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Posted

I have hired an RV tech to install four Battle Born 12-volt lithium batteries in my 2017 Ollie Elite II. We are in a bit of a quandary about the best place to install the Victron BMV-712 Battery Monitor in a way to make it easy to view and with minimal risk of damaging the fiberglass or interfering with any other components. 

I am wondering if someone on the forum has done this or had it done and can share that location with me, along with information about where the wiring was placed and the way in which it was run from the shunt to the monitor without damaging the fiberglass. A bonus to a clear description would be a photo of the monitor placed in the cabin. Thanks!


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Posted

Here's where mine went, it is out of the way. but relatively easy to see if you lean down. The data cable goes up the gap between the battery compartment and the inside electronics bay. I was thinking about putting it at eye level, but in retrospect it isn't needed, since I always use the app.

 

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FYI the center line of the monitor and other stuff in the pictures is 3.5" below the bottom of the removable counter top. The monitor comes with a  huge data cable, maybe 50 feet? I bought a short one that was 5 feet and that fit fine, with the shunt located right below the factory 12 volt positive bus. From this thread: ... https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/5301-how-to-lithium-battery-powered-vent-system/

Some members have not even bothered to mount it where it is visible, it is OK to just leave it hidden under the street side bed. However I think having it located in the cabin is useful if you have visitors who may not have the phone app. I hope that helps.

John Davies

Spokane WA

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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: 

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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Posted

On the boat, we mounted the victron monitor in a space that's not really easy  to see/get to, but the app makes the placement pretty much irrelevant.  I can check the batteries from the back deck of the house, and certainly from anywhere on the boat,  on my phone. 

Shorter wire run, and  we had no space left on the existing monitor board.

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2008 Ram 1500 4 × 4

2008 Oliver Elite, Hull #12

Florida and Western North Carolina, or wherever the truck goes....

400 watts solar. DC compressor fridge. No inverter. 2 x 105 ah agm batteries .  Life is good.


        
 

 

 

Posted
4 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

On the boat, we mounted the victron monitor in a space that's not really easy  to see/get to, but the app makes the placement pretty much irrelevant.  I can check the batteries from the back deck of the house, and certainly from anywhere on the boat,  on my phone. 

Shorter wire run, and  we had no space left on the existing monitor board.

Good point,

Mounted our non-Bluetooth shunt/indicator in the battery box. If it's Bluetooth capable, this installation could also work in the battery box if there's room and exterior door vents are plugged/sealed when using lithium batteries:

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2015 LE2 #75 / 2024 F-150/5.0L

 

Posted

Have to agree with the above. I installed mine before the Bluetooth unit was available and even then I regretted having done so. It’s a necessary device but the display really shows you nothing. Hide it away and save the hole in your fiberglass for something truly useful like their color display. 

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Posted
13 hours ago, rideandfly said:

Mounted our non-Bluetooth shunt/indicator in the battery box. If it's Bluetooth capable, this installation could also work in the battery box if there's room and exterior door vents are plugged/sealed when using lithium batteries:

 

I would like to add that unless the vent holes are sealed as shown in Bill’s pic, this is not a wise location for ANY electronics, other than a water resistant solar controller. When pressure washing the trailer, water will get inside. Sealing the holes pretty much eliminates that. Almost.

And none should ever be installed in there if you have lead acid or AGM batteries. The latter theoretically do not vent explosive gases, but if one failed, it certainly could do so.

John Davies

Spokane WA

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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: 

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

Posted

Just be sure you mount it in an area that is accessible as you may have to make settings on it that are not available on the app - for example, the lock/unlock setting..

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ALAZARCACOCTDEFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMA

Arizona | 2020 Oliver Elite II Twin bed Hull #617 | 2021 Ram 1500 e-Hemi 4x4

Posted

If you don't want an indicator you can use a Victron Bluetooth Smart Shunt and just use your SmartPhone to monitor battery:

https://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/smart-battery-shunt#pd-nav-video

When the Lithium battery & shunt/indicator were installed, sealed the battery compartment door using a 1 1/8" hole saw to cut out 1" OD plastic plugs (Walmart white kitchen cutting board) to fill the existing ventilation holes in the battery compartment door. Did not want to mount these plugs permanently, sealed with clear RTV silicone for easy removal.

 

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2015 LE2 #75 / 2024 F-150/5.0L

 

Posted

 I have a 2019 Oliver #475 and there was this spot open to use for mounting the monitor. I admit that the app for the phone is much more user-friendly but for a quick look or for some reason your phone is not working or available I still would not want to be without the monitor. The shunt for the monitor is located in the battery compartment so the area I picked for mounting the monitor is directly above it, although it was challenging to connecting the wire between the shunt and the monitor.  

 

 

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Looking into the pantry door, the inside corner to the front of the trailer is where you will drill down through three layers of fiberglass, pantry inner shell, pantry outer shell, and base cabinet. Then drill a hole through the side of pantry inner shell. Now use the drill to cut a trough between the two holes. The drill needs to be sized to allow the plastic terminal on the end of the cable to pass through the hole.

 

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Now using a fish tape pull the cable up from basement into the pantry. Then from the access hatch on the top of the pantry side wall feed the fish tape down between the walls to the hole you drilled in the side of the inner pantry shell. Now you can pull the cable the rest of the way up to where the monitor will be mounted.

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You will notice that the back side of the hole for the monitor is in a area that transitions to a different wall thickness in the middle of the hole so I used the threaded ring on the back in combination with the front mount that is provided with the monitor.

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Posted

Lots of great info here as I will be install a victron controller also. The zamp controller just doesn't cut it for me. 

Thanks to everyone for sharing ideas.

PerryG

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Posted
23 hours ago, Minnesota Oli said:

I have a 2019 Oliver #475 and there was this spot open to use for mounting the monitor.

Thanks so much, Minnesota Oli, for your detailed, illustrated description. That is exactly the spot that I wanted, and my tech and I discussed completing just about exactly the same procedures as you describe for placing the monitor in that location. Yours looks sharp and just the way I imagined it would look. Others considering this location will benefit for sure from your help.

However, I finally decided on a different location, mostly due to the oft-repeated reminder that the new product is blue-tooth enabled. Also is the consideration of avoiding putting another hole in the interior fiberglass, when in the future, for example, a different monitor may be desired.

I have requested my tech to place it alongside the shunt, which will be placed under the dinette seat next to the pantry. There is, he discovered, a piece of wood over the wheel well under the hatch where he will secure the shunt and the monitor, placing the monitor in such a way to make it easily visible when I lift the hatch. I instructed him to leave the long wire attached in case I want to move the monitor elsewhere in the future.

If I am unhappy with this placement, I may indeed use your great illustrated description to relocate it. Thanks again.

 

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Posted

As it may be helpful for those wanting to install the Victron Energy BMV-712 Smart Battery Monitor, I've uploaded this photo of the placement of our Victron shunt and monitor--under the seat next to the pantry.

My tech built a box for the monitor and secured it to the wood over the wheel well. Also, he discovered another piece of wood on the side of wheel well where he was able to secure the repeater for our new TST 507 Color Tire Pressure Monitoring System (where that little red light shines).

Since we now can use our iPhones to monitor the solar-battery system, I don't anticipate needing  to look down into this hatch very frequently. Thanks again to all who responded to my original post.

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