BMK Shunt

[C.Martin]

Thanks Graeme,

I have also been following NealC’s installation. He recently swapped out his ME-BMK shunt to the BMV-912 shunt. So, he has two battery monitors connected to the single shunt. He also added a Venus GX...which is acts as a hub for Victron components, so that they can share information...as well as a link to the VRM portal so that he can remotely monitor his system from anywhere.

I am about to upgrade our solar system to include these Management features. Looking forward to having access to all of these added features.

[Triboy]

I received the bit and pieces from AM Solar but won’t get a chance to install them until we’re back home from our road trip to San Diego. I’ll update once everything is installed.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your solar installation and picked up a lot of great info and thanks for mentioning NealC’s thread, another great read. I’m very interested in what you guys are working on with the VRM portal, I think it was Neal who said this solar stuff is like being on Crack.

Graeme Arnott
07 Allure 430

[C.Martin]

New Victron Shunt in place w/Magnum sense wires attached.

[C.Martin]

Wow...it works like a charm.

Today added a Venus GX. The Venus GX does so many things. Neal added the Venus...in true trailblazing fashion. Then he shared the data logging with me and I fell in love with the concept.

Venus provides a way for your Victron systems to communicate with you thru a web portal. Victron calls this the VRM portal. They provide this service FREE.

After registering...you can link your Venus GX or CCGX to the VRM portal...from that point on you now have remote control and monitoring.

That probably alone wouldn't have sealed the deal. What seals the deal is the ability to create custom alarms. You can get email notifications of data connection lost, a SOC or Voltage level that would be of concern. How about adding additional temp sensors to let you know when the coach is getting too warm for your pets...or perhaps the fresh water tank is nearing a freezing temperature. It is truly amazing what you can do with this device.

We had already decided to either add Smart Battery Sense...or the BMV-712. Each capable of sending battery temperature to your SmartSolar MPPT charge controller for voltage compensation. By adding the Venus GX...it just takes the system to a whole new level of control and monitoring.

The setup requires a BMV-712, a Battery temp sensor accessory for the BMV-712, two VE.Direct cables, and the Venus GX. If interested in additional temperature and monitoring...then add 1 or 2 accessory temp sensors for the Venus GX. The Venus connects to the internet by a variety of methods...WiFi is easy...as is an ethernet cable to your router.

PKYS is the Victron Dealer we have been working with. Peter Kennedy is the owner...and he's been very supportive.

Well...now when I'm sitting in a hotel on a layover in South America, I can check up on the status of my charging system thousands of miles away. Pretty cool stuff.

[Triboy]

Good to hear the shunt worked out, gives me confidence with mine.

And between you and Neal I’m hooked on getting the Venus GX. I’ll likely need to move some stuff around and also do a little wire fishing in order to connect to the Venus but it’ll be worth it to see the data on the VRM portal.

Graeme Arnott
07 Allure 430

[C.Martin]

I need to run one more test to see if this is working the way we want it to.

There is conflicting guidance in the Victron documentation. Much of this is online thru Victron Live..some covered by Q&A. Plus, they are continuously upgrading firmware to support a wide variety of end user needs.

The Venus is a phenomenal tool for remote management...but I think we are trying to prove first that it can be used without sacrificing performance/temperature compensation.

The rub lies in the pandoras box in guidance for temperature compensation. On the one hand they say.that temperature compensation can be had one of three ways..

1) wirelessly with a Smart Battery Sense creation g a VE.Smart network between the MPPT and the SBS module.

2) Wirelessly, between the MPPT and the BMV-712 with the temp probe accessory for BMV.

3) Hardwired using VE.Direct cables ti Venus with distributed voltage and current option turned ON.

The first two are easy to see...as the Victron Connect app will show temperature on the MPPT viewing page. The Venus with DVCC shows nothing on the Victron Connect MPPT page. Victron, when asked, just says that DVCC isn't designed for small systems...and wash their hands of us.

I guess the only way for me to tell if it's feeding data to the MPPT is to place a bag of frozen peas on the temp sensor while in a stable absorb setting and later compare voltages from the graphs on the VRM portal.

I'll post my results when I get a chance to do this little experiment.

[C.Martin]

Here's a great tool on VRM. I can look at the Battery Voltage and Current recorded at the shunt. By tapping on the graph...a data box appears with the data point values. In the screenshots...I am comparing the charted peak to the charted valley. The difference in amps between the two is the draw, in amps, of my refrigerator compressor cycling on and off.

All the information is there...and you can reference it anytime from any internet connected device. Yesterday, I had some fun watching the solar output go up when my espresso machines heating element cycled on and off.

Does it add to what solar can do for you? Not really... Is it a cool tool for the inquiring mind types? Oh heck yeah!!!! Having a ball with this thing.

[C.Martin]

The Venus GX does not appear to properly communicate temperature to the Solar charge controller. Ice pack on probe resulted in ZERO change to charge voltages. FAIL!

