VE.Direct Python

Python 3 parser for Victron VE.Direct protocol.

This project is designed to run on raspberry pi connected to the VE.Direct port of an MPPT device and then post the data to an influx DB instance.

Raspberry pi serial port is GPIO 14 + 15 and is available at /dev/ttyAMA0.

Installation

• Clone this repository on your raspberry-pi to /home/pi/ve.direct-pyton
• Copy .env.example to .env.installed
• Configure INFLUX_HOST and INFLUX_DB in .env.installed
• Run the setup.sh.

cp .env.example .env.installed
./install.sh

Detailed install commands

sudo cp ./lib/systemd/system/vedirect.service /lib/systemd/system/
sudo chmod 644 /lib/systemd/system/vedirect.service

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable vedirect.service
sudo systemctl start vedirect.service

sudo reboot

Running the parser directly

/usr/bin/python3 -u -m vedirect --influx=pi.hole --database=solar --port=/dev/ttyAMA0

Example InfluxDB Measurement

[
    {
      "time": "2019-10-27T01:48:32.729954+00:00", 
      "tags": {
        "sensor": "victron", 
        "location": "outdoors"
      },
      "fields": {"IL": 600, "PPV": 9, "V": 25.7, "I": -270, "VPV": 33.55}, 
      "measurement": "power"
    }, 
    {
      "time": "2019-10-27T01:48:32.729954+00:00", 
      "tags": {
        "sensor": "victron", 
        "location": "outdoors"
      }, 
      "fields": {
        "H21": 25, "H20": 0.07
      }, 
      "measurement": "today"
    },
    {
        "time": "2019-10-27T01:48:32.729954+00:00", 
        "tags": {
          "sensor": "victron",
          "location": "outdoors"
        }, 
        "fields": {
            "MPPT": 2, 
            "CS": 3, 
            "LOAD": 1, 
            "ERR": 0
        }, 
        "measurement": "status"
  }
]

References

VE.Direct

Victron Manuals/VE.Direct-Protocol-3.27.pdf

VE.Direct parser inspired by https://github.com/karioja/vedirect/blob/master/vedirect.py

vcgencmd

• https://medium.com/@kevalpatel2106/monitor-the-core-temperature-of-your-raspberry-pi-3ddfdf82989f
• https://elinux.org/RPI_vcgencmd_usage

Systemd

• https://www.raspberrypi-spy.co.uk/2015/10/how-to-autorun-a-python-script-on-boot-using-systemd/
• https://stackoverflow.com/questions/13069634/python-daemon-and-systemd-service

Python

• Executing periodic actions in Python