dbus-mqtt-ev-charger - Emulates a EV charger from MQTT data

GitHub repository: mr-manuel/venus-os_dbus-mqtt-ev-charger

Index

1. Disclaimer
2. Supporting/Sponsoring this project
3. Purpose
4. Config
5. JSON structure
6. Install / Update
7. Uninstall
8. Restart
9. Debugging
10. Compatibility
11. Screenshots

Disclaimer

I wrote this script for myself. I'm not responsible, if you damage something using my script.

Supporting/Sponsoring this project

You like the project and you want to support me?

Purpose

The script emulates a EV charger in Venus OS. It gets the MQTT data from a subscribed topic and publishes the information on the dbus as the service com.victronenergy.evcharger.mqtt_ev_charger with the VRM instance 11.

Config

Copy or rename the config.sample.ini to config.ini in the dbus-mqtt-ev-charger folder and change it as you need it.

JSON structure

Minimum required to start the driver

{
    "Ac": {
        "Power": 321.6
    }
}

Full (with descriptions)

Payload

{
    "Ac": {
        "Power": 12000.0,
        "L1": {
            "Power": 4000.0
        },
        "L2": {
            "Power": 4000.0
        },
        "L3": {
            "Power": 4000.0
        },
        "Energy": {
            "Forward": 342.4
        }
    },
    "Current": 17.39,
    "MaxCurrent": 32,
    "SetCurrent": 16,
    "AutoStart": 1,
    "ChargingTime": 63,
    "EnableDisplay": 1,
    "Mode": 1,
    "StartStop": 1,
    "Status": 1,
}

Description

/Ac/Power                  --> Write: AC Power (W)
/Ac/L1/Power               --> Write: L1 Power used (W)
/Ac/L2/Power               --> Write: L2 Power used (W)
/Ac/L3/Power               --> Write: L3 Power used (W)
/Ac/Energy/Forward         --> Write: Total Charged Energy (kWh)

/Current                   --> Write: Actual charging current (A)
/MaxCurrent                --> Read/Write: Max charging current (A)
/SetCurrent                --> Read/Write: Charging current (A)

/AutoStart                 --> Read/Write: Start automatically (number)
    0 = Charger autostart disabled
    1 = Charger autostart enabled
/ChargingTime              --> Write: Total charging time (seconds)
/EnableDisplay             --> Read/Write: Lock charger display (number)
    0 = Control disabled
    1 = Control enabled
/Mode                      --> Read/Write: Charge mode (number)
    0 = Manual
    1 = Automatic
    2 = Scheduled
/Position                  --> Write: Charger position (number)
    0 = AC Input
    1 = AC Output
/StartStop                 --> Read/Write: Enable charging (number)
    0 = Enable charging: False
    1 = Enable charging: True
/Status                    --> Write: Status (number)
    0 = Disconnected
    1 = Connected
    2 = Charging
    3 = Charged
    4 = Waiting for sun
    5 = Waiting for RFID
    6 = Waiting for start
    7 = Low SOC
    8 = Ground test error
    9 = Welded contacts test error
    10 = CP input test error (shorted)
    11 = Residual current detected
    12 = Undervoltage detected
    13 = Overvoltage detected
    14 = Overheating detected
    15 = Reserved
    16 = Reserved
    17 = Reserved
    18 = Reserved
    19 = Reserved
    20 = Charging limit
    21 = Start charging
    22 = Switching to 3-phase
    23 = Switching to 1-phase
    24 = Stop charging

Read settings

Changed settings can be found on this MQTT path of the Venus OS broker:

N/<vrm_id>/evcharger/11/...

Install / Update

1. Login to your Venus OS device via SSH. See Venus OS:Root Access for more details.

2. Execute this commands to download and copy the files:

   wget -O /tmp/download_dbus-mqtt-ev-charger.sh https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mr-manuel/venus-os_dbus-mqtt-ev-charger/master/download.sh
   
   bash /tmp/download_dbus-mqtt-ev-charger.sh

3. Select the version you want to install.

4. Press enter for a single instance. For multiple instances, enter a number and press enter.

   Example:

   • Pressing enter or entering 1 will install the driver to /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger.
   • Entering 2 will install the driver to /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger-2.

Extra steps for your first installation

5. Edit the config file to fit your needs. The correct command for your installation is shown after the installation.

   • If you pressed enter or entered 1 during installation:

   nano /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger/config.ini

   • If you entered 2 during installation:

   nano /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger-2/config.ini

6. Install the driver as a service. The correct command for your installation is shown after the installation.

   • If you pressed enter or entered 1 during installation:

   bash /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger/install.sh

   • If you entered 2 during installation:

   bash /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger-2/install.sh

   The daemon-tools should start this service automatically within seconds.

Uninstall

⚠️ If you have multiple instances, ensure you choose the correct one. For example:

• To uninstall the default instance:

  bash /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger/uninstall.sh

• To uninstall the second instance:

  bash /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger-2/uninstall.sh

Restart

⚠️ If you have multiple instances, ensure you choose the correct one. For example:

• To restart the default instance:

  bash /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger/restart.sh

• To restart the second instance:

  bash /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger-2/restart.sh

Debugging

⚠️ If you have multiple instances, ensure you choose the correct one.

The logs can be checked with tail -n 100 -F /data/log/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger/current | tai64nlocal

The service status can be checked with svstat svstat /service/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger

This will output somethink like /service/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger: up (pid 5845) 185 seconds

If the seconds are under 5 then the service crashes and gets restarted all the time. If you do not see anything in the logs you can increase the log level in /data/etc/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger/dbus-mqtt-ev-charger.py by changing level=logging.WARNING to level=logging.INFO or level=logging.DEBUG

If the script stops with the message dbus.exceptions.NameExistsException: Bus name already exists: com.victronenergy.evcharger.mqtt_ev_charger" it means that the service is still running or another service is using that bus name.

Compatibility

This software supports the latest three stable versions of Venus OS. It may also work on older versions, but this is not guaranteed.

Screenshots

MQTT EV Charger