Can the
multiplus be programmed with the MK3 BT dongle? Or do I still need the USB dongle that I have? In fact can the
multiplus be programmed via a Colour GX/Venus GX? Or the Pi setup you have described?
Regards,
Del
The Mk3 Dongle is the latest/current wired Dongle for the VE.Bus Devices. Is yours an earlier one? I can't recall the limitation of Dongle before the Mk3 (Mk2 maybe?) but there was something - but could be the earlier one didn't work with later Multipluses? If your dongle works with your
Multiplus, I would hope you are good to go and wouldn't need to get the Mk3 (and for a Pi setup for your system, not having to get another dongle and being able to use your own would be a significant saving as that is the most expensive individual component).
To programme (or rather 'configure') the
Multiplus from a PC, you need the VE.Configure software, a PC to run it on and a Dongle (I am guessing that is why you have it?).
To programme the
Multiplus from a Venus OS Device (CCGX, Venus GX, Raspberry Pi, etc), you just need the VEConfigure sofware and a PC with access to the Venus OS Device.
In the VRM (
Victron Remote Management) web browser interface there is a device list option and within that there are two options to update devices.

For the VE.Bus device such as a
Multiplus, you would click the "Remote VEConfigure" button and that takes you to options to upload and download configurations. It is a bit different to connected direct from the PC in that you don't change options on the fly, but you change settings, then save a file and upload it to the
Multiplus. It can be fiddly initially to do until you get used to it as I don't think it really works like it is meant to, but yes it does the job and it works well (once you figure out the foibles).
I added a note above - VEConfigure is for VE.Bus Devices only - you can't configure VE.Direct Devices such as the MPPT &
BMV for example using it (the description of what VEConfigure is for could be misleading?)
The next option is Firmware Update. This updates the actual operating firmware on the Devices. This is the opposite situation to VEConfigure - You can update the Firmware for the VE.Direct Devices but you cannot update the VE.Bus Devices. In order to do that, you MUST have the USB Dongle.
To Update the Firmware, you connect the USB Dongle to the PC and run the
Victron software for firmware updating (different app to VEConfigure). This is a bit more complicated as you have to find the right firmware first from a BIG selection of options - it is not automatically sensed in the same way that the VE.Direct device firmware is.
I just clicked on the 'Firmware Update' on my setup and got this after it scanned

So the
BMV is up to date, but the MPPT is not. To update, all you do is literally click the "Update Device" button and it does it via the web (same as when you run VE.Connect on the phone, but you don't have to be by the vehicle (I am sitting on my settee doing this))
That is the long answer. The short answer is - No, I think if you already have a USB Dongle you are sorted, Yes and Yes
One final note ref Dongles ...
Victron make a VE.Bus Bluetooth Dongle as well. That allows you to monitor a VE.Bus device such as a
Multiplus using the same VE.Connect App that you use for the
BMV and MPPT. If somebody wants to be able to just check on all their devices via the one interface but not want a historical view or a "joined up" picture, then that could be a decent option to go for? Those are around £70 ish and incorporate a
Battery Temp Sensor as well which is quite neat.
(UPDATE: Sorry, I missed you asking about the Mk3 BT Dongle and read it as USB Dongle. The BT Dongle cannot be used with VEConfigure as far as I am aware so cannot be used to programme the device. it is basically just a monitor plus some basic control over the
Multiplus in the same way that you can control the Mutliplus with the 200/200A Remote Controller - On, Off, Charger only,
Inverter only & current limit)