Tab400BD Victron issues

bstex61

I have the lithium package and am getting ready to return to the dealer 2nd time for Victron problems. My batteries read 90% and yet the low battery light flashes and and the Victron will not distribute any power. First time back I was told the Victron’s were coming from the factory programmed incorrectly and I was their 2nd unit with this issue.They reprogrammed and same problem is back. I’m told this is Victrons first foray into the camper market. 

Has anyone else been down this road and we’re they able to fix?

pthomas745

Tell us what lithium package you have, assuming you have a 2023.  There are/can be, depending on what "package" 4 different "Victrons" involved:  shunt, Multiplus, controller, and the VE Bus.

The settings on each device are sort of crucial, especially for the shunt and the controller,  What do you mean that the Victron is "not distributing power" ?  If you do not have 12v power in the trailer, that "might" be something simple, such as a tripped Gloso breaker, for example.

Yes, there have been reports in some groups about parts of the apps being incorrectly set up.  We can help with the basics of the shunt and the solar controller setup.  If you could post the setup page screen shots you can take a look.

Welcome to the Forums.  There is some expertise here for these complex setups, if you can fill in the details.  Be patient with your dealer, because they may be very bewildered, too.

elbolillo

This isn't Victron's first foray into the camper market per se. You will find many DIYers who have done their installs using the Victron Multiplus. It is NuCamp's first foray into this setup, so this is more than likely the issue.

The programming of the Victron is actually pretty straightforward, so someone at either NuCamp or Battleborn is not paying attention when these get programmed. The Multiplus cannot be programmed using the Victron Connect App on a phone or mobile device. You need the VE Bus Quick Configure program that only works on Windows.

Since I did my own install on my '23 Tab 400 I also purchased the Victron MK3-USB interface in order to program the unit. Battleborn supplied me with the programming instructions and I was able to setup it up successfully without any issues. Hopefully, Victron will update their Multiplus units so that it is easier to program the units.

Foobar

elbolillo said:

Since I did my own install on my '23 Tab 400 I also purchased the Victron MK3-USB interface in order to program the unit. Battleborn supplied me with the programming instructions and I was able to setup it up successfully without any issues. Hopefully, Victron will update their Multiplus units so that it is easier to program the units.

Quick question, I had NuCamp install the Lithium package upgrade in my '23 Tab 400 and I noticed the Battery Capacity in Victron Connect was set to 200ah which I believe is the default. Since I have 4 Battleborn 100's, should this be set to 400ah?

I made that change and used the other Connect settings that were recommended on here and noticed the State of Charge was showing 100% even though the voltage was well below what should be a 100% charge.

Is there any way to check the rest of the programming without an MK3-USB interface? If not, I'll go ahead and pick one up and download the configuration software. Are you able to share the programming instructions that you used?

Thanks!

Horigan

I would just charge the battery fully and the Victron will reset to the new 100% SOC.

pthomas745

@Foobar Yes, the change to 400 ah is correct.  And, if you have the numbers...show us the numbers.  "Voltage well below what a 100 percent charge" was..what number?  What "settings" did you use from the Group?"  The Battleborn settings?

This is the Battleborn page that discusses the settings for the Shunt with a "how to".

https://battlebornbatteries.com/faq-all-about-bmvs/

Show us your Victron solar controller and Victron Shunt settings pages. 

Foobar

pthomas745 said:

@Foobar Yes, the change to 400 ah is correct.  And, if you have the numbers...show us the numbers.  "Voltage well below what a 100 percent charge" was..what number?  What "settings" did you use from the Group?"  The Battleborn settings?

This is the Battleborn page that discusses the settings for the Shunt with a "how to".

https://battlebornbatteries.com/faq-all-about-bmvs/

Show us your Victron solar controller and Victron Shunt settings pages. 

