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Greetings All , Question is . When using a Venus GX or Curbo GX . I need to activate one of the relays based off one of the Temp Sensors plugged in to the Venus or Curbo . I can get an alarm via the VRM as well as an email notification and that works fine but I need the relay on the Curbo to be activated . This is to enable a backup system for the refrigerator . Any advice would be great if this can be setup .
UPDATES 2021-10-07: (1) we are quite far with the development of adding a temp control feature in the menu. Official release still this year I’d expect (2021). (2) Alternatively, use Venus OS Large/node-red which allows extremely flexible programming of relays and other controls. https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:large.. (3) Per Venus OS v2.80, also planned still this year, we’re adding wireless temperature sensors, Ruuvi Tags. See Google.
ORIGINAL:
Hi @Stephen Phillips, currently that is not possible with normal programming.
Would be nice though, fully agree on that. Adding temperature thresholds to relay control is on the wishlist.
Best regards, Matthijs
Fourth! .. I was searching here for the same possibility to manage a vent by temp.
Waiting excited for this feature .. :-)
New cerbo owner here that also needs this feature. With support for temp inputs and relays, I didn't even consider the possibility that this wasn't supported when the Cerbo is capable of some many more advanced things. If there are any Cerbo product managers reading these threads, you guys really need to make a case for sneaking this into a release. Seems like it woudl be a pretty quick/easy high value feature.
As long as I'm talking Cerbo wish list features - 2 others I was surprised not to see:
A way to turn off inverter from one of the main screens without going into the menu screens. The menus should be for deep dive stuff and setup. Inverter contol happens frequenty. Putting the inverter on/off feature 3 clicks deep into a menu is like putting the switch for your kitchen lights in the cabinet under your sink. Either made the inverter on the main page clickable or just give the option to have an inverter page that mimicks the dedicated inverter control panel. It just feels really wrong and clunky to have to go to the menu to turn the invertor on and off.
On a related note, it would be really nice if those main pages were configurable. If you want to see a simple setup/configurationn approach to screens, take a look at Garmin Edge cycling computers. They have a simple configuration menu where you can pick layouts and fields for custom screens. The current home page is really great, but you'll be chasing screen requirements forever if you don't give users the ability to define their own. That feature may not fall into the quick/easy category, but would be really nice and would pay off in the long run.
Please don't take this as being critical of the Cerbo. It's a great product and I think it's pretty new and Victron probalby has big plans for it. Just pointing out a couple things that seem like big gaps from the perspective of a new user.
Hello Blutow, thank you for the input and feedback!
Temp control is on a (sort of) near future list.
The inverter on/off, that is in the automotive screen.
You enable that page in the Settings -> Display and Language -> Show boat and motorhome overview page.
one other solution: use node-red flows for the relay control, and use a node-red dashboard to configure your own dashboard. More info here:
https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:large
(Showing that dashboard in the gx touch would still need some work)
Also, thanks for the node red info. I thought that was just for super technical folks that are doing their own programming, but it looks like it's something I could probably use with a little education.
welcome, and exactly that is the aim and/or beauty of node-red: extreme flexibility without requiring programmer-skills.
It would give relay 2 a bit more functionality without the need for red node
Thanks
Hi @Wes Humpage , could you explain a bit more what you’re looking for with timed control? Does it relate to the temp sensor? Or?
I was just thinking being able to enter a simple on / off time for relay two. It saves using red node
Thanks in advance
(1) we are quite far with the development of adding a temp control feature in the menu. Official release still this year I’d expect (2021).
(2) Alternatively, use Venus OS Large/node-red which allows extremely flexible programming of relays and other controls. https://www.victronenergy.com/live/venus-os:large..
(3) Per Venus OS v2.80, also planned still this year, we’re adding wireless temperature sensors, Ruuvi Tags. See Google.
Thank you for your patience
I have created a python script that turns on Relay 2 when the temperature on Temp 1 rises above a certain temperature (default 45 C) and off again when it falls below another value (default 35 C). Link to the script below. On my Venus GX, Temp 1 has dbus path com.victronenergy.temperature.builtin_adc5. You might need to change that. The default temperatures are set in the variables ontemp and offtemp.
If there is interest for this script I can make an installable package that installs it as a service.
Script: https://github.com/osaether/code-snippets/blob/master/victronenergy/dbus/dbus_temp_ctrl.py
@mvader (Victron Energy) I can look into adding it to the relay functions if you want. Not this script but in the proper way.
