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--- vedirect_lorawan [2019-11-08 14:53] – lasse
+++ vedirect_lorawan [2020-09-29 09:56] – [FAQ] mvader
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-**tip: Software Update**
+====== VE.Direct LoRaWAN module manual ======
+**NOTICE: Software Update**
 All units with versions earlier than v1.05 have been recalled for a free software update; due to the issue that they stop transmitting after a while. How long it takes before they stop transmitting varies; and is typically between 12 and 60 days.
 You can find your version number in the VRM portal. Go to your installation -> open device list in the left menu -> unfold the gateway tab and find the firmware version.
-====== VE.Direct LoRaWAN module manual ======
 ===== Introduction =====
-Thank you for purchasing a VE.Direct LoRaWAN module. It allows you to connect other Victron equipment, such as your Battery Monitor (BMV); Solar Charger; or Phoenix Inverter, to the Victron Remote Management (VRM Portal) portal. The portal is available to use free of charge, and from it you can view the status of your installation from anywhere in the world using your desktop device or mobile phone. Here are some examples of the kind of information you will be able to view:
+Thank you for purchasing a VE.Direct LoRaWAN module. It allows you to connect other Victron equipment, such as your Battery Monitor (BMV); Solar Charger; or Phoenix Inverter, to the Victron Remote Management (VRM Portal) portal. The portal is available to use free of charge, and from it you can view the status of your installation from anywhere in the world using your desktop device or mobile phone.
-[[https://vrm.victronenergy.com/installation/13561/share/dc5d745e|BMV Battery Monitor demo]]
-[[https://vrm.victronenergy.com/installation/13305/share/2c03d2b1|Inverter demo]]
-[[https://vrm.victronenergy.com/installation/13474/share/c0f69980|MPPT Solar Charger demo]]
 ===== LoRaWAN radio frequencies and coverage =====
 **warning: LoRaWAN Coverage**
-The LoRaWAN network is not a commercial network. Public gateways are maintained by the community and coverage can not be guaranteed.
+The "The Things Network" LoRaWAN network is not a commercial network. Public gateways are maintained by the community and coverage can not be guaranteed.
 The VE.Direct LoRaWAN (Long Range wide area network) module is essentially a radio transmitter which broadcasts data (in this instance information about the status of your Victron installation) to a nearby Internet of Things (IoT) gateway. The gateway should be within about 2km of your location if you live in a town, but could be as far away as 15km if you live in a rural location. This device uses infrastructure provided by 'The Things Network'. Their network of gateways is constantly expanding and you can check coverage in your area here: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/map.
 **tip: Add your own gateway**
-You can even expand the IoT infrastructure to your area by establishing a new gateway. The hardware cost would be a few hundred Euro's, and you would need a power supply and an internet connection.
+You can even expand the TTN IoT infrastructure to your area by establishing a new gateway. The hardware cost would be a few hundred Euro's, and you would need a power supply and an internet connection.
 ==== Recommended LoRaWAN gateways ====
@@ Line 55: / Line 54: @@
   * All MPPT Solar Charge Controllers which have a VE.Direct Port
   * BMV Battery Monitor 700 series
-  * BMV Battery Monitor 710 Smart series
+  * BMV Battery Monitor 712 Smart series
+  * [[https://www.victronenergy.com/panel-systems-remote-monitoring/smart-battery-shunt|SmartShunt]]
   * Phoenix Inverter VE.Direct models
@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
   - Mount the LoRaWAN Module close to the device you wish to monitor
   - Connect the VE.Direct cable between devices
-  - Connect the DC Power (8V - 68V)
+  - Connect the DC Power (8V - 68V, looking to the module with green connector below of the module, the positive is on the left)
   - After a short wait the LED will blink green indicating that all is OK
   - Go to the VRM Portal to add your installation
@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
 After this first transmission, it will send the most important data hourly:
-**BMV Battery Monitor**
+**BMV and SmartShunt Battery Monitor**
   * Battery Voltage
@@ Line 122: / Line 122: @@
 **Current draw**
-mA @ 12V
+  * 15 mA @ 12V
-,5 mA @ 24V
+  * 8,5 mA @ 24V
-,5 mA @ 48V
+  * 5,5 mA @ 48V
 ===== Trouble shooting the connection =====
@@ Line 140: / Line 140: @@
 **Step 5:** Check LoRaWAN signal strength On VRM, go to the Device list entry and unfold the Gateway entry. In the list you will find the RSSI and SNR parameters, whom together indicate the quality of the wireless connection.
+{{::e7bb161bad2bc38736f3de12b8184eb4cb403641f2b030bc6aaffffc09cede6c.png?direct|}}
+A higher RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) indicates a better signal, where -30dB is the best possible, and -130 dB the worst: no signal it all. Everything below -75 dB is considered a bad connection and has a high risk of packet loss. The SNR is the Signal to Noise Ratio. This ranges from positive plus 10 to negative -20. Anything above 6 and below -10 is good.
+If you have a bad connection try to place the antenna in a higher position or closer to the gateway. Typical range of LoRaWAN is around 2km in an urban area and up to 15km in rural areas with a good gateway.
+**Step 6:** Verify completeness of data on VRM The LoRaWAN network needs to receive three messages before making all the device data available on the VRM Portal. As the LoRaWAN network is a lossy network it is possible that not all of those messages are received the first time. These messages are only sent once every 24 hours by the VE.Direct LoRAWAN device. To solve without waiting 24 hours, power cycle the module and try again.
 ===== FAQ =====
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 **Q9 Is a GX Device like a Color Control GX or Venus GX required?**
-No, the data will be sent straight to the VRM Portal.
+No, a GX device is not required, the data from the VE.Direct device will be sent straight to the VRM Portal from the dongle via the LoRaWan network.
 **Q10 The Peak Power Pack has a VE.Direct port, will the device work with that?**
 No.
 **Q11 I connected the module to a BMV, and then later connected it to an MPPT - but I can't see the new data …why not?**
 Make sure you power-cycle the LoRaWAN module by switching it off whilst connecting it to a different VE Direct device. Or wait for a minimum of 24 hours.
+**Q12 Can I connect my VE.Direct device to a LoRaWan dongle and a GX device (eg Cerbo GX) at the same time?**
+It is not possible to connect a VE.Direct devices with a single communications port (eg MPPT or BMV) to a GX device and the LoRaWan dongle at the same time.
+**Q13 Can the unit be used with another network than TTN?**
+Quite regularly we get requests to be able to use another network, ie. another one than TTN. Because TTN is not popular in a certain area, or because there already is another strong network, like TTI (The Things Industries), and so forth. Unfortunately that is not possible. To support another network, two things need doing:
+  - Change the parameters in the VE.Direct LoRaWAN module - which is currently not possible as there is no user interface nor communications port and or protocol to change its settings.
+  - Connect our VRM back-end to the other network. For which there is no standard API, and therefore requires Victron development resources.
+The -unfortunate- conclusion is that the VE.Direct LoRaWAN module can only be used with the TTN network, and that we cannot help with with or support other networks. End of 2020 we'll launch another product, which uses the cellular LTE-M networks, and is a good alternative.