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Repeater or Extender for Victron BMV-712 Bluetooth Signal?


Spike

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We now have Battle Born lithium batteries (with 400AH) and a Victron BMV-712 battery monitor. The Bluetooth signal is only good for about 20ft, which is fine when camping. When we're not camping, our Ollie is parked about 100ft from the house powered only by the batteries being charged by the solar panels. We are looking for a way to extend the Bluetooth signals from the camper to the house. I am wondering if there is an available device to boost the signal, a repeater of some kind. Does anyone have any experience with this? Can someone recommend a product?

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Bluetooth typically is good for 30 or so yards.  Sorry, but I know of no reasonable way to extend the signal.  When in the house and our unit in the barn, I've gotten connection by manipulating my phone's position (near a window, etc.)  Love Cochise county 🙂  

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I have never researched a booster, but they might be out there.

If you succeed, please post a new thread with your review. Mine does fine, it goes through three sheet rocked walls and about 40 feet of distance. Sometimes I have to shift my phone a little, but normally I can connect from my big comfy chair easily enough. 

My round display monitor is mounted fairly high, about thirty inches off the cabin floor, the MPPT solar controller is buried under the street side bed, and that signal only goes half as far.

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

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On 12/10/2021 at 11:50 AM, Spike said:

Ollie is parked about 100ft from the house powered only by the batteries being charged by the solar panels. We are looking for a way to extend the Bluetooth signals from the camper to the house.

This may be worth a try:

My understanding is that the Bluetooth transmitter is in the monitor housing.   This likely is inside your Oliver Trailer.  So, you have double hull fiberglass, double foil insulation between them, the distance to the house plus glass windows/walls of the house all reducing the Bluetooth signal. 

In the absence of a "Bluetooth Extender" your remaining option is to reduce the signal loss include:  

  • Moving the house closer to the trailer.  (Or the Converse)
  • Modifying the signal barriers (Take your windows out of the house, etc.)
  • Thinking outside the box.

Me, I would go for thinking outside of the box.... Literally.

Your 712 Smart data cable and power cable often have a lot more wire length than is needed.  Try removing the screws that mount the monitor and hang it outside of Ollie. Maybe through the window that is facing the house.  May want to put it into a Ziploc Freezer Bag to keep it dry all winter and tape over the window crack to keep critters and weather outside. 

The end result is that you will have put your Bluetooth transmitter outside of all of the signal reducing barriers of our OTT.  Be sure to reinstall in the Spring.

Let us know if this works!

GJ

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56 minutes ago, Geronimo John said:

This may be worth a try:

Your 712 Smart data cable and power cable often have a lot more wire length than is needed.  Try removing the screws that mount the monitor and hang it outside of Ollie. Maybe through the window that is facing the house.  May want to put it into a Ziploc Freezer Bag to keep it dry all winter and tape over the window crack to keep critters and weather outside. 

The end result is that you will have put your Bluetooth transmitter outside of all of the signal reducing barriers of our OTT.  Be sure to reinstall in the Spring.

That is an entertaining idea, the device comes with a 25 or 50 foot data cable, I can’t recall which. As I mentioned above, mine most likely does better (in terms of distance) than the Victron solar controller, because the round unit is located up above the floor, almost as high as the pantry counter top, while the controller is buried under the floor. I haven’t tried hanging the round monitor outside yet😬

Maybe it could go up inside the AC shroud, in a weather-proof bug-proof plastic project box. From that high up, the signal might even reach 200 feet. The top of my flag pole (28 feet off the ground) would be even more spectacular.

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: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

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1 hour ago, Geronimo John said:

Be sure to reinstall in the Spring.

Thanks, Geronimo for that reminder. I think that I will save myself that task by keeping it tucked away between the hulls for the time being. 

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21 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

The top of my flag pole (28 feet off the ground) would be even more spectacular.

 

When you do that placement, John, please post a photo of that spectacle.

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2 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Try removing the screws that mount the monitor and hang it outside of Ollie. Maybe through the window that is facing the house.  May want to put it into a Ziploc Freezer Bag to keep it dry all winter and tape over the window crack to keep critters and weather outside. 

Certainly not a bad idea !

But, if you really don't want to "think outside the box" then as a first step try getting the monitor in a position that is (1) as high in the Ollie as possible and (2) in a position where it is located with only the outside wall of fiberglass between it and the exterior.  One of the easiest places to do this is in the attic where the insulation can easily be pulled back and the monitor simply laid between this layer of insulation and the outside hull.

Bill

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3 hours ago, Overland said:

You might give a thought to adding one of Victron's GX products to your system.

Thanks, Overland. I am giving this a thought and will be looking into those products.

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