SRNE MC series Com port connection (MC2450N10). How to connect?

[Gareth]

Technical question, hopefully some tech wizz can check what im doing is right.
Im trying to Connect the solar charge Controller to my computer.

- I have the SRNE MC series 50 Amp controller. It has a 4 pin com port connection. See photos
- purchased RS232 TTL to USB cable See photo.
-Have downloaded the Solar Station Monitoring software from SRNE.com

Have tried to connect the Controller to my PC but have no idea of the pin set out for the 4pins. 5v +ve, ground, RX, TX?

The PC picks up the USB in device manager @ COM7. Is there anyway to test the connection using a windows program rather than the Solar program?

 

[meetyg]

I have the 20A model, but it's not at hand right now. I will try to check for you later on.
In any case, You need to connect only three wires: The RX,TX and Ground, because the USB to TTL adapter is powered by the computer's USB, and the COMM port on the SCC might not be 5v.

 

[Gareth]

Thanks for the reply! Yes I found out the hard way that the SCC output is wrong (about 12v) by blowing up the wife’s computer USB port (she was not impressed). Haven’t tried since as the software is not available for my MAC. I did get an email back from SRNE, but it’s slightly over my head to understand the wording. Have attached the PDF if anyone else can figure it out

 

[meetyg]

Ouch...
I wouldn't expect 12v on that either!
Pretty strange for a TTL interface (I would expect either 5v or 3.3v which are standard).

Anyways, great document you got from them. I think that the relevant part is this:


But, they don't state what voltage the rx/TX lines are at. Again, I would expect 5v or 3.3v, but then again they put 12v on the positive.
Just to make sure, I would measure the voltage from ground to TX and ground to RX (just in. ase they have it the other way around). If you get 5v or lower, your OK to use a TTL to USB adapter.

 

[Gareth]

Ouch...
I wouldn't expect 12v on that either!
Pretty strange for a TTL interface (I would expect either 5v or 3.3v which are standard).

Anyways, great document you got from them. I think that the relevant part is this:
View attachment 99731

But, they don't state what voltage the rx/TX lines are at. Again, I would expect 5v or 3.3v, but then again they put 12v on the positive.
Just to make sure, I would measure the voltage from ground to TX and ground to RX (just in. ase they have it the other way around). If you get 5v or lower, your OK to use a TTL to USB adapter.

Thanks for that mate. Do you know of a TTL to USB adapter on Amazon or Ali express. The one I got says TTL but also says RS233 are they two separate things or the same thing?

 

[meetyg]

Usually TTL voltages are within 0 to 5v, while RS232 are within -6v to +6v.

I'm not sure what voltages the comm port uses.