Victron energy VE.Net Blue Power Panel User manual

Manual
EN
VE.Net Blue Power Panel
BPP

Copyrights 2008 Victron Energy B.V.
All Rights Reserved
This publication or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, by any
method, for any purpose.
For conditions of use and permission to use this manual for publication in
other than the English language, contact Victron Energy B.V.
VICTRON ENERGY B.V. MAKES NO WARRANTY, EITHER EXPESSED OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
REGARDING THESE VICTRON ENERGY PRODUCTS AND MAKES SUCH
VICTRON ENERGY PRODUCTS AVAILABLE SOLELY ON AN “AS IS”
BASIS.
IN NO EVENT SHALL VICTRON ENERGY B.V. BE LIABLE TO ANYONE
FOR SPECIAL, COLLATERAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF PURCHASE OR
USE OF THESE VICTRON ENERGY PRODUCTS. THE SOLE AND
EXCLUSIVE LIABILITY TO VICTRON ENERGY B.V., REGARDLESS OF
THE FORM OF ACTION, SHALL NOT EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE
OF THE VICTRON ENERGY PRODUCTS DESCRIBED HERE IN.
Victron Energy B.V. reserves the right to revise and improve its products as it
sees fit. This publication describes the state of this product at the time of its
publication and may not reflect the product at all times in the future.

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1 Introduction
Victron Energy has established an international reputation as a leading
designer and manufacturer of energy systems. Our R&D department is
the driving force behind this reputation. It is continually seeking new ways
of incorporating the latest technology in our products. Each step forward
results in value-added technical and economical features.
1.1 Introduction to VE.Net
VE.Net stands for Victron Energy Network. It allows all VE.Net
compatible devices to communicate with each other. This means that the
charger for example can get information from the battery controller to
optimize the charge current. It is possible to control and monitor all your
VE.Net devices from a single VE.Net compatible control panel. This
saves space and allows you to control all your devices from one place. It
is however, not necessary to be limited to a single panel. Multiple panels
can be used on the network, allowing full control and monitoring
capabilities of all devices in multiple locations.
1.2 The Blue Power Panel (BPP)
The Blue Power Panel provides intuitive control for all devices connected
to the VE.Net network. It can be used to view and configure the full range
of settings on VE.Net devices. Furthermore, its fully customizable
overview screens make it the ideal monitoring tool for your power system.

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Alarm relay
contacts
VE.Net
connection
2 Hardware installation
2.1 Package contents
The package in which the Blue Power Panel is delivered should contain
the following items:
•Blue Power Panel
•Manual
•Mounting instructions
•Four mounting screws
2.2 Installation instructions
1) Mount the Blue Power Panel
according to the included
mounting instructions.
2) Connect the Blue Power Panel
to the VE.Net network with a
standard straight UTP cable
with RJ45 connectors. An RJ45
splitter box may be used if necessary; however, the maximum total
cable length must not exceed 100 meters.
3) The Blue Power Panel is powered from the network. This means that
there must be at least one device on the network that is capable of
supplying power to other devices1.
4) If desired, an external alarm can be connected to the potential free
contact.
1Devices capable of powering other VE.Net devices include the VE.Net Battery Controller, the VE.Net to VE.Bus
Converter and the VE.Net Generator Module.

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3 Using the Blue Power Panel
3.1 Button descriptions
A – Left soft button
B – Right soft button
C – Up directional button
D – Down directional button
E – Left directional button
F – Right directional button
G – Centre button
3.2 Turning the panel on and off
To turn the panel on, hold the right soft button until
the VE.Net logo is displayed.
To turn the panel off, hold the left soft button until
the VE.Net logo is displayed.
A
C
B
E
F
D
G

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3.3 Understanding the display
Item Function
A Displays the name of the device or property.
B In the device list, this will display a summary of the device status.
When browsing device menus this will display the value of the
property. See chapter 3.4 for more information.
C The two soft buttons do not have fixed functions. Instead, their
functions change to suit the current system state. The currently
assigned function is shown here.
D One or more icons will be displayed here to indicate the current
status of the device or property. Some icons also indicate that
other actions are available, such as sub-menus, or editable
properties. See chapter 5.1 for more information.
E Provides information about the currently displayed screen.
3.4 Navigating the menu
When the Blue Power Panel is switched on, it will search the network,
and then display the list of connected devices. For each connected
device, the name of the device, and a summary of its current status are
displayed. If there are too many devices to fit on the screen at once, the
up and down directional buttons can be used to scroll through the list.
A
B
C
D
E

