Combine Power Sources
Is it possible to charge my battery bank from one combined source coming from solar panels (via Victron Smart Solar Charge Controller), Victron battery charger (via shore power when connected) and an
alternator (via Victron Orion-TR Smart DC-DC)?
All sources lead to one common busbar which then leads to the battery bank.
Are there any problems with the above scenario?
Is it possible for me to program the devices so that solar takes priority, followed by shore power, followed by the alternator?
Thank you.
uniopp asked
Is it possible to charge my battery bank from one combined source coming from solar panels (via Victron Smart Solar Charge Controller), Victron battery charger (via shore power when connected) and an
alternator (via Victron Orion-TR Smart DC-DC)?
All sources lead to one common busbar which then leads to the battery bank.
Are there any problems with the above scenario?
Is it possible for me to program the devices so that solar takes priority, followed by shore power, followed by the alternator?
Thank you.
0 Answers
Are 50vdc solar panels wasted on a 12vdc system?
Hi, I am just trying to get my head around this and wonder if someone can confirm it please?
For a 12-15vdc battery off grid system needing to charge through a charge controller via a solar panel array of course which the panels are rated at around 55Vdcmax.
With the cheaper Ebay MPPT controllers (link to example type bellow), they cut off the solar panels inputs if the solar panel voltages are above around 15Vdc, so effectively the panel would only charge the system when the panel voltage is within the 12vdc - 15vdc, effectively only for a VERY short time in the morning and again at sunset.
With a Victron charge controller like (link of example type below), to charge the 12-15vdc from the panels (55Vdc). Does the Victron charge controller cater for the full 0-55vdc from the panel or does it also have built in cut out solar voltage cut offs, resulting in the same issue as the cheaper Ebay charge controllers?
I guess I am looking to have some device which converts the 0-55Vdc to a more usable 12-15vdc range so as to charge the batteries. Is the Victron charge controllers able to do that, regardless of the voltage from the solar panels are producing?
Kind regards
John.
https://www.victronenergy.com.au/solar-charge-controllers/smartsolar-100-30-100-50
Closed
John asked
Hi, I am just trying to get my head around this and wonder if someone can confirm it please?
For a 12-15vdc battery off grid system needing to charge through a charge controller via a solar panel array of course which the panels are rated at around 55Vdcmax.
With the cheaper Ebay MPPT controllers (link to example type bellow), they cut off the solar panels inputs if the solar panel voltages are above around 15Vdc, so effectively the panel would only charge the system when the panel voltage is within the 12vdc - 15vdc, effectively only for a VERY short time in the morning and again at sunset.
With a Victron charge controller like (link of example type below), to charge the 12-15vdc from the panels (55Vdc). Does the Victron charge controller cater for the full 0-55vdc from the panel or does it also have built in cut out solar voltage cut offs, resulting in the same issue as the cheaper Ebay charge controllers?
I guess I am looking to have some device which converts the 0-55Vdc to a more usable 12-15vdc range so as to charge the batteries. Is the Victron charge controllers able to do that, regardless of the voltage from the solar panels are producing?
Kind regards
John.
https://www.victronenergy.com.au/solar-charge-controllers/smartsolar-100-30-100-50
kevgermany commented ·
7 Answers
Multiplus II ignores absorb settings and keeps overcharging my LiFePO4 batteries
Hi everybody.
We have a Multiplus II 5000/48 combined with a 52V 160Ah LiFePO4 battery controlled by a Batrium Core1 BMS communicating over CAN to the VE.CAN bus.
After I removed 10pcs Enphase IQ7+ from the garden house roof, I connected the 10 pcs AEG 365Wp panels in a 5s2p config to the SmartSolar 250/100.
ESS agent is running with absorbtion voltage at 53,6V and float on 52V
Whatever, however and whenever I do, the Multiplus - even with a de-activated charger - KEEPS pushing my batteries over their limits like blixen and thunder pulling the sleigh without Santa Clause controlling them.
I know bulk throws 56,8V at my batteries (somewhere between 55,5 and 56,5) but this SHOULD change into absorbtion when the batteries have reached at 53,6 Volt.
I disabled DVCC, although the CANbus from my Batrium BMS nicely shares Voltage, current and temperature to the portal.
