Victon BMV-712 Battery Monitor

[dewdev]

Can this system be wired to monitor my 4 batteries seperately?

If so, how would I do that?

Edited June 22 by dewdev

[MAX Burner]

Key to the BMV-712 Smart Monitor is that it gives both a meter readout or a mobile phone application indication of your battery bank State of Charge (SOC).  When we acquired our's, the meter and the Victron Smart Shunt (necessary for this install) were sold separately, they may be a package deal at this time.

It's a straight forward install and we strongly recommend this set-up for those who enjoy frequent boondocking.

Here's a link to the Victron site that explains the "Quick Install" procedure:

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Quick-Install-Guide-BMV-712.pdf

Many of us owners have installed a "negative" buss bar to connect all 12vDC components to the buss bar and then to the negative terminal of the Smart Shunt for a clean and tidy wiring configuration.  

If you've got any questions - just give a shout out.  

Cheers!

[Ronbrink]

13 hours ago, dewdev said:

Can this system be wired to monitor my 4 batteries seperately?

Individually or as a bank, please define. @MAX Burner’s explanation for use of the BMV-712 and SmartShunt is spot on for monitoring a battery bank. 

[ChrisMI]

I feel that the 712 type gauge is very similar to a fuel totalizer.  It is calibrated to measure the flow of energy and you need to manually set the capacity of the tank, battery, or battery bank.  
 

If your batteries are lacking a data port connection or Bluetooth you could wire up four shunts (one for each battery) and connect them to a cerbo gx or similar to combine the data (flow and reserve capacity). 
 

In your situation if all the batteries were purchased at the same time I would just treat the bank as a single battery.  Disconnect them and test individually if you have a concern, otherwise just use a single shunt and concentrate on total reserve capacity. 

[jd1923]

4 hours ago, ChrisMI said:

I feel that the 712 type gauge is very similar to a fuel totalizer.  It is calibrated to measure the flow of energy and you need to manually set the capacity of the tank, battery, or battery bank.

If your batteries are lacking a data port connection or Bluetooth you could wire up four shunts (one for each battery) and connect them to a cerbo gx or similar to combine the data (flow and reserve capacity).

In your situation if all the batteries were purchased at the same time I would just treat the bank as a single battery.  Disconnect them and test individually if you have a concern, otherwise just use a single shunt and concentrate on total reserve capacity. 

I have four 6V lead acid batteries purchased together 3 years ago. When I had them apart, they all read exactly the same voltage to 0.01V accuracy.

Actually, with the Victron SmartShunt you can monitor 4 batteries with 2 shunts: Amazon.com: Victron Energy SmartShunt IP65 500 amp Battery Monitor (Bluetooth) : Automotive There is an extra wire that can be used to monitor the tow vehicle (TV) battery, or to split a battery bank for two readings. Presently mine is not connected but would like to connect it to the TV battery when installing a DC-to-DC charger (run that wire to the same terminal at the hitch).

[Derek B]

@MAX Burner, I plan to add a smart shunt when I do my solar install. Just to be sure I understand the routing for shunt. I have an inverter. My current negative 4/0 cable going straight from battery to inverter will now go to battery side of shunt.
Load side of shunt will get 4/0 cable going to inverter and the 4AWG yellow wire currently going to ground terminal?

[MAX Burner]

1 hour ago, Derek B said:

@MAX Burner, I plan to add a smart shunt when I do my solar install. Just to be sure I understand the routing for shunt. I have an inverter. My current negative 4/0 cable going straight from battery to inverter will now go to battery side of shunt.
Load side of shunt will get 4/0 cable going to inverter and the 4AWG yellow wire currently going to ground terminal?

In my particular configuration, the NEG 4/0 cable from the Xantrax inverter goes directly to the first lug of the NEG bus bar.  The first lug of the NEG bus bar is connected to the load side of the SS with a 4/0 cable.  I've connected the 4AWG yellow wire to the 2nd lug of the NEG bus bar.

It's not easy to see from the above pic, but my middle finger is pointing to the 4/0 cable from the inverter and my index finger is pointing to the 4AWG yellow wire.  So this way, the SS can monitor current to and from the inverter because its NEG lead is connected to the bus bar which goes through the shunt.  From the 4th lug I've routed the NEG bus bar to the factory frame ground, FYI.

Hope this helps...

 

[Derek B]

@MAX Burner Yes it helps, perfect explanation. When installed, does the black (negative) wire coming from solar controller go thru shunt at all or straight to battery negative?

[MAX Burner]

3 minutes ago, Derek B said:

@MAX Burner Yes it helps, perfect explanation. When installed, does the black (negative) wire coming from solar controller go thru shunt at all or straight to battery negative?

Dude...  "Everything DC" goes through the shunt.  Otherwise, the SS will not monitor that input - in this case, from the solar modules.  If you choose to include one of the available Victron touch screens, it will display the solar power input status.  We use a dedicated Victron solar monitor in addition to the touch screen, yeah - I get it, overkill.  What can I say, we like overkill...

Cheers, brother!

[Derek B]

6 minutes ago, MAX Burner said:

Dude...  "Everything DC" goes through the shunt.

😂 Got it. And the way you put it I won’t forget… thanks for the info. Will make it easier as I start mapping out my install.

[jd1923]

My Victron SmartShunt install is simply sitting at the negative battery terminal. Nothing gets -12V ground unless it goes through the shunt. 

Edited June 26 by jd1923
typo

[MAX Burner]

2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

My Victron SmartShunt install is simply sitting at the negative battery terminal. Nothing gets -12V ground unless it goes through the shunt. 

Perfect, brother!

[Derek B]

3 hours ago, jd1923 said:

My Victron SmartShunt install is simply sitting at the negative battery terminal. Nothing gets -12V ground unless it goes through the shunt. 

 

Thanks for the pic @jd1923 reinforces the information @MAX Burner provided. I got under the street side bed today and the rear dinette. Think I am going to put a NEG bus bar and the smart shunt on the inner wall under pantry. Will keep everything within minimal distance to the rest of the components and allow me to clean up the battery compartment a little bit. 

[Patriot]

4 hours ago, jd1923 said:

My Victron SmartShunt install is simply sitting at the negative battery terminal. Nothing gets -12V ground unless it goes through the shunt. 

Clean install jd! 👍🏻