Hi. I’m hoping to use the Orion TR Smart with the Smart Battery Sense.
Currently it shows these are not compatible with each other.
Will this be fixed with a software update? Or is this a hardware issue?
Thanks!
asked
Orion TR Smart & Smart Battery Sene
I use a third-party BMS system and would appreciate it if the Victron Orion-Tr Smart also knows about the temperature and voltage on the battery. The main concern here is the overtemperature so that the controller can reduce the charging current.
I cannot fully understand the reasons given in the previous reports.
If I talked to SwissVictron about it, they would think it's a good idea too.
I heard back from Victron by email on this. the answer is...
Yes , but not in the near future due to other priorities
It's 16 months later, no longer the "near future" and I too am waiting for the Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Chargers to support the VE remote battery sensor.
I don’t understand why you need this and why it would be a priority for Victron? Please explain your application so we can assist.
Hi. I’ll be using LiFeO4 cells with an external BMS that does not have a temperature sensor.
I want to be able to charge this with both an MPPT and an Orion TR smart.
The problem would be charging the battery in the winter in cold temperatures. I don’t want to damage the cells and would need both the MPPT and the Orion tr smart to know the battery temperature and not charge it when the battery temperature is too cold.
I could accomplish this with a BMV, but that is an extra expensive and an extra piece of equipment.
Currently I use the MPPT load output to power my accessories and appliances. The victron app through the MPPT provides all charge and use data I need.
If the battery smart sense was compatible with the Orion TR smart, this would be the easiest and cheapest way to prevent battery damage from cold charging.
Thanks.
Actually, I can’t accomplish this with a BMV, as the Orion TR Smart is not compatible with VE smart networking. So the Orion never knows the battery temperature.
@WetRide, you could accomplish this with a BMV-702 or -712 by using a wired temperature sensor and configuring the output relay to turn on or off the Orion-Tr Smart (through its remote on/off ports) based on temperature.
@WetRide If the Orion Smart is some distance from the batteries, simply increase the output charge voltage to offset ant voltage loss. As the current is fixed, the voltage loss is consistent and this will accomplish most of what the Smart Battery sense does.
Still waiting for this to be sorted out. For the same reason above, to use the smart battery sense to stop charging at low temperatures when using either the mppt solar CC or the Orion.
To m the main reason I would like the Orion TR to be able to join a VE smart network is to make sure it will have accurate information about the SOC of the battery from the BMV jus like the Smart solar MPPT and the IP22 AC charger do. This is so annoying that the Orion does not talk with the BMV 712 and keeps doing its thing it's own way... :/
this! It seems only "partly" smart without being about to receive simple instructions from some more advanced system, such as the BMV 712, on what charging profile is needed at the moment (temp related, SOC related, etc). I have noticed that you risk overcharging the batteries if the orion kicks on and batteries are already full!
Also still waiting for this. Not only for temperature related issues but also to prevent overcharging. If the orion smart TR is triggered when the batteries are relatively full it always goes into Bulk and ABS for far too long in my opinion before moving to float. really doesnt seem too "smart" at the moment unfortunately and doing this often- such as if being triggered by a vehicle turning on and batteries already full will reduce battery life due to over charging! I thought it was supposed to be "buy once cry once" :P not replace batteries and worrry about their burning
ve smart networking support so that the BMV-712 (or other master) can instruct charging profiles would be great! That way temp, current charge state and amps in/out are taken into account. just a simple instruction on what voltage/stage to charge from + a yes or no would be sufficient, no?
same goes for the bluesmart 240v to 12v charger btw...
Commucicating is a nice feature when using a MPPT SmartSolar device and a Battery Sense. MPPT stops charging when battery is hotter than 50 degree Celsius.
It also increases voltage to compensate losses when MPPT is not directly installed beside battery.
Using these features with an Orion would be great.
Almost 4 years later add still no word on this. Please fix this!
Check to see if the new Smart Orion XS meets your needs.
thank you, but i'm not planning on buying a different unit. it's a very easy fix and I don't understand why they won't do it.
Hi. I am here adding my 2ct.
I recently bought a smart MPPT 100/30, a smart Shunt, and a smart Orion TR 12/12 30. (was planning to by a Smart IP43 12/30(1+1)charger as well at some point)
Only find the Orion not only does not have VE.Connect, but also does not seem to partake in bluetooth based VE.Smart
As per : https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/VE.Smart_Networking/en/ve-smart-networking-product-compatibility.html
So why is that. It has bluetooth. Surely it should be able to link up to the others. So they coordinate charging (like 2 parallel MPPT would). And so it can read current and temperature from the Shunt.
Please remedy this. I will never have VE.Connect, and that is fine, but please update the firmware to make proper use of the bluetooth capabilities.
Also, as additional question: Why is the IP43 120V model listed, but the 230V model not listed, to use VE.Smart charge coordination?
Very frustrated by this "missing feature" too.
I move a lot in sweden and norway, and when the sun gets too low to solar charge, the Orion does the job, but when the sun is too low, the temperatures also are and I don't want the charge to start right after I crank the engine and it's below 0 in the battery box.
Annoying. Will sell it back as it will probably destroy my expensive LIFEPO battery if I forget to disable it.
I use an RPi running the Victron Large Image, I fitted a relay HAT and control one of my Orions using Node-Red. It also stops the same Orion from charging when vehicle speed drops below 50kph. You could use temperature as your controlling factor. The other Orion is controlled by the D+ signal from the alternator as I was never happy with the auto sensing built into the Orions.
