<<PackageHeader(ros_mppt)>> <<TOC(4)>>

## AUTOGENERATED DON'T DELETE
## CategoryPackage
= MPPT ROS Package =

== Introduction ==
The aim of this package is to send splitted data from a MPPT device in ros. The package reads holding values from the MPPT, which are sent using ve-direct protocol via serial USB port.

== Installation ==
=== From the distro repo ===
{{{
sudo apt-get install ros-kinetic-ros_mppt
}}}
=== From sources ===
Clone the package from github repo into your catkin workspace and build as usual
{{{
$ git clone https://github.com/AaronPB/ros_mppt.git
}}}

== Customize the sender ==
Depending on the interested values from the serial communication interface, it is possible to define more values into the package.

'''MPPT Values:'''
||'''Label'''||'''Units'''||'''Description'''||'''Type of variable'''||
||V||mV||Main (battery) voltage||Float||
||I||mA||Battery current||Float||
||VPV||mV||Panel voltage||Float||
||PPV||W||Panel power||Float||
||PID|| ||Product ID||String||
||SER#|| ||Serial Number||String||
||HSDS|| ||Day sequence number (0 ... 364)||Int||
||MPPT|| ||Tracker operation mode||Int||
||ERR|| ||Error code||Int||
||CS|| ||State of operation||Int||
||H19||0.01 kW/h||Yield Total (user resettable counter)||Float||
||H20||0.01 kW/h||Yield today||Float||
||H21||W||Maximum power today||Float||
||H22||0.01 kW/h||Yield yesterday||Float||
||H23||W||Maximum power yesterday||Float||

=== Add the interested values into vemppt_ros ===

Choose those values you want to send from the topic, and modify the python file "vemppt_ros.py" adding them with this structure:

First, define the value where the other ones are already be defined:
{{{#!python
#Predefined values of msg
    msg.v_bat = -1
    msg.i_bat = -1
    msg.v_pv = -1
    msg.p_pv = -1
}}}

Then, add into the while loop the following lines of code:
{{{#!python
elif "V" in ve_read and "P" not in ve_read: #Filter
            try:
                ve_read = ve_read.split("\t") #Splitter
                msg.v_bat = float(ve_read[1]) * 0.001 #Value of splitted data
            except Exception as e: logging.error('Exception ocurred in V', exc_info=True) #Log info register in case of error
}}}

The first line is the filter, the "important filters" are already made so you only need to put the label of the value into a string (see the example).

The other line you have to care about, is the value of the splitted data. Define it following the MPPT values table.

==== Example ====
Imagine you want to see the error codes that the mppt is sending.

First, we define it in the predefined msg values section in vemppt_ros.py as msg.error_mppt:

{{{#!python
#Predefined values of msg
    msg.v_bat = -1
    msg.i_bat = -1
    msg.v_pv = -1
    msg.p_pv = -1
    msg.error_mppt = 0 #Let's say it has no error at the beginning
}}}

Then, we add the following lines of code into the while loop:
{{{#!python
elif "ERROR" in ve_read: #Filter with "ERROR" label
            try:
                ve_read = ve_read.split("\t") #Splitter (nothing changed)
                msg.error_mppt = int(ve_read[1]) #Value of splitted data (no operations needed, and defined as an integer)
            except Exception as e: logging.error('Exception ocurred in ERROR', exc_info=True) #Log info register in case of error ("V" modified to "ERROR")
}}}

The modified sender() method will looks like the following code:
{{{#!python
"""
    This file is part of ros_mppt.
    ros_mppt is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
    any later version.
    ros_mppt is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
    GNU General Public License for more details.
    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
    along with ros_mppt.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
"""

def sender():
    pub = rospy.Publisher('mppt_channel', mppt, queue_size=10)
    rospy.init_node('ros_mppt', anonymous=True)
    r = rospy.Rate(10)
    msg = mppt()

