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I already have a Smart Shunt that includes the bluetooth connection. I'm pleased with the phone access and Victron app - however I'd like to go ahead and add a physical readout display, something that looks like the BMV-700. However, I don't need to purchase another shunt. Is there a way to add just the monitor readout to my existing Smart Shunt without purchasing the entire BMV-700 kit which also comes with a shunt?
An alternative might be a VE.Direct to USB cable connected to any device which can run VE.Connect and use it as a wired monitor. Not the simplest solution if a smartphone or tablet is used because both the lack of USB ports (need power too) and the uncertainty whether the device software-wise can use the USB to serial interface connected to it.
Just a few thoughts.
@MrHappy is correct. The only way to add screen monitoring is to connect GX device or one of mrhappy's other suggestions. The smaet shunt was never designed for the same use at the 700 range.
I would find it handy to have both also.
My thoughts are to drill and tap the other side of the shunt base and have the Smartshunt PCB on one side of the shunt and the BMV700 PCB on the other side of the shunt.
I have both a Smartshunt and a BMV sitting in my garage, currently only using the BMV to my Venus GX.
I Will give it a go next week and let you fellow forum posters know how it goes
thanks for the responses and help. I'm not sure where this leaves me. Wondering if its worth considering just to swallow the spent cost of the smart shunt and just buy the BMV version with the bluetooth, so I can have both the display monitor and use of a bluetooth app.
I'm not sure this will help, but I have a SmartShunt and a SmartSolar 100/30 mppt. They are both connected to a BlueTooth VE.Smart Network, so the mppt uses the current and voltage from the SmartShunt. I had a MPPT Control display unit I wasn't using, so I hooked it up to the SmartSolar controller with a VE Direct cable. This allows me to monitor the battery voltage and current as reported by the SmartShunt through the MPPT Control display mounted in a cabinet. So, this would work for you if you also are using a SmartSolar mppt controller, and if you just want to monitor the battery voltage and current reported by the SmartShunt. The MPPT Control display is the same size as the BMV Display, so if you would later decide to switch to replace SmartShunt with the BMV, it would be easy to swap the display out of a panel.
FWIW...
I have an older Nokia 5.1 phone permanently attached to the wall of our motorhome alongside other meters powered from a USB outlet running the VictronConnect app.
The phone sits in a silicon sleeve double sided taped to the wall making it easily removable for updates etc.
I set the display to the largest fonts. It has survived 24/7 operation for the last two years.
Perfect so far.
