Eurovan Camper mods

Victron BMV 712 Battery Monitor

Updated 2024-05-28 : Added note about the 'Current Threshold' setting.
Updated 2021-05-14 : First version.

Introduction

Fit Notes:

• My van has a custom battery box; your van will look different.
• If you want to monitor the starting battery voltage, you will need to fish a wire from that battery to the shunt.
• The shunt uses 3/8 inch posts which are larger than most - you may need to get a new battery cable, see below

Parts:

• Victron Phoenix BMV-712 Smart
• Wall Mount Enclosure
• Battery Cable(s) Note: the BMV shunt uses the larger 3/8 inch posts, so I had to buy a new battery cable. The PowerWerx custom cables are great and priced reasonably. This link is for a black 2 gauge cable, 18 inches long, with 3/8 lugs. You can design your own cable if you need something different.

Tools:

• Nothing special needed: screwdriver, screws, wire strippers, etc.

Step-by-Step:

1. BMV 712 box
   
   
   



2. BMV 712 - what's in the box
   
   Note: almost everything you need is included: The Display, the Shunt, a long cable that connects the two, as well as two red cables with fuses (one for power, one for an optional second battery) Note: the BMV shunt can handle up to 500 amps, which means it's big and uses 3/8 inch connectors. I had to buy a new battery cable with larger lugs to fit.
   



3. Negative Battery Cable
   
   You will probably need a new negative battery cable to connect the shunt. See details above
   
   Link to this specific custom Battery Cable



4. BMV shunt mounted in battery box
   Notes:
   1. The shunt connects to the negative terminal of the battery, and must be wired so all current flows through it (e.g. it should be the only thing connecting to the battery minus terminal)
   2. The shunt has a 2nd connection which can be used to monitor the starting battery voltage. You will need to run a new the wire from the starting battery to the battery box to use this feature (Not shown)
   3. The red wire is a dedicated connection to the battery + terminal.
   
   
   



5. Top view showing shunt and Battleborn Battery
   
   
   



6. Wiring Diagram
   
   Wired to monitor voltage of a second battery (the Eurovan starter battery). Note: the diagram shows separate negative cables connecting each battery, but in the Eurovan (as most 12V vehicles and RVs) you can use the chassis ground instead.
   



7. Mounting the BMV 712
   I had to drill a small hole for the cable, which was then fished behind the sink and along side the furnace.
   
   
   



8. Using the BMV712 with Victron Connect on iPhone
   
   The Victron BMV712 can be controlled via iPhone, Android, Mac or Windows laptop via bluetooth.
   Notice that it also shows the voltage of the Starter battery.
   



9. BMV 712 Settings
   
   Your Battery and BMV settings will depend on the battery specifications (Lead Acid vs. Lithium, Amp Hours, etc.)
   
   
   Important: there is a 'current threshold' setting which defaults to 0.1 Amp (100 mA). Currents less than this are ignored. This is a problem, because in a stock Eurovan Camper, you have a small drain from the Propane sensor, which is less than 0.1A. In my van, this would result in the BMV ignoring this current (which is about 1 Watt). As a result, the State of Charge would stick at 100% even as the battery was slowly draining. The solution was to set the 'current threshold' to zero, as shown here: BMV 712 manual.