Jazzmonger
Hacker at heart
If our batteries are based on the same platform/bms, you might also try using pbms.exe to aid in your journey. It's got a quick connect feature and decent comms configuration.
Thanks, I don't know what that is but it sounds like a Microsoft Windows thing. I use a Mac.If our batteries are based on the same platform/bms, you might also try using pbms.exe to aid in your journey. It's got a quick connect feature and decent comms configuration.
Tools for mac are pretty limited and those I found online didn't work or were on some sketchy websites that didn't look trustworthy (to me anyway). I picked up a used Microsoft Surface for cheap solely to use with battery comms. If you do find something for Mac that works, please let me know. I'm also a Mac userThanks, I don't know what that is but it sounds like a Microsoft Windows thing. I use a Mac.
Not sure it'd matter if I did as I have little idea about what tools to look for let alone what to do with one.Tools for mac are pretty limited and those I found online didn't work or were on some sketchy websites that didn't look trustworthy (to me anyway). I picked up a used Microsoft Surface for cheap solely to use with battery comms. If you do find something for Mac that works, please let me know. I'm also a Mac user
Lol! Pbms is a windows application written by one of the bms vendors that lets you talk to your bms and look inside the batteries. And, Yeah, I had a stroke 6 yrs ago and switched to MacOS and I never looked back.it's shocking how easy it is to use iOS and macOS. I was/am about as expert as it comes to Windoze. I absolutely despise the platform but out of necessity (100 employees, all Windows) I had no choice and have to support it.Not sure it'd matter if I did as I have little idea about what tools to look for let alone what to do with one.
I have zero idea what pbms.exe is or does and my google search didn't enlighten me either - it was mostly just links discussing whether it was a virus.
I let my VMware Fusion expire. I used to have to use Windows on my Mac because of an application I wrote in Excel VB which only worked on the Windows version. But I retired from that and once MacOS was upgraded, my VMware was no longer useable (needed to be upgraded) and I saw little point paying to update something I no longer use.it should run under windows emulation on macOS if you have that, but I'm not going there...
You must have the new version of pace bms like the 5U version of jakiper-like battery, you could tell it's new if the current inverter protocol wont show in the pbms tools.Unfortunately no luck this morning getting the battery communications talking with Solar Assistant.
SA recognised the USB adapter just fine:
View attachment 109787
The cable I cut to expose the wires was correctly colour coded as per the RJ-45 pin out diagram.
I tried various combinations of A+ and B- connections as per the table below without success in establishing a communications link to the battery.
I repeated the exercise using different DIP switch settings as indicated in the table below.
For DIP switch changes I switched the batteries off, made the switch change and turned battery back on.
As per robby's suggested I waited quite a while between changes to allow SA time to attempt to establish comms.
I then went through each option a second time, just in case. No luck, none of the following combinations worked.
View attachment 109790
Unless there are other combinations I should try, I guess I'll order the Jakiper RS-232 cable which power.esrl3 suggested.
I ordered it yesterday. So will wait and see.So your only best bet is RS232 adaptor. You could order from sok or jakiper, whichever you like. It should work.
Thanks, I already have that all set up and have been able to "listen" to the stream of Solar Assistant MQTT messages in Node Red.Start here and get this working first, then use Node Red to send control messages via MQTT
'solar_assistant/inverter_1/output_source_priority/set' -m 'Utility first'
Thanks. I'll see how I go. It might be I need to ask in the Node Red forums as I'm not really seeking to use HA for control logic, rather just use NR directly with Solar Assistant.I agree, lots glossed over in examples. This is a great question best asked in the home assistant forums.
Im right there with you! And Node Red seems like a good platform for exactly this, I just haven't spent the time with it to really learn it yet. Seems like a good Winter project.Thanks. I'll see how I go. It might be I need to ask in the Node Red forums as I'm not really seeking to use HA for control logic, rather just use NR directly with Solar Assistant.
I currently have a few basic HA automations operating to change inverters operating mode but the level of automation logic I'd like is probably going to make setting up in HA a bit convoluted.
I want to use various inputs to decide what (and when) changes to make to my off-grid system's operating status, such as:
Battery state of charge
Time of day
Time of use tariff period
Level of excess solar PV output available from my grid tied PV system (I can divert to help charge the batteries)
Weather
Solar production forecasts
etc
It occurs to me the MQTT out node Topic string required to make an inverter parameter change via SA is probably something specific to SA and that's the missing piece of this puzzle for me.It might be I need to ask in the Node Red forums as I'm not really seeking to use HA for control logic, rather just use NR directly with Solar Assistant.
I'd just assumed from that it was some kind of instruction included in the payload which you were using successfully to change the inverter's setting via SA.'solar_assistant/inverter_1/output_source_priority/set' -m 'Utility first'
Cool. So in the inject node you setWell, it seems to work using these settings connecting to the SA mqtt server OR the Mosquitto server I have running on HOME ASSISTANT
I'm guessing it stands for "mode"?Cool. So in the inject node you set
Message topic to:
solar_assistant/inverter_1/output_source_priority/set -m
and
Payload to:
Utility First
Any clues on what the "-m" is for?
Yes but no -m. I’m not sure what -m is for. Perhaps Pierre can enlighten us.Cool. So in the inject node you set
Message topic to:
solar_assistant/inverter_1/output_source_priority/set -m
and
Payload to:
Utility First
Any clues on what the "-m" is for?
Yes to both. I don't use the battery state of charge management in the power profile. I have in the past but it's a bit limited for my use case.And youre looking here for the change, right? And you've disabled the power profile?