The Ve.Bus Smart dongle is a Bluetooth Smart enabled Ve.Bus interface, battery temperature and voltage sensor.

In combination with Multi inverter/chargers the dongle adds on battery temperature and battery voltage sensing capabilities for compensating possible cable losses during charging. On MultiPlus-II models this is the only option to add the “on battery” sense capability.

The dongle sends the battery temperature/voltage to the Multi every second. The Multi uses the voltage data to compensate it's fast internal voltage measurement.

The dongle can be applied to systems with or without a Venus device such as the CCGX. In systems with, the Venus device is the “primary” device and the dongle will operate in “secondary” mode. If the Venus device supplies the Multi with battery voltage and/or temperature the dongle will back off and stop supplying the sense data which is already supplied by the Venus device. In secondary mode the available data is limited.

VictronConnect can be used for data readout, and dongle firmware updates.

Two temperature sources are available. The default source is the dongle's on board temperature sensor. If the dongle is mounted on the battery, the dongle will register the outside temperature of the battery housing. For improved battery temperature sensing an optional battery terminal mounted sensor is available. Once connected the dongle will automatically detect this sensor, and use it’s temperature readings instead.

1. VE.Bus Smart Dongle
2. Red battery (+) connection wire with 10mm eyelet and inline fuse.
3. Black battery (-) connection wire with 10mm eyelet
4. Connector block with screw terminals.

Optional accessories :

1. External battery terminal mounted temperature sensor (ASS000100000). (NOTE: Currently the temperature sensor is shipped with a label “CAUTION: BMV702 only!”. This caution can be omitted for the VE.Bus Smart dongle)

Installation without battery sensor:

1. Connect the red connection wire to the B+ input on the connection block
2. Connect the black connection wire to the B- input on the connection block
3. Connect the two eyelets to your battery terminal. Red wire eyelet on bat+ , black wire eyelet on bat-
4. Mount the dongle on or near the battery using the dongle attached double sided tape. If mounted near the battery, screws can be used.
5. Plug the connector block into the dongle.
6. Connect the dongle to the Multi's Ve.Bus interface, using a standard RJ45 UTP cable

Installation with battery terminal temperature sensor:
The battery temperature sensor replaces the included red battery(+) connection wire.

1. Connect the temperature sensor's red connection wire to the B+ input on the connection block
2. Connect the temperature sensor's black connection wire to the T- input on the connection block
3. Connect the black connection wire to the B- input on the connection block
4. Connect the two eyelets to your battery terminal. Red wire eyelet on bat+ , black wire eyelet on bat-
5. Mount the dongle on or near the battery using the dongle attached double sided tape. If mounted near the battery, screws can be used.
6. Plug the connector block into the dongle.
7. Connect the dongle to the Multi's Ve.Bus interface, using a standard RJ45 UTP cable

<color #ed1c24>Multi firmware versions < 415 are not supported</color>

Ve.Bus Smart has two LEDs: a Bluetooth status LED (blue), and an Error LED (red).

On power-up, the Bluetooth LED will be slow-blinking - indicating that the device is ready to accept a Bluetooth connection.

If both LEDs remain illuminated, something is wrong with the Ve.Bus Smart unit (Hardware error).

When the LEDs are alternating quickly for more than 30 seconds, the Ve.Bus Smart is in firmware update mode and will need to complete the update before it can be used. Firmware updates are performed (where necessary) after connecting to VictronConnect.

As indicated in the introduction the dongle can operate in “primary” or “secondary” mode. The mode depends on the availability of a Venus device. Due to restrictions in the VeBus communication protocol only one device can access data such as power readings.A Venus device has priority over the dongle and should always be able to access all data. When power is applied to the dongle or after a firmware update the dongle will startup in “secondary” mode. VeBus communication will be monitored for 30 seconds. If during this time no Venus device is detected the dongle will switch to “primary” mode and all supported data will be available. While switching modes VictronConnect will temporarily indicate an “unknown” VeBus state. The dongle continuously monitors Venus device activity on the VeBus. As soon as Venus device is detected it will switch back to “secondary” mode.

Likewise the dongle also monitors VeBus communication in order to discover if a Venus device supplies the multi with battery voltage and temperature data. It takes around 4 minutes after power on or reset before the dongle decides to transmit the battery voltage and temperature.

When no Multi is connected the dongle will be advertise as VeBus Smart dongle only. In this case the dongle can be used as a Voltage/Temperature sensor. VictronConnect will display the dongle in the device list. It takes a bit of time before a Multi is detected. When the dongle detects a Multi, it will advertise the Multi product ID. VictonConnect will than show the Multi in the Device list. Shortly after updating the firmware in VictronConnect the dongle only will show up in the device list. If connected a re-scan will reveal the Multi.

See both the VictronConnect manual and the VE.Smart Network manual.