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For each device in the device list, there is a menu which provides
information and control specific to that device. To view the menu for a
device, use the up or down directional buttons to highlight the required
device, then press the right directional button to enter the menu. The
screen title will then be set to the name of the device, and the first few
properties of the menu will be displayed. You can use the up and down
directional buttons to highlight different properties, and scroll to any
additional properties that are not currently displayed. If the property
displays the icon, you can use the right directional button to enter a sub-
menu with more information.
Pressing the left directional button will take you back to the property that
you were viewing before you entered the current menu. You can also
press the left soft button at any time to take you directly to the device list.
For information about specific device menus, refer to the manual for that
device.
When selecting devices in the device list,
sometimes the right soft-button description will
change to indicate that a shortcut is available for
performing a common action. Rather than navigate
through the menu to perform this action, you can
simply press the right-soft button.
3.5 Editing values
Some properties can be changed, as indicated by the icon. Exactly how
a value is edited depends on the type of value.
For most properties that have only two possible
values, the description of the right soft button will
read “Toggle”. Simply press the right soft button
once to change the value.
For all other editable properties, the description of
the right soft button will read “Edit”. To begin
editing a value, press the right soft button. When
editing, the up and down directional buttons can be
used to change the value. When editing text, the
left and right directional buttons can be used to

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move the cursor in order to edit different
characters.
To stop editing, press the right soft-button to save
the changes, or the left soft-button to restore the
old value.
3.6 The overview screen
The overview screen displays the most important values from different
devices on the network together in one screen. To display the overview,
press the centre button while the device list is displayed. The Blue Power
Panel can also be configured to display the overview screen
automatically after a period of inactivity (see chapter 4.2 for more
information). The appearance of the overview screen depends on which
type of overview has been configured. See chapter 4.3 for more
information.
3.7 Alarms
When a VE.Net device experiences a problem, it will generate an alarm.
The Blue Power Panel will display a message with information about the
alarm. Additionally, the Blue Power Panel can be configured to generate
an audible alarm, and/or close its relay contact.
To acknowledge the alarm, press the right soft-
button. This will hide the pop-up, and disable the
buzzer. However, this does not switch off the relay.
The relay will remain closed until the device that
generated the alarm indicates that the alarm
condition is no longer present.
As long as there are persisting alarm conditions, a
warning will be displayed at the top of the screen.
To view the details of the alarms, press the centre
button. It is not possible to display the overview
screen whilst there are persisting alarm conditions.

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4 Configuring the panel
It is possible to begin using most features of the Blue Power Panel
without any configuration. However, the Blue Power Panel is highly
customisable, so it is worth familiarising yourself with the different
settings in order to get the most from your VE.Net system.
4.1 Access Levels
Many of the properties provided by VE.Net devices are only required
during system configuration. Not only are these properties not useful
during normal operation, but having them available allows for the
possibility of accidental changes. The Blue Power Panel solves this
problem with access levels. Initially, the access level of the Blue Power
Panel will be set to “User and install”. In this mode, all options are
available, allowing devices to be configured as necessary. Once
configuration is complete, the access level can be changed to “User”. In
this mode, all configuration options are hidden, leaving only the
properties required for normal use. If at any point it is necessary to
reconfigure a device, the access level can be changed back to “User and
install” to reveal the properties again.
If there are multiple Blue Power Panels on the network, their access
levels can be set independently.
4.2 The Blue Power Panel menu
Local settings menu
Item Description Default
Value
Language The language used by the network. Available
languages are English and German. Note: not
all devices support all languages. If a device
does not support the selected language,
English will be used instead.
English
Contrast The contrast level of the display. 50%
Audible
alarm
Determines whether or not the buzzer will be
used when an alarm occurs.
Yes

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Use relay
in alm
If enabled, the relay contacts will be closed
during an alarm condition.
No
Overview
setup
See chapter 4.3.
Power
saving
See below.
Access
level
Set this to “User and install” during
configuration, and “User” during normal
operation.
User and
install
Software
version
The firmware version of the Blue Power Panel N/A
Device
address
The address used by this device for
communication on the network.
N/A
Restart
panel
This option can be used to restart the Blue
Power Panel, and redetect the VE.Net system.
No
Restrict
access
OEM installers can lock the access level of the
Blue Power Panel to prevent users from
changing settings. For more information contact
Victron Energy.
No
Power saving menu
Item Description Default
Value
Backlight
off
Switch the backlight off after a certain period of
inactivity.
10
seconds
Display off
Switch the display off after a certain period of
inactivity.
Never
4.3 Overview configuration
Use the options in the ‘Overview setup’ submenu to configure the
overview screen. First decide which type of overview will be used
(system, generator, or custom). Next, enter the corresponding submenu
and set the configuration options as required.

