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Sam Salwei avatar image
Sam Salwei asked

Phantom DC Load solved, Still a Multiplus charging issue.

I’m having an interesting issue.

I just replaced some components.

I did not have these issues before the swap.

Here is what I changed.

4 x 100ah Battle Born Batteries(65months old) for 4x 100ah battle born Batteries with integrated heater.

I swapped a 100/50 smart mppt with a new one, I was having issues getting the + terminal to clamp down.

Changed out a Cerbo GX with faulty wifi antenna.


Here is a complete list of components.

1065w of solar via 6 panels (80w, 2x 160w{separate 75/15 mppt}, 1x 185w and 2x 480w {series to 100/50 mppt})

4x 75/15 Smart mppt (3 connected with ve direct cable to the Cerbo, 1goes to a usb hub

1x 100/ 50 smart mppt ( connected to usb hub)

702 shunt connected to cerbo via usb hub

Cerbo gx (4 temp sensors, and one fresh water tank sender)

Multiplus compact 2000/50-80 120volt ( with trickle charge connected to starter battery)

210amp Sterling alternator to battery charger and 130amp alternator (this cycles every 20 min providing up to 1100 watts of charge current.


I’m sitting down to isolate components and troubleshoot now. I will add clarification as I learn more.

There seem to be 3 main issues all when charging so I was hoping someone could give me a starting point


1. When solar is charging and all potential DC loads are off with 255w coming in, the cerbo shows 180w in dc load and only 50w in charging. It seems is solar input rises the phantom dc load gets bigger.

2. When plugged into shore power it shows again with all dc loads removed, 900w going in from the grid it showed 600w dc load and only 200w going in.

3. When charging from the alternator with 102ah (1100w or so) going in, again all dc loads disconnected, it shows currently only have numbers including solar input of 420w, total charging 582w on cerbo display and - 168w for dc load.


seems like the main issue is the DC Power number… what could cause this.


I’m going to try and add a few pictures. Ok pictures are not loading.


mppt charging
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3 Answers
Sam Salwei avatar image
Sam Salwei answered ·

I think the issue was the Negative bus bar connecting the batteries in parallel was touching the metal body of the van bypassing the shunt causing very confusing readings.

That was a lot of explaining for such a simple thing.



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Sam Salwei avatar image
Sam Salwei answered ·

Last issue is I can’t get the inverter charger to charge the battery bank… it seems to just meet the needs of the consumption.479d1b2f-e91f-4e8c-91ae-1252d6ec00a2.png


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kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

Inverter charger Shows storage. Probably means the battery parameters in it are incorrect.

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