Installation · Growatt

Install GridZeno on Growatt SPH BL-UP.

SPH TL BL-UP is Growatt's single-phase hybrid inverter. The ports are in a block on the underside. The dongle goes in 485-1, and SPH has to be told that an external controller is connected: the RS485 setting is set to VPP in the display.

Applies to: SPH 3000, 3600, 4000, 4600, 5000 and 6000TL BL-UP
Connection: Network cable with RJ45 plug
Time: About 20 minutes

The dongle finds out by itself how the inverter is controlled: with Growatt's VPP protocol when the firmware has it, otherwise with the inverter's own time windows. What GridZeno can do on Growatt SPH BL-UP

How the dongle recognises it: The type code 3501, 3502, 3503 or 3504 in holding 30000 (3501 is without VPP V2.01). The VPP version is in 30099, where 201 is V2.01.

GridZeno Dongle for Growatt SPH BL-UP

What you need

GridZeno Dongle: The device ID is on the label, e.g. GZ-A1B2C3.
Cable: A network cable that's re-crimped at the inverter end with only three wires.
RJ45 plug and crimping tool: For the inverter end. An RJ45 plug comes with the inverter.
Allen key: For the waterproof cover. It comes with the inverter.
USB power: A 5 V USB charger and a cable with USB-C.

The port

In the port block on the underside between USB and BAT, behind the waterproof cover: CT1/METER1, CAN, 485-1 and the dry contact 1 2 3 at the top, DRM, NTC, 485-2 and VPP at the bottom. The cable is passed in through the cover's cable gland. 485-2 has the same pins, but is used for the battery if it speaks RS485.

Port: 485-1

The 485-1 port, with Growatt's pin numbering. A is on pin 5, B on pin 1 and GND on pin 2. The plug shown with the contacts facing you and the locking tab at the back: pin 1 is furthest to the left.

Pin 5 A, RS485A
Pin 1 B, RS485B
Pin 2 GND, GND

The cable

A network cable where the inverter end is crimped with only three wires: the dongle's A (blue, pin 4) on pin 5, B (white/blue, pin 5) on pin 1 and GND (white/green, pin 3) on pin 2. The rest of the positions in the plug are empty. An ordinary straight cable doesn't work here, because SPH has A and B on pins 5 and 1, not on 4 and 5.

From the dongle to the inverter
Dongle end	Inverter end
Dongle pin 4, blue (A)	SPH pin 5, RS485A
Dongle pin 5, white/blue (B)	SPH pin 1, RS485B
Dongle pin 3, white/green (GND)	SPH pin 2, GND
The other wires	Cut off and insulated

Settings

On the inverter

RS485 Setting: VPP (from the factory it's set to unused)
Modbus: Modbus RTU at 9600 baud, 8N1 and address 1. That's what the dongle uses from the factory, so there's nothing to set.

In GridZeno's Welcome

The inverter is chosen in GridZeno: in Welcome the first time, and later under System, Change inverter. The dongle fetches its setup from there.

Manufacturer and model: Growatt, SPH
Connection: By cable (RS485)
RS485 settings: Keep the default: 9600 baud, 8N1, address 1.

Step by step

Each step has a small drawing that shows what to do.

1
Set the RS485 setting to VPP
Hold Enter for more than 3 seconds to enter the setup, and press down to RS485 Setting. Choose Port: VPP with Enter. From the factory it's set to unused. Shinemaster must not be chosen: then SPH goes into parallel operation.
2
Switch off the inverter, and remove the waterproof cover
Turn off all breakers and switches, including PV SWITCH and the battery, and wait 5 minutes. If the waterproof cover is fitted over the port block, unscrew it.
3
Crimp the inverter end with three wires
Cut off the plug at the inverter end. Crimp a new RJ45 plug on with blue (A) on pin 5, white/blue (B) on pin 1 and white/green (GND) on pin 2. The other wires are cut off and insulated. The other end, for the dongle, keeps its plug.
4
Pass the cable through the cable gland
Unscrew the coupling nut from the cover's cable gland, and slide it onto the cable. Press out the sealing insert, take the filler plug out of one of the holes, put the cable in the hole, and pass it through the cable gland.
5
Plug the connector into 485-1
Press the plug into the 485-1 port, at the top of the port block between CAN and the dry contact, until it clicks.
6
Close the cover again
Screw the waterproof cover on, and screw the coupling nut onto the cable gland so the port is sealed. Leave the filler plugs in the holes you don't use.
7
Plug the RJ45 end into the dongle
The cable's other end goes into the dongle's RS485 port. Place the dongle somewhere dry and close to the inverter, so the cable doesn't hang from the plug.
8
Connect power to the dongle
Plug the USB-C cable into the dongle and the charger into a socket. The dongle starts by itself. It gets power from the charger, not from the inverter.
9
Connect the dongle to the network
Over Wi-Fi: the first time, the dongle creates its own Wi-Fi, GridZeno-Setup- followed by the last characters of the device ID. Connect your phone to it, choose your own network, enter the password, and press Save and connect. When it says Connection OK, press Go to GridZeno. Over cable (LAN): plug a network cable from the router into the dongle's network port.
10
Log in, and choose your inverter
Log in to GridZeno. Welcome pairs the dongle with its device ID. Then choose your inverter, Growatt SPH, and the connection By cable (RS485). Press Save inverter, and the dongle fetches its setup and reads the inverter.

The dongle's own setup is described with screenshots in The user guide, and the pairing in Getting started.

Take care

Use 485-1. 485-2 is the battery's RS485 connection, CT1/METER1 the energy meter's and CAN the battery's CAN connection.

If RS485 Setting is set to anything other than unused, the system already uses the port for something else, for example Meter2 or Shinemaster. In that case, write to us before you change it.

What GridZeno can control on Growatt SPH BL-UP, and how, is on the page about Growatt SPH BL-UP. If you're stuck, write to us with the model name.

Source

Ports, pins and menus are from the manufacturer's own manual: Growatt SPH 3000-6000TL BL-UP User Manual (GR-UM-180-A1-04, EN, 2025-12), Pin table on page 15, figures 5.5 and 6.8, sections 5.4.8 and 6.4.2, and diagrams 6.5 and 6.12, RS485 Setting.