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I'm planning to add solar power to my RV. I presently have a BVM 712 monitoring battery activities... Am I correct to figure that monitoring and control of an MPPT controller will be via a separate monitor? And a separate and individual IOS (bluetooth) interface. No integration between the two ?? Thanks in advance and comments and/or suggestions.
If you stick with Victron for your MPPT and you purchase a smart Bluetooth model, the two devices -BMV-712 and MPPT - will show up as separate units in the Connect App however you can create a network so that the BMV is sharing what it measures with the MPPT to provide better charging especially if you purchase and install the optional Temp sensor for the 712.
Then you can use the App to see what all is coming in and out of your battery bank when the BMV is selected as the device you want to monitor, and what the MPPT’s is doing and it’s history when you select the MPPT. There is no ability at this time to monitor both devices at once on screen, you have to pair with one or the other as far as I know.
As far as monitoring goes, the 712 will be far more accurate as it is monitoring loads and voltage at the battery terminals whereas the MPPT is measuring from its terminals, so usually there will be some loss due to wire runs so expect to see a small difference in voltage and amperage between the two.
stevew No the BMV 712 monitors the whole of the battery's charging and discharge. The shunt for the BMV 712 shout be in the negative of the battery and nothing should be connect to the negative side of the battery other than the shunt. All negative connections are made the RV side of the shunt, The BMV then measure the charge coming to the battery from the Solar, alternator etc.
The Solar controller depending on make & model may record what it has fed into the RV DC system and the BMV 712 will record everything that goes into the battery - hope that helps If you by a Victron Smart Solar Controller that will also give you access to the adjustments, history of the sun's harvest etc via Blue tooth
Thank you Graham. Even though they're related - it's two separate monitors (2" diameter guages) and two seperate devices on the VictronConnect app. Correct ?? So if the solar controller says that the panels are putting out 8 amps - I'd expect the BVM to indicate that it sees 8 amps of incoming current (assuming all appliances off). Correct ?? and Thanks again.
Steve,
There is no physical monitor or panel for the 100/30 charge controller (or any of the other lower amp charge controllers). You will only see the charge controller "panel" in your VictronConnect app as indicated in a previous post. You are correct: the BMV will see 8A into the batteries if the charge controller is delivering 8A and there are no loads.
These two pieces of equipment in tandem solve the solar battery charging and monitoring very well.
Klipstr
Show Low and Rio Verde AZ
