question

dayandnight avatar image
dayandnight asked

ESS with EM24 Ethernet

Hello,

I am trying to setup a ESS system with one Multiplus-2 GX and two Multiplus-2 and one EM24 Ethernet Energy meter. I thought it is a brilliant idea to work with the Ethernet Version of EM24. But I am afraid I failed.;-) The documentation which came along with the product looks like a manual of IKEA to set up a storage rack Billy. On this piece of paper there aren't any information for setting up network details. I would be satisfied to simply change DHCP from OFF to ON or to setup in detail IP-adress, gateway etc. - but nothing at all.

With some research in internet I found a document which gives more in detail information for this. But my brain is to small to get how to manage. I was playing with the menu on the energy meter for more than 90 minutes but no chance to change IP settings or to switch DHCP ON.

Please help! Any hints and recommendation are welcome!


DayAndNight



ESSem24ethernet
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9 Answers
dayandnight avatar image
dayandnight answered ·

Hi @Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff),

I am glad to help and did some screenshots. I used the software from this URL: www.productselection.net/Download/UK/ucs.zip

After installing the software on a Windows PC connect the PC directly to the energymeter with a standard ethernet cable.

But be carefully. The Ehternet socket is directly beside the grid cable only some millimeters away. DANGER! Risk of life! In case copper wires of the grid cable are visible and touchable - be sure you know what you are doing! It is realy dangerous. Normaly an Energy meter is directly wired to the grid without any safety device and touching here any metall wire will be the end of the story and your life: You are dead!


Check before what IP adress does the EM24 shows in the display. For example when there is 192.168.1.10 you go on like this.

Important: Memorize how your PC settings was before changing anything. Note it on paper or do screenshots.

Than start: You have to do some modification for your IP settings TCP IPv4 on your PC

Just click on TCP/IPv4 and enter any other IP adress than 192.168.1.10



Than start the Gavazzi Software and start Manual Connection


Select Manual TCP and enter the IP adress shown at the EM24


and Tatatat! Your EM24 is found and shown in the software




In the next screen select Settings


Go to communications


and you can do all the neccessary IP settings and ....


... when you prefer that DHCP is on you can enable it here or enter the IP settings you prefer.

Click on save!

Afterwards the connection to the EM24 fails and to be in contact again with the EM24 you have to connect your EM24 with your Network "normal" ....

BUT AGAIN! Be carefully. The Ehternet socket is directly beside the grid cable only some millimeters away. DANGER! Risk of life! In case copper wires of the grid cable are visible and touchable - be sure you know what you are doing! It is realy dangerous. Normaly an Energy meter is directly wired to the grid without any safety device and touching here any metall wire will be the end of the story and your life: You are dead!


.... connect your PC again to your network and don't forget to set up your IP-setting as your PC was before. You remember? Note on paper? Note in brain? Printout of screenshot?

Beside the corrects IP settings and that your GX device is able to find the EM24 ....


... you have online access to your energy meter from your PC



Lot of success!


DayAndNight


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Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) avatar image
Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) answered ·

Hi @DayAndNight

Two things you need:

-indeed turn on DHCP on the EM24:

-install the 2.60x firmware in the GX device:

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/47236/venus-os-v26014-available-for-testing.html


I agree the correct EM24 documentation is a bit hard to find, we will add the basics in our documentation.


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dayandnight avatar image dayandnight commented ·

Hello @Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff),

thank you for your support. I will do the firmware upgrade to 2.6. But back to EM24. You mentioned the part of the documentation of Gavazzi I found already. But I still need help.I wasn't able to find out how to switch DHCP ON on the energy meter. I tried all possible ideas to handle the menu on EM24 with up, down, left,right, short push, long push, double push ......

In this document it is mentioned a software www.productselection.net/Download/UK/ucs.zip - do I need this software to change IP-setting at the energy meter? With this link comes a ZIP-file but not any information or readme. I am wondering if this software would help?

