question

cliffraccani avatar image
cliffraccani asked

Grid Meter (ET112) not appearing in Raspberry Pi ESS system. Worked fine for weeks but now has disappeared?

My system:

ESS configuration with grid meter.

ALL latest firmware.

RPi 3B+ Venus v2.33

SmartSolar MPPT 150/35

Multiplus 2 48/4000/35

DIY Lion Battery.

RPi -> Victron RS485 USB dongle -> ET112

All other connections as standard (mppt (VE.direct USB dongle), multiplus (MK3 USB dongle)).


So, all working fine for weeks. However, remote console this morning showed all devices detected apart from grid meter?

What are my options?

How do I check the RS485 dongle is working correctly, are there errors signalled by the flashing leds. No green leds are flashing just the red one every few seconds.

When I unplug and plug the dongle the green led flashes once and then the red led flashes 8 times then pauses then flashes 15 or so time? Any clues.

The ET112, seems to be fine but how do I test the data is being sent?


Have rebooted RPi, no joy.


Any ideas would be most welcome.

ESSgridrs485
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6 Answers
cliffraccani avatar image
cliffraccani answered ·

Problem solved.

Was a defective ET112 meter.


Replaced the USB to RS485 cable.

Replaced the RPi 3B+

Bought a Venus GX.

Finally replaced the ET112 meter.

Wish we had better diagnostics, could have saved a lot of time and money.

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

Hi @cliffRaccani,

Thanks for reporting back and following it through with the troubleshooting to find a solution.

I hope you are not still out of pocket for the faulty meter, and everything was covered by warranty / return policies?

I will ask the Venus Developers if there is anything more we can find out about connection from the software side to help with the diagnostics. I have had a few cases and it can be a real pain to troubleshoot because it often involves cutting power and AC wiring all over the place to isolate things.

At least so far it has always been a hardware, or installation issue. The software firmware side of Venus has not yet ever been at fault with the Energy meter issues. Though it is often blamed because things are working, and then Venus changes with a firmware update, and now it is not working, and that was the only thing that changed from the users perspective.

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cliffraccani avatar image
cliffraccani answered ·

I have tested the ET112 using the CG Universal Configuration software.

Both the ET112 and USB RS45 cable are working properly.

The configuration software proved the device is working properly.

I did notice the ModBus unit ID was set to 1, whereas Venus was showing a ModBud ID of 30.

Somehow the ModBus ID had been set 1, since it was working for weeks at ID 30 but somehow had been set to 1.

What would cause this? Is this likely to happen again?

I set the ID back to 30 in the configuration software but the RPi Venus still did not detect the device.

I will as this question again in the Modifications forum as this may be something to do with the RPi.

Thanks for any further info.

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) avatar image
Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) answered ·

I recently had the same thing occur on my own system.

I had another RS485-USB adapter and remade the connection to get it working again.

Are you using any extension of the build in cable from the adapter?

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cliffraccani avatar image
cliffraccani answered ·

Hi Guy,

Thank you for replying.

Yes the cable (1.8m) is extended using cat 6 cable and has worked flawlessly since first connection a few weeks ago.

I connected GND, D- and D+ only, no termination needed as the extra length is only 10m. In anycase it worked without termination.

I checked all connections and found a loose connection and actually redid them all. This is why it disappeared, due to this bad connection (tiny wires :)), but still after the fix, would not show up in Venus device list.

I then used the same newly redid cable to connect ET112 to win10 PC using ucs software and all connected and showed data and so was confident that the hardware at least was OK.

Why will it not now be detected in Venus device list if ucs software can show it is working?

How do I once again get the ET112 to be detected?

Thanks in advance.

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cliffraccani avatar image cliffraccani commented ·

OK, so things aren't at all going well.

I have connected the USB RS485 cable directly to the ET112 and am unable to get a connection even using the configuration software whereas just a few hours before it worked!

This USB RS485 cable does not seem to be very reliable. This is a victron cable hope I will be able to get an exchange, they are not at all cheap for what they are.

My cat 6 cable is also suspect.

Can anybody provide a link to a suitable cable to use as an extension.

Thanks.

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

I would try with a replacement RS485 USB adapter first. Using the existing CAT6 extension with a new adapter resolved the issue for me.

