I’ve seen this issue come up elsewhere but have read conflicting answers, so I’m hoping someone can give me a categoric and straightforward solution, please.
I have 2 x MPPT controllers (as I have 2 solar arrays) leading to one battery bank:
1 x Smartsolar 100/30
1 x BlueSolar 100/30 with Bluetooth dongle.
The Victron app allows the controllers to be configured as a network. However for each controller, the app tells me “This product is configured for VE. Smart networking and is waiting for data” and nothing more. Meanwhile, I have both controllers connected via busbars to the battery bank, and I’m hoping nothing goes hideously wrong in the meantime.
What can I do to get the controllers talking to each other, please?
If you have a sending unit in the network, like a BMV-712, Smart BatterySense, or SmartShunt, then your solar controllers can receive data from that and adjust their output based on the data it sends, but the controllers you have can’t talk to each other to synchronize their charging.
Editing to add, in response to
Just program them both the same and you’ll be fine, there’s no need for them to talk to each other - multiple concurrent charge sources can be charging the same battery bank with no ill effects as long as they’re all programmed appropriately for the battery bank being charged.
If you have 2 different arrays with different azimuths (pointing in different directions) then your controllers don’t need to talk to each other anyway.
As long as they are both set with the same voltage parameters, then all will be fine.
The only time that chargers really need to be synchronised is if they are working from a common array - which is not normally recommended.
