How can I increase the range of a Smart Battery Sense

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derick asked Mar 28, '19

How can I increase the range of a Smart Battery Sense

I was all set to buy a new 100/30 smart controller and battery sense when the dealer highlighted the range issue. My batteries are mounted in an aluminium box and the solar controller is at the other end (5Metres) of the caravan in an aluminium enclosure. I ran a check using my iPhone and a 75/10 smart controller I own and determined the signal was not strong enough to operate. Is there a new version coming out with a bluetooth external aerial or such so that a greater range can be obtained. I have read elsewhere that using a dongle on the smart controller may help. It would be more eloquent to have a better range for the SBS however. All input welcome.

Smart Battery Sense

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solgato commented · Mar 28, 2019 at 07:54 AM

I’m guessing it must be the aluminum enclosure. Not interested in swapping them out for plastic I take?

FWIW, I’m able to sit on my couch inside my house and connect to my boats 75/15’s and BMV outside in my driveway which are mounted in an outdoor waterproof plastic Bud enclosure.

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derick solgato commented · Mar 31, 2019 at 09:30 PM

Not possible to change the enclosure material as it is all an integral part of the caravan.thanks for your input.

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Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2019-03-28T11:38:17Z

Paul B answered · Mar 28, 2019 at 11:38 AM

Yes you could put a Dongle on the Smart controller and mount that closer to the battery box, otherwise move the MPPT controller closer to the batteries. its beter to have it as close to the batteries as possible, the PVs are usually running at a much higher voltage so there is less volt drop on the PV side than the Higher current Battery Side.

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derick commented · Mar 28, 2019 at 12:20 PM

Thanks for your input. The caravan manufacturer located the solar controller at opposite ends to the batteries and it is now very hard to move it. I have read elsewhere about the dongle method but I was looking for an ideal solution such as maybe hacking the sense unit to relocate the bluetooth aerial? Not sure if that is practically possible/

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Paul B derick commented · Mar 28, 2019 at 01:04 PM

It should be easy to move. If the solar reg battery wires ONLY go to the battery its self.

remove the regulator, disconnect the solar systems positive and neg wires at the battery THAT go to the Regulator location. then join the PV positive to the old battery pos the PV neg to the old battery neg wire

Now the two wires at the battery end are the PV wires put these into the Regulator PV connections and then add two more wires from the Regulator to the battery.

Also its always best to connect battery first then the PV wires.

make sure you also move the battery fuses or put new ones in.

NOTE this will ONLY work if original wire Is a dedicated wire from the REG TO THE BATTERY

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Answer 2 · 2019-03-30T19:30:14Z

pdrill answered · Mar 30, 2019 at 07:30 PM

I installed a Victron Smartsolar MPPT 75/15 and a Smart Battery Sense today on my small camper van, and the connection seems to be next to useless. They are maybe 2.5 meters apart and the connection is very unstable even when the compartment doors for the devices are open.

Then I noticed that I can go to the next room, almost 10 meters away and I still can connect my smartphone to the controller, but the Smart Sense can't be rached from 3 meters away (by the same phone). So the Smart Sense range seems to be a joke. I can understand that the interior stuff of the car can interfere with the connection between the Smartsolar and the Battery Sense, but like I said, the Battery Sense can't be connected even with the phone from a few meters away.

If it really is this bad, then I have to say that it is a total waste of money. Moving the gadgets closer to each other is not an option, that's why I bought these in the first place. Didn't think a 2.5 meters range inside the car could be a no-go.

Very much not happy.

http://wonk.sytes.net/76s/lasikuitu2/gfx/joined.jpg

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derick commented · Mar 31, 2019 at 09:37 PM

Thanks for that input. My test was of course assuming that my mobile phone to solar controller would be the same range as the controller to the sense. It seems from your comments the sense has a much smaller range. The option I was considering was to use a dongle connected to the solar controller and then I can move the dongle closer to the controller. It would be about 3 metres away inside the caravan but still have to penetrate a fibreglass wall and then the aluminium enclosure of the battery box. It sounds from your experience this would not work. I could just try it out however I do not think the dealer would take the items back if it did not work.

