Change screen
Swipe left or right. A short press of the rear button also moves to the next screen.
Simple step-by-step help
ChargeScreen user guide
You do not need to understand Bluetooth or electronics. Follow the first setup once, then ChargeScreen works by itself.
Do this once
First-time setup
Allow about five minutes. Keep ChargeScreen powered throughout.
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Power on ChargeScreen
Use its USB‑C socket. If you bought the optional rear power cable, line up the notch on the cable with the gap in the plug before connecting it.
Rear cable: after power is applied, you may need to press the recessed side button with a small blunt tool to start the display.
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Open Settings
Tap the three dots at the bottom of the round screen.
Tap here -
Turn on setup Wi‑Fi
Tap the row marked WiFi. It should change to On.
Shortcut: hold the rear button for two seconds to turn setup Wi‑Fi on or off. Never hold that button while switching the power on.
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Connect your phone
Open Wi‑Fi settings on your phone and join the network named ChargeScreen.
Your phone may say “No internet”. Choose to stay connected. Nothing is wrong. -
Open the setup page
Your phone may open it automatically. If it does not, open your normal web browser and enter:
This address works only while your phone is connected to the ChargeScreen network.
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Add your equipment
Find Build Your Setup. Press the green + beside each device fitted to your vehicle. Add only devices you actually have.
If you have two of the same type, press + again. You can add up to four of each supported device.
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Add Victron keys
Every Victron device needs its own Instant Readout key. Non‑Victron batteries and Mopeka sensors are normally found automatically.
Show me how to find a Victron key -
Save, then check the screen
Press Save Settings. Wait a few seconds, then swipe sideways on the round display. You should see only the screens you added.
That’s it. ChargeScreen does not need your phone or Wi‑Fi for normal use.
Victron equipment only
Find your Instant Readout key
This is not the PIN printed on the Victron device.
- Open VictronConnect near your Victron device.
- Connect to the device using Bluetooth.
- Open Settings, tap the three dots, then open Product info.
- Make sure Instant Readout is enabled.
- Open its encryption details and choose Show.
- Copy the key into the matching device box on the ChargeScreen setup page.
Use one key per device.
A SmartShunt key will not work for your MPPT, charger, or another shunt.
VictronConnect wording can vary slightly by app version and product.
Open the VictronConnect manualOnce setup is finished
Everyday use
Open Settings
Tap the three dots at the bottom of any normal screen.
Wake the display
Touch once and release. Then touch again if you want to press a control.
The round screen
Settings explained
Swipe sideways while Settings is open to move through its four pages.
Connection and layout
- WiFi
- Starts or stops the temporary setup network.
- Demo mode
- Shows sample readings on every available screen. Turn this off for real readings.
- Rotation
- Turns the display in 90-degree steps.
Screen power
- Timeout
- Chooses 10, 30, 60 seconds, or Never.
- Refresh
- Shows shunt readings live or updates them every 15 seconds.
- Dimming
- Cycles through Max, Mid, and Low brightness.
What the display shows
- DC Status
- Can show fresh Orion DC‑DC status on the battery screen.
- Labels
- Shows or hides small names beside readings.
- Grid
- Shows or hides the lines separating readings.
Useful addresses
- Website
- chargescreen.co.uk
- Setup page
- 192.168.4.1
What am I looking at?
Understanding the readings
State of charge
Roughly how full the battery is.
Volts
The electrical pressure of the battery or device.
Amps
How much current is flowing. On battery screens, positive is charging and negative is discharging.
Power
How much power is being produced or used.
Amp-hours
Battery capacity used or remaining, depending on the connected device.
Energy
Energy produced, commonly the solar yield for today.
