Victron Energy Zigbee to USB Converter & Zigbee to RS485

The Victron Energy Zigbee to USB Converter (DRF2658C) and the Victron Energy Zigbee to RS485 Converter (DRF2659C) are communication interface devices designed to bridge Zigbee-enabled energy meters with Victron Energy GX series monitoring and control devices. These converters allow energy flow data to be transmitted wirelessly via Zigbee and then translated into protocols that GX devices can interpret.

Zigbee is a low-power wireless communication standard ideal for short-range connectivity between devices that must operate reliably and with minimal energy — perfect for modern energy systems that include smart meters and distributed energy resources.

Features & Benefits

• Wireless Zigbee Communication: Enables stable wireless data transfer between energy meters and Victron GX devices, reducing the need for long and costly communication cables.
• Dual Converter Solution (USB & RS485): Includes Zigbee to USB (DRF2658C) for direct GX device connection and Zigbee to RS485 (DRF2659C) for integration with industrial and Modbus-based energy meters.
• Seamless Victron GX Integration: Fully compatible with Victron GX devices such as Cerbo GX and Venus GX, allowing real-time energy monitoring and data visualization on VRM.
• Reliable Data Transmission: Zigbee mesh networking ensures stable communication even in environments with obstacles, ideal for residential, commercial, and rural installations.
• Cost-Effective Installation: Wireless setup minimizes trenching, conduit, and cabling costs, making it suitable for solar projects in remote and hard-to-wire locations.
• Low Power Consumption: Zigbee technology is optimized for low energy use, supporting continuous operation without adding significant load to the system.
• RS485 Noise Immunity: RS485 interface offers strong resistance to electrical interference, ensuring accurate data transfer in industrial and high-load environments.
• Scalable System Design: Supports future expansion, allowing additional meters or system upgrades without major rewiring or system downtime.
• Ideal for Solar & Hybrid Systems: Provides accurate energy flow data for grid-tied, off-grid, and hybrid solar systems, improving battery management and load control.
• Optimized for African & Tanzanian Conditions: Designed for reliable operation in warm climates and mixed infrastructure environments commonly found across Tanzania.

Use Cases

• Wireless Energy Meter Integration: Connect Zigbee-enabled energy meters wirelessly to Victron GX devices without running long RS485 or data cables, ideal for clean and fast installations.
• Solar PV System Monitoring: Transmit real-time AC power, energy consumption, and generation data from energy meters to GX devices for accurate monitoring of solar performance.
• Hybrid Solar + Grid Systems: Monitor grid import and export data wirelessly, helping system owners understand energy usage patterns and manage grid dependence more efficiently.
• Battery Storage & Load Management: Enable GX devices to receive precise load data from meters, allowing smarter battery charging, discharging, and load-shedding decisions.
• Retrofit & Upgrade Projects: Add wireless communication to existing installations where rewiring is impractical or costly, especially in completed residential or commercial buildings.
• Mini-Grid & Off-Grid Installations: Support remote power systems by simplifying meter-to-controller communication, reducing installation complexity in rural and island locations.
• Commercial & Industrial Energy Monitoring: Integrate multiple meters across different areas of a facility using Zigbee, then feed data into a central GX device for energy analysis.
• Temporary or Mobile Power Systems: Ideal for containerized solar systems, mobile power units, and temporary sites where quick setup and flexibility are required.
• Noise-Sensitive Electrical Environments: Use Zigbee wireless communication to avoid interference issues common with long RS485 cable runs in electrically noisy environments.
• Smart Energy Management & Remote Monitoring: Enable accurate data reporting to the Victron VRM portal via GX devices, allowing system owners and installers in Tanzania to monitor systems remotely.

Value Propositions

• Wireless Cost Savings: Eliminates long RS485 cable runs between energy meters and GX devices, reducing material, labor, and installation time—especially valuable for large homes, farms, and commercial sites in Tanzania.
• Reliable Data Transmission: Zigbee technology ensures stable, low-latency communication for real-time energy monitoring, even in environments where wired connections are impractical.
• Flexible System Integration: Dual interface options (USB and RS485) allow seamless connection to Victron GX devices and existing monitoring infrastructure without system redesign.
• Ideal for Solar & Hybrid Systems: Supports accurate monitoring of grid, generator, solar, and battery energy flows—critical for optimizing off-grid, hybrid, and mini-grid systems common across Tanzania.
• Easy Retrofit for Existing Installations: Enables older or already-installed energy meters to connect wirelessly to modern Victron GX controllers, avoiding costly rewiring or system downtime.
• Enhanced System Visibility: Provides real-time power and energy data to GX devices and Victron Remote Management (VRM), enabling better operational decisions and faster fault detection.
• Reduced Maintenance & Downtime: Fewer physical cables mean fewer failure points, improving long-term reliability in dusty, humid, or remote operating environments.
• Scalable for Growing Energy Needs: Supports expansion as energy systems grow—additional meters or loads can be integrated without major infrastructure changes.
• Installer & Technician Friendly: Simple setup and proven Victron compatibility reduce training time for local installers and service providers.
• Strong Fit for Tanzanian Energy Transition: Supports efficient solar adoption, energy accountability, and smart power management in residential, commercial, agricultural, and rural electrification projects.

Local Market Positioning in Tanzania

• Rising Demand for Smart Energy Management: Tanzania’s energy management and smart tech adoption is growing as consumers and businesses seek real-time monitoring and better control of energy usage — creating demand for smart interface devices like Zigbee converters that bridge meters with monitoring systems.
• Growth of Smart Meter Deployments: The market for smart electric meters in Tanzania is expanding, driven by government and utility initiatives to modernize electricity infrastructure and improve consumption data accuracy. This increases the relevance of Zigbee converters to integrate smart meters with central GX controllers.
• Integration with Solar and Off-Grid Solutions: Solar energy systems are widely adopted in urban and rural Tanzania due to grid unreliability and the push for renewable energy access. Zigbee converters enable wireless integration of energy meters with Victron GX devices, enhancing monitoring in solar + battery installations widely used locally.
• Preferred by Professional Installers: Local installers and solar solution providers — including distributors who already sell Victron inverters and controllers — see value in adding smart data connectivity using Zigbee to differentiate premium systems.
• Improving Data-Driven Decisions: For commercial micro-grids, businesses, and community energy projects, accurate consumption and production data helps optimize energy usage — converters enable wireless data flow into central controllers.
• Reduced Installation Complexity: Wireless Zigbee connectivity avoids long cable runs in large compounds or remote installations — attractive in Tanzania where infrastructure retrofits can be challenging.
• Positioning vs. Traditional Solutions: These converters are positioned above basic wired interfaces in terms of user convenience, scalability, and future-proofing — appealing to customers willing to invest in smart energy systems.
• Aligned with Renewable Trends: With smart solar adoption and energy storage gaining momentum, products that enable data-centric energy monitoring (like these Zigbee converters) align well with market direction toward intelligent energy systems.

Technical Specification