Color Control GX Manual

In order to keep this document short we are going to refer to all Multis, Quattros and Inverters as VE.Bus products.

The earliest version of VE.Bus devices that can be connected using the CCGX is 19xx111, where the first 2 digits represent the microprocessor and the last 3 digits represent the VE.Bus firmware version.

Note that for Multis, Quattros and EasySolars, it is not possible to use the Remote On/Off (header on the VE.Bus control PCB) in combination with a CCGX. There should be a wire between the left and middle terminal, as it is when shipped from the factory. In case a wired switch that disables the system is required, use the Safety Switch Assistant instead.

This limitation does not apply to the next generation of VE.Bus inverter/chargers: when using a MultiPlus-II, Quattro-II or EasySolar-II, the Remote on/off terminal header *can* be used in combination with Color Control GX.

Single VE.Bus products

To connect a single VE.Bus product, connect it to one of the VE.Bus sockets on the back of the CCGX. Both sockets are identical, use either one. Use a standard RJ45 UTP cable, see our pricelist.

Parallel, split- and three-phase VE.Bus systems

To connect multiple VE.Bus products, configured as a parallel, split-phase or three-phase VE.Bus system, connect either the first or the last VE.Bus product in the chain to either one of the VE.Bus sockets on the back of the CCGX. Use a standard RJ45 UTP cable, see our pricelist.

Systems consisting of five or more VE.Bus products, connected to a CCGX with serial number HQ1628 or earlier require the CCGX dongle for large VE.Bus systems (Product Number: BPP900300100).

VE.Bus systems with Lithium batteries and a VE.Bus BMS

Combining the CCGX with a Digital Multi Control

It is possible to connect both a CCGX and a Digital Multi Control to a VE.Bus system. The ability to switch the product On, Off or set it to Charger Only via the CCGX will be disabled. The same applies to the input current limit: when there is a Digital Multi Control in the system, the input current limit which is set at that control panel will be the master-setting, and changing it on the CCGX will not be possible.

Connecting multiple VE.Bus systems to a single CCGX

Only one VE.Bus system can be connected to the VE.Bus ports on the back of the CCGX. The professional way to to monitor more systems is to add a second CCGX

If you do require to connect more than one system to the same CCGX, use an MK3-USB. Functionality will be limited:

Alternatively the VE.Bus to VE.Can interface (ASS030520105) can be used. Add one for each additional system. Note that we advise against it; this interface is a deprecated product. Make sure that the VE.Can network is terminated and powered. For powering the VE.Can network, see Q17 in our data communication whitepaper.

Additional features provided by a GX device to VE.Bus products

An internet connected GX device allows for remote configuration via the VRM Portal. Please read the Remote VE.Configure manual for more information, system requirements and specific steps to access this feature.

The internet connected GX device also allows remotely updating the firmware of VE.Bus products. For details see the Remote VE.Bus firmware updates manual.

All energy meter types can be assigned the AC meter role. This is done in Settings → Energy meters → [your_energy_meter] → Role menu where you choose between Grid, PV Inverter, Generator and AC meter. With AC meter selected, the load will be shown in the Device list and on VRM in the advanced widgets.

Direct connection via a VE.Direct cable is limited to the number of VE.Direct ports on the device (see Overview of Connections). There are two types of VE.Direct cables available:

VE.Direct cables have a maximum length of 10 metres. It is not possible to extend them. If longer lengths are required, use a VE.Direct to USB interface with an active USB extension cable.

It is also possible to use the VE.Direct to VE.Can interface, but note that this only works for BMV-700 and BMV-702. Not for the BMV-712, MPPT solar chargers and Inverters with a VE.Direct port. See next paragraph for more information on that VE.Can interface.

Connecting more VE.Direct devices to your Color Control GX than number of VE.Direct Ports

First of all, note that the maximum of VE.Direct devices that can be connected is GX device specific, and constrained by the CPU power. It may also be reduced for very complex systems, such as many AC PV inverters or synchronised inverter chargers, etc. So always allow some additional headroom in the design. How they are connected, whether via VE.Direct, via USB or USB hub, does not change this maximum. See the Victron GX product range for the maximum limit on all GX devices.

For the CCGX, this limit is 5.

Options to connect more VE.Direct products than available VE.Direct ports:

Notes about older VE.Direct MPPTs

To connect a product with a VE.Can port, use a standard RJ45 UTP cable (available with straight and elbow connectors).

Don't forget to terminate the VE.Can network at both ends using a VE.Can terminator. A bag with two terminators is supplied with each VE.Can product. They are also available separately.

Other notes:

The following VE.Can products also support VictronConnect-Remote (VC-R) – Configuration and monitoring via VRM. Please read the VictronConnect manual for further details.

