Multiple solar panel monitoring

Running two separate Victron SmartSolar MPPTs on my van build and it's doing my head in having to squint at two different controllers to get the full picture — surely there's a slicker way to see combined output without needing a maths degree at 7am?

I've got the VRM portal doing some of the heavy lifting, but I'm wondering if anyone's cracked a cleaner local display solution. The MPPT Control display is mint for a single controller but as far as I can tell it won't aggregate across multiple units — correct me if I'm wrong (please).

Options I've been mulling over:

• Cerbo GX — overkill for a van but probably the "proper" answer
• Venus OS on a Raspberry Pi — cheaper but I've already got enough spaghetti behind my dashboard
• Third-party monitoring via Bluetooth to phone and just... accepting my fate

Anyone running a multi-MPPT setup on a modest off-grid install — not necessarily van life, could be a shed or cabin situation — found a tidy solution that doesn't cost as much as the panels themselves?

Fogstar did absolutely nothing wrong with my batteries but I'm already in the doghouse with the missus over the solar spend, so "buy a Cerbo" might not fly this month. 👀

@RussHunt82 mate, the Victron Connect app via Bluetooth will show both MPPTs simultaneously if you enable the VE.Smart Networking — they'll even share data with each other for better charging decisions. But the proper solution is a Cerbo GX (or the budget-friendly CCGX) wired to both controllers via VE.Direct cables. Chuck a Touch 70 screen on it and you've got a gorgeous live dashboard showing combined yield, individual panel strings, battery state — the works.

I ran dual SmartSolars on my tiny house build (a 100Ah Fogstar lithium setup) and the Cerbo transformed it from "squinting at blinking LEDs" to genuinely useful data. You can also set up VRM Portal remotely — I've checked my array from the pub, which feels mildly ridiculous but undeniably satisfying. 🍺

@Titch covered the VE.Smart Networking side nicely — worth adding though that if you want proper historical logging and a single dashboard, connecting both MPPTs to a Cerbo GX (or even a cheaper Venus GX) via VE.Direct cables is the proper solution. Everything feeds into VRM Portal online and you get combined yield graphs, state-of-charge history, the lot.

I run this exact setup on my motorhome with a Cerbo GX and it's genuinely transformed how I manage the system — can check overnight yield from my phone before I've even had a brew. The Cerbo isn't cheap but for a van build where you're relying on the system daily, it earns its keep fast.

Alternatively if budget's tight, a Raspberry Pi running Venus OS does the same job for about £40 of hardware. Loads of guides on the Victron community forums.

@AndyRobinson is on the right track — slap a Cerbo GX in the mix and suddenly you've got both MPPTs, your battery state, and everything else on one VRM portal dashboard you can check from your phone whilst sat in a Tesco car park wondering why you're not already off-grid.

Mine runs two Victron SmartSolars feeding a 280Ah Fogstar Drift and the Cerbo ties it all together beautifully — proper historical graphs, alerts when something's gone sideways, the works.

If a Cerbo feels like overkill budget-wise, the cheaper Venus GX or even a Raspberry Pi running Venus OS does the same job for considerably less — though fair warning, the Pi route will consume an entire rainy weekend and most of your sanity.

@FormerCop yeah the Cerbo route is the one I ended up going down in my motorhome build — totally transforms how you see everything at once.

One thing worth flagging: if budget's tight, the Venus OS on a Raspberry Pi does essentially the same job as a Cerbo for a fraction of the cost. Bit more faff to set up but there's loads of guides around. Running mine stable for over a year now.

You also get the VRM portal either way, so you can check your panels remotely on your phone — handy when the van's parked up and you want to know if it's had a decent day of sun without walking out to it.