Venus 2.0 released (CCGX firmware), also Raspberry Pi version for the Pi 3

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Hi all,

Seeing as you guys are mostly Voltronic fans this possible slipped off the radar... but...

Venus 2.0 was released yesterday. This is a major release with masses of new toys. Some of the more important ones:

1. You no longer need a BMV for a pure Multiplus+MPPT setup.

2. You no longer need the grid meter for a hub setup.

3. New ESS assistant unifies the other assistants, so you can now mix and match PV-inverters and MPPTs in the same system.

Full blog post here.

What's missing? You still need external anti-islanding to comply with NRS097-2-1... at least for a few more months :-)

In other news, one of the last pre-releases (just prior to 2.0) is also available for the raspberry pi in the usual place, but this one brings something new to the table (besides all the new cool toys): It works on the Raspberry Pi 3. The previous version didn't boot because for reasons I don't understand yet (a single configuration difference) the u-boot loader we use must be compiled specifically for the relevant board. The image now contains two versions of u-boot and uses the right one depending on what board it's running on.

What's missing? Well, the main reason why you'd even buy a pi-3: WiFi. The WiFi doesn't work (just yet) and the bluetooth is disabled (for now) because the default configuration doesn't work well with the serial port configuration we want on the header. But watch this space: By next year we should be able to talk directly to Bluetooth equipped MPPTs without any cabling.

So there you go. Christmas came early :-)

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Some updates since the last post:

1. The Raspberry Pi version now contains the same software versions as the official 2.0 version of Venus.

2. I made minor changes, swapping the root filesystem from ext3 to ext4 for example, re-arranging the build to facilitate binary updates in future.

3. Fixes to the mk3 service. Because this started life on the CCGX where you always have access to an onboard mk2 it wasn't necessary to handle the case where an mk2/mk3 is not available. I made a few changes to deal more gracefully with a missing mk3. We still officially support only the mk3-usb. With the fixes, it should just work (tm) out of the box when you plug in an mk3-usb.

4. WiFi! I included the required firmware for the onboard WiFi on the Rpi3. Works for me so far :-)

Here is a direct link to it (it's still uploading at the time of writing), but in general it is better to go to the parent directory and download the latest one.

http://45.55.253.39/venus/images/raspberrypi2/venus-image-raspberrypi2-20161214212529.rootfs.rpi-sdimg.bz2

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A note about mk2 support. The software in this version wants the mk2-usb to run firmware version 136. The windows software (Veconfigure) will however update your mk2-usb to version 135. Because the mk2-dbus software in Venus can only update the mk2 if it has the ability to reset the device (it doesn't with the Rpi), there is currently no way to update your mk2-dbus to the required version. The officially supported way to make it work is to use an mk3-usb.

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Another (few) day(s), another release for the Rpi. It corresponds roughly to v2.01~2.

Beginning to feel like it is getting somewhere. This version includes dtb files (device tree blobs) to support the common MCP2515 canbus boards. Another member on the venus list has successfully tested this board with the Rpi. The boot loader is also finally sorted out sufficiently that it can boot a backup version of the software. This feature is rather ingenious: Instead of overwriting the firmware each time, it keeps two copies and alternates between them, always keeping the previous version around as a fallback. When you update firmware it overwrites the previous version rather than the current active version.

In other words, I think it is now a pretty functional solution for an inexpensive multi+mppt setup.

This will probably be the last release for this year. Because mobile data is still too expensive in this country :-)

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Very very belated post.... BUT... I released a version of Venus 2.02 for the Raspberry Pi several days ago. This is as good as it gets. It has all the features of the main release, including image upgrades (with backup of previous firmware). The only thing it doesn't have is online updates. That will come after the changes I made is merged with mainline.

Future updates can now be done by downloading the swu instead, putting that on a USB stick, and upgrading throug the GUI. I'm pretty chuffed about the whole thing.

There is one thing though: The mk2-usb is now properly deprecated. I will not be making any new versions with mk2 support. I made some inquiries this morning to find out who stocks the mk3-usb, and there is no longer any reason not to invest in one. I'll be making a separate post about that.

[NickNou]

Hi Plonkster,

I know you've been working on the Venus/Raspberry Pi these past few months. Hoping you can assist...

I'm busy trying to get ESS running on my setup, and am running the Venus CCGX image on a Beaglebone. I have the BB connecting to the VRM, and I haven't had any issues connecting my BMV, via a USB-VE Direct cable, to the Beaglebone. 

Now, I'm trying to get comm's setup between the Beaglebone and the Quattro. This is being done via a MK3-USB. I know i need to follow the instructions, as per the instructions on github: 

• modify the /etc/venus/mkx-port file: change the listed tty for the ttyUSB in use by the MK3-USB
• remove the -i flag from /service/vecan-mk2/run

How do I go about doing this? Do I need to use a specific IDE of sorts? Please advise,,,

Apologies if this is a trivial/basic question - This is not my forte!

Back to installing the Fronius for now....

Nick

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2 hours ago, NickNou said:

How do I go about doing this? Do I need to use a specific IDE of sorts? Please advise,,,

Oh, you got to root it, then you have to turn on ssh (secure shell) in the gui (settings->General->Remote Support), and then edit the files with whatever editor is on the device. It has both vi and nano on there, so you can use either of these. You start them simply:

nano /etc/venus/mkx-port

OR

vi /etc/venus/mkx-port

BUT.... we're working on something big which might be in version 2.08 (2.07 release is imminent). I'm already running this modification on my own ccgx, and I tested it on the rpi. With this modification in place, no more editing of files, it will just work out of the box.

You can also connect a TTL serial interface to the header marked J1 on the board, and run a terminal emulator at 115200 baud. There is a root shell on there.

