatar image
fcriado answered ·

You can use a VE. Direct to USB adaptwr and connect via USB to the CCGX.

Cheers!

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manowell avatar image
manowell answered ·

Any way to do one more?

2 comments
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Phil Gavin avatar image Phil Gavin commented ·

Use a USB hub.

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Peter Polz avatar image Peter Polz commented ·

As others have already written: just a usb hub is possible. Splitting doesn't work because of technical reasons.

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markus avatar image
markus answered ·

Just in case anyone is searching for a cheap and good working USB Hub:

I tried several cheap ones for connecting my USB VE.Direct devices and after some frustrations with non stable USB Hubs, causing single devices stop reporting to Venus from time to time, I bought this one and it works rock solid and stable:

https://www.digitus.info/de/produkte/computer-zubehoer-und-komponenten/computer-zubehoer/usb-hubs/da-70216/?pdf=1

I use it without external power. But it would be possible to power it externally too.


Markus

3 comments
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nebulight avatar image nebulight commented ·

Thanks @Markus Your link isn't working anymore but I got it from here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004BU8HWI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This has been great because the VE.Direct cables are so fat they can't fit in a normal hub. I have 1 VE.Direct, 1 MK3 USB, 1 flash drive for data logging and 1 GPS hooked up to a USB extneder/amplifier to my Venus Pi and it's working great.

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) avatar image Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ nebulight commented ·

There were new model VE.Direct to USB cables released at Intersolar. Nice and thin now :)

1 Like 1 ·
nebulight avatar image nebulight Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented ·

Awesome! It actually still worked out better for my install as I only needed to run a single USB cable rather than all of them, but good to know!

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Dosheimer avatar image
Dosheimer answered ·

I have a MPPT 50/100 without Bluetooth. So I bought an additional Victron Bluetooth Smart Dongle some time ago and successfully connected it with the MPPT 50/100. Now I would like to connect the MPTT/100 via VE.direct to USB cable to another device but would like to use the bluetooth dongle also, but there is only 1 VE.direct port at the MPTT 50/100. The bluetooth dongle has no USB therefore a USB hub does not seem to work for me. What can I do to connect the MPPT 50/100 with the bluetooth dongle and with an VE.direct USB cable (to connect it to an Raspberry Pi 3 B or B+) at the same time?

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Matthias Lange - DE avatar image Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented ·

That's not possible.

The only thing you can do is to exchange the the Blue Solar with a Smart Solar. So you have build-in Bluetooth and you can use the VE.direct port to connect it to the rPi.

Or you can use this feature:

https://www.victronenergy.com/blog/2020/04/06/victronconnect-v5-20-connect-configure-remotely/

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Colin avatar image Colin Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented ·
@Matthias Lange - DE , I'm in a similar situation where I have a Smart Solar MPPT 100/30 and the VE. Direct port is being used for a non-inverting on-off cable to the charge disconnect on a Smart BMS CL 12/100. I would also like to connect the MPPT to my Cerbo GX. How can I make both of these connections from the MPPT?!
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