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Old 01-09-2020, 20:00   #1
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Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

Hi all,

I've realised how logical it would be to heat my water using excess solar, as my system is often in float by midday (at least when I am not in the pen, where my solar orientation is totally busted).

I figured the logical approach would be to query the Victron controllers for their charge status, waiting until they report they are in float. A quick google revealed some quasi APIs, plus a reference from Victron themselves explaining why they don't publish an API for the bluetooth side of things.

Can anyone here point me at their preferred way of addressing this one? I am kind of technology-agnostic, though I am getting into the Arduino stuff a bit these days.

Matt
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Old 01-09-2020, 20:07   #2
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

Your Victron controllers probably has the VE.Direct protocol as a wired communication option. It is basically a serial port. You can get all the relevant information from that. Look for the VE.Direct whitepapers here: https://www.victronenergy.com/suppor...ds/whitepapers
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Old 01-09-2020, 21:55   #3
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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Your Victron controllers probably has the VE.Direct protocol as a wired communication option. It is basically a serial port. You can get all the relevant information from that. Look for the VE.Direct whitepapers here: https://www.victronenergy.com/suppor...ds/whitepapers
Thank you, I had seen those. Mostly they seem to rely on the connector cable, something I am not totally against, but I was kinda hoping someone had kludged a good workaround with the bluetooth side.

In all seriousness, for my needs I suspect the simplest thing will be to put an opto-sensor next to the LED that indicates float.

A bit crude, but simple.
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Old 01-09-2020, 22:35   #4
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

If you have a battery monitor like the 712. It has a relay output you can trigger with Soc. I think that would be easiest.
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Old 02-09-2020, 04:13   #5
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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If you have a battery monitor like the 712. It has a relay output you can trigger with Soc. I think that would be easiest.


I have one with that feature, but it I find it too simplistic. The batteries can reach 100% but still be in absorption. Then it can take up to an hour or two before they reach float.

But it is a good idea.
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Old 02-09-2020, 05:11   #6
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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I have one with that feature, but it I find it too simplistic. The batteries can reach 100% but still be in absorption. Then it can take up to an hour or two before they reach float.

But it is a good idea.
Something is not right, that should not happen. Is there wiring bypassing the shunt? Is the monitor programmed correctly?
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Old 02-09-2020, 05:20   #7
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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I have one with that feature, but it I find it too simplistic. The batteries can reach 100% but still be in absorption. Then it can take up to an hour or two before they reach float.

But it is a good idea.


You can set the relay to react on a particular voltage. From the latter you can infer the charging stage.
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Old 02-09-2020, 05:43   #8
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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Something is not right, that should not happen. Is there wiring bypassing the shunt? Is the monitor programmed correctly?


I should have clarified, mine is another brand (Votronic) and is a simple coulomb counter. Good enough, in conjunction with the Victron controllers, to give me a fair picture of the battery state, but not smart enough to take into account Peukert’s law or sensibly interpret battery bank voltage.
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Old 02-09-2020, 05:49   #9
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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You can set the relay to react on a particular voltage. From the latter you can infer the charging stage.

I can set a voltage point that triggers a relay, but I can’t see how it could be that simple.

The voltage curve for my batteries as the system transitions from bulk to absorption to float is all over the place. I could wait for the 15 volt peak that indicates absorption, but then I’d prevent the system from reaching float. However, float is lower at 13.7, so I’d have to somehow ignore the 15 and recognise the 13.7 was a result of float rather than say, house load.

Then, of course, the battery monitor plays with those voltages anyway as the temperature changes.

So, I just can’t see how voltage could be the trigger.
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Old 02-09-2020, 09:05   #10
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

Maybe I’m too simplistic. Isn’t it possible to set the relay to let power go to the battery if voltage is higher than float, and when it drops open up to the other circuit? You would leave the bank connected but let new demand from the heater get the excess? In doing so the high demand from the bank would get satisfied first then the heater gets the excess production once the battery is floating. I am maybe too naive and am interested to hear about this.
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Old 02-09-2020, 11:10   #11
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

I also have been playing with arduinos lately for various controls. I would go ve direct and cable it. You can buy the connectors on amazon for pennies. If you don’t want to do ve. Direct, it would be pretty easy to identify the pattern that signifies float. Time of day with time within a voltage range Subsequent to your absorb voltage. You could look at averages to survive the house load peaks. A battery backed rtc like the ds3231 is invaluable if you need time of day.
Sounds like fun. Good luck.
If you have any specific questions, I’ll try and answer.
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Old 02-09-2020, 14:08   #12
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

I would just buy a Victron BMV712 Smart and be done with it. It’s too cheap to be bothered developing something else while greatly upgrading the current monitor
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Old 02-09-2020, 19:35   #13
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

Hi Matt,
I'd be interested in how you heat the water, 12V thru a ~1800W at 240Volt heating element won't do it, putting 240 V will be too much demand on your excess solar, upping the voltage to maybe 48VDC may be useful or even getting a 240V to 110V transformer, still pretty sizeable transformer thou. Maybe you could switch the higher DC voltage from series panels.

I believe Morningstar have a devise that could be useful. Designed for stitching of DC wind generators using water heater instead of wasting it in a resistor.
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Old 02-09-2020, 23:48   #14
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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Hi Matt,
I'd be interested in how you heat the water, 12V thru a ~1800W at 240Volt heating element won't do it, putting 240 V will be too much demand on your excess solar, upping the voltage to maybe 48VDC may be useful or even getting a 240V to 110V transformer, still pretty sizeable transformer thou. Maybe you could switch the higher DC voltage from series panels.

I believe Morningstar have a devise that could be useful. Designed for stitching of DC wind generators using water heater instead of wasting it in a resistor.
I was thinking of using a 400 watt, 12 volt element, and, if possible PWM to reduce the output power to something that the panels can sustain.

My logic would be to detect float (as discussed above) then switch on the element, slowly bringing up the power output until a voltage drop is detected at the batteries (how much of a drop yet to be determined) and then backing off the power level a bit until the voltage comes back. Then repeating in a cycle. (cycle duration also yet to be determined.)

The 400 watt element idea is a pragmatic guess, based on having 760 watts of panels that would rarely produce much more than 600 watts due to shading, and assuming that there would normally be around 200 watts needed to run the boat.

If the PWM approach is too hard then the next option would be to fit 2 200 watt elements and switch one or both on depending on observed voltage behaviour.

I've got good diesel heating for water, but I figure it would be nice to avoid it when I can, partly for cost reasons, partly for environmental reasons and partly to avoid the inconvenience of refueling. (Heating currently accounts for over 95% of my diesel use on this boat.)
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Old 02-09-2020, 23:52   #15
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Re: Victron solar regulator API or equivalent

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I would just buy a Victron BMV712 Smart and be done with it. It’s too cheap to be bothered developing something else while greatly upgrading the current monitor
I will certainly consider it.

The thing is... I know it sounds shallow... but geez the BMV712 is ugly. My Votronic battery monitor just LOOKS so much nicer.
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