Victron SmartShunt vs BMV-712: Do You Need the Display?

Victron SmartShunt vs BMV-712 is really a question about one thing: do you want a screen on the wall? Both are Bluetooth battery monitors that measure every amp in and out of your battery and show state of charge in the VictronConnect app. The BMV-712 Smart adds a round display, a programmable relay and an audible alarm. The SmartShunt skips the display and relay, so it’s cheaper and easier to install.

Ross Lukeman compares the SmartShunt and BMV-712 for van conversions.

Victron SmartShunt vs BMV-712: Comparison Table

Feature	SmartShunt	BMV-712 Smart
Bluetooth app	Yes	Yes
Display	No	Yes
Programmable relay	No	Yes (bi-stable alarm relay)
Supply voltage	6.5–70VDC	6.5–70VDC
Current draw	<1mA (datasheet)	<1mA, backlight off
Shunt sizes	300A, 500A, 1000A, 2000A (IP21 or IP65)	500A quick-connect shunt included; shunt selection up to 10,000A
Second input	Starter battery, midpoint or temperature	Starter battery, midpoint or temperature
VE.Direct port	Yes	Yes

Source: Victron SmartShunt and BMV-712 Smart datasheets.

When the BMV-712 Is Worth It

You want at-a-glance readings without opening an app (useful for family members or guests).
You need a relay to shut off loads at low state of charge or to start a generator.
You want a programmable visual and audible alarm (listed on the BMV-712 datasheet).

When the SmartShunt Is Enough

You’ll check your phone or a Cerbo GX/GX Touch anyway.
You want the simplest install: no display cable to run through cabinetry.
You need IP65 or a larger shunt (1000A or 2000A).

One commenter on a Ross Lukeman video put it this way: the SmartShunt is “a Victron Smart 712 battery monitor without the display”.

Setup Is the Same

Both use the same settings for lithium: battery capacity, charged voltage, tail current, Peukert exponent (1.05 for LiFePO4 per Victron’s manual) and charge efficiency.

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Buy: Victron SmartShunt 500A on Amazon, Victron BMV-712 Smart

Worked Example: Using the BMV-712 Relay

The BMV-712’s relay is the feature the SmartShunt doesn’t have. Victron’s datasheet rates it at 60V/1A, normally open, and the function can be inverted. That’s enough to switch the coil of a larger relay or signal another device, not to carry a heavy load directly.

Goal	Relay setting	How it’s wired
Shut off non-essential loads at 20%	Low state-of-charge alarm, clear at 30%	Relay drives a larger contactor or a BatteryProtect’s remote input
Start a generator at 30%	State of charge start/stop	Relay signals the generator’s two-wire auto-start
Warn of low starter battery	Aux voltage alarm	Relay drives a buzzer or warning light

Example thresholds; set them to suit your battery and loads.

Worked Example: Reading Time-to-Go

Say a 200Ah lithium battery is at 80% and the inverter and fridge draw a steady 25A. The monitor estimates about 6.4 hours to your 0% point (160Ah ÷ 25A, estimate). Both units calculate this the same way; the BMV just shows it on the wall, while the SmartShunt shows it in the app or on a GX display.

Installation Differences

Step	SmartShunt	BMV-712 Smart
Shunt on the battery negative	Yes	Yes
Fused + wire to the battery	Yes	Yes
Display cable to a panel	No	RJ12 cable from shunt to display
Panel cutout	No	Round hole for the display head
Relay wiring	No	Optional

The display cable is the main extra job. In a van, that often means routing a cable from the battery area under the bed to the kitchen or the door.

Reading the BMV Display

The display scrolls through battery voltage, current, power, Ah used, state of charge and time-to-go, and the buttons let you adjust settings without a phone. The backlight turns on with a button press, which is handy at night, and an alarm shows on the screen with a beep when a threshold you set is crossed.

Settings You’ll Enter on Either Unit

Battery capacity in Ah, from the battery label.
Charged voltage: a little below your charger’s absorption voltage.
Tail current: the current below which the battery counts as full, often 4% of capacity by default.
Discharge floor: the state of charge you treat as empty, which drives the time-to-go figure.
Peukert exponent and charge efficiency: lithium uses values close to 1.05 and 99%.

On the BMV-712 you can enter these with the buttons or the app; on the SmartShunt you use the app.

Which One for Your Build?

Build	Suggestion
Weekend camper, owner checks the phone	SmartShunt
Family RV, several people need to see the battery	BMV-712 Smart
Off-grid cabin with a generator	BMV-712 Smart (relay for auto-start)
Boat with a Cerbo GX and GX Touch	SmartShunt
Wet battery locker	SmartShunt IP65

FAQ

Is the SmartShunt as accurate as the BMV-712?

Victron lists ±0.4% current accuracy for the SmartShunt; both use the same shunt-based measurement approach.

Can I add a display to a SmartShunt later?

Yes, through a Cerbo GX with GX Touch, or Victron’s other GX displays.

Which is better for a Cerbo GX system?

The SmartShunt, in most cases, since the Cerbo becomes your display.

Can both connect to VRM?

Yes. Both have a VE.Direct port for a GX device, which uploads to VRM.

Do both work with VE.Smart networking?

Yes. Either can share battery voltage, current and temperature with SmartSolar and Orion chargers over Bluetooth.

Does the BMV-712 use more power because of the screen?

The display adds a little consumption; check each datasheet for the exact current draw figures. Both are small enough to leave connected permanently.

Can I move from a SmartShunt to a BMV-712 later?

Yes. The shunt wiring on the battery negative stays the same idea, so you’d swap the units and add the display cable and panel. Many owners add a GX display instead, which keeps the SmartShunt in place.

Sources: Victron SmartShunt and BMV-712 Smart datasheets, SmartShunt manual (victronenergy.com); Ross Lukeman, “The Best Battery Monitor for a Van Conversion”; EXPLORIST life, “SmartShunt vs BMV-712 vs Lynx Shunt”.