The Color Control GX has one VE.Can interface that is electrically isolated.

VE.Can is intended to be used for Victron (and Victron compatible) VE.Can products, such as the VE.Can MPPTs, Skylla-IP65, Lynx Shunt VE.Can and Lynx Smart BMS. You can string these VE.Can 250 kbit/s devices together along this bus. It must be terminated at both ends with the included VE.Can terminators.

You can set the VE.Can port from 250 kbit/s to 500 kbit/s (or one of several other CANbus speeds or profiles for other CANbus applications) in the Remote Console Device List → Settings → Services → VE.Can Port 1/2 → CAN-bus Profile.

By default; VE.Can is set to 250 kbit/s & BMS-Can (if present) to 500 kbit/s.

Other types of Batteries and BMS may claim compatibility with BMS-Can or VE.Can, but if they are not on the battery compatibility list, then they have not been tested and confirmed to work by Victron.

One extra element of possible confusion is that there are some BMS products on the market that use a CANbus-BMS profile at 250 kbit/s. These BMS products can only be connected to the VE.Can port, and it must also be set to match this (VE.Can & CAN-bus BMS (250 kbit/s)) in the services menu for the VE.Can port. They can be used in the same cable daisy chain as other Victron VE.Can devices.

The Inverter RS, Inverter RS Solar and Multi RS have both VE.Direct and VE.Can interfaces. For these specific products, it is only possible to connect a GX device via the VE.Can interface. It is not possible to connect a GX device via the VE.Direct interface.

The VE.Direct interface on these specific products is only used for connection of a VE.Direct to USB adapter for programming.

This restriction does not apply to the MPPT RS, which can be connected to a GX device via either VE.Direct or VE.Can.

See the VE.Can resistive tank sender adapter product page for details about the adapter.

The GX Tank 140 is an accessory for our range of GX system monitoring products.

It takes readings from up to four tank level sensors.

Tank levels can be read-out locally in the system, as well remotely through our VRM Portal.

The GX Tank 140 is compatible with current senders (4 to 20mA) as well as voltage senders (0 to 10V). The connection to the GX device is via USB, which is also how the GX Tank is powered: no additional power wires required.

To make wiring the tank sender as simple as possible, two of the four inputs provide a 24V power supply, to power the sender. Using the other two channels requires an external power supply, and there is a power in terminal together with fused outputs to facilitate that.

Upper and lower limits are configurable, to allow using senders that provide only part of the scale, for example 0 to 5V.

For marine applications, the GX device can transmit these tank levels on the NMEA 2000 network to be picked up by other displays such as an MFD.

The GX Tank 140 product page links to the complete documentation of this product.

The Victron VM-3P75CT energy meter is a standard device to measure the power and energy of single- and three-phase applications, for example, at the distribution box or to measure the output of a PV Inverter, AC Genset or the output of an inverter and inverter/charger. The energy meter calculates each phase's power values and broadcasts this over VE.Can or Ethernet with a high rate.

It has built-in Ethernet and VE.Can ports for the connection to a GX device and the split-core current transformers enable easy and quick installation without modifying existing wiring. Its data is displayed on a GX device such as the Cerbo GX or Ekrano GX , as well as in VictronConnect and our VRM Portal.

Set up and configure the VM-3P75CT as described in the energy meter manual. When doing so, ensure the energy meter is connected to the same local network as the GX device.

The following steps are not required if the energy meter connects to the GX device via VE.Can; this is plug-and-play. If the energy meter is connected via Ethernet, it must be activated after the initial installation:

In the GX device menu, go to Settings → Modbus TCP/UDP devices → Discovered devices and enable the discovered energy meter; it's disabled by default when first installed and powered.
The VM-3P75CT then becomes visible in the Device List and can be monitored from there. For more details, see the energy meter manual.

The EV Charging Station and EV Charging Station NS with its three-phase and single-phase charging capabilities integrates seamlessly into the Victron environment with its GX device connection via WiFi and enables easy operation and control via Bluetooth and the VictronConnect App.

Set up and configure the EVCS as described in the EV Charging Station manual. When doing so, ensure that firstly, GX device communication is enabled and secondly, the EV charging station is connected to the same local network as the GX device.

Next, Modbus TCP and the detected device must be activated on the GX device:

In the GX device menu, go to Settings → Services → Modbus TCP and enable Modbus TCP.
Next, go to Settings → Modbus TCP/UDP devices → Discovered devices to enable the discovered EVCS. Note that EV Charging Stations that were connected to the GX device prior to a GX device firmware update to 3.12 will be activated automatically. Newly added devices, however, must be activated manually via this menu.
The EVCS then becomes visible in the Device List and can be controlled and monitored from there. For more details, see the EVCS manual.