@Easy Rooster I am working on an installation script. I will post it here when I have a working copy.
How about making to we can configure it either way? I want to monitor the temp in my holding tanks, during the winter. I want it to trigger an alert/lamp when the temp drops below a certain temp, 40F. This would alert me to turn on tank heaters
What else can you do? I'd be very interested in paying you money if you could create a new Page like the Boat/Motorhome Page but with temperature readings, better colors, F instead C and a twelve hour clock.
@Machined Thanks for the offer but I am not allowed to receive payment outside my daytime job.
I have the GUI and settings working now. See screenshot below. It is some work to make a proper service out of it and an installer but I am working on it.
Thats too bad. Thank you for the temp relay. that is still good news.
Hey, I was just wondering, why my cerbo doesnot have that option inside function relay1. I have the latest firmware :( Any help is appreciated..
(@Victron staff) how do we best encourage you to explore adding a temperature controlled relay? The #SlackerVan is in need of a better 12vdc fridge and freezer controller as well as a hot water circulation pump to keep pipes from freezing while we are out climbing mountains.
I know many people want it; we'll get to it in due time. Resources are short, and support for (new) inverters, chargers, and so forth has a priority when it comes to Venus OS development.
Note that meanwhile you can get around it by buying a temperature controlled switch. They must be really easy to buy.
I'm still interested in this, in the meantime, I've just been using a simple, stand alone programmable relay I found on Amazon for $12. Works fine, just looks a little funny and I can't observe it from my computer in the RV, I have to go outside, into the compartment where the battery is and observe it. But it'll do for now.
I doubt you will get anything formally and officially from Victron, integrated into VenusOS. What you ill get at some stage is NodeRed integrated into VenusOS, which will allow you to build workflow and decision trees to trigger the relay. Search the forums and you will see a lot of stuff on NodeRed from teh last few weeks
So how do I get started? I would like to learn how to add the above code to my Cerbo system. I want to control my fridge, freezer and a recirculation loop (turning on a pump to pump hot water into my cold tank and back through all the lines to prevent frozen tubes)
Thank you
I have a very similar need to shut off my non-Victron Solar array when the battery temp gets low. I was hoping to put a battery protect controlled by the CerboGX into my main Solar in line. So I'd want this to behave more in a "turn on the heater" function than the "Turn on the cooling" function, so my on and off temps would be swapped.
I would also like this option.
How do we officially vote for a temperature activated relay? I would like to use it for my 12v 10amp fridge and 12vdc 10amp deep freezer
Has anyone tried the Shelly HT sensor to feed temperature data to the Cerbo?
Ha, thats a coincidence you bring that one up, I was referred to the same the other day. Looks like a nice sensor!
Currently doing some experiments with these:
https://ruuvi.com/ruuvitag-specs/
But thats all rather early stages. For any interested, current state is here: https://github.com/mpvader/dbus-ruuvi;
And as an alternative to writing too much Python, you could also integrate the Shelly, or Ruuvi, or which ever wireless temp sensor by using our Venus OS large image, use node-red to parse the data; and then have a Python dummy script (search here in community) to take the data of it.
But thats a matter of taste, anyone familiar with Python, or C, or anyother programming language, might consider it totally crazy to use Node-red to decode a stream of data.
and the usual warning: above suggestions might work, might not work, will for sure cost you hours and hours of time and patience; and I wont be around to help I'm afraid.
Thanks, the github link is broken? In this instance I am looking to achieve fridge and freezer temperatures on the Cerbo and hence console to avoid disturbing the insulating of the fridge freezer with a wired alternative. I have a less elegant solution at the moment that precludes connection to the Cerbo however if you are working on a solution for the ruuvi that would be just as good, so maybe I will wait as my programming skills are limited.
Michael
Another +1 on temp sensor relay
Gihub link is here: https://github.com/mpvader/dbus-ruuvi :)
Hi Victron
Have you got any update on this, i note you are hoping to release in 2021
Thanks
Morgan
@MorganB. Yes, Matthijs posted an update earlier in his answer, right at the top. It is in the VenusOS 2.80 beta, which I believe will be released shortly. You can get hold of the beta and run it. Attached are some screen shots
If yous search the modifications area of the forum for the notifications of 2.80 beta releases you will find release notes with more details.
+1 for controlling a heating pad with logics
