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Christian Lindermann avatar image
Christian Lindermann asked

VE.Smart Network Support on Blue Smart Charger

Hi. Will you add VE.Smart Network support on the IP22 Blue Smart Charger?

I own a BMV-712 with temperature probe and a MPPT solar charger which works really fine with VE.Smart Networking, so i think it would be really helpful to deliver the right battery voltage and temperature via Smart-Network also to the charger for temperature compensation and so on...

Thank you very much!

BMV Battery MonitorchargerVE.Smart Network
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mvader (Victron Energy) avatar image
mvader (Victron Energy) answered ·

Hi Christian, that’s still in the pipeline, and I don’t know yet if it will be possible to implement it on the existing hardware.


(The Bluetooth processor used now in the chargers has memory limitations, compared to the mppts).


When this changes over time, we will update the VESmart Networking Compatibility list. So always check that first for the latest information.

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mvader (Victron Energy) avatar image mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented ·

Ps: and yes I agree; would be great to have that! :-)

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thorvald avatar image thorvald commented ·

Please yes!!!

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maartenvt avatar image maartenvt commented ·

I have a blue smart charger ip65 12/15 and a mppt 75/15 connected to a lifepo4 battery of another brand (with 1 port BMS), that I have additionally protected by a smart battery sense, an older Battery protect 65A on the charge side (mppt + charger), and a new smart battery protect on the load side.

I configured a ve.smart network with the mppt and the smart sense.

I also miss the possibility to integrate the (not so) smart charger in the ve.smart network, so that it also could respond to the measurements of the smart sense.

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destiny232 avatar image destiny232 commented ·

Hi, any updates regarding smart VE support for chargers? The one I recently installed (IP 22) still don’t include VE support.

/Johan

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Christian Lindermann avatar image
Christian Lindermann answered ·

Good Morning.

Thank you for this information.

So If I plan to buy the IP22 Charger, and really want this feature for the future, it would be a good idea to wait for this (maybe Hardware) upgrade?! Is it the same with the Blue Smart IP67 Charger?

Thanks!

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mvader (Victron Energy) avatar image mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented ·

Yes, same for all IP22, IP65 and IP67 chargers.

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robsouto avatar image robsouto mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented ·

Hello @mvader is there any news of smart network compatability or a new upgraded model as above?

I would be interested to use one of these in a small setup with MPPT, BMV & Phoenix Inverter. Have a ccgx but not sure how that could integrate without Bluetooth or physical connection on charger.

My requirements changed after purchasing and we would like to avoid having to buy a separate multiplus and waste the inverter! Any suggestion or info would be useful

Thanks,

Rob

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mvader (Victron Energy) avatar image mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ robsouto commented ·

Hi Rob; VE.Smart will not help you in relation to a ccgx.

What it will bring to those chargers is the ability to synchronise multiple of them as well as have volt and temp sense.

No news for availability yet.

All the best, Matthijs

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Christian Lindermann avatar image Christian Lindermann mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ commented ·
...No news for availability yet.


These are really bad news :-( That sounded quiete different a while ago...

Greetings

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Christian Lindermann avatar image
Christian Lindermann answered ·

Ok thanks, so I have to be patient..

P.S. if there is a hardware upgrade, please also add a +12V sense output to the charger! Would be really helpful for us motor-home owner with CBE charger/distribution-boxes :-)

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Christian Lindermann avatar image
Christian Lindermann answered ·

@mvader (Victron Energy Staff)

New year, new try ;-)

Any news about updated or new Smart-Charger series with Smart Network support and sense-out (si) option?

Thanks

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mvader (Victron Energy) avatar image
mvader (Victron Energy) answered ·

Hi @Christian; yes you can always try! ;o).

I do have news, but not good news I'm afraid: you'll need new hardware to have smart networking. And we have not even made the required change (larger microprocessor) in production yet. I don't have any idea on dates or stocklevels that need flushing; but its 6 months at least; perhaps longer.

What is a 12V+ sense out?


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boekel avatar image boekel ♦ commented ·

12 sense output on a charger: when AC is present, a 12v signal (usually 100-500mA) is sent on a separate output, so the system knows AC is present.

I know the feature to be fairly standard on EV-type chargers, I use it to power my bms, bms wakes up and sends CAN command to charger. (electric boat propulsion systems)

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mvader (Victron Energy) avatar image mvader (Victron Energy) ♦♦ boekel ♦ commented ·

I see it already; you are asking for the Starter interrupt option; which we have in certain models now.


No; there are no plans to add that to other models as well.

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Christian Lindermann avatar image
Christian Lindermann answered ·

Good mornig Matthijs,

ok, new hardware is not the problem, I´ve expectet that...however the timeline does not sound so good.

You say the si-option is already in certain models now? I only know the IP67 12/25 charger (BPC122514006) which has this option. Am I wrong?

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Christian Lindermann avatar image
Christian Lindermann answered ·

Hi again ;-)

Over seven months gone, any news about VE.Smart Network Support for the blue smart charger? @mvader (Victron Energy Staff)

Thanks

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rheinskipper avatar image
rheinskipper answered ·

Any chance to see VE.Smart networking on my BlueSmart IP67 12/25 in the future? I bought the charger end of 2019.

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thorvald avatar image
thorvald answered ·

It's Oct 2020 now... hoping for more news?

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Martin Keogh avatar image
Martin Keogh answered ·

This has been added but not for the Blue Smart Orion_TR DC-DC chargers!

v5.42 (Released officially)

2021-06-23

Blue Smart Charger:

  • Add firmware for future IP65 6V/12V model (mandatory installation upon connection):
    • First official release
  • Add re-bulk method setting (IP22 REV2 only)
  • Allow full current range on IP22 REV2 models (IP22 REV2 only)
  • Fixed demo mode for build-in battery types
  • Added explanation to recondition voltage setting
  • Fix bulk time unit in CSV history export
  • Add firmware v3.40 for rev2 models: (Optional update)
    • Update for Blue Smart IP22 Chargers REV2 only; starting production date week 24 of 2020 (serial number HQ2024nnnnn and newer). The hardware revision printed on the the product label should be “hw rev 02” or higher.
    • Support for VE.Smart networking
      • Blink status LEDs briefly once every 4 seconds to indicate VE.Smart networking is active


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