Victron NMEA 2000 & MFD integration guide

[Skybolt]

So I have a question regarding this DC monitoring. Is there a less expensive way to go to get basic battery monitoring on N2K? It looks like there isn't.

If you get the 1000A smart shunts that are ve.Direct compatible. And then get their VE to N2K adapter, your in for >$400 per battery and Maretron isn't any better.

It's almost cheaper to upgrade to Victron's newer 50A charger and adapt it to the N2K buss just to be able to monitor two banks of batteries. Monitoring AC is so simple, but DC cost's twice as much for the basic's ...

I get why some of you guys need this with LiPo with inverters and the like. But I will never be that guy. I actually like the sound of my generator, I have tinnitus and want the white noise, it helps me sleep.

 

[ttmott]

So I have a question regarding this DC monitoring. Is there a less expensive way to go to get basic battery monitoring on N2K? It looks like there isn't.

If you get the 1000A smart shunts that are ve.Direct compatible. And then get their VE to N2K adapter, your in for >$400 per battery and Maretron isn't any better.

It's almost cheaper to upgrade to Victron's newer 50A charger and adapt it to the N2K buss just to be able to monitor two banks of batteries. Monitoring AC is so simple, but DC cost's twice as much for the basic's ...

I get why some of you guys need this with LiPo with inverters and the like. But I will never be that guy. I actually like the sound of my generator, I have tinnitus and want the white noise, it helps me sleep.

There is no way (at least that I know of) to convert VE Direct to NMEA 2000. VE Direct is a Victron propriety base.
Same with VE Bus.
The NMEA 2000 commonality is only with VE CAN.
This will explain it better than I can -
https://www.victronenergy.com/uploa...unication-with-Victron-Energy-products_EN.pdf

 

[ttmott]

There is no way (at least that I know of) to convert VE Direct to NMEA 2000. VE Direct is a Victron propriety base.
Same with VE Bus.
The NMEA 2000 commonality is only with VE CAN.
This will explain it better than I can -
https://www.victronenergy.com/uploa...unication-with-Victron-Energy-products_EN.pdf

The only other simple possibly using Victron is the Lynx Shunt VE Can battery monitor.
https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Lynx-Shunt-VE.Can-EN.pdf

 

[Skybolt]

There is no way (at least that I know of) to convert VE Direct to NMEA 2000. VE Direct is a Victron propriety base.
Same with VE Bus.
The NMEA 2000 commonality is only with VE CAN.
This will explain it better than I can -
https://www.victronenergy.com/uploa...unication-with-Victron-Energy-products_EN.pdf

This device will do just that. But it's $210. They also sell it bundled with a 1000A shunt for $400.

veKonvert - Victron VE.Direct to NMEA 2000 - Digital Yacht

veKonvert brings NMEA 2000 connectivity to Victron’s popular SmartShunt battery monitoring system – now a navigation multi function display becomes a sophisticated battery and energy management system

digitalyachtamerica.com

 

[ttmott]

This device will do just that. But it's $210. They also sell it bundled with a 1000A shunt for $400.

veKonvert - Victron VE.Direct to NMEA 2000 - Digital Yacht

veKonvert brings NMEA 2000 connectivity to Victron’s popular SmartShunt battery monitoring system – now a navigation multi function display becomes a sophisticated battery and energy management system

digitalyachtamerica.com

Looks like the long way for a short distance..... Reading the FAQ's shows some limitations that probably would not make this solution a panacea.

 

[Skybolt]

Looks like the long way for a short distance..... Reading the FAQ's shows some limitations that probably would not make this solution a panacea.

How do you mean, I didn't see any short comings?

EDIT: But like I said ~$400 per battery isn't worth doing for me.

 

[dtfeld]

The battery monitors are very good at illuminating just how power hungry these boats are.

However it’s kinda like fuel flow meters. Once you see the burn rates, you have basically confirmed a lot of what you already knew.

With that said, I hope to take better care of the batteries and extend the life, if for no other reason than not having to haul the damn things out for a bit longer.

 

[ttmott]

How do you mean, I didn't see any short comings?

EDIT: But like I said ~$400 per battery isn't worth doing for me.

You can connect a Victron Linx Shunt VE.Can to NMEA 2000.
The Linx system is pretty cool. If I was to retrofit my DC primary system on the boat I'd definitely use this system. But the Linx will only output real time instant data and not as a logger/analysist. That is the Cerbo for on-boat and the VRM portal for off-boat monitoring.
Assume DC monitoring is voltage, current, trend, and battery cycle data. Anyway you look at it, as a minimum you need a couple of high current shunts that are "smart" and provide data to something that can acquire, digest, and report the data then get whatever that is on a NMEA 2000 network.
But as you know from a battery perspective real time is only a part of the story.

 

[Irie308]

I started the quest to better understand and monitor my batteries after neglecting them and almost getting stuck on an island with very limited resources (Cuttyhunk). My cell phone didn’t even work there and StarLink wasn’t a thing then. The smart shunts showed me how much charging I needed to do to top my batteries off after a night at anchor. This cerbo gx now makes it easier for me to get the data to my garmins. Specifically the td 50 so I can lay in bed and not wonder. Tank monitor would be icing on the cake but I’m not pressed to implement.