Which ChargeScreen page goes with my equipment?
| Screen | What it shows | Key needed? |
|---|---|---|
| SmartShunt / BMV | Battery percentage, voltage, current, power and amp-hours | Yes |
| SmartSolar MPPT | Solar power, battery voltage/current, daily yield and charger state | Yes |
| Phoenix Inverter | VA, battery voltage, AC output, state and alarms | Yes |
| Blue Smart mains charger | Charge rate, voltage, current, state and errors | Yes |
| Orion DC‑DC | Input/output voltage, charge current, power and state | Yes |
| BatteryProtect | Input/output voltage, output state, warnings and alarms | Yes |
| Lynx Smart BMS | Battery percentage, voltage, current, power and alarms | Yes |
| DC Energy Meter | Voltage, current, power and energy totals | Yes |
| Smart Battery Sense | Battery voltage, temperature and alarms | Yes |
| Eco-Worthy, Fogstar, Roamer, ABC-BMS, Daly or Renogy battery | Battery percentage, voltage, current, power and capacity | Normally no |
| Mopeka / Lippert sensor | Tank depth, percentage or litres remaining | No |
Start here if something is wrong
Simple troubleshooting
The setup page will not open
- Check that the round screen says WiFi is On.
- Check that your phone is connected to ChargeScreen, not your normal Wi‑Fi.
- Accept the “No internet” warning and stay connected.
- Turn off mobile data temporarily if your phone keeps switching away.
- Type http://192.168.4.1/ directly into your browser’s address bar.
The screen says “Add key via WiFi”
The selected Victron screen has no Instant Readout key. Open the setup page, find that exact Victron device, paste its key, and press Save Settings.
The screen says “Searching” or “No Victron BLE”
- Make sure the Victron device or battery is powered and Bluetooth is enabled.
- Move ChargeScreen closer to it.
- For Victron, confirm Instant Readout is enabled and the correct key is saved.
- For a Bluetooth battery, disconnect its phone app. Some batteries allow only one connection at a time.
- Wait a minute. Multiple Bluetooth batteries are checked one at a time.
The screen says “Decode error”
ChargeScreen can hear the device but cannot read the message. For Victron, the usual cause is the wrong Instant Readout key. Copy the key again from the correct device.
I see sample numbers or screens I do not own
Demo mode is on. Open Settings, tap Demo mode so it shows a dash instead of On, then return to the setup page and add only your own equipment.
The display is black
Touch once and release—the screen may simply be asleep. If it stays black, check the power connection. With the optional rear cable, press the recessed side button after power is applied.
An alarm is flashing
ChargeScreen has received a warning or error from supported Victron equipment. Read the reason at the bottom and check the original equipment. The alert clears when the connected device reports that the problem has cleared.
Important: ChargeScreen alarm support is still being tested. Never use it as your only safety or alarm system.
Occasional maintenance
Update the firmware
Only install the latest Beta firmware made for ChargeScreen’s ESP32‑C3 hardware.
- Download the latest Beta firmware from the ChargeScreen website. Its filename starts with Beta followed by the version number.
- Open ChargeScreen’s temporary Wi‑Fi setup page.
- Scroll to Firmware update and choose the downloaded file.
- Press Upload Firmware.
- Keep the power connected and wait for ChargeScreen to restart.
- Start setup Wi‑Fi again if you need to return to the setup page.
Do not unplug it during an update.
Removing power can leave the device needing a USB reflash.
Get the latest firmware
Advanced and optional
BLE Capture
You do not need this if your equipment is working.
BLE Capture records nearby Bluetooth messages so an unsupported device can be investigated.
- Disconnect phones and apps from the battery or accessory.
- Place ChargeScreen close to that device.
- Open the setup page and press Start 5 Minute BLE Capture.
- Let it finish, or choose Stop and Save.
- Download the CSV from the setup page.
- Email it to blecapture@chargescreen.co.uk with the brand, exact model, and readings you expected.
The file includes Bluetooth broadcasts from nearby devices such as watches, phones, TVs, batteries and sensors. Most of this data is encrypted, but it will still appear in the file.
Still stuck?
Ask for help
Include a photo of the ChargeScreen message, your equipment brand and exact model, and the firmware version if you know it.