Or is there are another trick to do it? To change to DHCP ON? Any Idea? Any hint? Please any suggestion is welcome!

DayAndNight

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Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) avatar image Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff) ♦♦ dayandnight commented ·

Hi @DayAndNight

you don't need any software, just open settings, and turn on DHCP.

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dayandnight avatar image dayandnight commented ·

Hello @Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff)

thank you for your help. I tried everything but it won't work.


To explain in detail:

1st) I think it is important that the little switch is not in the "lock" position. I tried for the following procedure all three possible "unlocked" positions, but I couldn't find any difference in behaviour.


2nd) I push the central button for about 3 seconds. the Display changes to this:


For my understanding it is asking for the password. It is possible to enter with this button with up, down, left and right a digit between 0 to 9999. As it should be zero = 0 - I leave it as it is and push the central button in many different manners: short, long (about 1 second), very long (about 3 seconds) the result is always the same, depending on the screen you started with it shows again the same screen.

Not any feedback like "password wrong", "password correct", "entered programming mode", "self-destruction initiated" ;-) nothing ... just same screen again. Hope last for ever so I tried from this point on to move with the button thru the possible screens and with some hits to the right I arrived to get the screen for DHCP:

With the button UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT you come from here on direct to another screen. When pushing the button short, long, very long, double click .... it ends always in an other screen. Mostly in the screen one position to the left. No chance to modify the value form OFF to ON. I tried to enter programming mode directly for mthe DHCP screen. Nothing different.

Here is a photo from the sticker. Perhabs you can check if it is the correct unit.


I made a video of my efforts. Sorry for the dark display, I couldn't find out either to switch light on! ;-) But I think it shows my problem.

Hope you or any body else can help.

DayAndNight

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dayandnight avatar image dayandnight commented ·

Hello @Daniël Boekel (Victron Energy Staff),

thank you for your help. As mentioned below, I figured out how to set for the EM24 Ethernet the necessary network setting with the Gavazzi software. Than I upgraded to version 2.60~15. After rebooting, first I didn't find directly my energy meter in the device list.

Perhaps I wasn't patient enough, but after doing with the menu Modbus TCP devices a manual scan for devices, the EM24 Ethernet appeared in my device list.

Here the device list in the remote console.


Perfect! Now all necessary is done, I need some last cabling and than the ESS system can go online. Thank you and @Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) for your professional support. Is is a pleasure to work with all of you and your products.

DayAndNight



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Paul avatar image Paul dayandnight commented ·
Hi @DayAndNight Many thanks for the heads-up here.

Installing the EM24 with the Gavazzo software was quit self explainatory, after finding the manual that some one in this forum shared (kudos!!).

My router adresses the devices in my network over mac adres to IP-bindings so with a reboot every device will get it's original adress.

Then the big question was: where is my energy meter?


Finally your post led me to the modbus devices :-)

Many thanks!


Funny thing is that when supporting installers, I often let them activate the inverter modbus servers in order to let the batteries find the inverter.

potato potata :-)

If you only know where to search....


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dayandnight avatar image
dayandnight answered ·

Hello,

Finally I found a solution. Not with the magic button on th energy meter. I couldn't find out if there is a way to do it or not. I spent a lot of time by playing with the one-armed bandit, but at the end I gave up and telephoned with Gavaazi in Germany. A friendly manager guided me to a Gavazzi software. With this software, a computer with Ethernet socket, a Ethernet cable I could connect directly to the energy meter. Than it was a 10 second job to change the IP-setting according to my specfications of my network.

Now the next challenge is if the energy meter is going to communicate with the ESS system in my Multiplus-2 GX. ;-)

DayAndNight

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Hi @DayAndNight

glad to hear you worked it out.

I've got one of these meters in my workshop, and the only thing I did was turn on DHCP, nothing else.

