SmartSolar vs BlueSolar MPPT: Is Bluetooth Worth It?

SmartSolar vs BlueSolar MPPT is one of the easiest Victron decisions once you know the difference. Both are Victron MPPT solar charge controllers in the same voltage and current sizes, so a BlueSolar 100/30 and a SmartSolar 100/30 handle the same panels. The difference is connectivity: SmartSolar models have Bluetooth built in; BlueSolar models don’t.

Victron Energy explains how its MPPT controllers work.

SmartSolar vs BlueSolar MPPT: What’s Different

Feature	SmartSolar	BlueSolar
Built-in Bluetooth	Yes (can be disabled)	No
Add Bluetooth later	n/a	Yes, with the VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle
VE.Direct port	Yes	Yes
Smart Battery Sense (wireless voltage/temp)	Yes	No
VictronConnect app	Bluetooth or USB	USB interface or dongle
Charging performance	Same MPPT tracking	Same MPPT tracking

Source: Victron BlueSolar and SmartSolar charge controller overview datasheet.

Why Bluetooth Matters

Without Bluetooth, the only way to change a BlueSolar’s charge voltages is through a VE.Direct cable to a computer, display or GX device. For lithium batteries that need custom settings, that’s a real hassle. Bluetooth also lets you check daily solar harvest history from your phone.

When BlueSolar Makes Sense

Your system has a Cerbo GX that connects via VE.Direct anyway.
You want the controller not Bluetooth-accessible (Victron notes this as an advantage of the dongle approach).
You find a BlueSolar cheaper and the default presets suit your battery.

The Dongle Math

If the BlueSolar plus a VE.Direct Bluetooth dongle costs more than the SmartSolar, buy the SmartSolar. Check current prices before deciding; they vary by size and seller.

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Buy: Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/30 on Amazon

For full specifications, see Victron’s pages for the Victron BlueSolar MPPT and VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle.

What You Can Do in VictronConnect

Once a controller is connected, by Bluetooth on a SmartSolar or a dongle or cable on a BlueSolar, the app shows the same things:

Live data: panel voltage and power, battery voltage, charge current and charge stage (bulk, absorption, float).
History: daily yield in Wh, maximum power and minimum/maximum battery voltage for the past 30 days.
Battery settings: preset charge profiles or user-defined absorption and float voltages, plus absorption time and temperature compensation.
Load output settings on models with a load terminal, such as the 75/15 and 100/20.
Firmware updates, which add features over time.

Worked Example: Is the Bluetooth Worth It?

Say a BlueSolar 100/30 and a SmartSolar 100/30 are $25 apart, and the VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle costs about $45 on its own (example prices, check current listings). If you want phone access at all, the SmartSolar is about $20 cheaper than the BlueSolar plus dongle. If you’ll only ever set it once from a laptop with a VE.Direct to USB cable, or connect it to a Cerbo GX, the BlueSolar saves the $25.

Worked Example: Lithium Settings

A 12.8V LiFePO4 battery often lists something like 14.2V absorption and 13.5V float in its datasheet, which matches Victron’s own Li-ion recommendations. The controller’s default lead-acid profile charges higher, so you need to change it.

SmartSolar: open the app, pick the LiFePO4 preset or type in the battery maker’s voltages. It takes about two minutes.
BlueSolar: the rotary switch on some models selects a built-in profile, or you connect a computer, GX device or dongle to set custom values.

Example voltages; always use your battery’s datasheet.

Setting Up a SmartSolar

Connect the battery first, then the panels, as Victron’s manual says.
Open VictronConnect and select the controller from the Bluetooth list.
Change the default PIN when prompted.
Set the battery voltage (or leave it on auto-detect) and choose the charge profile.
Optional: pair a Smart Battery Sense so the controller uses the real battery voltage and temperature.

Networking Several Controllers

SmartSolar controllers can join a VE.Smart network over Bluetooth to share battery voltage, temperature and current from a SmartShunt or Smart Battery Sense, so several controllers charge as one. BlueSolar controllers can’t join VE.Smart networking, but they coordinate through a GX device over VE.Direct.

Matching the Controller Size

SmartSolar and BlueSolar names follow the same pattern: the first number is the maximum panel voltage and the second is the maximum charge current. A 100/30 accepts up to 100V from the panels and charges at up to 30A.

Battery	Panel watts a 100/30 can use (estimate)
12V	≈ 440W (30A × 14.6V charge voltage)
24V	≈ 880W (30A × 29.2V)

Estimates from rated charge current; more panel watts are allowed, but output is capped at 30A. Keep the panels’ cold-weather open-circuit voltage under the 100V limit; Victron’s online MPPT calculator checks this for you.

Which Should You Buy?

Your setup	Better fit
Van or camper, no GX device, lithium battery	SmartSolar
Boat or cabin with a Cerbo GX already wired	Either; BlueSolar if cheaper
Multiple controllers on one battery bank, no GX	SmartSolar (VE.Smart networking)
Lead-acid battery, set-and-forget	BlueSolar if the preset fits

FAQ

Is a BlueSolar worse at charging?

Victron’s overview lists the same model sizes for both families. Bluetooth is the main difference.

Can a BlueSolar work with a Cerbo GX?

Yes, all models have a VE.Direct port.

Can I turn off Bluetooth on a SmartSolar?

Yes. Victron notes that Bluetooth can be disabled on SmartSolar models.

Does SmartSolar give more solar power than BlueSolar?

No. They use the same MPPT tracking in the same sizes.

Can I see a BlueSolar on VRM?

Yes, through a GX device connected over VE.Direct.

Can I upgrade a BlueSolar to Bluetooth later?

Yes. Plug the VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle into its VE.Direct port and it shows up in VictronConnect like a SmartSolar.

Does Bluetooth drain the battery?

The controller’s own consumption is very small, and you can switch Bluetooth off in the app if you only check it occasionally.

Sources: Victron BlueSolar and SmartSolar charge controller overview datasheet and BlueSolar MPPT 100/30 & 100/50 datasheet (victronenergy.com); Victron Energy, “How does a Victron Energy MPPT Solar Charge Controller work?”.