I was hoping there may be an upgraded version of the sense with a better range. May ain the next release.

Thanks

Derick

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Answer 3 · 2019-05-30T16:23:17Z

Noisy Boysie answered · May 30, 2019 at 04:23 PM

I have a 150/45 controller that's also having issues connecting to the smart battery sense. Mine is also a few meters away, how ever with a mobile phone right next to the mppt controller i can access the battery sensor with out any issues, it seems the poor aerial on the mppt controller is the likely cause. Can you as you say fit a BT module on a cable and set that closer? will the MPPT control know which one to use? it would be a lot easier than moving the controller closer for what looks like a bit of a product failure. I even have s second sensor 0.5 meters on the other side of the electrical bay as i chose to have the batteries split each side with all the electrical items in the middle, it was a space lead decision and i know this is not best for the batteries but the loss in cable is tine when you use 50mm2 + cable. I now having it closer would work and the high volt of the solar cable can make the run with less of an issue but we all have to work with the space we have available.

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Noisy Boysie commented · May 30, 2019 at 04:28 PM

actually no this is not an option if you are already using the VE Direct port to a venus/pi

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derick commented · May 30, 2019 at 09:49 PM

Thank you for your input. It sounds like the smart sense will not be a workable option for me. I have corresponded with Victron but it seems the range issue is not seen as a problem to them. Regards Derick

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Answer 4 · 2019-07-27T19:27:43Z

logonwheeler answered · Jul 27, 2019 at 07:27 PM

I also have recently purchases a Smart Battery Sense (SBS) and have been testing out the range of the BT radio. My house batteries are contained in an aluminum battery box mounted on the exterior of the vehicle. My SmartSolar 10/20 is mounted inside the vehicle about 2 m (6 ft) away.

If I remove the lid of the battery box, I am able to make a connection between the two using my VE.Smart Network I setup. However, once I put the lid on the battery box, I loose all connection between the two.

In further testing, I used my phone to test connectivity with the SBS. Once I put the lib of the battery box on, I have to hover the phone right on top of the battery box lid just over the SBS which is less than 25 cm (~10 in) away until I can get a stable connection.

In the brief testing I have done, it appears to me the signal strength of the BT radio is very weak on the SBS and not able to pass through my battery box. I have no way to move the controller closer to the batteries unfortunately. I am curious if there is any software update that would be able to increase the signal strength or if it is a limitation of the hardware?

Any suggestions welcome...

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klim8skeptic ♦ commented · Jul 27, 2019 at 10:45 PM

There is now a higher power/range SBS available.

Return your unit and get the new unit?

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented · Jul 28, 2019 at 10:32 AM

Hi @Logonwheeler,

Please ask your dealer to swap your unit for the long range 10M model (SBS050150200).

If you have any issues, please use this form:

https://ve3.nl/help

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logonwheeler Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented · Jul 28, 2019 at 03:10 PM

Thanks Gary. I will contact the store from which I bought the SBS and see if I can swap (do not see the 10 m model listed on their website) or if I can get at least get a refund.

Also worth a mention. Having the Victron community is great, but it would be very helpful to have the bluetooth range listed either on the product page or in the user manual along with the different models (or maybe I am missing it somewhere??). I thought I did as much research as possible before purchasing and still ended up with the wrong model. I just mention it to help others who are considering to purchase the SBS.

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Answer 5 · 2019-07-28T10:31:11Z

Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) answered · Jul 28, 2019 at 10:31 AM

Hi @derick,

There are two models of Smart Battery Sense, make sure that you get the 10M (Blue) version.

SBS050100200 - Smart Battery Sense short range (up to 3m) +

SBS050150200 - Smart Battery Sense long range (up to 10m)

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derick commented · Jul 28, 2019 at 10:41 AM

Thanks Guy for this info I will go to the dealer and enquire.

Regards

Derick

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