Can you tell what you had to do with the software to get it to work? maybe others can profit from that information.

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pripp avatar image
pripp answered ·

Hi,

Where the Ethernet version of the EM24 (EM24DINAV23XE1X) can be purchased in Germany?

Google for "EM24-DIN.AV2.3.X.e1" or "EM24DINAV23XE1" didn't help.

Regards,
Pascal
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Hi @pripp

It can be ordered directly from Victron, so your Victron dealer can help you with it:

Energy meter EM24 - 3 phase - max 65A/phase Ethernet REL200200100
(Carlo Gavazzi ET112-DIN.AV01.X.S1.X, ET340-DIN.AV23.X.S1.X, resp. EM24DINAV93XISX)




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next-day-solar avatar image
next-day-solar answered ·

Hi,

I am setting up an EM24 Ethernet, as part of an ESS system.

After a'lot of work, and getting the software up (as the single joystick is simply useless on the meter) we got the unit visible on the GX (to an extent)

I followed all these steps, and I can see the meter on my lis of devices on the CERBO GX , but the unit doesn't appear under the energy meter list, and consequently the CERBO GX doesn't see the grid. Any idea why ? screenshot-2021-05-22-at-192432.png

The grid is not visible on home screen. The AC loads are not correct.

screenshot-2021-05-22-at-191031.pngThe device is visible in the list of devices, connected via MODBUS screenshot-2021-05-22-at-191042.pngIts correctly setup as the grid meter screenshot-2021-05-22-at-192117.pngIts Visible on the VRM as a grid meter. screenshot-2021-05-22-at-192332.pngBut under energy meters noting appears screenshot-2021-05-22-at-211219.png

Its showing readings and giving data to the CERBO GX Clearly.

Any help would be great

Thank you


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dayandnight avatar image dayandnight commented ·

Hello

next-day-solar avatar image

next-day-solar


I

Oh boy! It is one year ago I puzzled all together. I am sorry I don't have an idea. I looked into my setup. It looks completely the same as you described in detail.

em24-01.jpg

em24-02.jpgem24-03.jpg

em24-06.jpg

em24-04.jpgem24-05.jpg

em24-06.jpg

but it shows the grid ....

em24-07.jpg

perhaps you can see something different in my screenshots, which helps you.

The great message, in case you have working it, there is no need to remember the setup again. On my site it is runing for more than one year, not any problem with it.

Wish you success!

DayAndNight

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hpeart avatar image hpeart commented ·

I see your firmware is updated.. but you still have the issue of no energy meter in the meter listing... Does the new update help with power control at all? what is a better solution to control grid export?

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Joe avatar image
Joe answered ·

All,

I think the issue with activating DHCP after initial install remains unsolved; I have therefore created a 2mins video (German) on how to activate DHCP on a brand new device.


After doing it right, there immediately was a new device available in my network and I could use it with the UCS software.


For those complaining "where to find the manual & software": Just read the little manual delivered together with the EM24; the links are mentioned here!


Hope this helps!

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thomasz avatar image
thomasz answered ·

Hello Together,

today I have installed the energy monitor em24 for my pv system according this installation doc. It works perfectly! But the vrm site shows no sum value (left top)

vrm-1.png

On the other side the installation overview shows a value ("Netz")

vrm-2.png

also the cerbo display shows a sum value. Is this a bug in vrm?

Regards

Thomas Z


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cheepverchecker avatar image
cheepverchecker answered ·

Hello all,

I have the same problem.

victron-keine-anzeige.png


As soon as the "Multiplus II" is disconnected from the VE bus, a value is displayed. That's not the solution either?


Does anyone have an idea what the problem is?


Regards


Steffen K


Here's the firmware version:

em24-version.png


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boesling avatar image
boesling answered ·

Hi all,

is there anything new to this problem? I have the same issue here. Would it be possible, that a connected Multiplus is needed to see the value of grid?

regards Boesling

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