I keep coming across questions here that indirectly revolve around the same topic: how do you set up a simple local, always-on display for a small Victron system?
VictronConnect is great for configuration and diagnostics, but it tends to focus on individual devices. VRM/Cerbo/GX is great for remote monitoring and larger systems, but requires the right GX infrastructure and often a network/internet connection. Home Assistant, Node-RED or Venus on a Raspberry Pi are options too, but for many campervan, boat or small off-grid setups, they end up becoming a project in their own right.
I’d be interested to hear how you handle this in practice when you just want a local display in your vehicle, boat, shed or utility room:
Cerbo/GX + VRM/Remote Console?
Venus OS on a Raspberry Pi?
Home Assistant / ESPHome / Node-RED?
An old tablet/phone as a display?
No always-on display at all, just VictronConnect when needed?
The specific reason I’m asking: I’m currently gathering experiences and feedback for Boardstrom, a local iOS/Android dashboard app for Victron systems. The idea is to fill the gap between VictronConnect and VRM: a local display via Bluetooth Instant Readout or local GX/MQTT, with no cloud requirement and no account. So it’s not intended to replace VictronConnect for configuration, or to be a full-fledged replacement for VRM, but rather to provide a quick, always-on display.
I’m less interested in a yes/no on this specific app and more in the practical question: where are you missing a simple display for small systems, and which data would absolutely need to be visible?
A quick transparency note first: I’m the developer of Boardstrom, so please bear that in mind when reading this.
On the actual question of what a simple always-on display needs to show: based on feedback over the past few months (campers, boats, garden sheds), it’s almost always the same five values: SoC, battery voltage, current flowing into or out of the battery, solar power and current consumption. Plus a time estimate: time remaining until empty or fully charged. Charging stage, tank levels and temperatures are nice to have, but secondary.
What many people don’t know is that the SmartShunt, SmartSolar MPPT, Orion XS, Blue Smart IP22 and Smart Battery Sense send their readings via Bluetooth Instant Readout without an active connection. An old tablet on the wall can simply read them; you don’t need a GX for that. If you have a Cerbo, you can get the data locally via MQTT, without VRM.
I’m curious, as this determines the order in which I develop things: which devices do you have in your small systems that still don’t show up on any display without a GX? And for you, is the always-on display more likely to be the tablet on the wall or the phone in your pocket?
Just downloaded this to try in my camper which doesn’t have a GX device, so VRM is not an option.
Using BMV712, Orion XS, Smartsolar 100/20 and an IP22 charger.
Currently have the VC Android widget showing BMV info, but it is a bit hit and miss as to when it refreshes, so on first impressions, this seems a good alternative.
I will just use the free single device connection for the BMV to try it out.
Seems a nice app so far. Well done
Edit: A comparison of the widgets - note the VC widget has not refreshed for 15 mins despite me currently being sat 2M from the device
@Clark thanks for testing, and good to see from your other post that it is now running on the old phone in the camper. The 15-minute stall you saw was the VictronConnect widget, if the Boardstrom one ever does the same, tell me, that is a bug I want to hear about. The Orion XS, the 100/20 and the IP22 are all readable the same way as the BMV.
I now have the pro version and using remote on a couple of systems. One is alongside a Globallink 520 on my backup home system, so the best of both worlds!
It could never replace the full management of the GX device on my main home system, but seems a good alternative for small ones like my camper.
