Victron BMV-712 Dead, 2021 I5, 34DS

[Lvnthedream]

I'm back to trying to figure this out. The pos. wire connection turned out NOT to be the issue. I've wiggled every wire including the RJ11 connections and had someone else watch the screen. The Victron monitor just shuts off for a while and comes back on when it wants. A closer inspection of the RJ-11 connector to the shunt looks like it has some corrosion (see closeup photo).

My I5 is 6 months old and I live in a dry climate however, as mentioned above, the battery compartment and shunt are open to the elements. There is not enough excess cable to put a new RJ-11 connector on it. I'm not sure if it's the RJ-11 corrosion or a bad monitor at this point. I'm now concerned this is going to be a common issue with the Batt. compartment wide open.

[TrailWayz]

The shunt is weather sensitive and should be protected from the elements - especially water. I put an all-weather electrical box cover over my shunt.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QDQRX7P

How I installed here:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post2261756

I still go back to my original comment – that it is likely the shunt that is failing.

[Lvnthedream]

Originally Posted by TrailWayz

The shunt is weather sensitive and should be protected from the elements - especially water. I put an all-weather electrical box cover over my shunt.

TrailWayz, I'm going to copy your shunt box cover. I have it on order. I'll clean the connector with elec. cleaner, cover and hope this solves my problem. Thank you.

[Phreak480]

Some dielectric grease on the connector couldn't hurt either.

[mjbenedict]

Originally Posted by Lvnthedream

I might have found the issue. I had my son watch the monitor and I wiggled all the wires to see if it would attempt to come back on. The pos. red wire where it connects to the battery seems to make the monitor flash some. It looks just fine but I'm guessing where the wire is crimped into the round connector it is loose. I'll redo this connection and hope that solves the issue.

BTW, as you can see, the battery compartment is very dirty. The new 34DS has an open battery compartment to the grit and grime from the road. It's time for me to clean this area.

I bought corrugated plastic (like the stuff they use to enclose trailer frames) and boxed in my rear battery compartment to avoid this. That was when I swapped in a 300AH lithium battery to the rig. I believe Dynamax should start enclosing their battery compartments for lithium installations. Mine was AGM so, understandably, the tray was open for venting.

[backdoctor]

I'd love to see some photo illustrations of what you.did and more details on how.

[mjbenedict]

Originally Posted by backdoctor

I'd love to see some photo illustrations of what you.did and more details on how.

I’m not near the rig but I can describe now. I cut out cardboard to leave holes for wires going though and then, using as template, cut out the corrugated plastic. Put self drilling screws into frame where I could and used zip ties to attach to back of battery tray. The bottom front piece is attached to lower frame under door and zip tied to the tray. The right side piece (back of rig) is wedged in and screwed to frame. Basically three sides that keep all but a little dust out of the area and most all moisture. The left side is already a wall. Enough to keep clean and battery from getting soaked from road spray.

[backdoctor]

Did you cover the wiring (looks like an octopus!) that is attached to the forward wall of the compartment? I'm not just concerned about the batteries but also the wiring harness that start there. And runs all over the chassis.

[Lvnthedream]

Back to my Victron 712 going off and on. Is it normal for the voltage to bounce around like this or is this part of my continuing issue? Video uploaded on YouTube. https://youtu.be/3dpFIANYQjQ

[eric1514]

Mine doesn't do that.

[TrailWayz]

Originally Posted by Lvnthedream

Back to my Victron 712 going off and on. Is it normal for the voltage to bounce around like this or is this part of my continuing issue? Video uploaded on YouTube. https://youtu.be/3dpFIANYQjQ

I really believe you are going to have to replace your shunt. If that little PC board got damaged by exposure to the elements, there is no going back. Replace the shunt, cover it up and you should be fine.

[Lvnthedream]

Originally Posted by TrailWayz

I really believe you are going to have to replace your shunt. If that little PC board got damaged by exposure to the elements, there is no going back. Replace the shunt, cover it up and you should be fine.

Now to find the shunt. Victron shows a new shunt without the RJ11 connection. If anyone knows where I can get it online, my monitor is the 712. It looks easy to replace. I’m still under warranty and will submit the receipt to Dynamax.

