question

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jere-lindroos asked

VE.Smart Networking problem

When I turn on VE.Smart Networking, my bluesolar device (it has a VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle Rev.2 connected to it) immediately increases the watts and amperes to about twice what the panels actually give. I can verify this because I have BMW-712 Smart in my system. When I leave Smart Networking, everything is okay again. Why is that?


It looks like this when smart networking is turned of.

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And like this when I have it turned on.

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MPPT ControllersBMV Battery MonitorVE.Smart Network
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7 comments
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Hi @Jere Lindroos

What happens when you only remove the BMV from the smart network? Does it also drop bak in that case?

Are you sure that the only connection to the battery is through the BMV? The weird thing is indeed that the MPPT reporting more current but the BMV is not registering it.

Can you post some more information, like screen shots of the Product info pages of both the MPPT and the BMV (so the firmware version are visible), perhaps settings like battery type and charge voltages and so on?

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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jere-lindroos avatar image jere-lindroos Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented ·

First of all, thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it.


(What happens when you only remove the BMV from the smart network? Does it also drop bak in that case?)

- The MPPT shows crazy numbers when it is in the Smart Network, no matter if the Smart Shunt is in the network or not.


(Are you sure that the only connection to the battery is through the BMV? The weird thing is indeed that the MPPT reporting more current but the BMV is not registering it.)

-100% sure.


(Can you post some more information, like screen shots of the Product info pages of both the MPPT and the BMV (so the firmware version are visible), perhaps settings like battery type and charge voltages and so on?)

-Battery type is Victron AGM. The problem has been since I first tried Smart Networking (I think it was in 2021) and I always try if it is fixed with every firmware update but no luck yet. I have these setting recommended in this video for both the MPPT and Smartshunt. https://youtu.be/mEN15Z_S4kE

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Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) avatar image Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ jere-lindroos commented ·

Hi @Jere Lindroos

And the MPPT and the BMV are the only things in the network? Or do you have more equipment that is in the network?

Can you perhaps make a screen shot of the MPPT VE.Smart networking settings menu when it is connected to the network?

You say: "The MPPT shows crazy numbers when it is in the Smart Network, no matter if the Smart Shunt is in the network or not.". How long did you wait after removing the BMV from the network? You might have to wait a few minutes. Best is to connect to the MPPT and check the VE.Smart networking menu whether it sill lists the BMV there or not. And even when the BMV is gone there, it is wise to wait a few minutes.

Can you make a screen shot of the MPPT battery settings menu?

What other things are connected to the battery/BMV?

Do you indeed expect a load of approx 3A?
(as that is the difference in what the BMV reported in the image and what the MPPT reported in the images without the VE.Smart network connected)

And again just to be sure (as that is the most likely explanation for now): Is the system mounted in a car/camper and is the chassis perhaps directly connected to the battery minus instead of the System side of the shunt?

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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jere-lindroos avatar image jere-lindroos Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented ·

(And the MPPT and the BMV are the only things in the network? Or do you have more equipment that is in the network?)

-Yes, just the MPPT and the BMW.


(Can you perhaps make a screen shot of the MPPT VE.Smart networking settings menu when it is connected to the network?)

-You mean this?

IMG_0439.PNG


(You say: "The MPPT shows crazy numbers when it is in the Smart Network, no matter if the Smart Shunt is in the network or not.". How long did you wait after removing the BMV from the network? You might have to wait a few minutes. Best is to connect to the MPPT and check the VE.Smart networking menu whether it sill lists the BMV there or not. And even when the BMV is gone there, it is wise to wait a few minutes.)

-I have waited for hours, does not matter.


(Can you make a screen shot of the MPPT battery settings menu?)

IMG_0435.PNG


(What other things are connected to the battery/BMV?)

-I only have this connected to the shunt. That is the only thing I have in my system.

https://www.victronenergy.fi/inverter-charger-mppt/easysolar


(Do you indeed expect a load of approx 3A? as that is the difference in what the BMV reported in the image and what the MPPT reported in the images without the VE.Smart network connected)

-Yes I do. Here are the photos with no loads.

Without Smart Network.

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And with Smart Network.

IMG_0443.PNG


(And again just to be sure (as that is the most likely explanation for now): Is the system mounted in a car/camper and is the chassis perhaps directly connected to the battery minus instead of the System side of the shunt?)

-The system is at my summer cottage. Easysolar minus is connected to the Shunt and the Shunt is connected to battery minus. That is all the connections I have.



Everything is working fine, has been working for like 4 years. No problems at all. BMW shows everything right. It is the MPPT that shows wrong numbers if I try to use Smart Networking. And like I said earlier, I am planning on adding more panels and another MPPT controller so that is why I need to get it to work.


Here are some random screenshots i took:

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Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) avatar image Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ jere-lindroos commented ·
Hi @Jere Lindroos


We are unable to reproduce this on our side, so perhaps something is broken in your system. Therefore, even more question (sorry):

The BMV always measures around 6.7 Amps in the supplied images. Is this a coincidence and have you seen other currents or have you ever checked this current using a multimeter/current clamp?

What happens when you disable the MPPT and the inverter is still on, what is the current that the BMV reports in that case?

Have you also tried to power cycle the MPPT by disconnecting it from PV and battery for a minute and then reconnect it, battery first?

Can you perhaps create a settings file of the MPPT and the BMV and post that in a reply here?

And perhaps a service report after connecting to the BMV and then to the MPPT?

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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Hi @Jere Lindroos

And is there any other load connected? Because in the case without networking, the BMV is registering 6.67A, but the MPPT is producing 9.7A towards the battery. So either there is a load taking 3A, or there is a second path into the battery that is not going through the shunt of the BMV (for example through chassis, grounding, etc).

Kind regards,

Thiemo van Engelen

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jere-lindroos avatar image jere-lindroos Thiemo van Engelen (Victron Energy staff) ♦ commented ·

Yes there is load, my fridge was on when I took these photos. It doesnt matter if there is no load, same thing. And even if the battery is 100% and no loads, when i add my MPPT to Smart Networking it starts immediately to show wrong numbers. And always more than is actually true, never less. Only at night when the charger is off the MPPT shows same numbers as the Smart Shunt.


When I only have Smart Shunt connected to Smart Networking, it works fine.

When I add MPPT or only have MPPT In Smart Network, it shows crazy numbers.

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1 Answer
jere-lindroos avatar image
jere-lindroos answered ·

Please I need an answer. Planning on adding another MPPT controller so I need Smart Networking to work.

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