BM2 update
- Thread starter Salty Spuds
- Start date
-
- Tags
- battery monitor
@Dellmassive
Yes mine has the spade terminals. Just checked when I purchased it and I’ve had it just over a year.
I have just got back from Ablemail HQ. As I thought there was a problem with my AMT.
To cut a long story short the unit was replaced and fitted.
Jonathan basically said to program it to 8. This basically would allow the LB to charge the starter for longer. The righ hand column in the table describing the battery is a bit pointless for setting up a lithium battery to trickle the starter.
here are my two units. . . .
the stud is the previous version . . .
it only has 4x profiles to choose from in this FW . . .
and this is the newer unit with the spade terminals. . .
this one has 8x profiles available.
standard 1-4
and
high power 5-8
++++++++++
I've set my unit back to profile #4
so that it will trickle charge from the Lithium all the time, and not ONLY when on charge
+++++++++++++
the stud is the previous version . . .
it only has 4x profiles to choose from in this FW . . .
and this is the newer unit with the spade terminals. . .
this one has 8x profiles available.
standard 1-4
and
high power 5-8
++++++++++
I've set my unit back to profile #4
so that it will trickle charge from the Lithium all the time, and not ONLY when on charge
+++++++++++++
According to Jonathan today #4 and #8 will both charge the starter batter from the leisure battery until the leisure battery drops to below 13V (so #8 will still charge the starter when NOT on charge (is engine, solar or hook up). The difference only being • will charge a bit faster, but its still very slow trickle charge.
Then they will stop charging. He then said if the starter drops very low then it will start to trickle charge again, he mentions something about a difference of 0.7V between starter and leisure (leisure higher) is in the profile for this to happen.
My instructions say above 13.5V for the lithium LB and 12.4 for smart alternator. (Excuse the grubby instructions, been knocking about my work bench!
I also note that my charger is slightly different to others I've seen with M6 studs. Mine is just spades.
I do think that mode 4 or 8 will work better despite me having lithium lb. I shall go through the faff of removing my seat tomorrow to gain access. This sort of stuff happens if you read the manual!
@Samro
looks like you have possibly a newer programming sheet?
as you say your 3/7 shows above 13.5v
and 4/8 shows above 13.0v
so it may depend on the FW version the actual AMT12-2 is programmed with.
i have both the versions, older only has 4x profiles, newer has the 8x profiles.
+++++++++
but what i noticed in testing on my setup was that the unit wasnt charging the SB when the van was stationary . . . (im not running any solar atm)
on setting #3 (assumed ON above 14.2v)
so i changed to setting #4 (assumed ON above 13.0v)
at that point the charger kicked in . . .
so im jumping between 4/8
++++++++++
the website still shows the old sheet:
....
looks like you have possibly a newer programming sheet?
as you say your 3/7 shows above 13.5v
and 4/8 shows above 13.0v
so it may depend on the FW version the actual AMT12-2 is programmed with.
i have both the versions, older only has 4x profiles, newer has the 8x profiles.
+++++++++
but what i noticed in testing on my setup was that the unit wasnt charging the SB when the van was stationary . . . (im not running any solar atm)
on setting #3 (assumed ON above 14.2v)
so i changed to setting #4 (assumed ON above 13.0v)
at that point the charger kicked in . . .
so im jumping between 4/8
++++++++++
the website still shows the old sheet:
....
Well I now don't know whether to go for profile 4 or 8!
I have 170Ah lithium and 150w solar. What do you think?
It is a ball ache to remove my seat at the moment as I am not supposed to lift! (When I installed it, my wife caught me and I got a massive rollicking!)
more info:
my lithium rests at about 13.2v ( Roamer 230SB )
this is the readout from the Ablemail BT adapter . . .
showing 13.3v LB and 12.28v SB . . . .
.
here you can see the shunt on the LB showing the 4sec charge blips from the LB . . ( setting bellow showing profile 4)
here is a close up . . .
.
those charge blips can be seen on the BM2/3 as a ripple . . .
..
and can be verified with a clamp meter . . ( i know its showing 0A in this pic, i was testing, it would normally show 1-4A during a blip)
.
here is another way of seeing what's happening . . .
here is the @RoamerBatteries SB230 BMS showing the 3.5A draw from the LB to the SB.
.
ill leave it on setting 4 for now. . .
I've also moved the CERBO GX into the van . . . . so will have additional data from that to show soon.
my lithium rests at about 13.2v ( Roamer 230SB )
this is the readout from the Ablemail BT adapter . . .
showing 13.3v LB and 12.28v SB . . . .
.
here you can see the shunt on the LB showing the 4sec charge blips from the LB . . ( setting bellow showing profile 4)
here is a close up . . .
.
those charge blips can be seen on the BM2/3 as a ripple . . .
..
and can be verified with a clamp meter . . ( i know its showing 0A in this pic, i was testing, it would normally show 1-4A during a blip)
.
here is another way of seeing what's happening . . .
here is the @RoamerBatteries SB230 BMS showing the 3.5A draw from the LB to the SB.
