ccgx serial console
The serial console (ttyO0) of the ccgx is available on the VE.Direct port 1 at the back of the device. It has a double function: it can be used to access the serial console, and can also be used to connect a VE.Direct product. This double function wasn't the best decision in hindsight. But it is what it is.
During boot-up, the kernel writes all its data to the serial console. As they normally do. Once initialization is completed, there are two options:
- (default) The port is used as a normal VE.Direct port. serialstarter.sh runs all VE.Direct applications against that port until one sticks: a (crude) plug-and-play implementation.
- vegetty is started for that port.
You need to enable the Serial Console on VE.Direct Port 1 option on the CCGX menu. That function is hidden, to get it, first set the access level to Superuser, as described here.
The gui is the application that looks at the setting, and enables and starts vegetty as a daemon service when required.
VE.Direct Port 1 is an isolated port. To make it work, the isolated side needs to be powered externally with anything between 3 to 5V. Normally, when used as a VE.Direct port, it is powered by the connected VE.Direct device.
Pin functions (pin 1 is the one on the left-hand side, when having the slot at the top like on this image):
| PIN | Function |
|---|---|
| pin 1 (at the left) | V- |
| pin 2 | RX or TX |
| pin 3 | TX or RX |
| pin 4 | V+ |
At Victron we modify our standard VE.Direct USB cables for that.