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homestorage-77 avatar image
homestorage-77 asked

Help with using Node-Red with Venus GX

Could anyone please give me a bit of support in gettig started with Venus GX interfacing via Node-Red?


I've got Node-Red installed on a Raspberry Pi & am looking to switch on / off my Multiplus II based on certain input conditons.


I've loaded in the Victron nodes to Node-Red but am stuck on step 4 of the Installation Instructions;

https://github.com/victronenergy/node-red-contrib-victron#Installation-and-Usage


enable d-bus over tcp in your Venus device if you want to use dbus over TCP, otherwise skip this step. Edit /etc/dbus-1/system.confand add the following directly above <policy context="default">:

  <listen>tcp:host=0.0.0.0,port=78</listen>
  <auth>ANONYMOUS</auth>
  <allow_anonymous/>


How do I actually go about doing this? How to I connect to the Venus GX in a way that allows me to edit the files?


Any advice of next steps would be greatly appreciated too, as the instructions are not clear for me.


Many thanks in advance

Multiplus-IIVenus GX - VGXNode-RED
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markus avatar image
markus answered ·

Hi,

"How do I actually go about doing this? How to I connect to the Venus GX in a way that allows me to edit the files?"

HowTo: Access Files on VenusOS with Root Access using Total Commander - Victron Community (victronenergy.com)


Have you noticed, that you can run NodeRED on your VenusGX using the large image? There would be no need of a second device then:

Venus OS Large image: Signal K and Node-RED [Victron Energy]

BR

Markus


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homestorage-77 avatar image homestorage-77 commented ·

Thanks for the info!

I don't think my level of know how is suitable to use Beta / unsupported changes to the Venus GX, I'd rather leave that as is in case I mess anything up.


So I've been able to edit the file '/etc/dbus-1/system.conf'

Are you able to offer any advice as to what to do next?



The instruction below doesn't mean anything to me, and am confused as to what I actually need to do to get my Venus GX linked up to the node-red workspace.


screenshot-2021-01-06-at-071937.png

e.g. to start with, do I do these edits in the node-red environment (how) or on the Venus GX itself?


Thanks!


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markus avatar image markus ♦♦ homestorage-77 commented ·

I did not use this manual or instructions for myself as I have installed the large image, but as far as I read them, it should be done by entering "export NODE_RED_DBUS_ADDRESS=192.168.1.1:78" into the shell of your machine running NodeRED, where 192.168.1.1 has to be replaced by the IP of your VenusGX.

But this is just my guess...

If you struggle further with this instructions, I would recommend you to use the large image anyways. The installation comes down to 1.) copying a file to a USB stick and 2.) press update on the GX Device. This is a 10 minute task.

BR

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homestorage-77 avatar image homestorage-77 markus ♦♦ commented ·

Appreciate your help. I'll have a go!

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Mark avatar image Mark ♦♦ homestorage-77 commented ·

Yes use the large image FW as Markus has recommended - it works out of the box.

But the potential complication when using a VenusGX is that only newer devices have sufficient data partition space to run the large image FW - if your VenusGX is an older one then you need to follow the instructions to re-image it first (if you are comfortable to follow the instructions and do that yourself).

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