question

lvaarli avatar image
lvaarli asked

Cerbo Gx relay outputs

What voltage and power can be applied over relay out out on Cerbo GX? Assummed that the relay output is passive contact. Is the relay out a pulse or can it hold? Is external relay to power consumer required?

cerbo gx
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michelg avatar image michelg commented ·
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sfenwick avatar image sfenwick michelg commented ·
That's pretty impressive--you could run a decent contactor off 6A @ 30VDC, even without an economizer.
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4 Answers
lvaarli avatar image
lvaarli answered ·

Any that knows these details?

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Hi @Lvaarli

it's a signal relay, I would not put more than 1A through it.

Max voltage AC: 230V (AC rating tbd, will update later)

Max voltage DC: 30V, for low current (below 1A) you can go to 48VDC also

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

Thanks for reply. But Venus gx relay output rated 6A?

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

Hi @Lvaarli

I will get back to you when I have an official answer.

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

Hi, Any update from victron on this topic?

Is it possible to setup this relay output based upon Battery SOC? Since intended use is to turn a load on off. Thanks for swift reply.

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justmurph avatar image justmurph lvaarli commented ·

I'm using the relay 1 output on my Cerbo, to turn my boat's electric hot water heater on and off. It's turned on and off based on battery SOC, DC load and time of the day using the generator start/stop function and inverse logic (wired to the NC contact of the relay). This way the solar tops the batteries to 90%, then turns the hot water on and leaves it on till late afternoon when there is no excess solar input. It'll also turn the hot water off when there are any large loads on the system.

I use the built in relay to switch a larger 230VAC relay with a 24V coil and use a protection diode (a normal diode and a zener) arrangement to ensure the field break down when turning off the big relay doesn't fry the little one.

The generator control function is quite configurable, so this should be able to do what you want.

Any questions, please ask.


P.S. Victron, I'd love to see dedicated hotwater control functionality in the Cerbo, with a few more advanced features like multiple temperature set points for different SOCs.

P.P.S. It would also be great to be able to use relay 2 for anything other than manual switching. This seems to be useless?

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Finn Knight avatar image Finn Knight justmurph commented ·

I have this same set up, but without the protection diodes and I think I've fried the relay in the Cerbo. See my post here https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/158046/wiring-for-relay-on-cerbo-gx.html

I'd like to resolve the issue with my set up, would you post a wiring diagram for yours?

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justmurph avatar image justmurph Finn Knight commented ·

Check out the second last paragraph of this: https://www.durakoolrelays.com/information/technology/layman-s-guide-to-coil-suppression/

That's the arrangement. Unfortunately I didn't record the exact specs of what I used, but it was all off the shelf at my local electronics shop. I've had this setup running for ~2.5 years now with no issue, so it seems to be working well.

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billknny avatar image
billknny answered ·

@Lvaarli

You can have a Cerbo Relay 1 actuate based on SOC, just review the manual section on auto starting a generator. I know you are not starting a generator, but it's the same functionality. My understanding is that Relay 2 can not be used in this way.

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carl-dewever avatar image
carl-dewever answered ·

I would also like to control the water heater with the relais.
In my use case I could switch on the water heater before I leave home going to the boat so the water is hot when I arrive at the boat.
Therefore, I would love to give relais1 or 2 a custom name and also be able to switch the relais from the remote console on vrm

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stevensnel avatar image stevensnel commented ·
Wow? The relais cannot be used remotely? I was planning on using relais 2 for remotely starting campervan and engine heating. Is that mot possible?
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justmurph avatar image justmurph stevensnel commented ·
Relay 2 can definitely be switched remotely from VRM.
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stevensnel avatar image stevensnel justmurph commented ·
Phewww. Thx. That is what I thought…..
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straycat avatar image straycat justmurph commented ·
Hi.

I would also like to connect a hot water System to a remote on/off relay.

Do you mind sharing a wiring diagram on the best way to do this? Will I need a diode.?

I assume I’m need an external relay, is there a suc six you would suggest?

Many thank

Lionel

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boatgypsy avatar image boatgypsy straycat commented ·
Have you got any further with this project? I'm trying to do the same.


I can find a DC controlled AC relay that will work on 12v, but the CerboGX only seems to output about 30mv, so I assume I will need a 30mv control voltage relay to switch 12v through the AC relay. Trouble is, I can't find a relay with such a low control voltage.

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pwfarnell avatar image pwfarnell boatgypsy commented ·

The specs on the Cerbo GX relay have been given in the other thread you have and are easily found on the Cerbo GX datasheet at

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Cerbo-GX-GX-Touch-EN.pdf

For 12VDC the relays are good for 6A (up to 30V DC). As mentioned elsewhere in this thread make sure you have flyback diode on any relay/contactor coil driven off the Cerbo GX relay.

Check out the second last paragraph of this: https://www.durakoolrelays.com/information/technology/layman-s-guide-to-coil-suppression/

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Fideri avatar image Fideri pwfarnell commented ·
@pwfarnell

Did you notice that this useful link is broken?

F.

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sbman avatar image
sbman answered ·

I want this function as well. I find the support for the Relay controls to be very poor. There doesn't seem to be any way to switch a relay from the Color Touch screens except down in the menus. I want to be able to label the relay, and have it show in the VRM portal and also on the color touch screens on one of the pages. Should be able to do the same for any remotely controlled relays such as the relay on the BMV-712 when that device is connected.

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