I hope that helps!

[NickNou]

Hi Plonkster,

Thanks for the quick feedback! I'll give it a try... Like I said, this is not my core area of expertise, hence the question. I'm quite sure I'll make headway if I get into it.

Ran into a bit of a dead end with my Fronius Primo. I understood these items were distributed with the datacards already installed - they are marketed as Fronius' communication based inverters. Seems I've been supplied what seems to a variant without the data-manager card....

Thanks again,

Nick

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5 minutes ago, NickNou said:

Thanks for the quick feedback! I'll give it a try... Like I said, this is not my core area of expertise, hence the question. I'm quite sure I'll make headway if I get into it.

I forgot to mention, once you have ssh enabled, you'll need an ssh client to connect to the BBB. If you're using windows, PuTTY is a good ssh client. Google will sort that out for you.

Alternatively, I can supply you with a BBB installer image with the serial-starter improvement included so you don't have to edit files.

[NickNou]

1 minute ago, plonkster said:

If you're using windows, PuTTY is a good ssh client. Google will sort that out for you.

Let me see where this takes me - I have the whole evening left to tinker..

3 minutes ago, plonkster said:

I can supply you with a BBB installer image with the serial-starter improvement included so you don't have to edit files.

That would be great - I'll follow up with you if I don't come right using your input above.

Thanks!

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6 minutes ago, NickNou said:

That would be great - I'll follow up with you if I don't come right using your input above.

The build host sits behind a firewall so I have to pull it down to my laptop and then re-upload to somewhere you can get it. Of course we're having a brilliant day ito internet speed, so at 8kb/sec it will take a while! Will post a link soon.

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Okay, it's still uploading, but once it gets to around 57MB and stops growing, you can grab it here.

[NickNou]

16 minutes ago, plonkster said:

you can grab it

Thanks a lot - greatly appreciated!

FYI - Did a bit of Googling on why I'm sitting with a Fronius Primo with no data manager card. After scouring through the Fronius fine print, It seems they have two specs - a Full spec and a Light spec. Light spec has the Data manager card omitted from the scope of supply.

Alas... I'm sitting with the light variant. I'll have to retrofit a card -  Not that happy, considering I'm normally quite thorough with this sort of thing. 

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Upload is done.

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Once you've tried it, do let me know. It's always good to know that more people have tested it. I'm running it on my CCGX, because it speeds up device detection significantly, and I tested it on the Rpi to make sure it detects the mk3 and vedirect as it should. Måns made a few more changes since that build, but I don't have enough space on my laptop to build all three platforms so I usually only build ccgx and Rpi, I depend on the upstream build machinery to make bbb images :-) I don't believe any of it affects the BBB.

[NickNou]

I see the file size topped out . Busy downloading.

I'll flash with the new image to the BBB tonight and see if I win!

Thanks again

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@NickNou, you may also enjoy some work I'm doing for the BBB, aka the Venus GX, so it can measure pulse-measuring devices, often used for pumps and other such devices. I tested it this morning with something a bit harsher than a push button (which is what I did for the inital development).

This also shows around the 30-seconds mark how to wire J1 to a ttl-serial-usb interface :-)

[NickNou]

Plonkster,

Thanks a million for the updated image for the BBB - greatly appreciated!!

I flashed the new image, and the Mk3-USB to VE interface was pretty much plug and play. I'm getting figures from my blue box, and the info is pushing through to the VRM.

1 hour ago, plonkster said:

so it can measure pulse-measuring devices

Is the objective here to have Venus capable of reading and logging consumption of  simple pulse  metering devices? 

 

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2 hours ago, NickNou said:

Is the objective here to have Venus capable of reading and logging consumption of  simple pulse  metering devices? 

The Venus-GX is an amazing piece of kit (it does cost around 4.5k though!). It has two tank-sensor inputs, 5 digital inputs, two can-buses (only one is currently used by the software), a built-in mk3, USB, ethernet and two Wi-Fi interfaces. It's a beaglebone-advanced with an expansion board on top. Its to be used in places where the more consumer oriented CCGX is deemed to expensive. A lot of the features essentially come for free because the BBB already has them. Measuring pulse devices isn't so much for kwh meters, it's more for pumps, mostly in rural Africa. But it could be used to read a kwh meter if you wanted to, but there is of course no way you could use that to avoid grid feedback: It's not accurate enough, as you approach zero the intervals between pulses become too long.

The Venus-GX already has analog sensor software (for the tank sensors), so this bit of software implements the digital side.

[Carl]

On 12/13/2016 at 10:38 AM, plonkster said:

You still need external anti-islanding to comply with NRS097-2-1... at least for a few more months :-)

@plonksterwill this functionality eventually be built into the Victron Inverter?

Approximately how much does the external anti-islanding device cost?

Another question is can you set the maximum amount of power that you would like to draw from your batteries while the rest will be topped up by grid?

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1 hour ago, Carl said:

will this functionality eventually be built into the Victron Inverter?

Already done. It's in the MultiGrid inverter. It was supposed to get NRS 097-2-1 certification real soon this year, I'll have to ask about that. I know it passed the German and Australian certification.

1 hour ago, Carl said:

Approximately how much does the external anti-islanding device cost?

465 Euro, or around 7k. I checked, not much options that are cheaper unfortunately.

1 hour ago, Carl said:

Another question is can you set the maximum amount of power that you would like to draw from your batteries while the rest will be topped up by grid?

Yes.

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News again on this front. The first testing release built by the official build server landed yesterday. This also has the new serial-starter patch rolled in, so it detects hardware fast. I started the porting in July 2016, as an after-hours thing, so one might say it was a labour of love that took about a year :-)