    #Predefined values of msg
    msg.v_bat = -1
    msg.i_bat = -1
    msg.v_pv = -1
    msg.p_pv = -1
    msg.error_mppt = 0

    while not rospy.is_shutdown():

        try:
            ve_read = ser.readline().decode("utf-8")
        except: logging.warning('Skipping decoding from ve_read line: ' + ve_read)

        if "V" in ve_read and "P" not in ve_read:
            try:
                ve_read = ve_read.split("\t")
                msg.v_bat = float(ve_read[1]) * 0.001
            except Exception as e: logging.error('Exception ocurred in V', exc_info=True)
        elif "I" in ve_read and "P" not in ve_read:
            try:
                ve_read = ve_read.split("\t")
                msg.i_bat = float(ve_read[1]) * 0.001
            except Exception as e: logging.error('Exception ocurred in I', exc_info=True)
        elif "VPV" in ve_read:
            try
                ve_read = ve_read.split("\t") * 0.001
                msg.v_pv = float(ve_read[1])
            except Exception as e: logging.error('Exception ocurred in VPV', exc_info=True)
        elif "PPV" in ve_read:
            try:
                ve_read = ve_read.split("\t")
                msg.p_pv = float(ve_read[1])
            except Exception as e: logging.error('Exception ocurred in PPV', exc_info=True)
        #Our new mppt value
        elif "ERROR" in ve_read:
            try:
                ve_read = ve_read.split("\t")
                msg.error_mppt = int(ve_read[1])
            except Exception as e: logging.error('Exception ocurred in ERROR', exc_info=True)

        rospy.loginfo(msg)
        pub.publish(msg)
        r.sleep()
}}}

Now, we have our new custom value created. But, we need to do something else to send it to the topic: define it in the .msg file.

=== Add new values in the .msg file ===
If you want to add more custom values to the mppt_channel topic you have to defined those in the .msg file.
Go to msg/mppt.msg in your catkin workspace and add the new custom values into them:
{{{
float64 v_bat
float64 i_bat
float64 v_pv
float64 p_pv
}}}

Following our previous example, we need to define msg.error_mppt into the mppt.msg file (as an integer):
{{{
float64 v_bat
float64 i_bat
float64 v_pv
float64 p_pv
int32 error_mppt
}}}

You can also define your own custom values just as state values or anything else.
More info of .msg files at the Documentation section.

== Run ros_mppt ==
To run the package first make sure to build it (also important if you made any changes at vemppt_ros.py):
{{{
$ cd ~/catkin_ws
$ catkin_make
$ . ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash
}}}
Then, just run roscore and vemppt_ros.py:
{{{
$ rosrun roscore
$ rosrun ros_mppt vemppt_ros.py
}}}

If you want to save the topic, you can use the rosbag command:
{{{
$ rosbag -a
}}}

More info about ros commands at the Documentation section.

== Documentation ==
=== GitHub Repositories ===
[[https://github.com/AaronPB/vemppt_reader|vemppt_reader|class=blue solid]] MPPT data registration into a xls file for experimental purposes.

[[https://github.com/AaronPB/ros_mppt|ros_mppt|class=blue solid]] MPPT ROS package.

=== Victron Energy Documents ===
==== VE Direct Protocol ====
[[https://www.victronenergy.com.es/download-document/2036/ve.direct-protocol-3.25.pdf|[PDF] VE.Direct Protocol|class=blue solid]] VE.Direct Protocol - Version 3.25.

[[https://www.victronenergy.com.es/download-document/4459/bluesolar-hex-protocol-mppt.pdf|[PDF] BlueSolar HEX|class=blue solid]] !BlueSolar HEX protocol MPPT.

[[https://www.victronenergy.com/live/mppt-error-codes|[WIKI] MPPT Solar Charger Error Codes|class=blue solid]]

=== ROS Wiki Information ===
[[http://wiki.ros.org/ROS/Tutorials/CreatingMsgAndSrv#Introduction_to_msg_and_srv|[WIKI] ROS MSG Formats|class=blue solid]]

[[http://wiki.ros.org/ROS/CommandLineTools|[WIKI] ROS CommandLineTools|class=blue solid]]

[[http://wiki.ros.org/ROS/Tutorials/CreatingPackage|[WIKI] ROS Basic Indications for packages|class=blue solid]]