Victron App not recognizing my solar charger

Dubled

I have a 2022 Tab 320 that I recently switched to a lithium battery.  The Victron app worked fine until the battery ran out me this weekend.  Now after charging the battery I can't get the app to recognize my device.  Thanks 

pthomas745

Welcome to the Forums!

What do you mean by "battery ran out on me?"  Do you have a multimeter to measure the battery state of charge?

The Victron controller is very very picky about how it wants to be connected to the battery, or, at least, the bluetooth section of the controller is.  It seems the controller draws just enough power from the solar panel to keep operating.  And then draws much of its power from the battery connections.

The general "best" way to connect a solar setup is to connect the controller to the battery first.  The controller has a chance to discover what the state of charge of the battery, etc.  Then the solar panel is connected. 

This thread discusses the same problem.  Basically, the idea is to get to the controller, unplug the negative cable from the solar input, and the negative cable from the battery. (If you find the fuses on the solar panel and the battery cable into the controller more convenient, then pull them. 

Then "restart" the controller using the "battery first" and then the solar panel cable/fuse.

We love the Victrons, but they are not user friendly. Check this thread.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/comment/197876/#Comment_197876

Dubled

Thanks, on our final morning the battery was unable to run the pump.  I had a backup generator and did not notice the app not connecting until I got home.  I realize that the LED panel is not accurate, but with the lithium it was reading around 50% and then just poof.

pthomas745

The trailers should have warning labels on the KIB monitor in the trailer.  They are only designed to read, it seems, a lead acid battery.  When a lithium is installed, the KIB does not adjust to the very different state of charge profile of a lithium battery. 

When the KIB monitor looks at a lead acid battery and sees "12.6 Volts" or so,  it gives a "full' reading.  Like on this chart for a "lead acid" battery:

.

Below is a lithium state of charge chart.  (Generic, so check your own battery docs).  Note that if the KIB only sees the 12.6 or so battery voltage, it still thinks the battery is fully charged.  But, a lithium battery is pretty much at the lower limit by the time it gets to 12.6 volts.

You are not the first to discover this unfortunate KIB problem.  As one commenter here wrote: "The only thing the KIB monitor is telling you is the lights in the monitor have not burned out".

Dubled

I'm curious, do you know if the solar charger is still working even if I can't access the App?  The Blue light is on

pthomas745

The "blue" LED means the solar charger is in "bulk" mode, but that won't tell you much. 

If you have a multimeter, you can use it on the "screws" on the solar controller.  It will show you the solar input from the panels, and the approximate charge going into the battery.