Though that doesn’t mean it was a problem with the adapter, it could have been the connections in my case.

I still have the other adapter and will test it further with another ET112 to see if I can narrow down the points of failure.

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

Have reset the ET112 back to mobbus id: 1. Now can connect every time using CG Configuration Software on win10 laptop. This shows the meter is working and the USB rs485 cable working.

I have connected the USB rs485 cable directly to ET112.

Now connect RPi Venus directly to this cable and no energy meter is detected by Venus software.

Have used another RPi to rule out RPi hardware fault and still no energy meter detected by Venus software.

Re-flashed Venus to new SD card and still no energy meter detected.

This was working for weeks when first installed. The initial cause was found to be a loose connection (ferrule came out). This was fixed and since then the energy meter (ET112) is not detected by Venus software.

So ET112 working, USB rs485 cable working, RPi USB hardware working.

Still no energy meter detected by Venus software?

I have Multiplus 2 48/3000/35 and MK3 USB cable, this is immediately detected by Venus software.

I have Smartsolar MPPT 150/35 VE.direct cable, this is immediately detected by Venus software.

Any ideas?


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

Try with a replacement USB to RS485 cable.

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

Hi, thanks for the reply.

But, have I not proven the cable works with the CG Comms. software?

Is this cable that particular?

For an ESS system this thing sure is the weak point. But, without it there is no ESS system.

Are there any better alternatives to this cable that you can support?

Thanks for your help.

I will get are placement cable and see if that IS the problem.

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

I have seen this situation before, but not a lot.

So I’m still collecting information and examples. So far each time I have seen it, bringing all parts to the latest firmware and replacing the cable has resolved the issue.

The more points of data, the more that can be done to improve.

There is another theory that a 120ohm resistance is required in the RS485 side as part of that spec, under some circumstances (eg long distances). This is not currently suggested by Victron.

I have some resistors handy now if replacement and firmware aren’t successful solutions to test that thesis.

Could you also please take a photo of the connection point between the RS485 adaptor, and extension used, and the energy meter?

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cliffraccani avatar image
cliffraccani answered ·

New Rs485 cable installed same result!
No energy meter recognised.

Am at a loss really need some help here.

what can you do for me?


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

Next thing I would try is a known good and supported configuration, such as a VenusGX or CCGX, with your other components.

If that not possible, perhaps try rolling back to a much earlier Venus firmware version on the Raspberry Pi and see if that makes any difference.

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

Thank for replying.

1. The ESS system was working fine for weeks. Don’t see how reverting to earlier firmware would help here.

2. Have replaced rpi, have re-flashed firmware on new SD card. No change. Only difference after new SD card was that grid meter was not detected so no grid meter entry in Venus grid meter screen.

3. Seems things changed when I made a small change to ESS assistant and updated via remote update. I changed a battery voltage, nothing complicated.

4. This suggests to me that some setting is not being properly handled when I changed something and then remote updated?

5. This also suggests to me that the problem area is the multiplus firmware.

6. Also the venus software becomes out of sync with the device list, since the grid meter entry still thinks a grid meter is installed, should this not be removed if a grid meter is not connected?

7. Does the Venus firmware write any permanent configuration to the ET112 device?

8. So, firmware issue, Venus/Multiplus?

What would the surest way be of returning the multiplus to factory settings?

9. What further info can I supply to solve this very disappointing fault.

Sorry for the long list, hope it helps.

No energy meter, No ESS system.

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robert1508 avatar image
robert1508 answered ·

Hi all

i have the same problem with my meter and CCGX.

But...

I just bought a new ET112 and still the same.

ET112 look like not working ( i have one more R485 cable) so i checked.

Is any possibilities a broken ET112 broke a RS485?

Is any other chance to chceck RS485 without buing new one (is expensive)

cheers

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

What LED light sequences are you seeing on the RS485 cable when it is plugged in

Perhaps it is easier to make a short video to see than describe.

It should be flashing red and green, but mostly red.

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matt1309 avatar image matt1309 commented ·
Sorry for commenting on old post. I had similar issue this morning installing mine. I tried a non victorn rs485 to usb I had. At first it didn't seem to work. I adjusted the baud rate in et112 to 9600 (mine wasnt on that) and then it seemed to work.
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