 

[dtfeld]

I started the quest to better understand and monitor my batteries after neglecting them and almost getting stuck on an island with very limited resources (Cuttyhunk). My cell phone didn’t even work there and StarLink wasn’t a thing then. The smart shunts showed me how much charging I needed to do to top my batteries off after a night at anchor. This cerbo gx now makes it easier for me to get the data to my garmins. Specifically the td 50 so I can lay in bed and not wonder. Tank monitor would be icing on the cake but I’m not pressed to implement.

I love the tank monitors I've added.

Makes fuel planning a snap. You know exactly how much fuel you have (and hence time/range) , and when filling up, how much cocktail of additives is needed. No guessing and burping diesel into the water.

The fresh water/black water monitoring isn't as critical, but I will say that because of the shape of my water tank, the original float switch system was not linear. Took forever to get to 1/2 empty and then bam! It was empty in no time.

 

[Skybolt]

You can connect a Victron Linx Shunt VE.Can to NMEA 2000.
The Linx system is pretty cool. If I was to retrofit my DC primary system on the boat I'd definitely use this system. But the Linx will only output real time instant data and not as a logger/analysist. That is the Cerbo for on-boat and the VRM portal for off-boat monitoring.
Assume DC monitoring is voltage, current, trend, and battery cycle data. Anyway you look at it, as a minimum you need a couple of high current shunts that are "smart" and provide data to something that can acquire, digest, and report the data then get whatever that is on a NMEA 2000 network.
But as you know from a battery perspective real time is only a part of the story.

Agreed this looks like a nice system, but by the time your done setting it up your in for ~$1600. That's to monitor two batteries. And I always use my generator and it never gets shut down until I reach a dock.

The crazy part is you can get a 3 bank 70A charger, Victron Skylla IP65 or the 50A IP43 for less then $800 and they are both support can bus (NMEA 2000 protocol). So that means you can use the Garmin battery status screens to monitor three banks. I think I will be upgrading my Pro-Nautic to one of these over the summer.

 

[Irie308]

So I’m only seeing 1 battery on the overview screen on Victron page and on my mfd. however other screens show both shunts/ batteries have been researching and it seems I need to do the gui mods? Is this this accurate?

 

[dtfeld]

So I’m only seeing 1 battery on the overview screen on Victron page and on my mfd. however other screens show both shunts/ batteries have been researching and it seems I need to do the gui mods? Is this this accurate?

I don't know Garmin well enough to get specific, but on Raymarine, I had to go into the setup/settings and tell the system how many batteries I have onboard. Once I did that they all showed up. Same with tanks and temperatures.

However, name data did not translate to the Raymarine System, and I had to rename them in Raymarine.

 

[Skybolt]

I don't know Garmin well enough to get specific, but on Raymarine, I had to go into the setup/settings and tell the system how many batteries I have onboard. Once I did that they all showed up. Same with tanks and temperatures.

However, name data did not translate to the Raymarine System, and I had to rename them in Raymarine.

@Irie308 Garmin like to hide what it can't see. Meaning you will have to add the other batteries in, but it's a catch 22, the Garmin MFD also needs to see there to be able to add it.

 

[Irie308]

Seems to be a limitation in the cerbo overview page. Have been with the gui mods as it seems to be a common complaint. Not a big deal because I can’t use the Victron one helm app on my TD 50 anyway. I can however see both batteries on the garmins via nmea so I still get the needed info.

 

[Skybolt]

Seems to be a limitation in the cerbo overview page. Have been with the gui mods as it seems to be a common complaint. Not a big deal because I can’t use the Victron one helm app on my TD 50 anyway. I can however see both batteries on the garmins via nmea so I still get the needed info.

Why can't the one helm app be used on the TD-50? You should also be able to put data boxes on the TD-50 for the batteries as well. Unless your saying the TD-50 isn't working as advertised?

 

[Irie308]

Why can't the one helm app be used on the TD-50? You should also be able to put data boxes on the TD-50 for the batteries as well. Unless your saying the TD-50 isn't working as advertised?

That’s what I ended up doing. I customized a digital gauges page that shows all the battery info I need. Have since found this on Garmin’s site in regards to onehelm support on the td 50.

 

[Skybolt]

That’s what I ended up doing. I customized a digital gauges page that shows all the battery info I need. Have since found this on Garmin’s site in regards to onehelm support on the td 50. View attachment 160357

Well that just about sums up how badly Garmin dropped the ball on a really great product. It makes no sense why they are handling this like they are.

 

[dtfeld]

I have the Victron App working on the Raymarine, but it really doesn't add much and I rarely use it. If you can access the Remote Console (looks like you have that working), you can do everything you need to do. Having the data on the N2K network is much more useful day to day.

GUI Mods is nice as it takes the basic Victron info and does a better job of presenting it in a useful format. However, Victron is coming out with a new UI that will do a lot of this same info display.

 

[dtfeld]

@Irie308

Curious which inverter you installed?