Victron (Node-RED) Automation Scripts

Victron Cerbo GX and Ekrano GX Automation Scripts

The Victron Energy ecosystem is about as flexible as a yoga instructor—thanks to the Cerbo GX/Ekrano GX system controller's ability to run Node‑RED, we can create virtually any automation you dream up. Whether you’re looking to add a single-button “inverter on” switch or build a full “set‑and‑forget” energy management suite, the only limit is your imagination.

All configuration and interaction is through clean, mobile friendly web-pages.  If your GX device is networked and you have a device with a browser on board, you can run them! (Note, Remote operation is also possible using the VRM portal!)

Node‑RED Automations Currently Available

1. Auto‑Powering for Inverter/Chargers - $35

 

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This one’s a Swiss Army knife for off‑grid comfort and efficiency. Features include:

• Auto‑Off on Low Load: If your AC power consumption dips below a set wattage for a set period, the inverter/charger powers down to save standby power (and vampire currents-phone chargers and the like ).

• Configurable On/Off Cycling: Ideal for running air‑con overnight—you choose an “on” interval (e.g., 45 minutes), an “off” interval (e.g., 120 minutes), and how many cycles to run (e.g., 3). A simple press of a button on your Smartphone starts the process and allows for configuration changes!

• Power off at a Set Time of Day: Maybe you want the inverter to turn off every night at midnight, or you want to run your Air Con until 02:00.  This feature allows you to do that.  You  can configure it to run once, run many times, or run always.

• SoC Safeguard: Should your battery SoC fall below a guardrail you set, the script immediately kills the inverter to protect your bank.

• Auto-Off if shore power becomes disconnected: Prevents your battery bank from running down if shore power un-expectedly goes away.

• Plug‑and‑Play Settings: All thresholds, timers, and cycle counts are exposed as easy‑to‑tweak variables in the Node‑RED dashboard.

Auto Inverter Control Dashboard

2. Remote Inverter/Charger Toggle - $10

 

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Ever wish you could power up your inverter/charger without the numerous button presses required on the Cerbo GX or Ekrano GX? This script watches for an input to change, either from the push of a hard-wired button, or on a tiny RF remote control and toggles the status of the inverter/charger from on to off or vice-versa—no smartphone, no app, no fanfare. It’s perfect when paired with the Auto Powering Script that automatically turns off idle Inverter/Chargers.  We have a small remote button in the galley and simply  press it for about a second when we want the Inverter/Charger to turn on, no need to fumble through 6 presses on the GX Touch!

The Script includes "switch de-bouncing" to make sure you don't make your Inverter/Charger turn on then right back off because of noise ("bouncing") on the switch signal.

There is no configuration required, so no user interface to mess with. Once installed, you are done!

Note: This script will require the wiring of a physical momentary push button switch which you can locate somewhere in the vicinity of your GX device or the installation of a small remote control, such as this one: https://a.co/d/iMcvyke.  With this approach you can use double sided tape to mount up to 4 On/Off buttons wherever most convenient!

3. Smart Hot Water Heater Control - $30 

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Stop wasting excess solar and start enjoying hot water on sunshine alone! This flow watches for threes conditions simultaneously:

• Time of Day within the range you specify (e.g., 10:00 - 16:00)

• Battery State‑of‑Charge (SoC) greater than your chosen threshold (.e.g. 85%)

• Solar input greater than your chosen threshold (e.g., 850W)

When both boxes are ticked, your hot water heater(s) fire up for exactly the duration you specify—so you never lose out on free solar energy, and you’re never left cold.

The script is very customizable to cover as many user needs as possible.  These include

• Run everyday if on Shore Power: Yes/No
• Automatically turn off Hot Water Heaters at midnight: Yes/No (In case left on)
• Automatically turn off Hot Water Heaters is they were started manually: Yes/No
• Automatically turn on your Inverter/Charger when Heating Water: Yes/No
• Automatically turn off your Inverter/Charger when Heating is Complete: Yes/No

The script can also detect engines running if you have alternators that will cause "negative" DC Load power and automatically count that as time the heaters have been running each day.

See the Screenshot below to see the settings and reporting that make configuration easy and typically a one-time thing.

Hot Water Control Dashboard

Note: For this script, you will need to have an AC power relay installed that can handle the power of your Hot Water Heater(s).

This relay will typically be placed in the AC power lines after your Hot Water Heater Breaker(s), which will now be always let in the on position. The coil, or input, to the relay will be controlled by a output relay on the Cerbo GX / Ekrano GX. 

You will be able to manually turn on your Hot Water Heater(s) at any time by using a switch on the Touch GX display, or from the scripts web interface. A schematic diagram will be provided illustrating what is required. 

NO LIABILITY IS ASSUMED FOR IMPORPER INSTALLTION OF THIS CIRCUIT.  THIS SHOULD BE INSTALLED TO AYBC STANDARDS BY A CAPABLE MARINE ELECTRICIAN.

4. Custom Scripts, Your Way

Every boat, Victron Setup, and power profile is different—if you need something bespoke, I’m your guy. Pricing and scope are handled on a case‑by‑case basis, so drop me a line at mike@onanewtack.com with your idea. We’ll hash out feasibility, timeline, and cost, and have you running your Victron system like a digital ninja in no time.