I am kind of getting frustrated and at the moment very reluctant of expanding the MultiplusII with two brothers and some pylontech batteries......
Any help would really be appriciated!
Paul asked
Hi everybody.
We have a Multiplus II 5000/48 combined with a 52V 160Ah LiFePO4 battery controlled by a Batrium Core1 BMS communicating over CAN to the VE.CAN bus.
After I removed 10pcs Enphase IQ7+ from the garden house roof, I connected the 10 pcs AEG 365Wp panels in a 5s2p config to the SmartSolar 250/100.
ESS agent is running with absorbtion voltage at 53,6V and float on 52V
Whatever, however and whenever I do, the Multiplus - even with a de-activated charger - KEEPS pushing my batteries over their limits like blixen and thunder pulling the sleigh without Santa Clause controlling them.
I know bulk throws 56,8V at my batteries (somewhere between 55,5 and 56,5) but this SHOULD change into absorbtion when the batteries have reached at 53,6 Volt.
I disabled DVCC, although the CANbus from my Batrium BMS nicely shares Voltage, current and temperature to the portal.
I am kind of getting frustrated and at the moment very reluctant of expanding the MultiplusII with two brothers and some pylontech batteries......
Any help would really be appriciated!
snoobler answered ·
1 Answer
Cerbo GX VE Can bus stops communicating with one of two 250/100 MPPT chargers
I have a new system with 2 multiplus, one 1000 amp smart shunt, Cerbo GX and 2 - 250/100 MPPTs connected on both the VE Direct bus and the VE CAN bus, both the MPPTs are initially seen on both buses (VE CAN and VE Direct) but after a day or two one of the MPPTs stops communicating on the VE CAN bus. I've replaced the one MPPT that stops communication and the new one worked for about 2 days and stopped communicating on the VE CAN bus, the VE CAN Bus is terminated correctly at both ends, all of the devices have the latest firmware.
I can always see both MPPTs on the VE Direct bus, If I disconnect the VE Direct bus the VE CAN bus still stops seeing one of the MPPTs after a few days.
I can get it all working by reverting the firmare in the Cerbo GX to the pervious version and then back to the current version (probably like doing a master reset) no other process will make both MPPTs communicate once one stops communicating on the VE CAN bus including disconnecting all the power to all devices. I've change out the RJ45 cables several times and made sure that all 8 wires have conductivity.
Anyone have any ideas?
FYI: I can maybe just use the VE Direct bus but when I install this system I'm not sure if the VE Direct 3.5 foot Cables will be long enough and this system is going to be in the middle of nowhere Idaho! and WEB connected via a Startlink network, It all needs to work before we move it on site via helicopter.
sharpidea asked
I have a new system with 2 multiplus, one 1000 amp smart shunt, Cerbo GX and 2 - 250/100 MPPTs connected on both the VE Direct bus and the VE CAN bus, both the MPPTs are initially seen on both buses (VE CAN and VE Direct) but after a day or two one of the MPPTs stops communicating on the VE CAN bus. I've replaced the one MPPT that stops communication and the new one worked for about 2 days and stopped communicating on the VE CAN bus, the VE CAN Bus is terminated correctly at both ends, all of the devices have the latest firmware.
I can always see both MPPTs on the VE Direct bus, If I disconnect the VE Direct bus the VE CAN bus still stops seeing one of the MPPTs after a few days.
I can get it all working by reverting the firmare in the Cerbo GX to the pervious version and then back to the current version (probably like doing a master reset) no other process will make both MPPTs communicate once one stops communicating on the VE CAN bus including disconnecting all the power to all devices. I've change out the RJ45 cables several times and made sure that all 8 wires have conductivity.
Anyone have any ideas?
FYI: I can maybe just use the VE Direct bus but when I install this system I'm not sure if the VE Direct 3.5 foot Cables will be long enough and this system is going to be in the middle of nowhere Idaho! and WEB connected via a Startlink network, It all needs to work before we move it on site via helicopter.
0 Answers
schematic verification
Hi all,
I've attached the wiring diagram I'm planning to implement.
