hugemoth
Solar Enthusiast
Seems like a good deal over the Victron unit. I have one on order.
TBD smart-shunt $49.99 on Amazon
- Thread starter hugemoth
- Start date
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Wow super cloney look of a Victron smartshunt. But apparently doesn't work via ve.direct for integration with a Cerbo GX or other Venus os device. Also doesn't come with power lead? Seems like a cheap/easy inclusion.
hugemoth
Solar Enthusiast
- Amazon says it comes with 500 Amp TBD-SmartShunt with instructions, two red cables with fuses, a black cable with fuse, and two M5 mounting screws.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Ok thanks for the clarification one of the reviews mentioned he had to make his own lead.
hugemoth
Solar Enthusiast
The shunt is now installed in my system and works as advertised. Pretty much identical to the Victron unit including the Android app. The only downside I see is that it won't work in conjunction with other Victron devices over Bluetooth. Not a problem for me as I have no Victron devices.
If you want you can use ESPHome
github.com
GitHub - webbbn/esphome-tbd-smartshunt: An ESPHome interface to the TBD Smartshunt
An ESPHome interface to the TBD Smartshunt. Contribute to webbbn/esphome-tbd-smartshunt development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
I guess I'm just old-fashioned but it annoys me immensely when companies so blatently try to create the look and feel of another companies product. It really seems to be a case of "passing of as" to me and for that reason I would refuse to line the pockets of these 'rip-off' businesses.
If they had an identically functional product that they marketed as their own, for a low prices, then, IMHO, that's fair game and what market forces are all about. But, oh no... they have to make it look like a Victron. I hope Victron take legal action, just like M&S did in the UK when Aldi copied their Colin-the-Caterpillar kids birthday cake.
Colin the Caterpillar cake row crumbles
Marks & Spencer and Aldi reach a settlement in a copyright row over caterpillar cakes.
www.bbc.co.uk
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
I saw these a couple weeks ago when I went to go get a Smart Shunt for my Solar Trailer, and even though it wont be communicating with anything, I still bought the Victron version. The cost difference is considerable, at 2.5x the cost of the TBD version, but it the grand scheme of things, $80 more isn't much, and I like knowing the Hardware and Software are firmly backed by a solid, reputable company.
hugemoth
Solar Enthusiast
I suspect the Victron and TBD shunts are made in the same Chinese factory.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
I can't seem to find them on Amazon anymore.
Anyone got a link?
Anyone got a link?
hugemoth
Solar Enthusiast
From Amazon:
Currently unavailable
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
Currently unavailable
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Andrewr05
[Replicant 42069]
What is everyone else using these days?
I wanted to buy another one of these (mine has been working fall asleep for over a year) and they're unavailable now I guess.
Is there another cheap alternative that people have been using?
⠀
I wanted to buy another one of these (mine has been working fall asleep for over a year) and they're unavailable now I guess.
Is there another cheap alternative that people have been using?
⠀
marionw
Solar Enthusiast
The VE.Direct on the TBD SmartShunt and the Victron SmartShunt are RS322-TTL interfaces.
The data output from the TBD SmartShunt is entirely different than the Victron SmartShunt.
In other words any software designed to parse/decode the Victron SmartShunt output will not be able to parse/decode then TBD SmartShunt output. I have both and have futzed with both but have not completely figured out the data from the TBD SmartShunt.
The data output from the TBD SmartShunt is entirely different than the Victron SmartShunt.
In other words any software designed to parse/decode the Victron SmartShunt output will not be able to parse/decode then TBD SmartShunt output. I have both and have futzed with both but have not completely figured out the data from the TBD SmartShunt.
Andrewr05
[Replicant 42069]
For my use case that doesn't matter, I just want a cheap accurate shunt.
The TBD Smartshunt is garbage. Of the 5 or 6 I've seen my brother use in the last 6 months only one still works. Buyer beware!
The TBD Smartshunt is garbage. Of the 5 or 6 I've seen my brother use in the last 6 months only one still works. Most of the time it seems to come from disconnecting the power and reconnecting it. One time the app reported incorrect voltage. Sure enough, disconnected the power and it was dead when he reconnected it. Buyer beware!
Andrewr05
[Replicant 42069]
I have been using mine for a year and a half now with no problem.
