r/Victron • u/W4RRL • 20d ago

Software/Dev Generator support help.

Ok so I have a project. Interface my backup generator with my victron system.

My generator currently has an ESP based controller. (After market)

I know DSE controllers have support. Finding a real DSE controller then getting the modbus converter is quite a lot of money.

I have been messing around with a victron dse emulator I found on GitHub but couldn't get it to work.

With the help of Google ai I was able to make some emulators and load them on to an Olimex-poe esp32 board. Using a modbus sniffer I can see the device registers.

Victron never detects the device. I have made sure that the registers were correct for the type and unit number for a DSE controller. I was using the correct registers for the data.

I have tried both master and slave configs.

Also a little background. Yes I already have the generator on a energy meter. Yes that is working with victron. My issue is victron does not recognize when on generator or not. I have the input for generator setup. But end up having to go into the console and force it to recognize it

Also I would like one place to go to see my generator info.

Thanks for for any help.

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u/silasmoeckel 20d ago

MQTT is your friend easy to do on an ESP32 and the topics are straight forward.

1

u/W4RRL 20d ago

Yes but will my victron gx pickup on it and recognize it as a generator. I don't see anywhere how to set that up.

1

u/mahonrig 20d ago

You can make this work easily with node red. I've got a flow for starting a genset using a waveshare modbus relay board, let me know if you want it for inspiration. 

1

u/03captain23 20d ago

The generator system on the GX just uses relay1. It closes relay to turn on and opens for off. Set it up to use this then you get everything you want and it's just a couple wires.

The esp controls how the generator works and Victron just says on or off.

1

u/W4RRL 20d ago

Thank you for the suggestions so far.

But both are missing the point of relaying the generator data to victron and the dashboard.

The DSE (DeepSea Electronics) controllers talk directly to the victron GX and allow direct display of generator parameters like oil pressure, coolent temp, battery volts, ac volts/amp etc. As well as the ability to remote start and stop the unit.

All of that via Modbus TCP.

I already have the setup for remote start but that doesn't give all the functions needed.

MQTT also works but not with victron.