Can not connect a VE.bus BMS NG to my cerbo GX

DIY
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1

Hi! Struggling a lot with trying to connect a VE.bus BMS NG to my cerbo gx.

  1. I don’t have any Multiplus or inverter so I use a blind connector with pin 3 to battery minus (as should be done according to manual). So far so good (get all info from batteries in my connect app).
  2. Connecting a UTP cable between Remote panel (RJ45 port) on BMS to VE.bus port on Cerbo GX. No BMS is found in cerbo at all… :frowning: The LED on BMS is not light up.

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Please give me any direction how the troubleshoot and please explain as for a Dummie :wink:

Thanks in advance!

2

Maybe the wrong pin?

From the manual:

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The VE.Bus BMS will never be shown as a device in the device list.

3

Doubt I used wrong pin, checked multiple times and BMS shouldn’t power up. It is in the manual…

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4

Hmm… I never did that but as I wrote above, you will never see the BMS on the GX, that’s not how it works.
The VE.Bus BMS always needs a MultiPlus/Quattro.

5

Thanks! Sounds like my already spended thousand of dollars in my battery system needs another thousands of dollars to get it functional!? It’s actually quite crappy that there is a need of a multiplus just to get to communicate with cerbo… I don’t need any charger/inverter or multiplus for my use…

6

Then a vebus based system was the wrong choice. This really is why good suppliers are critical for getting advice.
Unfortunately too many people are choosing an AI instead which just wants to tell them anything to keep them happy.
Forums like this will happily provide guidance before any money is spent, but spending proper money in the absence of experienced advice rarely works out well.

7

I hate AI myself and never trust AI-info. However when looking in manual it doesn’t say that cerbo doesn’t get the info via ve.bus. If so it should clearly say that if not using bms.can, you will not have any bms control via cerbo.
I’m a fan of victron overall but the complexity is too high sometimes and to be able to setup a system you need to be a professor :wink:

8

Ok, I realized I probably not will get what I want out of my equipment I have bought. I will not be able to put in a multiplus or similar, due to limited space.
So my question is will a Victron Energy Lynx Smart BMS 500 NG do the thing via VE.can? I want to control my MPPT’s and control everything via cerbo gx, but don’t want the multiplus/inverter.
Do I need the Lynx Power in and Distributor or can I skip those and use cables to connect to my existing fuses and distubution blocks?
Sorry for all my maybe stupid questions. Thanks!

9

Any more inputs before ordering a Lynx smart BMS 500 NG? Thanks!

10

Currently the Lynx BMS is what you need for that.

There is a “VE.Can BMS NG” in development but there is no release date for that.
That BMS will be like the VE.Bus BMS but with VE.Can instead of VE.Bus.

11

Ooh, that sounds very interesting. It might be worth waiting… I have all the surrounding so saving a lot of money doesn’t hurt. I can use my old BMV to see charge status (as I have today and it shows very close to the BMS, even though I cannot use DVCC via cerbo to control mppt’s). Thanks for your input!

12

But that way your batteries are not protected!
You need a working BMS zu switch off loads and chargers!

You shouldn’t use the batteries without BMS while waiting a few months for the new BMS.

13

Thanks I have a victron small bms ng that controls mppt’s and orion xs and system works (triggered by disconnect battery cable to bms). Only thing I don’t have any protection for discharge right now but not so concerned about that because I never let it go down so far (min 45% soc last autumn).
However I will probably order a lynx​:wink:

Edit: mppt’s are connected with non-inv. cables.