Victron Smart BMS CL 12/100 - Battery Management System for Lithium Batteries

Victron Battery Management System 12/100: BMS for Smart Lithium-Ion Batteries

The Smart BMS CL 12/100 is a battery management system for intelligent lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries by Victron. It was specially developed for 12V systems with a 12V generator.

The BMS CL 12/100 monitors and protects each individual battery cell within the battery (or battery bank) and disconnects the generator, charging sources, or DC loads in the event of low battery voltage, high battery voltage, or overtemperature.

The dedicated generator input provides current limiting and one-way current flow from the generator to the battery, so that a generator (and a starter battery) of any size can be safely connected to the Smart Lithium battery or batteries.

The BMS is also equipped with a remote on/off connection to turn off the BMS (and the system) via a remote switch, as well as a pre-alarm contact to provide a warning signal before the BMS disconnects the batteries from the system.

Alternator and battery protection
The input current is electronically limited to approx. 90% of the fuse rating. For example, a 100 A fuse therefore limits the input current to approx. 90 A.
The choice of the correct fuse will:

• a. Protect the LFP battery from excessive charging current (important for an LFP battery with low capacity).
• b. Protect the alternator from overloading in the case of an LFP battery bank with high capacity (most 12V alternators overheat and fail if they run at maximum power for more than 5 minutes).

Starter battery protection
This function is similar to that of a Cyrix battery combiner or Argo FET battery isolator. Current can only flow to the LFP battery if the input voltage (= voltage at the starter battery) exceeds 13 V. And no current can flow back from the LFP battery to the starter battery, thus preventing possible damage to the LFP battery due to excessive discharge.

Remote on/off input
The remote-controlled on/off input controls the charging process via the alternator. In the switched-off state, charging via the alternator is deactivated, while the BMS functionality remains active, so that all loads and chargers can continue to operate regardless of the state of the Remote input. If the "System on/off switch" is activated via VictronConnect, the BMS functionality is also deactivated. It consists of two terminals: Remote L and Remote H. A remote on/off switch or relay contact can be connected between H and L. Alternatively, terminal H can be connected to battery positive or terminal L to battery negative.