Thanks - I'm at work now but I'll check the settings and share when I get home. As for the voltage, it was just under 10v which according to Battleborn is 0%. This was after leaving the fridge and inverter on for about 4 days parked in the partial shade of a tree, so it wasn't getting enough solar to keep it going. I will have to check later, but it's possible I have the Battery Start Synchronizing option turned on which reset it back to 100% after it died and got replenished with a bit of solar. I'll check that too.

pthomas745

There are now tons of things that can drain a new 400 battery with these large lithium setups.  The inverter uses "about" 1.5 amps, so about 35 amp hours a day.  The fridge uses about that same amount.  The new wrinkle are the "battery heaters" which, if left on (there is a switch somewhere in the trailer) use 1 amp per hour per battery!  Just one more thing for the checklist.

So, if the fridge and inverter used up 70 amps per day, added to the other "normal" drains of the trailer, that 10V reading seems plausible.

elbolillo

@foobar Yes it should be set to 400. FYI, these are the recommended settings for the smart shunt:

• Battery Capacity: Total Ah of your bank of batteries
• Charged voltage: 14.4V but note that this number should be about .1 or .2 volts below the charging voltage set in your charging device
• Discharge Floor: 0%
• Tail Current: 2-4% is good
• Charged Detection Time: 3m
• Peukert Exponent: 1.05
• Charge Efficiency Factor: 99%
• Current threshold: 0.10A
• Time to go averaging period 3m
• Battery Starts Synchronized: blue button should be to the right
• State of Charge: leave alone
• Synchronize SOC to 100%: Leave alone, this device will sync itself at the top of the charge
• Zero Current Calibration: Leave alone

Unfortunately you will need the MK3-UsB adapter to get to the programming of the Multiplus.

elbolillo

Also, I always set my Multiplus to charger only when traveling, and to charger off when parked in my driveway.

Foobar

elbolillo said:

• Charged voltage: 14.4V but note that this number should be about .1 or .2 volts below the charging voltage set in your charging device

Below which charging voltage? Float or absorption?

elbolillo

@Foobar Absorption. Your chargers will be programmed for an absorption of 14.6.

Foobar

elbolillo said:

@foobar Yes it should be set to 400. FYI, these are the recommended settings for the smart shunt:

• Battery Capacity: Total Ah of your bank of batteries
• Charged voltage: 14.4V but note that this number should be about .1 or .2 volts below the charging voltage set in your charging device
• Discharge Floor: 0%
• Tail Current: 2-4% is good
• Charged Detection Time: 3m
• Peukert Exponent: 1.05
• Charge Efficiency Factor: 99%
• Current threshold: 0.10A
• Time to go averaging period 3m
• Battery Starts Synchronized: blue button should be to the right
• State of Charge: leave alone
• Synchronize SOC to 100%: Leave alone, this device will sync itself at the top of the charge
• Zero Current Calibration: Leave alone

Unfortunately you will need the MK3-UsB adapter to get to the programming of the Multiplus.

I confirmed that my settings were similar to the above except Charged voltage was 13.2, Peukert Exponent was 1.25, and Charge Efficiency Factor was 95%.

I am able to get to these parameters using the Victron Connect app over bluetooth to the VE.Bus - is there something else that requires the USB interface?

elbolillo

Foobar said:

I confirmed that my settings were similar to the above except Charged voltage was 13.2, Peukert Exponent was 1.25, and Charge Efficiency Factor was 95%.

I am able to get to these parameters using the Victron Connect app over bluetooth to the VE.Bus - is there something else that requires the USB interface?

You couldn’t have changed the VE.bus via Bluetooth. What you changed would have been the Smart Shunt. The settings for the Multiplus (VE.bus Inverter can only be changed via the MK3.

Foobar

elbolillo said:

Foobar said:

I confirmed that my settings were similar to the above except Charged voltage was 13.2, Peukert Exponent was 1.25, and Charge Efficiency Factor was 95%.

I am able to get to these parameters using the Victron Connect app over bluetooth to the VE.Bus - is there something else that requires the USB interface?

You couldn’t have changed the VE.bus via Bluetooth. What you changed would have been the Smart Shunt. The settings for the Multiplus (VE.bus Inverter can only be changed via the MK3.

Whoops - right you are, I had my screenshots out of order. These parameters were under the Smart Shunt’s Battery settings.