.
ill leave it on setting 4 for now. . .
I've also moved the CERBO GX into the van . . . . so will have additional data from that to show soon.
i would choose #4
Thank you. I shall have to find a time where the better half is out without any risk of getting caught. Not had this much excitement since smoking behind the bike sheds at school!
The trouble with recording minute changes with a Cerbo GX is that you are relying on the VRM database.
This data is updated at whatever rate you set on the remote console.
You can see here that mine is set at a 1 minute interval which is the minimum:
The Ablemail charger cycles it's trickle charge on a 15 second cycle, so seeing what is occurring is best done by being connected to the battery monitor by BT and recording the lb and vanbat voltages.
Edit: For the sake of clarity- the VRM only plots what is recorded at the time of the log interval. So fluctuations which occur second by second will be tricky to spot.
Last edited:
RE Victron logging.
i have this running in Realtime . . . ( connection to VRM )
its catching blips on the chart, from the BMV712.
which matchup to the blips on the BMV712 direct with a BT connection . . . (this is the fastest to see the blips)
i have this running in Realtime . . . ( connection to VRM )
its catching blips on the chart, from the BMV712.
which matchup to the blips on the BMV712 direct with a BT connection . . . (this is the fastest to see the blips)
this is the solar shed - but RPi this time. . .
set as REALTIME in vrm portal under site/general.
load dashboard. . . .
it will take a min .
+++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++
then connect in Realtime . . .
+++++++++++++++++
set as REALTIME in vrm portal under site/general.
load dashboard. . . .
it will take a min .
+++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++
then connect in Realtime . . .
+++++++++++++++++
no, VRM is still laggy due to internet latency etc. ( but good enough for 24hr monitoring)
but Bluetooth connection to the SHUNT BMV712 is Live, and shows everything.
like this,
you can zoom in/out for more or less detail on the timeline . . .
but Bluetooth connection to the SHUNT BMV712 is Live, and shows everything.
like this,
you can zoom in/out for more or less detail on the timeline . . .
Real-time updates only relate to the Dashboard.
The graphs that you have posted are based on the data which is reported as per the logging period, as shown in my screenshot in my previous post.
What I am saying is that the report that you are seeing is missing quite a lot of the discharge spikes from the lb and charge spikes for the vanbat.
If you compare your BM2 data with the VRM data I am sure you will see more spikes on the BM2 data than the VRM data.
This is a shame because I want VRM data reported every minute, but the graphs to be plotted second by second. I don't think that this is possible given the current set up of Victron's database.
The graphs that you have posted are based on the data which is reported as per the logging period, as shown in my screenshot in my previous post.
What I am saying is that the report that you are seeing is missing quite a lot of the discharge spikes from the lb and charge spikes for the vanbat.
If you compare your BM2 data with the VRM data I am sure you will see more spikes on the BM2 data than the VRM data.
This is a shame because I want VRM data reported every minute, but the graphs to be plotted second by second. I don't think that this is possible given the current set up of Victron's database.
gotcha . .
as you say the main VRM logging is 1min min time slot.
and playback min time is 1hr with 60x samples over the hour.
....
so to be second accurate you need to use the APP and BT connection direct to the SHUNT (BMV712 in my case) , then you will get 1xsec accuracy.
The APP has a feature that enables the phone/tablet screen to stay ON while the APP is open.
i use this feature when doing charge curves for battery's . . . I've had it running for over an hour.
Not sure what the total record time is . . . .
.
as you say the main VRM logging is 1min min time slot.
and playback min time is 1hr with 60x samples over the hour.
....
so to be second accurate you need to use the APP and BT connection direct to the SHUNT (BMV712 in my case) , then you will get 1xsec accuracy.
The APP has a feature that enables the phone/tablet screen to stay ON while the APP is open.
i use this feature when doing charge curves for battery's . . . I've had it running for over an hour.
Not sure what the total record time is . . . .
.
Left the van sitting on the road for 3 hours or so today with the hazard lights on...
From 2 to 5pm roughly.
We can see the voltage dipped to 12.0v after that duration.... With profile ,#4 enabled.
Though having the hazards flashing for 3hrs is a massive drain on the van.... But I wanted to see how we faired.
..
I've now changed back to profile 8 again.... For maximum charge rate..... It's about 12sec ON and 3sec OFF.
This runs until the starter reaches 12.4v then the charge roles off..... To no charge at all...... Thats perfect.
.
This is the charge curve on profile 8.... With the starter at almost 12.4v. ( shown as the draw from the LB )
.
From 2 to 5pm roughly.
We can see the voltage dipped to 12.0v after that duration.... With profile ,#4 enabled.
Though having the hazards flashing for 3hrs is a massive drain on the van.... But I wanted to see how we faired.
..
I've now changed back to profile 8 again.... For maximum charge rate..... It's about 12sec ON and 3sec OFF.
This runs until the starter reaches 12.4v then the charge roles off..... To no charge at all...... Thats perfect.
.
This is the charge curve on profile 8.... With the starter at almost 12.4v. ( shown as the draw from the LB )
.
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