Victron Disappointment

[Time2Go]

I am truly disappointed in Victron
We installed a BVM 712 which was working just fine for 3 months.
Great bit of kit actually.
Then it blew both fuses that were connected between the Shunt
PCB and positives off both battery banks.
Problem was traced to some corrosion on the Telephone style jack
on the Shunt PCB
Here's where it goes off the rails. The PCB is not sold as a replacement
part. The only solution is to file a warranty claim thru the dealer
you bought it from. Good luck with that if you bought it on the Internet.
So I have to go out and buy another whole system, over 200.00
because Victron won't sell a replacement 20.00 board.
Looking for alternatives
The kicker is you can buy the shunt without the board
What good is that, In talking to many folks trying to find the part
They all laughed because they all knew that the board is a known weak spot.
Really Really Disappointed in Victron
Won't spend another dime with them

[Sam Woodbridge]

Did you drop the connection in salt water?

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by Sam Woodbridge

Did you drop the connection in salt water?

No
lived in the battery compartment
Hot, Humid Florida Summer
might have killed it
But it shouldn’t have
and besides parts should be available

[Allan S]

Exactly the same problem with us! Tried cleaning the corrosion out but no luck.

[BillKny]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

No
lived in the battery compartment
Hot, Humid Florida Summer
might have killed it
But it shouldn’t have
and besides parts should be available

Well, there is your problem: LIVED IN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT.

Why would you do such a thing???? Batteries give off corrosive (and flammable!) gases. No electronics should EVER "live INSIDE a battery compartment".

I reviewed my BMV manual, and I DO fault Victron for not reiterating what would be common knowledge with any competent marine electrician. But your ignorance of this is NOT their problem.

But if I was Victron, I'd deny your warrenty claim.

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by BillKny

Well, there is your problem: LIVED IN THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT.

Why would you do such a thing???? Batteries give off corrosive (and flammable!) gases. No electronics should EVER "live INSIDE a battery compartment".

I reviewed my BMV manual, and I DO fault Victron for not reiterating what would be common knowledge with any competent marine electrician. But your ignorance of this is NOT their problem.

But if I was Victron, I'd deny your warrenty claim.

My My
Panties in a knot
1st ,The battery compartment is quite large
2nd, All batteries are in individual battery boxes with
covers and securely fastened
Are you suggesting that a battery bank should be treated
the exact same way one treats Propane?

And lastly
I could very well be a moron, ignorant of all things
battery and not as smart as you
HOWEVER, My beef with Victron is not about
their warranty service, not about their products
which as i mentioned,I like
IT IS ABOUT THEM NOT SELLING REPLACEMENT
PARTS FOR THEIR SYSTEMS
WHICH IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE
I Don’t have to buy a new phone because I lost
a proprietary charger
In my next life I hope i’m as smart as you

[Oeanda]

Thread drift already.... Fwiw it’s worth our fuse panels are mounted in the side of our battery compartment under the settee. Five uncovered batteries and all the electronics in there seems fine 40 years on. I suppose it’s a fairly big space though. About the size of a small settee...
Have you talked nicely to Victron? Surely that part is out there somewhere. Like China.

[ixnax]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

My My
Panties in a knot
1st ,The battery compartment is quite large
2nd, All batteries are in individual battery boxes with
covers and securely fastened
Are you suggesting that a battery bank should be treated
the exact same way one treats Propane?

And lastly
I could very well be a moron, ignorant of all things
battery and not as smart as you
HOWEVER, My beef with Victron is not about
their warranty service, not about their products
which as i mentioned,I like
IT IS ABOUT THEM NOT SELLING REPLACEMENT
PARTS FOR THEIR SYSTEMS
WHICH IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE
I Don’t have to buy a new phone because I lost
a proprietary charger
In my next life I hope i’m as smart as you

Actually, your bitch is about 200 bucks vs. 20. So you aren't freaked out the next time you are on land 200 bucks is nothing anymore.

[Nord Sal]

Was the PCB I posted to your earlier thread not available?

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by Nord Sal

Was the PCB I posted to your earlier thread not available?

Exactly Correct
The board is simply not sold as a replacement part
This part is known to fail
An internet image search reveals plenty of
pictures of work arounds where corrosion resistant
boxes are fabricated to house the shunt
Once again my problem with Victron is that they
simply don’t sell replacement parts for current
products.
And yes I do have a problem when I have to buy
a new 200.00 system when a 20.00 part fails.
We are not talking about a part buried deep
but an easily replaced part held in place by 2 screws

[BillKny]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

My My

Are you suggesting that a battery bank should be treated
the exact same way one treats Propane?

Exactly like propane? No, not exactly. But they need to be properly vented and without the possibility of ignition sources. Hydrogen coming from a battery is actually in most ways MUCH more flammable than propane. The only saving grace is that it does tend to dissipate quickly--IF it is given a safe place to go.

Of the boats I personally know, THREE have had battery box explosions caused by loose connections igniting the flammable mix of hydrogen and oxygen in the compartment. This despite having properly vented compartments.

I personally know of no boats that have had propane explosions. Probably because people are more aware of the issue, and it therefore gets more respect.

Sulfuric acid fumes from FLA batteries, and even from VRLA batteries, will make short work of most circuit boards--as you have learned.

Or maybe you haven't learned it yet...

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by BillKny

Exactly like propane? No, not exactly. But they need to be properly vented and without the possibility of ignition sources. Hydrogen coming from a battery is actually in most ways MUCH more flammable than propane. The only saving grace is that it does tend to dissipate quickly--IF it is given a safe place to go.

Of the boats I personally know, THREE have had battery box explosions caused by loose connections igniting the flammable mix of hydrogen and oxygen in the compartment. This despite having properly vented compartments.

I personally know of no boats that have had propane explosions. Probably because people are more aware of the issue, and it therefore gets more respect.

Sulfuric acid fumes from FLA batteries, and even from VRLA batteries, will make short work of most circuit boards--as you have learned.

Or maybe you haven't learned it yet...

Bill,
You consistently miss my point
REGARDLESS of how or why the part failed
My dog chewed it up, I dropped it in the bilge and so on
The part is known to fail but is not available as a
replacement or spare.
You can buy the shunt itself see pictures attached
but not the PCB, Makes no sense
Every add goes out of its way to state
“ PCB” Not Included”
You can buy the part that doesn’t fail
but not the part that does.
Also see pictures of various enclosures to
weather and corrosion proof this part.
Wonder why folks have come up with these.
One is even from Victron
Three battery box explosions, geez
In my 40 years of boating I Haven't seen one
But then again I’m just a stupid recreational
boater with a learning disability

[Nord Sal]

I can't tell if you actually investigated this one or not.


https://supreme-tackle.myshopify.com...itors-spr00053

[BillKny]

Originally Posted by Nord Sal

I can't tell if you actually investigated this one or not.


https://supreme-tackle.myshopify.com...itors-spr00053

Ah, come on now Nord Sal. You have destroyed all his fun of ranting!

[Smokeys Kitchen]

I have to agree with Time2Go in general, that component availability is becoming less. I have not experienced this issue with Victron, since all my stuff is pretty new, but I have experienced the issue in the past with other providers.

In general, most companies want you to buy a whole new system or at least a new unit, as compared to providing the components necessary to effect a repair of an otherwise good working unit. I believe that this has been discussed a few times previously on CF, but is true for most of the new items out there in the world. More money to be made selling the whole unit as opposed to the repair item.