Victron Battery Monitor

irnbru

irnbru

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I’m thinking of getting this for my Xmas pressie. Will this suit my needs? I want to be able to monitor my 2 GEL batteries amp usage. I like looking at stuff on my phone so think the Bluetooth one would be good.

Is it easy to set up? Any negatives to it? Do I need anything additional to make it work? Thanks

Cheaper here than the battery megastore.

www.es-store.co.uk

Energy Solutions | Victron BMV712 Smart Battery Monitor Kit

Energy Solutions | Victron BMV712 Smart battery monitor kit complete with shunt & connection kit - c/w low battery alarm contact. 9-90vdc - integrated bluetooth connectivity.BAM030712000
www.es-store.co.uk www.es-store.co.uk
 
I had one in my previous van. It was nice to know about power consumption. Although all it really taught me was that I wasn't consuming a lot of power and my nearly 300w of solar was more than enough to keep up.

For the new van, I've just bought a Victron smart shunt. It's about £50 cheaper. Does the same thing, but without the display, so you have to use the app. It does make install a bit easier though.
 
I take that your two GEL batteries are both your hab batteries and connected in parallel, if so the BMV well see them as one battery, not as two individuals.

You may need to adapt your wiring so ALL negatives of your 12v circuits go through one side of the BMV shunt. That will go if you decide to go with a Smart Shunt instead.
 
The Smart Shunt will meet your needs, the smart shunt wasn't avaliable when I bought my BMV700. I hardly ever look at my display just use a phone or tablet.

You can use the default settings but to get the best out of it and accurate percentage reading they take a bit of fiddling with the settings.
 
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Two on Tour said:
I take that your two GEL batteries are both your hab batteries and connected in parallel, if so the BMV well see them as one battery, not as two individuals.

You may need to adapt your wiring so ALL negatives of your 12v circuits go through one side of the BMV shunt. That will go if you decide to go with a Smart Shunt instead.
Click to expand...
I want to be able to see the display in the van as well as on the app. Yes they are hab batteries and connected in parallel.

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irnbru said:
I want to be able to see the display in the van as well as on the app. Yes they are hab batteries and connected in parallel.
Click to expand...
I can assure you that you will hardly use the display, it's small and you have to cycle though each reading with a button.
When you view on a phone or tablet you get all the info in one go like this.

Screenshot_2021-10-31-15-50-14-12_30b6efbd53acd6f273baafa7ca03da38.jpg
 
irnbru said:
I want to be able to see the display in the van as well as on the app. Yes they are hab batteries and connected in parallel.
Click to expand...

BMV 712 is the way to go then. The 712 can also give you a voltage reading of your starter battery if you run a wire from the secondary input of the 712 to your starter battery.
 
Lenny HB said:
I can assure you that you will hardly use the display, it's small and you have to cycle though each reading with a button.
When you view on a phone or tablet you get all the info in one go like this.
Click to expand...

I glance at my BMV712 readout probably more than I can be bothered to fire up the Victron Connect app.

I leave my BMV712 readout on battery SOC which is what I'm most interested in.
 
Two on Tour said:
I glance at my BMV712 readout probably more than I can be bothered to fire up the Victron Connect app.

I leave my BMV712 readout on battery SOC which is what I'm most interested in.
Click to expand...
Used to be a pain firing up the app but since the latest updates it works well.
Where my display is can't read it without press a button on so it lights up & it would mean moving my lazy butt.
 
Lenny HB said:
I can assure you that you will hardly use the display, it's small and you have to cycle though each reading with a button.
When you view on a phone or tablet you get all the info in one go like this.
Click to expand...
Oh it will get used since there will be more than me looking at it. (y)

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Bobby-gg said:
And, you can also connect the battery monitor to a raspberry pi, to a WiFi network so you can then monitor remotely.
Click to expand...
What extra kit is needed, other than a Raspberry Pie, which I already have?
 
Lenny HB said:
Used to be a pain firing up the app but since the latest updates it works well.
Where my display is can't read it without press a button on so it lights up & it would mean moving my lazy butt.
Click to expand...

Since setting all my Victron gear up to be monitored via a small Raspberry Pi computer, one touch of the screen mounted over the hab door display's all my
Victron gear info, plus I can remote view from my home PC or mobile. (y)

1635693428556.png



1635693385154.png
 
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Revolvor said:
What extra kit is needed, other than a Raspberry Pie, which I already have?
Click to expand...

For a basic setup, you will need a Ve.Direct to USB cable from each of your Victron devices to your Pi and then load the free Victron Vesus OS onto your Pi.
Connect your Pi to your van WiFi and set up a free Victron VRM account online.
You can also add a Pi touch screen as I have.

Victron Ve.Direct to USB cables are about £30 each, but I made my own up for about a tenner each.
 
Revolvor said:
What extra kit is needed, other than a Raspberry Pie, which I already have?
Click to expand...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Victron Venus OS and a Rasberry

Victron Venus OS setup on a Rasberry Pi. This a simple summary of the setup procedure for Victron Energy products that contain a V.E Direct port. Victron has a device called the Color Control GX (£500) that provides monitoring, control and remote management via their VRM portal of many...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk

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Was about to start a new thread but this one kinda covers what I am looking for.

