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shenck17 avatar image
shenck17 asked

PIN Reset for Victron System in Converted Sprinter Van

Hello Victron Support and Community Members,

I'm Stephen, reaching out for guidance on a challenge I am having that involves the Victron electrical system installed in my converted 2017 Mercedes Sprinter 2500 Van. The system was initially set up by AmSolar in Oregon, and I've already opened a support ticket with Victron Energy, which has been forwarded to AmSolar's support team.

My challenge is with resetting the PIN for the following Victron components within the Victron Energy iPhone App:

  1. BatteryProtect 12V/24V 65A
  2. BMV-712 Smart
  3. SmartSolar MPPT 100/20

Due to the placement of these devices in the van, I'm unable to access the PUK numbers for the BMV-712 and BatteryProtect. Although the PUK for the SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 is visible, the PUK I see hasn't been successful in resetting the PIN (3 dots, reset pin, enter PUK, etc.)

I've tried several troubleshooting steps, including watching YouTube tutorials, reading product manuals, and browsing online forums. I've even reached out to a local Victron dealer, offering to integrate additional solar components if it helps in resolving this issue.

I'm turning to this community in hopes of finding any additional advice or steps I might be missing. Your expertise and suggestions are greatly appreciated, as I'm at a bit of a loss on how to proceed.

Thank you in advance for your help and support. Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Gratefully,

Stephenck17

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MPPT SmartSolarBMV Battery MonitorBluetoothBattery Protect
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2 Answers
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

@Shenck17

You can add a GX. Cerbo S is nice and cheap for that then don't forget the Comms cables too.

For the ve direct things to change/view settings you can use a ve direct to BT dongle if you don't want a GX. You can have one for each or one you just plug in when necessary.

So the smart solar and the BMV are sorted there. But the battery protect doesn't have ve direct so can't help there.

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shenck17 avatar image shenck17 commented ·

Thank you, @Alexandra! I'm going to repeat this back to you to confirm my understanding...

There seem to be two different solutions for accessing and managing the settings of my Victron system components:

  1. Adding a GX Device (e.g., Cerbo S): (This? Link)

    • GX Device (Cerbo S): This is a monitoring and control unit for Victron power systems. The Cerbo S is a specific cost-effective model.
    • Communication Cables: These are necessary to connect my existing components (like the SmartSolar, BMV-712, etc.) to the Cerbo S. This setup allows for centralized monitoring and control of my Victron devices.

  2. Using VE.Direct to Bluetooth (BT) Dongle: (This? Link)

    • VE. Direct to BT Dongle: This is a device that connects to Victron products with a VE. Direct port, which would allow me to wirelessly access and manage these devices via Bluetooth on my iPhone using the VictronConnect app.
    • For SmartSolar and BMV: The SmartSolar charger and the BMV-712 Smart battery monitor both have VE. Direct ports, so I could use this dongle to wirelessly connect to each device individually. I could get one dongle for each device or just one dongle to use as needed by plugging it in when I want to access a particular device.

Regarding the BatteryProtect (which doesn't have VE.Direct connectivity), neither of these solutions will work.

In summary, there are two approaches:

  • Option 1: Install a Cerbo S (or similar GX device) for a more integrated, system-wide control and monitoring solution, but this requires additional cables for setup.
  • Option 2: Use a VE. Direct to Bluetooth dongle for a simpler, less integrated solution, especially practical if I only occasionally need to adjust settings or monitor my devices.
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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ shenck17 commented ·
Correct.

Option 1 allows even programming over the VRM and remote monitoring.

Option 2 just local and not so convenient if you need to climb in somewhere to plug in

@Matthias Lange - DE though has a good suggestion for trying the PUK route again.


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Matthias Lange - DE answered ·

Try making a picture of the PUK maybe you just confused a 0 with an O ?

The BatteryProtect doesn't look like it's that hard to remove that few screws.

The PUK of the BMV is on the back of the monitor and normally should be easy to remove, depending on where/how it is installed.

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