The SmartSolar Charge controller joined to a VE.Smart wireless network, created with the BMV-712 or the Battery Smart Sense...does indeed immediately adjust charge voltages by applying temperature compensation. It does work with this method. I networked my BMV-712 that has the temperature probe accessory...and my charge voltages adjusted very rapidly with the placement of the ice pack on the sensor.

That's what we have found works...

[Triboy]

I’m enjoying reading what your and Neal are trying to do with the Venus GX, nothing like being out on the bleeding edge, I think I might wait on ordering the Venus until you’re both confident with your installs.

In the meantime, I’ve come across a few problems with my current system that I need to address and it’s not likely to be an easy project. The easy answer is buy a new coach but my lottery tickets consistently seem to be missing 5 and 6 of the right numbers! The joys of owning an older coach and trying to use newer technology.

My battery bay and inverter bay are right next to the engine on the passenger side and it produces a fair bit of heat which ends with a temperature in the battery and inverter bays of some where near 175+ degrees. Short trips are probably OK but long 6-8 hour trips in hot weather is definitely not good for the inverter, batteries are OK as they sit on an open grates but open to the elements below. There is snap disc fan in the inverter bay but it’s like piss&^% into the wind, old coach problem again and unfortunately this is where I put the Victron controller.

I’m installing another 275 W panel tomorrow to give me 535 W, nothing like you and Neal have invested in but this little system lets me get my feet wet. I’m hoping to get the Victron BM and shunt installed as well but it may require some brilliant cable fishing and routing (outside of my pay scale) to get the monitor near my Magnum remote. I recently installed a VE.Direct Bluetooth dongle that increased my Bluetooth range of the controller, which made me think I could install the BM in a bay similar to what you did, but with my tag axle and aqua hot and plumbing bay it would still require some magic with the routing.

I could throw a bunch more $$$ at moving stuff around, giving up storage either in last storage bay or up in the rear clothes closet, but I don’t think it’s a good investment resale purposes. So if anything I might add a few more smaller panels and a few bits and pieces like you and Neal are playing with and call it a day, but I’ll keep buying those lottery tickets.

Graeme Arnott
07 Country Coach Allure 430

[astrocamper]

I love using bluetooth and the Victron Connect app to look at my BMV-712 and SmartSolar controllers. I can access them while in the house near the trailer. The app makes is so easy to program the devices.

[C.Martin]

Graeme,

Yeah...running the 6 conductor twisted pair all the way to my control cabinet with the ME-ARC isn't happening. I have a QR code on a sticker in my cabinet...scan it for a link to the playstore to install Victron Connect. I do practically everything thru Victron Connect App and VluTooth. Also, if installing Venus...there is a VE.Direct cable that goes from the Venus to the BMV and another from Venus to the MPPT. They make them in different lengths...but keeping these components close together will save a lot of sweat equity in cable running.

Unfortunately, if you have a dongle...ot is already taking up the VE.Direct port. That will make it a hassle...to switch back and forth...and our temperature compensation with Venus is requiring that there be VE.Smart (Bluetooth LE) communication between the SmartSolar charge controller and the BMV-712 that has built-in bluetooth.

So Venus gets data from each via VE.Direct. The charge controller and BMV are each controlled easily thru Victron Connect App wirelessly...and they are Networked together wirelessly using VE.Smart network.

It is working great.

I have one more hurdle...my WiFi repeater was causing gaps in data transfer...so I switched the Venus to our Mobley device. Mobley has smoothed out the data transfer...no gaps, but the firewall is preventing me from accessing the Remote console from outside that local network. I have to tinker with that.

Hope this helps in planning...so the wire runs are short. Doesn't sound like you fancy doing long wiring runs anyway.

I shortened the utp cable between the shunt and BMV...had to get some connectors and a crimp tool that could handle 6p/6c connectors. The ones I had would only do 6p/4c or 8p/8c connectors. Oh well...more things to misplace.

Victron Makes two different temp probe accessories...

One is a red/black wire with an inline fuse. This model is used for the BMV-712...and that's what I use for temperature compensation. The ring terminal connects to a positive terminal for 12vdc...and the lead both powers the BMV and also provides temperature data. The other temperature probes just have a red/black wire pair and connect to Venus on a data connector
You can add up to two of these. I am rooting one to the living quarters above to monitor the temperature inside the coach...where my Pets are. The other will be an experiment. I might measure heat on the MPPT fins...I might monitor fresh water tank temperature during the winter...right now they are both just showing compartment temperature.

[Triboy]

Astrocamper
I agree the Connect app is great. What would you say that your range is from your house to the controller and BMV. I was getting poor Bluetooth range with my iPhone and the Controller and almost no connectivity when the inverter was on, I installed the VE.Direct Bluetooth dongle and the range improved but it's still only about 15-20 feet.

Charlie

Thanks for the tips, I did see that the direct cables are up to 10 meters, this will be helpful if I can find a route to midship where I’d like to install the Venus and the BMV. You’re right about the Bluetooth dongle it’ll be a PIA. If I can find a good route out of the battery bay and away from the engine heat then I’d consider moving the controller for the time being.

Graeme Arnott
07 Country Coach Allure 430