I would greatly appreciate anyone taking a look and letting me know if I've miswired something, overlooked a safety concern, have redundancies or did something that will initiate a fusion reaction. :)
Control lines for the Cerbo GX and between the smart battery protect (SBP) and the inverter are not shown.
Thanks so much!
tmalcolm asked
Hi all,
I've attached the wiring diagram I'm planning to implement.
I would greatly appreciate anyone taking a look and letting me know if I've miswired something, overlooked a safety concern, have redundancies or did something that will initiate a fusion reaction. :)
Control lines for the Cerbo GX and between the smart battery protect (SBP) and the inverter are not shown.
Thanks so much!
kevgermany answered ·
5 Answers
New MPPT 250/100Tr Ve.Can not picking up in CGX
Good Day.
We have installed 2 new MPPT 250/100 Smart Ve.CAN controllers onto a system. They pick up perfectly when connecting to the venuxGX on VE.Direct but if we want to use the CAnbus configuration, we simply cannot get them to show up in the VenusGX.
We have the termination connections on both ends installed. We have done the settings under Services.
Can someone please assist us in getting these controllers to work over the canbus profile?
sectorsolar asked
Good Day.
We have installed 2 new MPPT 250/100 Smart Ve.CAN controllers onto a system. They pick up perfectly when connecting to the venuxGX on VE.Direct but if we want to use the CAnbus configuration, we simply cannot get them to show up in the VenusGX.
We have the termination connections on both ends installed. We have done the settings under Services.
Can someone please assist us in getting these controllers to work over the canbus profile?
sharpidea edited ·
3 Answers
possible to add wind and alternator (both via shunt to VRM)
[image]
[image]
I would like to know if you can ipdate the VRM web based to be able to add besides solar also other energy sources in the dashboard for example I have a shunt of the engine alternator and a shunt on wind silentwind turbine. it would be great
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
Daniele Calabrese asked
[image]
[image]
I would like to know if you can ipdate the VRM web based to be able to add besides solar also other energy sources in the dashboard for example I have a shunt of the engine alternator and a shunt on wind silentwind turbine. it would be great[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
[image]
0 Answers
night/sunrise detection problem mppt 75/50 with firmware 1.59
hello,
i have a problem with one of my mppt 75/50 and this is the only with the newest firmware 1.59 all other have version 1.17 and one 1.19.
to get date in the night, i install a little circuit to get power to the mppt und this works fine with all mppt 75/50 only this with the newest firmware makes problem to detect the new day. i reduce the supply voltage to less then 15v in my 24V system, but this don't help, next i will try to reduce it to less then 10V.
why does the mppt don't detect a new day, if the pv-voltage is over 5v under the battery-voltage over more then 12 hours ?
i don't like it, if i must insert a circuit, which set the voltage for a short time to 0 V.
goodby
d-ferdi asked
hello,
i have a problem with one of my mppt 75/50 and this is the only with the newest firmware 1.59 all other have version 1.17 and one 1.19.
to get date in the night, i install a little circuit to get power to the mppt und this works fine with all mppt 75/50 only this with the newest firmware makes problem to detect the new day. i reduce the supply voltage to less then 15v in my 24V system, but this don't help, next i will try to reduce it to less then 10V.
why does the mppt don't detect a new day, if the pv-voltage is over 5v under the battery-voltage over more then 12 hours ?
i don't like it, if i must insert a circuit, which set the voltage for a short time to 0 V.
goodby
JohnC commented ·
1 Answer
Lithium - mixing old and new batteries
Is it OK to expand a one year old set of two 330Ah Victron Lithiums Smarts with one new 330Ah Lithium Smart to upgrade to 990Ah capacity?
The older set has done somewhere between 50-100 cycles.
The installation is on a sailboat with discharging and charging currents typically less than 0.1C
If yes, after how many cycles/years would you no longer do an expansion in such a way?
Would the answer be any different if I do redundant load and discharge buses, i.e. every Lithium battery gets its own BMS + ATC Battery Protect + ATD Battery Protect?
Thank you!
Klaus.
Klaus asked
Is it OK to expand a one year old set of two 330Ah Victron Lithiums Smarts with one new 330Ah Lithium Smart to upgrade to 990Ah capacity?
The older set has done somewhere between 50-100 cycles.
