question

rogerclarkau avatar image
rogerclarkau asked

Orion DC DC charger app does not show correct information after engine shutdown

I'm using a Orion TR Smart DC DC Charger to charge from the 'starter' battery in my motorhome

Looking at the app after the engine is turned off, the app still shows the 'house' batteries being charged for at least a minute.

I put a DC current clamp on the wire from the starter battery, and I can see that within a few seconds of the engine being turned off, the current drops to almost 0A, but the App continues to report that the batteries are being charged.

The input voltage, from the starter battery, drops to about 13V after a few seconds, and I checked the battery threshold voltages in the App, and they are all still at their defaults, and 13V is below the shutdown threshold. Hence the charger has actually shutdown. But the App still shows the battery as being charged.

If after more than a minute, if I disconnect and reconnect to the charger via the App it then updates to show the correct information, i.e engine shutdown detected.


Why doesn't the app show the correct information after the engine is turned off and the batteries are now longer being charged?

orion-tr smart
2 comments
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

kevgermany avatar image kevgermany ♦♦ commented ·
Is the 'app' Victron Connect?
0 Likes 0 ·
rogerclarkau avatar image rogerclarkau kevgermany ♦♦ commented ·

Yes. Victron Connect.

I didnt know there were any other Apps that would connect to the Victron products


Are there any other Apps apart from Victron Connect ??

0 Likes 0 ·
3 Answers
bradleyh avatar image
bradleyh answered ·

What is your shutdown voltage set to, and what is the voltage of your charging battery at shut down, and do you have an ignition switch wired to the remote on/off switch?

My thinking is that when you turn off your vehicle the remote switch stops the charging, but for a few minutes the charger battery voltage remains above the shutdown threshold.

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

rogerclarkau avatar image
rogerclarkau answered ·

I don't currently have the actual ignition switch conrol connected, because I'm still trying to sort out the wiring for this.

Instead I put a switch on a flying lead, so that I'm able to manually stop it charging by flicking this switch

However the question is related to why the status displayed in the App is noy correct.


Its nothing to do with the voltage thresholds, becuase I can see from my current clamp that within a few seconds of the engine being turned off that the starter battery is below the cutoff threshold and the charging stops.


Even using the switch... If I open the contacts on my 'ignition' switch, the App still shows "Bulk charge" for quite a long time, e.g. perhaps 30 seconds.. I've not timed it


And I know that the unit is no longer charging, as I've got a current clamp over the cable, and as soon as I throw the 'ignition' switch it stops charging.


The problem is the App miss reporting whats happening for 30 seconds or more.

Actually, I don't think its the App its self, I think the charger is miss-reporting its status to the App.


i.e even if I quit the app and restart it and reconnect, within the first 30 seconds of the unit no longer charging, the App still shows it as charging, even after retrieving data from the charger.


Well, as I've not attemped to monitor the Bluetooth data, as its probably encrypted, I have to assume that the App requests the status from the charger when it first reconnects

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

Could be you are using VRM which does have a delay in some areas.

I've just checked with mine, a 12/24 10, so a different model, but behaviour should be the same. Mine registers off within a few seconds of engine shutdown.

Maybe query with your dealer.

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.