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ellenvig avatar image
ellenvig asked

Why is the BMV-712 beeping?

My solar installer put in the BMV-712 to monitor and control the SOC of the lead acid coach batteries in my RV, These are charged by the engine while on or the 48V solar charged battery bank when the engine is off. It worked great for a few days but it's now beeping at me occasionally, usually while driving. The SOC seems to be 98-100%, and all alarms except for a SOC < 50% are off. Any idea why it might be doing this? He looked at all the settings, displays, and histories and doesn't know.

alarm
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4 Answers
kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

If the SOC is what's causing the alarm, there can be a few causes.

Actual SOC being too low

Incorrect settings in the BMV

Poor electrical connections.

Incorrect wiring allowing current to bypass the shunt

Faulty unit.


If you post the BMV settings, battery details size, type, voltage, we can help on those.


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nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

The display unit of the 712 should indicate what the alarm is that is triggering the beep.

It would generally also be shown in the vrm alert section.

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ellenvig avatar image
ellenvig answered ·

I added some photos and screenshot here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1wkcilfb2nAcZN6h3nPrntUGfjVlEPe7C

It mostly happens while driving, and rarely while parked. When it beeps, the voltage stays displayed and constant. If the text in the upper left corner changes from "main" when it beeps, we haven't noticed. We tried to get a video, but haven't managed to get a clear and steady enough one while driving yet.

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kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

Guessing this is not going to work as you expect.

For the BMV to work out state of charge, it has to see all the current through the battery. This can't be, because it will not handle the starter current. I would guess it's not monitoring the alternator charge, either.

BMV will also not control the charging of the starter battery, although the Orion can and will, but only from solar. There is a relay in the BMV which might be wired to turn the Orion on and off, this might be, but not clear here.

We don't know how this has been wired, either.

The BMV can monitor the voltage of the starter battery, if connected and configured for it, but cannot measure SOC.

Use the Victron connect app to check the settings of the BMV.

If you click on the cog this takes you to settings, alarm settings are there. Should give you a clue.

Also looks as if you have bare live 48V terminals. Would be worth insulating them.



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kevgermany avatar image kevgermany ♦♦ commented ·

Just took another look at the pics. The BMV is showing the 12V bank as main. Your coach bank is 12V, this is for the starter and should show starter.

I think you have it connected incorrectly as well.


First guess is that you're getting low state of charge alarms on the starter battery because the BMV cannot see the charge going into the 12V bank.


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