The installation is on a sailboat with discharging and charging currents typically less than 0.1C
If yes, after how many cycles/years would you no longer do an expansion in such a way?
Would the answer be any different if I do redundant load and discharge buses, i.e. every Lithium battery gets its own BMS + ATC Battery Protect + ATD Battery Protect?
Thank you!
Klaus.
kurt-s commented ·
2 Answers
GX Touch 50 keeps rebooting
My GX touch 50 keeps rebooting. I did post this on another thread as was told it was being investigated and then that thread was closed. Reposting and hoping it’s picked up again
chris-john asked
My GX touch 50 keeps rebooting. I did post this on another thread as was told it was being investigated and then that thread was closed. Reposting and hoping it’s picked up again
JohnC commented ·
1 Answer
SmartShunt miscalculating Consumed Ah
Hi folks - I recently built a cabinet for a LiFePO4 house battery and Victron Orion-Tr Charger in the back of my truck, primarily to supply a Dometic 12v fridge. The setup works great, but the SmartShunt is miscalculating the amount of current used.
For example, yesterday, the SmartShunt went from 66% SOC to 100% SOC in three minutes. I anticipated it would, because the voltage was increasingly nearing the charger's specified Absorption voltage (14.4v) as I drove. The charger had already been on Absorption charge for nearly an hour of driving; and as I watched, it steadily increased voltage and decreased current, as it should. It was still reporting 66% SOC and -19.7Ah right before hitting the absorption voltage, and then it jumped to 100% SOC once the conditions for a full charge had been met (charge voltage, tail current, 3m wait).
[image]
I believe the discrepancy has more to do with discharge calculations than charge calculations: in another experiment, the SmartShunt showed a 0% SOC at 12.58v which should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 5% SOC for the LiFePO4 (and where I don't intend to take it regularly); but more to the point, it was showing that I had used 72.8Ah, from my 54Ah battery. So somehow the calculations are off in a way that reports more current loss than has actually occurred. I observe that the reported SOC is always lagging on each and every recharge cycle.
I'll post my settings below to see if there's something I can adjust to get accurate measurements.
[image]
- I don't believe the issue is with any of the full charge settings like Charged voltage, Tail current, or Charged detection time, because based on indicated voltage, full charge is being reported at the correct time.
- I don't know much about the Peukert exponent but perhaps it's something to look at. I've read here that the PE doesn't account for temperature, but I don't know how significant a factor that could be.
- Charge efficiency factor is set to 99% as a default for LiFePO4 batteries - we can adjust that if it could help.
- I don't know how the Current threshold is used, but this is the default, and we can adjust it.
- The Time-to-go averaging period is 3m by default; I changed that to 12m trying to even out the cycles of the fridge's compressor - when it's running versus when it's off - which report very different Time-to-go values.
- My battery is a Dakota Lithium 54Ah LiFePO4
Any help appreciated - I've read here on the Victron support forum that the defaults are only starting points and that massaging the variables is necessary in some cases - but this is off by such a significant amount.
itllgrowback asked
Hi folks - I recently built a cabinet for a LiFePO4 house battery and Victron Orion-Tr Charger in the back of my truck, primarily to supply a Dometic 12v fridge. The setup works great, but the SmartShunt is miscalculating the amount of current used.
For example, yesterday, the SmartShunt went from 66% SOC to 100% SOC in three minutes. I anticipated it would, because the voltage was increasingly nearing the charger's specified Absorption voltage (14.4v) as I drove. The charger had already been on Absorption charge for nearly an hour of driving; and as I watched, it steadily increased voltage and decreased current, as it should. It was still reporting 66% SOC and -19.7Ah right before hitting the absorption voltage, and then it jumped to 100% SOC once the conditions for a full charge had been met (charge voltage, tail current, 3m wait).
[image]
I believe the discrepancy has more to do with discharge calculations than charge calculations: in another experiment, the SmartShunt showed a 0% SOC at 12.58v which should be somewhere in the neighborhood of 5% SOC for the LiFePO4 (and where I don't intend to take it regularly); but more to the point, it was showing that I had used 72.8Ah, from my 54Ah battery. So somehow the calculations are off in a way that reports more current loss than has actually occurred. I observe that the reported SOC is always lagging on each and every recharge cycle.
