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jphoenix13 avatar image
jphoenix13 asked

No Smartsolar MPPT showing on color control GX display

I just installed a Smartsolar 150/100 VE.can enabled charge controller and connected to my Color Control GX and it's not appearing on the display.


I have dual Multiplus inverters connected to the VE.bus and the charge controller connected to the VE.can port, both terminators in pace as shown below:

The Vconnect bluetoothed to my phone shows the CC is working fine and producing power, no problem. I've changed cables, swapped everything around, rebooted, shut down numerous times, updated firmware on all components, but still nothing on the display for the CC. I do see the "charger" in the system settings and it sees the Smartsolar with correct serial number and firmware version - so the CCGX "sees" the CC, but won't display power info:

I checked the TX/RX settings - all per the instructions, normal, etc.


What next? I must be missing something. The CC works great, just won't show up on the CCGX :-(

Thanks,


Jim Phoenix

CCGX Color Control
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wkirby avatar image wkirby ♦♦ commented ·

What version of Venus are you running?
What are your VE.Can port settings?

Settings -> Services -> VE.Can port


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4 Answers
jphoenix13 avatar image
jphoenix13 answered ·

Mine is set to VE.can 250 kbps. Not sure what you mean by venus?

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jphoenix13 answered ·

I fixed it, only took a week and a lot of reading and emails, but here is what I figured out:

1) When I bought my CCGX, it came with v1.XX firmware installed (don't remember exactly what version, but it was below 2)

2) So, I had to use the SD card to upgrade the firmware from 1.XX to v2.XX. Per Victron instructions, it must be done with an SD card: https://www.victronenergy.com/live/ccgx:firmware_upgrade_to_v2

3) So, I did it, got an SD card and downloaded the firmware: "Download venus-upgrade-image-ccgx.zip" from Victron website and inserted the SD card in the CCGX and selected ypdate from SD card and voila, it's updated.

4) Have a bier.

5) Install new SmartSolar MPPT charge controller with VE.Can and turn it on and it bluetooths to my iphone and immediately updates software. Have another bier - Jupiler if you can get it :-)

6) Everything works, CC shows working CCGX shows everything except CC, go insane for 5 days trying to figure out why. People asking did you update CC and CCGX, yes of course, etc., etc.

7) Except I didn't.

8) What they don't tell you in the instructions to upgrade from V1.XX to V2 is that the V2 file in the upgrade zip folder is V2.11! It's not the latest: v2.60! :-(

9) Only when I was reading all the instructions again and decided to check the versions again did I see the version on the CCGX is 2.11 and the latest is 2.60. So download 2.60 and load it up and voila it works!

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

Ahh good point @Jphoenix13,

I have now updated the v1.x to v2.x firmware update instructions with a new dot point to make this missing step clear.

Thanks for the feedback, and happy to hear it's all working. Enjoy your bier.

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jphoenix13 avatar image jphoenix13 Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented ·

Dank u well Guy! Wish I could get Jupiler over here, but no way. Have to settle for a Fat Tire :-)

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v7sport73 answered ·

Thanks for posting this. I had the same problem. I didn't know you needed to have an account with Victron to get the current firmware. You would think that it would be published and easy to find on the website. This saved me many weeks of frustration. Thanks again!

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dombrown avatar image
dombrown answered ·

I would also like some help on this.

I have a similar set up, with 3 inverters on VE.Bus and a new SmartSolar on VE.Can.

Contrary to the Victron literature say, neither the CCGX or MPPT came with Can terminators, so we haven't got these connected. Are these 100% essential, or just prefered? Happy to order these, but would like to know if this is the actual issue.

Both the CCGX and MPPT are on the latest version of software, V2.7xx and V3.xx respectively.

The MPPT is fully visible by the bluetooth app.

The CCGX cannot see any reference to the MPPT.

Thanks in advance.

Dom

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