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I'm considering the purchase of a BlueSolar MPPT 100/30. Does it support the battery recovery function if I fully discharge my lithium batteries? This capability is mentioned in the SmartSolar datasheet, but not the BlueSolar datasheet. I've reviewed both user manuals, but that did not help. I don't want a SmartSolar because you need a laptop to reenable internal BlueTooth once it is turned off.
the only difference between the two is that the bluesolar does not have blue tooth. and why would you turn your bluetooth off on the smartsolar mppt anyway just put a good password in and then no one can get in
If you have bluetooth devices that are actively transmitting, is it possible for anyone with a cellphone to detect that you have such equipment in your RV? I would think so. They don't need to have the Victron bluetooth app, or know your bluetooth password, they could simply see devices appear in their bluetooth settings. If you have expensive Victron equipment, you may have other things of value as well. For that reason, I would like to be able to enable bluetooth on my victron when I need it (probably not often) and keep it turned off otherwise. Does this make sense?
Generalising about Bluetooth.
Yes devices are always transmitting when powered on.
Devices visibility can be suppressed. For instance under Android you need to open the Bluetooth settings before the phone is visible to other Bluetooth devices. This won't suppress the transmissions, but the protocols are set up to ignore devices in this condition.
I've never checked, but I'd guess that there are sniffers around that will detect any Bluetooth device, whether discovery is enabled or not. I've no idea if they will be able to detect device type.
Many devices and motor vehicles have Bluetooth as standard. So the presence of a Bluetooth device isn't necessarily a security risk.
Victron smart networking with Bluetooth is rather clever and enables data and control sharing as well as the configuration and data output via the app. It's sensible and recommended to change the pairing code, just like other Bluetooth devices. I'd hazard a guess that most people don't.
As far as I know Bluetooth cannot be turned off, or visibility suppressed on Victron Bluetooth devices.
How or why would you allow or plan to fully discharge your battery for any "recovery function" to trigger? That situation should never eventuate in the first place.
We have a Victron 75/50 solar controller, Battery Protect, SmartShunt etc. managing our 4 cell 300Ah LiFePO4 battery with no active BMS or cell balancing involved or necessary.
Long before any cell reaching 0% SOC an alarm would sound at 20% and disconnect would occur at 12.1V (3V cell).
In 8 years of full time travel no alarm or disconnect has ever occurred except during our annual capacity test to ensure it all works as expected.
If there are more questions about Bluetooth, it would be better to open a separate question.
To get to the original question. Does the bluesolar mppt 100/30 recover fully discharged lithium.
I'd guess not, without checking back, there have been posts here where people have reported that they were only able to revive the batteries with a dumb charger.
It will depend on whether your BMS will wake up if a charge source is connected.
The mppt will power up from the solar when over 5v above programed battery voltage.. But whether your battery accepts a charge is a different story.
You can get a ve Bluteooth dongle to make it smart and unplug it when you dont want it to broadcast.
I like the idea of a Bluetooth dongle, and would consider it if I knew that the BlueSolar supported the battery recovery capability.
I've just purchased two Battle Born 100Ah batteries (BB10012). The BB user manual says "Many chargers must detect a voltage over 10V to send a charge to the battery. Please be aware that some chargers may not sense a battery in low voltage disconnect and you may need to jump it with a 12V source to “wake up” the battery. You should jump your battery within 24hrs of entering low voltage disconnect otherwise you risk damaging your battery and voiding the warranty."
There have been times where I have mistakenly depleted my AGM batteries in the past, and therefore think it necessary to have this recovery capability for Lithium. I plan to use my Progressive Dynamics PD4045 (AC/DC power center) to charge it most of the time, but this may not have a recovery capability (unless it falls into the category of a simple 14.6V source). I would hope to have that capability in my solar controller (or DC/DC charger), so that I would have an alternate way of jumping the battery and not voiding my warranty.
Just to go sideways a little. If it's not available in your BMS, have you considered a battery monitor that will alarm at a state of charge you decide?
