Victron BMV 700 install

hymie

First of all, I should thank @jkjenn for all the great info on her blog with respect to the requirement to understand our electrical usage before getting our solar setup (later this year).

I elected to ask my nephew to assist me with this as I am not the electrical wiz.(I know enough not to lick the panel...)

We chose to install the shunt in its own box in order to simplify installation. The crossmember on our T@b Outback platform (just under the front of the propane tub) seemed like a decent spot. The protective case was purchased at a local electrical hobby shop.




I also moved the Zamp plug to this location as it is much easier to access.



Wiring was run under the t@b using the existing trim screws to attach the wire loom using 1/2" conduit clamps. The wire enters into the Alde compartment by way of a new (gasp!) hole by the various drains.



The monitor is installed in the removable access panel by the TV.



The bluetooth dongle is installed just below the monitor in the electrical compartment to allow access in the unlikely event that we may need to check the led on it.



Works great! Loving this addition so far.

Cheers - James

Sharon_is_SAM

We had the factory install our Victron BMV.  Ed Kauffman completed the installation during the build of our TaB.  Our CSS has a counter and cabinets up front.  He placed the bluetooth dongle inside the cabinet usually occupied by the Jensen (we do not have the entertainment equipment) and he placed the shunt low on the inside the wall shared by the cabinet and shower.  We can access it by a panel held with screws.  Boy, even behind the cabinet door, that little dongle LED sure is annoying- one more thing to cover with black electrical tape.

jkjenn

hymie said:

First of all, I should thank @jkjenn for all the great info on her blog
with respect to the requirement to understand our electrical usage
before getting our solar setup (later this year).

I elected to ask my nephew to assist me with this as I am not the electrical wiz.(I know enough not to lick the panel...)

We
chose to install the shunt in its own box in order to simplify
installation. The crossmember on our T@b Outback platform (just under
the front of the propane tub) seemed like a decent spot. The protective case was purchased at a local electrical hobby shop.




I also moved the Zamp plug to this location as it is much easier to access.



Wiring was run under the t@b using the existing trim screws to attach the wire loom using 1/2" conduit clamps. The wire enters into the Alde compartment by way of a new (gasp!) hole by the various drains.



The monitor is installed in the removable access panel by the TV.



The bluetooth dongle is installed just below the monitor in the electrical compartment to allow access in the unlikely event that we may need to check the led on it.



Works great! Loving this addition so far.

Cheers - James

James, that is a fantastic install - it is so clean! Can you give me any details on the project box you used for the shunt - I love it!

hymie

@jkjenn Unfortunately I bought two of these boxes several years ago when rewiring my 60volt electric tuk tuk and seem to be unable to find them again online. I did some looking around and found some that might work here:

http://www.allelectronics.com/item/mbf-24/project-box-w/mtg-flange-6.18-x-3.78-x-2.10/1.html

You would have to drill holes and add grommets. I have a pretty good idea where I found the one I used and will check for you in the next week or so. It was absolutely perfect for the shunt. I wish I could plan stuff like that but it was pure serendipity.

I also thought that using a very small Pelican case would be good hard mounted and put the (future) MPPT controller in with it.

BTW NuCamp installs a junction box below the tub (2017 Outback) ..............

****** HOLD EVERYTHING!!!******

(could you tell that I stopped typing for 20 mins????)

I just went out to take a good look at the junction box that NuCamp uses and.... It looks like the EXACT same one.



LOL! I guess your answer is "Just call Elsie at your friendly neighborhood t@b factory".

(I spent 1 1/2 hrs looking online this am.... D'oh! )

Cheers - James

jkjenn

That's awesome, thanks, Hymie! I just remembered I have a very small Pelican that would probably work, too. The Rubbermaid box I have used seems to work OK, but I would like a stronger box and to be able to mount the shunt.

sqrpeg

I'm about to tackle the BMV-700 install, and like @hymie I'm planning to drill a hole through the floor for the data cable that connects the display (inside) to the shunt (in the tub near the battery).

For the hole itself, I was hoping to use some sort of pass-thru bushing (is that what they're called?) similar to this one that's on our 2018 Boondock:

The bushing in the photo above is used for the wire bundle from the junction box (by the tongue) as it goes through the floor and into the trailer.

Any ideas on where I could get one of these or something similar?  Note that the Victron's data cable has RJ-type connectors on each end, and so the bushing needs to be big enough to accommodate the connector (~7/16) and not just the cable itself. This rules out coax cable pass-thru bushings that I've seen at Lowes, etc., because the hole is too small.

I'm not wed to this idea, but it seems like it would work.  If others have found better ways to route and seal wires passing through the floor, I'd love to hear those as well.

Thanks in advance!

jkjenn

I think they are called pass through conduit and a good wage store should have them in electrical or a marine parts supply. 

sqrpeg

Thanks, @jkjenn. I'm chickening out on the drill-thru-the-floor idea.  Instead, I'm now planning to clip off one of the the RJ12 connectors so I can feed the data cable thru an unused port in the existing 4-hole grommet thingie used for the Alde drains.  Then once I get the cable routed how I want it, I'll just crimp a new connector back on (and cross my fingers that I got the wires in the right order).

Tabaz

I drilled a small hole in the floor under the driver side pedestal for my wires.  The floor material is 95% Styrofoam.  Added some black caulk around the opening from below.  Worked great.

BrianZ

@Tabaz , what/where is "the driver side pedestal"?

BrianZ

@sqrpeg, how did you route your RJ12 cable to the Alde drain grommet from the shunt in battery/tub area & fasten it along the way?