It's time to update my power unit before I go away so looking to replace my 2 leisure batteries.

I'm not off grid enough to justify lithium so looking at getting 2 of the biggest gels I can fit under the seat. (probably 2@90ah) One will be under here the other will be a few feet away replacing the current one under the sofa.

I like the idea of monitoring what is going on so looking at the Victron smart shunt.

A few questions:

1. Generally, where do people fit the shunt? If there is enough space can I put it under the drivers seat with the 1st leisure battery?

2. I have 1 solar panel with a controller inside. Would it be worthwhile replacing this controller with a Victron MPPT so this can communicate easier with the same make shunt?

3. I will be adding a 2nd solar panel some way along the line, is there any planning I need to do for that now or will it just be a case of routing new wires from this in to the MPPT when the time comes?

4. If I was to order the 2 batteries, the MPPT and the smart shunt today is there any other materials I would need to order to complete the installation or does everything come with all I would need for fitting?

Thanks in advance.
 
The shunt is fitted directly to the negative terminal of the battery you make your negative connection to, the shunt direct to the battery and all negative connections go to the shunt.

The type of solar controller doesn't make any odds to the shunt.
If you don't have a MPPT controller we'll worth fitting one both Votronic & Victron are very good, some of the Victron ones have Bluetooth so you can monitor just what your solar is doing but not really necessary.

Fitting another solar panel providing your controller is cabable of taking the extra power you can parallel the panels with MC4 connectors on the roof.

Extra components, you may need some cable, heat shrink sleeving crimps & a hydraulic crimp tool, the shunt has 10mm dia bolts for the connections.
 
Lenny HB said:
Fitting another solar panel providing your controller is cabable of taking the extra power you can parallel the panels with MC4 connectors on the roof.
Click to expand...
So if I fit an extra panel all connections could be on the roof and connected to the MPPT using the cable from existing solar panel? No new cables to run through?

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irnbru said:
I’m thinking of getting this for my Xmas pressie. Will this suit my needs? I want to be able to monitor my 2 GEL batteries amp usage. I like looking at stuff on my phone so think the Bluetooth one would be good.

Is it easy to set up? Any negatives to it? Do I need anything additional to make it work? Thanks

Cheaper here than the battery megastore.

www.es-store.co.uk

Energy Solutions | Victron BMV712 Smart Battery Monitor Kit

Energy Solutions | Victron BMV712 Smart battery monitor kit complete with shunt & connection kit - c/w low battery alarm contact. 9-90vdc - integrated bluetooth connectivity.BAM030712000
www.es-store.co.uk www.es-store.co.uk
Click to expand...

It will tell you everything you need. This is a screen shot of mine, the batteries have 31% having used 145.3 amps. Having started the engine the B2B is pumping 104.78 amps into the leisure batteries so the "Time Remaining" is saying infinite as at that level of charge the batteries can maintain what ever I am doing "forever"

When not receiving a charge the Time Remaining would be displayed in days and hours allowing me to moderate my 12 volt consumption accordingly



BROKEN LINK
 
monzer said:
A few questions:

1. Generally, where do people fit the shunt? If there is enough space can I put it under the drivers seat with the 1st leisure battery?
Click to expand...
My Shunt is fixed to the rear lower driver side seat frame (behind batteries and hidden by plastic louvre. You can just see it circled in yellow
D730BBD3-DC68-47E5-9B70-D31C4D862E06.jpeg
 
monzer said:
You can fit 2 90ah batteries under your seat? Wonder if I can do that :unsure:
Click to expand...
Yes. 2xVarta LA95 fit under the seat of a Fiat x290 , so any pair of same dimensions should fit inside the seat Base frame

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Can anyone tell me please

I have a Victron Smartsolar MPPT 75-15 controller, what is the maximum amount of solar panel output i can use.

If not enough, as i’m intending to have 300w minimum on the new van which Victron controller do you recommend
There are 2 x 90ah Lithium batteries on the new van btw

Al 👍
 
Al n Val said:
Can anyone tell me please

I have a Victron Smartsolar MPPT 75-15 controller, what is the maximum amount of solar panel output i can use.

If not enough, as i’m intending to have 300w minimum on the new van which Victron controller do you recommend
There are 2 x 90ah Lithium batteries on the new van btw

Al 👍
Click to expand...
I think it is 250w. You would need a bigger controller for 300w iirc. Something like a 100/30
 
Al n Val said:
I can open up that link Gerry but not sure I can change it to what I have now or what I might need mate

Al

PS. just driving in about 30 mins so will check back later
Click to expand...
Click on the Blue and smart solar tab at the bottom,
change system voltage to 12V
Select the solar module size (look at the modules tab for panel performance specs - pick one close to your planned size / setup) you can add multiple panels in parallel to up the Wattage)
and then
select the various MPPT solar controllers to see if they are compatible
Screenshot 2021-11-10 at 13.13.44.png
Screenshot 2021-11-10 at 13.18.00.png
Screenshot 2021-11-10 at 13.18.14.png

Screenshot 2021-11-10 at 13.20.02.png

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