VE.Smart with two chargers : 220V BlueSmart IP22 and SmartSolar ?

DIY
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1

Hi,

I’ve got a small VE.Smart system with :

  • a BlueSmart IP22 220V charger
  • a SmartShunt
  • a battery

This works perfectly via VE.Smart network. Now, I’d like to add the following items :

  • solar charging with a SmartSolar MPPT 75/15
  • a Smart Battery Protect

I’d like to know if those can be integrated and work together inside the existing VE.Smart network :

  • SmartSolar : it’s in the “compatibility list” for VE.Smart. But, as far as there will be two chargers (220V and solar), can I configure charging policies, basically : use 220V charger only where there’s not enough sun ?
  • Battery Protect : it’s not th the VE.Smart compatibility list; I assume it will work as standalone, and disconnect load when battery voltage fails under defined threshold. Then, it doesn’t need to communicate with any other component in real time. Am i right ?

And the last question :
If I want to add more features later, will I be able to add a Cerbo GX or equivalent ? I think the answer is NO, because as far as I understood, GX supports Bluetooth, but can not talk with VE.Smart devices via Bluetooth. Cerbo GX only talks via VE.Direct wired connections. But as far as some of my components (220V BlueSmart charger and Battery Protect) don’t have a VE.Direct port, I think that won’t work. Am I right ?

Thank you in advance for your answers.

Kind regards

2

I found that, about synchronizing several SmartSolar chargers. But it does not talk about synchronizing solar and 220V chargers :
https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/VE.Smart_Networking/en/synchronised-charging---further-details.html

3

Here are some older posts I found about similar topics :

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/50506/how-to-synchronise-or-to-do-a-proper-charge-with-a.html
→ It’s old (2020). It says BlueSmart chargers are not compatible with VE.Smart; but today, BlueSmart IP22 is compatible.

4

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/25853/simple-campervan-with-solar-bluesmart-mains-charge.html?childToView=27694
→ Putting the charge voltage setting on the MPPT a little higher than on the AC Charger will effectively make the “free power” from the Solar the priority.

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/259874/combining-smartsolar-charge-controller-mppt-with-b.html
→ Similar answer : if the battery has an absorption voltage range of 14.2 to 14.6V, set solar to the higher value and IP22 to the lower value. Same applies to float. It won’t be a complete override, but will get you most of the way. Beware of night time. IP22 will be fully active. May not be what you want.

TEMPORARY CONCLUSION :
Setting different voltages on 220V and solar chargers is a trick that may do the job.
Anyway, as both chargers are VE.Smart-capable, it would be interesting to know if they are capable of exchanging charging algorithm data between each other (and not only getting voltage / current / temperature from battery monitor).

Then, the question about synchronization between AC charger and solar charger remains open.

Kind regards

5

I can not answer all your questions but I can confirm that setting the MPPT absorption and float higher than the mains charger will give some element of solar priority, this is what I have done on my boat and it works.