I just received the plastic box to cover it. Thanks for showing your mod on this.

[eric1514]

AMAZON

Perhaps that's it. That's a link, BTW.

[TrailWayz]

Originally Posted by Lvnthedream

Now to find the shunt. Victron shows a new shunt without the RJ11 connection. If anyone knows where I can get it online, my monitor is the 712. It looks easy to replace. I’m still under warranty and will submit the receipt to Dynamax.

I just received the plastic box to cover it. Thanks for showing your mod on this.

Have you reached out to Dynamax parts? They can probably send you the replacement.

[Lvnthedream]

Originally Posted by TrailWayz

Have you reached out to Dynamax parts? They can probably send you the replacement.

Well, I'm on approximately 3-4 months waiting on other parts from Dynamax (received some warranty parts but not everything). So, no I haven't, I'd like to get it fixed sooner than that. I know they are overwhelmed so this isn't a complaint it is just slow. So, if I could find it somewhere else that has it in stock, I'd be better off going in this direction.

[eric1514]

Here's just the PCB

LINK

[johndjmix]

Simply coat the RJ54 connectors with dielectric grease, then plug in. I’ve done this on communications equipment in the top of 100’ towers. Once you do that you will never have an issue.

—john

[Mikec557]

For what it's worth, I have a BMV-712. I love it, but I don't look at nor have I mounted the round display. I leave it in a small box in the pass through (cabled to the shunt). This is because the round display is what broadcasts the Bluetooth signal to my cellphone and thus to the Victron app. So I never look at the round display. But when I bought it, that was the cleanest way to get Bluetooth connectivity. Now you can buy the battery monitor with Bluetooth built-in to the shunt itself. And it's a lot less than what I paid for the 712. Here's the link to Amazon, it's $130.

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Smart...3975985&sr=8-4

When I did my lithium/solar/inverter installation I moved the shunt and everything into the pass through of my TT. Correction, I left the two batteries out on the tongue.

If there's a "fairly easy" way to move the new shunt inside, I would do that. If that's not fairly easy, then definitely use a weatherproof box as suggested above.

I know it's easy for me to spend other people's money, but if I wanted the problem solved quickly I'd buy the new version battery monitor for $130 and eliminate the RJ45 jack and cable. And then do whatever I had to do to get the shunt into a weatherproof environment.

[Lvnthedream]

Thanks Mike. Since I'm still under warranty, I'm working with the factory Dynamax service person to see if they will replace it. I've had my fair share of warranty issues and slowly they send me the replacement parts. I'm waiting on approval for a replacement.

Originally Posted by Mikec557

For what it's worth, I have a BMV-712. I love it, but I don't look at nor have I mounted the round display. I leave it in a small box in the pass through (cabled to the shunt). This is because the round display is what broadcasts the Bluetooth signal to my cellphone and thus to the Victron app. So I never look at the round display. But when I bought it, that was the cleanest way to get Bluetooth connectivity. Now you can buy the battery monitor with Bluetooth built-in to the shunt itself. And it's a lot less than what I paid for the 712. Here's the link to Amazon, it's $130.

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Smart...3975985&sr=8-4

When I did my lithium/solar/inverter installation I moved the shunt and everything into the pass through of my TT. Correction, I left the two batteries out on the tongue.

If there's a "fairly easy" way to move the new shunt inside, I would do that. If that's not fairly easy, then definitely use a weatherproof box as suggested above.

I know it's easy for me to spend other people's money, but if I wanted the problem solved quickly I'd buy the new version battery monitor for $130 and eliminate the RJ45 jack and cable. And then do whatever I had to do to get the shunt into a weatherproof environment.

[Mikec557]

Originally Posted by Lvnthedream

Thanks Mike. Since I'm still under warranty, I'm working with the factory Dynamax service person to see if they will replace it. I've had my fair share of warranty issues and slowly they send me the replacement parts. I'm waiting on approval for a replacement.

That's great. I hope they do replace it under warranty. After all, they chose to mount it in that location. Let us know how it goes.