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.

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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?

3 comments
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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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Colin avatar image Colin Colin commented ·
I've figured one solution for this. Use a SBP65 between the MPPT and the battery which takes the Charge Disconnect command from the BMS, leaving the VE.Direct port to be use to connect the MPPT to the Cerbo. Thanks
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