Help with basic HA setup on UGREEN NAS

8 comments started 2026-04-13 last 2026-04-15
Home AutomationGivEnergy Products
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#1 alan_johnston

The GE email has prompted me to try out HA on my UGREEN NAS.
I have done the basic installation and HA is running as an app on the NAS.

What are the next steps to get it to chat to the GE inverter?
Various internet searches mention HACS, GivTCP, MQTT, but not how to get it going on the NAS HA app.

#2 Hook

Can it see anything else on your home network?

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#3 geoffreycoan

You need to install GivTCP and MQTT

The steps to follow and link to a useful video are in the predbat installation instructions for givenergy inverters https://springfall2008.github.io/batpred/inverter-setup/#givenergy-with-givtcp

Don’t worry you don’t need Predbat, but this will get givtcp running giving you direct local access to your inverter controls

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#4 T-M

alan_johnston When you say "HA is running as an app on the NAS", I assume you have HA running in a Docker container, rather than as a full virtual machine. The terminology, and the difference between the two can be confusing, and is not helped by the fact that the HA people have recently started using App instead of Add-On (ie Docker Container) in recent releases.
If HA is running as an App/Docker Container on your NAS, then you also need to install MQTT and GivTCP as Apps/Docker Containers running alongside HA, and setup appropriate communication between them and your inverter(s).

If HA is running as a full Virtual machine on your NAS, then HA will actually be running as an App/Docker Container inside the HA Operating System (HAOS), and you should install MQTT and GivTCP as HA Apps/Docker Containers (which then run alongside HA inside HAOS).

Clear as mud, isn't it. I don't have a UGreen NAS, and I'm not aware of their capabilities, so I can't go further than the general explanation above. Hope it helps somewhat.

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#5 alan_johnston

T-M
Yes, I have discovered that HA on the Ugreen NAS runs in Docker (not a VM) and so doesn't have the Add Ons (APPS) option. SpeakToTheGeek confirmed this.

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#6 alan_johnston

Hook
Yes, the NAS has been on the network for a while and can see and been seen by PCs and the like on the home network. It is also running ubuntu server in a VM which can also see and be seen by the home network.

Guess I need a second VM to run proper HA rather than budget HA.

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#7 alan_johnston

geoffreycoan
SpeekToTheGeek was useful but I found that the NAS HA doesn't have the ADD ONS (APPS) option so not possible to follow the video and get MQTT or GivTCP loaded..

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#8 T-M

alan_johnston Full fat HAOS is much simpler to administer. HAOS/HA update notifications are easier to handle, along with backups etc. And if you take out a Nabu Casa subscription to help support HA development, you get HA Remote Access via the HA App thrown in, though I appreciate there are other ways to achieve this (eg TailScale, OpenVPV etc).