Victron SmartShunt 500A Battery Monitor
The Victron SmartShunt combines a current shunt with Bluetooth battery-monitoring electronics. Its readings are viewed through the VictronConnect app rather than a dedicated front-panel display.
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Van Battery Monitoring: SmartShunt, Raspberry Pi and Victron Interfaces
The Monitoring Components I Used
I used the Victron SmartShunt 500A, Raspberry Pi 4, a USB hub, a Victron VE.Direct-to-USB interface and a Victron MK3-USB interface.
The SmartShunt measures battery current; the Pi, hub and adapters belong to the computer and communication equipment.
CanaKit Raspberry Pi 4 8GB Starter Kit
This starter kit packages a Raspberry Pi 4 board with case, power and storage accessories. The purchased board configuration has eight gigabytes of memory.
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Victron VE.Direct-to-USB Interface
This interface cable connects a VE.Direct port to USB. It provides a wired data connection for compatible Victron equipment.
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Victron MK3-USB VE.Bus Interface
The MK3-USB interface connects VE.Bus equipment to a computer's USB port. Its adapter body links the USB cable to the VE.Bus cable socket.
View on AmazonWhat a Shunt-Based Monitor Measures
A shunt-based monitor measures current in its monitored path. Battery-monitor calculations then use measurements and configured battery information to estimate values such as state of charge.
Current is a snapshot of flow at a particular moment. Watt-hours describe energy over a period, while state of charge is an estimate based on measurements and battery settings.
A solar-controller reading describes its charging output; a battery-monitor reading reflects current through the shunt. Loads and charging sources can be active together, so the two readings can differ.
VE.Direct and VE.Bus Are Separate Interfaces
The VE.Direct-to-USB cable serves VE.Direct connections. The MK3-USB serves VE.Bus equipment. Both have USB at the computer end, but they connect to different Victron interfaces.
Reading Charging and Loads Together
For a useful battery reading, record the time, measurement point, active charging sources and running devices. This gives a change in current its operating context.
Keep the measurement point and interval consistent when comparing records. A current snapshot during a load change and a full day’s energy total answer different questions.
Battery Measurement and the Rest of the System
The battery guide relates capacity to runtime. The charging guides cover roof solar, vehicle charging and external AC with the MultiPlus.
The Monitoring Hardware
| Item | Role |
|---|---|
| Victron SmartShunt 500A | Battery current measurement and monitor electronics |
| VE.Direct-to-USB adapter | VE.Direct data connection to USB |
| MK3-USB adapter | VE.Bus data connection to USB |
| Raspberry Pi 4 | Computer hardware |
| USB hub | Additional computer-side USB connections |
Technical References
Related Electrical Guides
Battery storage
The two Lossigy 400Ah batteries I used, their storage role, and the charging and monitoring equipment around them.
Roof solar
Four Rich Solar 200W roof panels, the SmartSolar MPPT 150/60, connectors and cable entry.
Vehicle charging
Why I bought the Renogy charger first and replaced it with two Victron Orion chargers after the input-terminal failure.