Integrate Victron Into Home Assistant Using MQTT (bi-directionally!)

Learn how to integrate Victron electrical systems into Home Assistant using a Cerbo (such as the GX) via MQTT for local, bi-directional monitoring and control of your Victron Electrical components!

This step-by-step guide will walk you through setting up add-ons such as Studio Code Server, SSH, and Mosquitto so that you can setup and integrate Victron Energy systems into Home Assistant with bi-directional control. We’ll go over configuring your Cerbo device as well as manually configuring MQTT entities inside Home Assistant.

TWO bonus topics include automating your Victron entities and using the Home Assistant Recorder to reduce the database write-frequency and size for entities with lots of updates.

🚨 IF YOU ARE USING VENUS OS 3.5 and above...
Please be advised some security settings have changed. Visit slides 32-36 of this Victron Slide Document for information on setting security protocols: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1k9KLLQkqYH-aH_EZ8N2IuserK6xbaAukEs3fc3w7Gkg/edit?a=v350&pli=1#slide=id.g31299d9f664_99_9

If you don't have Home Assistant up and running, head to the beginning of this playlist to get going: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGOD8WIYv76tSs3Ax_OZ5ezP65ABSx18R

https://www.instagram.com/mikegoubeaux/

🛠️ SMARTY VAN INSTALL SERVICE

Don't feel like you're up for a DIY Smarty Van? Check out https://smartyvan.com to learn how we can help.

💾 YAML & TERMINAL COMMANDS

Mosquitto configuration steps: https://gist.github.com/SmartyVan/48033c2bcb275c5dd5eb3afaa4b818cf
My victron.yaml MQTT configuration: https://gist.github.com/SmartyVan/7714e861d19a9415a8337a158d392a1e


📔 RESOURCES

Cerbo Control Centers (such as Cerbo GX): https://www.victronenergy.com/communication-centres
Mosquitto MQTT Broker: https://mosquitto.org
MQTT Explorer: http://mqtt-explorer.com
Victron MQTT GitHub: https://github.com/victronenergy/venus/wiki/dbus
UUID Generator: https://www.uuidgenerator.net

Home Assistant
MQTT Integration docs: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/mqtt/
MQTT Number docs: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/number.mqtt/
MQTT Switch docs: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/switch.mqtt/
MQTT Sensor docs: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/sensor.mqtt/
Packages: https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/configuration/packages/
Device Classes: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/sensor#device-class
Splitting up Home Assistant config: https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/configuration/splitting_configuration/
MDI icon library: https://pictogrammers.com/library/mdi/
Recorder: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/recorder/

🛒 PRODUCTS

Victron Cerbo GX: https://amzn.to/3Oe1sgR
Victron Cerbo Touch 50: https://amzn.to/3Z9nyaD
Victron Cerbo Touch 70: https://amzn.to/3Z8zj0S
Victron Ekrano GX: https://amzn.to/4hPs4lI
Victron MultiPlus II: https://amzn.to/48OvlxH
Victron MPPT 100/50: https://amzn.to/4hOybXE
Wakespeed WS500: https://www.wakespeed.com

Hardware I'm using:
Raspberry Pi 4 8GB Ram: https://amzn.to/4edmYh3
SanDisk MAX ENDURANCE 128GB: https://amzn.to/4eKNKgJ

New Raspberry Pi 5:
Raspberry Pi 5 8GB RAM Kit: https://amzn.to/4eE7y5e

DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. This helps us keep making content! Thanks so much.

0:00 Intro
3:16 Static IP Addresses
3:59 Activating MQTT on Cerbo
5:16 Home Assistant Add-Ons
8:14 Bridge Cerbo to MQTT
11:18 Create an MQTT User
12:08 Using MQTT Explorer
14:32 Keep-Alive Automation
16:20 Setting up configuration.yaml
18:50 Creating Victron MQTT Entities
31:48 Restart Home Assistant
32:17 Building an Electrical Dashboard
35:25 BONUS TOPIC: Automating Victron
37:42 BONUS TOPIC: Home Assistant Recorder
40:20 Wrap Up