Do I need a BMV-712 to monitor my installation parameters or with the Cerbo GX I will have the same battery information in the VRM Portal?
asked
BMV-712 and Cerbo GX
The Cerbo is the one that communicates with the VRM. The Cerbo gets its information from the Victron inverter, bmv and other components, it sends all that information to the vrm.
The BMV monitors battery State of Charge of your batteries only, it has to be connected to the cerbo to send info to the vrm. But it is great for local monitoring.
But if i have a smartsolar mppt charge controller with a smart battery sensor, why do i need a bmv-712?
i would understand that smartsolar mppt will receive the battery voltage and temperature from the smart battery sensor and will send information to cerbo gx to load in vrm portal. Wouldn't it?
No, as you cannot mix the smart network and the cerbo in the same system. It is listed under the known limitations.
And the Smart battery sense has no other way to connect to the mppt except through a smart network.
There is no use for the smart battery sense. And in the vrm your mppt can give you battery voltage. And what state of charge it is in (bulk, float or absorption). So if you dont want accurate soc then you dont need a BMV.
then i understand that if i have a smartsolar mppt and cerbo gx, then a cable temperature sensor connected to the mppt controller will be the right solution to allow mppt controller to adapt charging load to battery temperature but also to get battery temperature in vrm portal thru cerbo gx as mppt controller will inform to cerbo gx about battery temperature. Correct?
Hello Josep,
From my experience, the VRM does not report battery temperature from the MPPT controller derived from the smart battery sense. It would be great if it did but I don’t think that reporting function has been provided. It is important if a non Victron mains charger is used and it has its own temperature sensor. The MPPT smart temperature and voltage sensor is the only one that can be “seen” by the Victron reporting system so it not being included is not ideal.
