Hi all and especially @guystewart and @mpvader !
My Blue Smart IP65 12/15 charger (bought Nov 2024) stopped working during our trip with our RV through Europe this summer. It has the exact same problem (“Alternating bulk and absorption lights and 1A charging limit”) as others have mentioned on this forum before, mostly from October 2024 until the first part of 2025:
https://community.victronenergy.com/t/blue-smart-charger-ip65-12-15-low-voltage-and-current-firmware-bug/5863
https://community.victronenergy.com/t/problem-with-ip65-12-10/14448
https://community.victronenergy.com/t/smart-ip65-charger-15a-12v-not-charging-switching-between-bulk-and-abs-after-firmware-update/13672
https://community.victronenergy.com/t/smart-ip65-charger-10a-12v-not-charging-switching-between-bulk-and-abs-after-firmware-update/20197
Everyone in the above threads were blaming firmware update V3.61 to be the cause of this charging problem but after an investigation by Victron this was then resolutely denied by both Matthijs Vader and Guy Stewart (both working for Victron) here:
https://community.victronenergy.com/t/smart-ip65-charger-15a-12v-not-charging-switching-between-bulk-and-abs-after-firmware-update/13672/9
https://community.victronenergy.com/t/smart-ip65-charger-15a-12v-not-charging-switching-between-bulk-and-abs-after-firmware-update/13672/21
They stated an underlying hardware defect in certain charger units was already causing this behaviour/problem and updating to V3.61 just made it more visible because the LEDs also would show this behaviour now.
Quoting Guy Stewart:
“A charger that is showing this characteristic still had this fault in its hardware before the firmware update, and downgrading the firmware will not remove the hardware fault.”
Last week I contacted the (web)shop where I bought the charger to start a RMA procedure. I informed them about the underlying hardware defect and gave them the links to the above threads on this forum. Still they wanted me to update to V3.65 first and test the charger again before I was ‘allowed’ to send the charger to them for testing/RMA.
So, this weekend I updated my charger and imagine how shocked I was to find out it was working again!
I tested the charger last weekend several times by disconnecting the mains, turning all the lights on (12V) for some hours drawing about 5Ah, then connecting the mains again so the charger could ‘do it’s thing’ and that all seems to work again.
But I have troubles ‘accepting’ this problem as solved now because of the above statements made by Matthijs and Guy from Victron claiming it was/is a hardware fault.
So, over to my actual questions to @guystewart and @mpvader :
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Has the update to V3.65 really fixed my charger or is this just a coincidence?
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If it fixed it, how is this possible regarding to the hardware fault you claimed earlier to be the cause?
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And can you guarantee me that your software fix is not some kind of ‘bush fix’ just temporarily working around the real hardware problem? Leading to a possible malfunction of the hardware in a couple of years (outside the 5years guarantee period)?
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If it didn’t actually fix it, how can I get my charger replaced now it doesn’t show the ‘symptoms’ anymore?
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And if it has to be replaced, how do I know this exact problem isn’t going to occur again with the new charger? I guess you replaced the hardware part with a newer version? Can I check the serial number or something like that?
As you might understand from the above questions, I lost my faith in Victron or at least in this particular Victron charger and hope you are willing and able to restore it.
To all others having or having had the same problem with their Blue Smart IP65 chargers, please write in this thread how you solved it (FW update or replacement).