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Overview setup menu
Item Description Default
value
Display
overview
The Blue Power Panel can be configured to
display the overview screen after a certain
period of inactivity.
Never
Overview
type
Select the type of overview screen that will be
used. Once selected, ensure that the options in
the corresponding menu are correctly set.
System
If a device selected for an overview is listed as “Unknown”, this means
this property has been configured, but the device is no longer available
on the network. In order to display the overview, either the device must
be reconnected, or another device must be selected.
4.3.1 The system overview
The system overview is designed to work with the VE.Net to VE.Bus
converter (VVC) connected to a Phoenix Multi or Quattro, and optionally
a VE.Net Battery Controller (VBC) and VE.Net Generator Module (VGM).
The different information that can be displayed on the system overview is
described below. The actual information that will be displayed depends
on which devices are configured, as well as the current system state.
A
B
C
D
E
F

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Item Description
A The AC input to the Multi or Quattro.
B The AC output of the generator.
C The battery voltage and time to go.
D The AC output of the Multi or Quattro.
E The DC current transferred between the battery and the Multi or
Quattro.
F The current used by the DC system.
Indicates the state of the Phoenix Multi or Quattro (see chapter
5.2 more information).
When this icon contains an upwards pointing arrow, it means
that the battery is charging. When discharging, the icon will
indicate the state of charge.
To configure the system overview, set the VE.Net devices that will be
used in the “System” menu.
System menu
Item Description
Select
VVC
Select the VVC that will be used for system overviews. A VVC
is required for the system overview.
Select
VBC
Select the battery controller that will be used for the system
overview, or select “Not set” if no battery controller is to be
used.
Select
VGM
Select the generator module that will be used for the system
overview, or select “Not set” if no generator controller is to be
used.
4.3.2 The generator overview
The generator overview displays important information regarding the
operation of the generator (requires a VE.Net Generator Module).

11
Item Description
A The current operating frequency.
B The coolant temperature.
C The output voltage and current.
D The generator status.
To configure the generator overview, set the VE.Net Generator Module
that will be used in the “Generator” menu.
Generator menu
Item Description
Select
VGM
Select the generator module that will be used for the
generator overview.
4.3.3 The custom overview
The custom overview allows you to select which information is displayed,
and how it is presented.
Item Description
A Indicator titles.
B Indicator icons
and values.
The icons used for the
indicators are described
in detail in chapter 5.3.
A
B
C
D
A
B

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To configure the custom overview, you must first
decide which information will be displayed, and
where. Once this decision has been made, set the
appropriate values for the properties of each
indicator in the “Custom” menu. The numbers of
the property names in this menu refer to the
location at which the indicator will be displayed, as shown in the diagram
on the right.
Custom menu
Item Description
x style The indicator style to use for this indicator (see chapter 5.3
for more information).
x device The VE.Net device that will provide the property for this
indicator.
x property The property that will provide the value for this indicator.
x title The text to appear in the title for this indicator.

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5 Description of icons
5.1 Menu icons
The following icons are used to indicate the current status of a property or
device.
Icon Description
This item has a sub-menu. Press the right directional button to
view the sub-menu.
The Blue Power Panel is waiting for this value to be retrieved.
In the device list, this icon means that the device is currently
connected to the network. In a device menu, this icon means that
the value for this property is up to date, and has normal status.
The value for this property is up to date, but has abnormal status.
This is not necessarily an error. The displayed message should
indicate why the normal value could not be displayed.
This property can be edited. Press the right soft button to change
its value.
This device is no longer connected to the network.
5.2 Multi/Quattro status icons
The following icons are used on the system and custom overview
screens to indicate the status of a Multi or Quattro, as reported by a VVC.
Icon Description
The device is switched off.
The device is in charger mode.
The device is in inverter mode.

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The device is in inverter mode with PowerAssist.
There is a warning or alarm condition on the device.
The VVC has lost its connection to the device.
5.3 Custom overview indicators
The following indicator styles can be selected for use on the custom
overview. The icons for some indicators will change depending on the
value of the property they represent, in order to provide a better visual
representation.
Indicator
style
Possible
icons
Description of icon variations Requires
Battery
voltage This icon does not change.
The battery is charging.
The battery is discharging.
Battery
amps
There is no current going into or
out of the battery.
Battery
SOC
The level to which the battery
image is filled represents the
current state of charge of the
battery.
VBC
VVC state See “Multi/Quattro status icons”
above. VVC
Tank level
Tank level. The level to which the
tank image is filled represents the
current level of the tank.
VTM
Generator
status This icon does not change. VGM

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Under certain circumstances, the following icons may be displayed
instead of the specified indicator.
Icon Usage
The Blue Power Panel is waiting for the device to supply the
requested value.
The value is currently unavailable.
The device associated with the indicator is not connected.

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6 Specifications
VE.Net
Maximum cable length 100 meters
Network cable Standard UTP with RJ-45 jacks
Network type Mixed (star and ring networks
possible)
Blue Power Panel BPP
Power supply voltage range 9 – 70 V DC
Current draw – standby <1 mA at 12 volt
Current draw – backlight off 35 mA at 12 volt
Current draw – backlight on 55 mA at 12 volt
Operating temp. range -20 – +50°C
Potential free contact 3A / 30V DC / 250V AC (Normally
Open)
ENCLOSURE
Measurements front panel (w x h) 120 x 130 mm (Standard PROS2
Panel)
Measurements body (w x h) 100 x 110 mm
Weight 0.28 Kg