Hey everyone! I've got a bit of a beginner question regarding powering my Raspberry Pi 5 for a Solar Assistant setup. I recently noticed that my Wi-Fi dongle for my SunSynk inverter and battery isn't working, so I found out about Solar Assistant. I plan to connect the Pi to the RS232 socket once I get the right cable, but I'm not sure about the power situation. Should I power the Pi separately, or can I get power through the RS232-USB cable? If the Pi can be powered straight from my inverter or battery, what kind of cable would I need, or can the RS232-USB cable handle both power and data? Just trying to figure out if I need to install an extra power socket in my loft for this. Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!
1 Answer
You won’t be able to power the Pi directly through the RS232 from the inverter. You’ll need a separate 5V power source for it. Make sure to use an isolated RS232 cable to avoid any voltage or ground issues between the inverter and the Pi.
Thanks for the info! Quick question, would this isolated RS232 adapter work for that? [Link](https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/interface-adapters-converters/6877806)