DSMR data jibberish?

Configuration
1

Hi all, this is my first time using home assistant so I’m unsure if I’m asking my question correctly but here we go.

I installed HA on a Raspberry pi 4 and that’s up and running. I then plugged in a P1 to USB cable into my smart (Belgian) meter and opened the port to with my energy provider to be able to use it.

Next, I installed this integration DSMR Smart Meter - Home Assistant and eventually was able to pick version 5B for Belgian meters.

I don’t see any smart meter tab in my dashboard but guess I should add that somehow, but my main concern is that I think I just don’t get any data in HA from my meter.

“Enable debug logging” on the above integration shows me this scribbled data:

2025-03-31 22:49:58.679 DEBUG (MainThread) [dsmr_parser.clients.protocol] received data: nþÜüüüþÿÿînþÜüüüþüüüüüþ¾üÿüþüüþ¾üüþüüüüüþ¾üÿüþüüþ¾üüþüüüüüþ¾üüþþ¾üÿüþüüüþŽü
2025-03-31 22:49:58.692 DEBUG (MainThread) [dsmr_parser.clients.protocol] received data: ~ÿÿþŽüÿüüþþ¾üÿÿüþüþŽÿnÿÜþŽnÿÜþŽnÿÜþŽÿþÿÜþŽüÿüþþŽÿÿÿüþüüþŽÿÿ
2025-03-31 22:49:58.705 DEBUG (MainThread) [dsmr_parser.clients.protocol] received data: ïÿ÷þÿÿÿþŽÿÿþüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüþŽÿÿÿüþÿþŽÿÿþüÿÿþüüüþþŽÿÿüþüüþŽÿ
2025-03-31 22:49:58.720 DEBUG (MainThread) [dsmr_parser.clients.protocol] received data: ïþÿÿüüüüüþŽÿþüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüüþŽÿoüÿÿüüþüüüüÿüþ>þþ

Does that look like a failing cable or something? It’s a new one (al be it from aliexpress with good reviews from Belgian/Dutch users stating it works with RPI and HA).

Also, when playing with the energy tab and trying to get something useful to show up, it says “You don’t have any statistics” when I click on grid consumption.

Any ideas on what I could try further?
Thanks a lot for helping a newbie out!

2

Hi yoitsme,

  1. What is the model of your P1-to-USB convert ?
  2. Which configuration did you set in the DSMR integration ?

Edit: Are you sure you use the right /dev/ttyUSBx port ?

Best regards

3

Great questions.

Not sure if you are looking for the cable type in your first question? I bought this one https://nl.aliexpress.com/item/1005001747429524.html and my meter is fluvius sagecom xs

As for your second question, I didn’t have many options to set but I installed DSMR Smart Meter - Home Assistant and picked option 5B for Belgian meters as set in the docs.

it’s the right ttyUSB, as I only see one (and only have one USB device/cable connected to the raspberry).

Thanks for taking the time to think with me here!

4

Did you try to connect the USB convert to a PC/Mac and use a minicom-like software ?

In the documentation, they talk about setting the serial port config. I think it should be a good idea to put -XONXOFF instead of XONXOFF. For the developement, I did around P1, I never enable the XONXOFF flow control

If your P1-to-USB convert is just a tunnel, that encapsulates serial data in a USB frame, P1 port will most likely not use XONXOFF flow control. Smart meter just uses a “Data request” pin.
Indeed, P1 port of Belgian smart meter is a simplified part/mode of the DSMR protocol. It is an unidirectional serial link. P1 send data as soon Data Request pin is asserted.

eMUCs - P1 v1.6 from GitHub (Fluvius does not broadcast anymore its documentation. You have to request it…)

5

Interesting, I’ll try to connect the USB to my mac and get cutecom to run and see what the output is, glad to not be at a dead end here yet! Will report back when I have some results

thanks again @hapasse