SUNSTONE Venus GX User manual

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
Using the Venus GX and BMV-702 Battery Monitor
The SICS Venus GX is the information centre of the SICS. It provides real-time data on the performance
and status of the power system, as well as an archive of this data from the previous 30 days.
The Venus GX and BMV-702 are supplied pre-configured and require no setting up by the user. Once
the Venus GX is configured on the TCO Network it can be accessed from an authorised workstation or
on a device connected to the external ethernet port on the rear of the SICS cabinet. The BMV-702
includes an integrated LCD display for checking the SICS battery voltage from inside the SICS cabinet.
However, it is not recommended to open the SICS cabinet during the winter period due to the risk of
condensation and heat loss from the cabinet.
Venus GX: Reading Live Performance Data
To access the Venus GX, type its IP address in the URL bar of an internet browser on an authorised
workstation connected to the correct network. This can also be carried out with a laptop computer
connected to the external ethernet port on the rear panel of a deployed SICS in the field.
The live performance page (shown in the image above) will be displayed in the browser window and
displays the following information:
BMV-702
Battery
Monitor

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
•DC Power: this shows the power usage of the system (the power draw from the batteries). In
the image above the system is using 41 W to power the connected devices. A negative number
shows that the system is being charged from an external power source.
•PV Charger: this shows the power generated by the solar array (the power input to the
batteries). In the image above the system is generating 325 W of power.
•The Battery Icon: this shows the status of the batteries:
•The top number shows the battery state-of-charge. In the image above the batteries
are at 92% charge.
•The second number shows difference between the power input and power output of
the batteries. In the image above there is a net input of 284 W to the batteries (325 W
from the solar array minus 41 W power usage from connected devices = 284 W).
•The third number shows the voltage of the system. The displayed value is whichever
is highest of the battery voltage or solar array voltage. To determine the exact battery
voltage the solar array must be shut for 2 minutes (or isolated from sources of light)
and the external charger disconnected. In the image above the system voltage is
51.4 V.
•The fourth number shows the incoming current to the batteries from the solar array
or external charger. In the image above the incoming current to the batteries is 5.5 A.
•The SICS does not use alternating current as part of its power system; AC Loads and AC Input
icons of the display are not relevant.
To determine the power level of the SICS batteries, it is recommended to consider the battery voltage
as the primary factor to monitor (rather than the percentage state-of-charge). The BMV-702 Battery
Monitor and SICS Battery Protect are configured to monitor battery voltages and perform key actions
at predetermined battery voltages.
The Battery Protect will disconnect the load from the batteries (and shut down the system) when it
detects a system voltage lower than 40.0 V for a period of 90 seconds to prevent battery damage from
complete discharge. It is recommended to plan for external charging when the battery voltage drops
to 44.0 V and poor solar conditions are expected (see Training Manual 040-0000-AAA-MAN-000-SU6-
00001-00 Section G2 for details on charging the batteries). The system will automatically switch on
again when the system voltage rises to 46 V.

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
Accessing 30 Day Archive Data
Click the return hotkey on the Venus GX browser display to show the Devices List. Use the up/down
hotkeys to highlight the BlueSolar Charger MPPT 150/35 and click the right arrow hotkey to access its
menu.
Use the up/down hotkeys to highlight Daily History and click the right arrow hotkey to access the
power system archive.

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
The display will now show the archive data from the previous 30 days. The up/down hotkeys can be
used to scroll through the archive.
Each day in the archive will show the following data:
•Yield: the total energy input to the system from the solar array (kilowatt hours). Note that this
is not necessarily the total energy generated by the solar array; if the batteries are fully
charged, any excess power from the solar array will not be included in that day’s yield.
•PV (Pmax): the highest power generated by the solar array (watts).
•PV (Vmax): the highest voltage generated by the solar array (volts).
•Battery (Vmin): the lowest battery voltage (volts).
•Battery (Vmax): the highest battery voltage (volts).
•Battery (Imax): the highest battery current (amps).
•Charge time (Bulk): the total time spent charging the batteries from a depleted state (hours
and minutes).
•Charge time (Abs): the total time spent charging from a moderately depleted state (hours and
minutes).
•Charge time (Float): the total time spent top-up charging the battery to maintain charge at
maximum (hours and minutes).
•Last error: any errors detected by the Battery Protect.

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
Changing the Language of the Venus GX
Click the return hotkey on the Venus GX browser display to show the Devices List. Use the up/down
hotkeys to highlight Settings and then click the right arrow hotkey.
Use the up/down hotkeys to highlight Display & Language and click the right arrow hotkey.
Use the up/down hotkeys to highlight the chosen language and click the right arrow hotkey to confirm.

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
Accessing the Venus GX from the External Ethernet Port
To connect to the Venus GX using the external
ethernet port on the rear of the SICS, the port must
be connected to the red ethernet cable inside the
cabinet. This is shown by the white arrow in the
image to the right.
It is not advised to remove the red ethernet cable
when not in use because it will necessitate opening
the cabinet to reconnect it next time the Venus GX
needs to be accessed. This will potentially expose the
internal components of the SICS to moisture,
hydrogen sulphide and cold air.
Next, connect a laptop computer to the external ethernet port on the back plate on the rear of the
cabinet. The external ethernet port is secured behind a lockable cover and protected by a
weatherproof screwcap (see images below). The Venus GX can then be accessed by typing its IP
address in the URL bar of an internet browser.
The screw cap on the external Ethernet port must be replaced when not in use to preserve the life of
the component and maintain the IP66 rating of the SICS cabinet. Do not rely on the lockable cover
for weather proofing. Ensure that the cover is locked with a padlock when not in use to prevent
unauthorised access.
External ethernet
port and
weatherproof cap

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
Using the BMV-702 Battery Monitor
The SICS cabinet is fitted with the BMV-702 Battery Monitor. The Battery Monitor is preconfigured
and requires no setup by the user. However, it can be used via the Venus GX to display key information
about the batteries.
Click the return hotkey on the Venus GX browser display to show the Devices List. Use the up/down
hotkeys to highlight the BMV-702 and click the right arrow hotkey to access its menu.
The first page includes the calculated Time-to-Go value, which gives an estimate of how long until
battery shutdown at the present rate of power consumption.

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
Use the up/down hotkeys to highlight History and then click the right arrow hotkey. The Venus GX
browser display will now show key information about the batteries since their initial installation and
setup.

Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and
Battery Monitor BMV-702
Quick Guide to Using the Venus GX and Battery Monitor BMV-702 V001 12-07-2018
Resynchronising the Venus GX with the BMV-702 Battery Monitor
During normal operation it is common for the battery percentage state-of-charge and battery voltage
displayed on the BMV-702 Battery Monitor and Venus GX to gradually drift from the true value. Each
time the batteries are fully charged, these parameters will synchronise and allow the BMV-702 to
display an accurate Time-to-Go value (see Training Manual 040-0000-AAA-MAN-000-SU6-00001-00
Section G2).