Help with controlling/configuring system

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jaeckyl asked Sep 20, '20

Help with controlling/configuring system

I'm an off-grid camper, and bought the following victron components from a distributor that only works monday through friday. I'm 400 miles from the camp location during the week, and due Covid-19, I'm lucky if I get a Saturday to drive there, let alone a weekday. This creates a support problem, I can't get any when I'm at the site :(

Here's what I have:

Multiplus 12/3000 with MK3 USB

BMV-712 with VE Direct USB

SmartSolar 100/30 with VE Direct USB

RaspberryPi 3b with Venus firmware v2.60

2 x 100w Renogy Solar Panels

1 x 100Ah AGM Battery (3 more are awaiting delivery)

Smart Sense (not going to be used now that I have the BMV-712)

I have the MK3 cable on the Multiplus, and VE Direct USB cables connecting the BMV and SmartSolar charger to the Raspberry Pi. The remote display works nicely, I can see the state of the system, do basic adjustments to input amps, etc, track solar generation and AC / Load off the generator.

I used VictronConnect to configure the Smart Solar VE network, which is receiving info from the BMV.

Here's where I get confused.

Question 1:

The VE Smart Network in VictronConnect shows the connection between the BMV and the Solar Charger, but why does Venus report?

Question 2:

Why is the SOC always reported as -- on the Multiplus screen in the Venus:

Question 3:

How can I shut the inverter down when the SOC reaches 50% to save the batteries? There's got to be a simple reference to show how to hook up the bmv to the multiplus, but I can't find it.

Question 4:

Would the BMV feed data to a second Smart Solar charger if I add one in order to expand to 600w of Solar?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Dave

BMV Battery Monitor MPPT SmartSolar Venus OS multiplus ve.bus

smartsolar.png (36.4 KiB)

multiplus.png (27.5 KiB)

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JohnC answered · Sep 20, 2020 at 07:20 AM

Hi @jaeckyl

Where you (and your system) are getting confused is trying to run two networks concurrently.

Flick the bluetooth networking and concentrate on the VenusOS.

Plug the usb end of your MK3 into the rPi. Use a hub if you're outta ports. You're now fully networked. Via wire..

Access the rPi via wifi or ethernet. Victron Connect will work that way too on your mppt and BMV. If you need to access firmware upgrades to the Multi, pull the MK3 usb plug and go direct.

VRM access is just a web connection away, and Multi settings available that way via VEConfigure, or the same way as for firmware.

Q1. That's how it should look with no bt network, and it'll be rejecting it anyway.

Q2. That should fix itself.

Q3. More complex issue, and rather not go there just yet.

Q4. Just add another usb input to the rPi. If you invoke the DVCC options in Venus your system will use the data from the BMV (if you choose it) for whatever you set it to do.

One network at a time, hey. VenusOS is designed to look after the whole system, not compete with another..

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Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2020-09-20T06:24:51Z

Matthias Lange - DE answered · Sep 20, 2020 at 06:24 AM

1: Not sure about that.

2 & 3: You have to enable the battery monitor inside the Multi. Hook up the Multi to you PC with the MK3 and use VictronConnect or VEconfig to do that.
After that the Venus OS will sync the SOC of the BMV with the Multi.

4: Yes

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