I'll post my settings below to see if there's something I can adjust to get accurate measurements.
[image]
- I don't believe the issue is with any of the full charge settings like Charged voltage, Tail current, or Charged detection time, because based on indicated voltage, full charge is being reported at the correct time.
- I don't know much about the Peukert exponent but perhaps it's something to look at. I've read here that the PE doesn't account for temperature, but I don't know how significant a factor that could be.
- Charge efficiency factor is set to 99% as a default for LiFePO4 batteries - we can adjust that if it could help.
- I don't know how the Current threshold is used, but this is the default, and we can adjust it.
- The Time-to-go averaging period is 3m by default; I changed that to 12m trying to even out the cycles of the fridge's compressor - when it's running versus when it's off - which report very different Time-to-go values.
- My battery is a Dakota Lithium 54Ah LiFePO4
Any help appreciated - I've read here on the Victron support forum that the defaults are only starting points and that massaging the variables is necessary in some cases - but this is off by such a significant amount.
klim8skeptic commented ·
6 Answers
Inverter/charger radio button does not show up in VRM
Within VRM there is an option for “inverter/charger control”. I have this toggled on but when I go to the VRM dashboard the option to turn my Phoenix 12/800 inverter on or off does not show up. I have done some searching on the Victron community page and I see that there was an issue with this last year where the feature was temporarily removed, but it looks like that was subsequently restored. The inverter is connected to my Cerbo via a VE direct cable and otherwise works (works via remote console, MFD app, etc). My Cerbo and inverter are both running the latest firmware versions.
Anyone have any tips on what I might be missing?
[image]
mike-r asked
Within VRM there is an option for “inverter/charger control”. I have this toggled on but when I go to the VRM dashboard the option to turn my Phoenix 12/800 inverter on or off does not show up. I have done some searching on the Victron community page and I see that there was an issue with this last year where the feature was temporarily removed, but it looks like that was subsequently restored. The inverter is connected to my Cerbo via a VE direct cable and otherwise works (works via remote console, MFD app, etc). My Cerbo and inverter are both running the latest firmware versions.
Anyone have any tips on what I might be missing?
[image]
klim8skeptic answered ·
1 Answer
BALMAR 618 REGULATOR
I have a Balmar 618 regulator without their smart shunt. I do have the VICTRON 712 battery monitor with its shunt. Can I use the 712 smart shunt instead of the Balmar one. if not, how do I add a second shunt to the system?
krogen48 asked
I have a Balmar 618 regulator without their smart shunt. I do have the VICTRON 712 battery monitor with its shunt. Can I use the 712 smart shunt instead of the Balmar one. if not, how do I add a second shunt to the system?
krogen48 commented ·
2 Answers
At what voltage is a Victron Lithium battery at 100%?
Hi Everyone,
At what voltage is a Victron Lithium battery at 100%?
I have a 160Ah LifePo4 Victron battery, and I am trying to understand to what % of the battery my voltage corresponds.
I am struggling to get it charged at more than 13.3V - 3.33V/Cell with the Orion 12/24V non-isolated - 30A.
Don't feel like buying and installing a BMV and find it a ridiculous that we don't get this information on the battery information on the app. This seems fairly basic information.
I did not find much informaiton in the manual and my only references are:
- 14.0V = 100% - 3.5V/cell (last time I saw my battery fully charged after I installed it)
- 11.2V = 3% - 2.8V/cell (information provided on the user manual)
But, I am not an expert and there might be some technical limitations.
Would anyone know or have an idea.
Thanks in advance,
Rémi
remibggx asked
Hi Everyone,
At what voltage is a Victron Lithium battery at 100%?
I have a 160Ah LifePo4 Victron battery, and I am trying to understand to what % of the battery my voltage corresponds.
I am struggling to get it charged at more than 13.3V - 3.33V/Cell with the Orion 12/24V non-isolated - 30A.
Don't feel like buying and installing a BMV and find it a ridiculous that we don't get this information on the battery information on the app. This seems fairly basic information.
I did not find much informaiton in the manual and my only references are:
- 14.0V = 100% - 3.5V/cell (last time I saw my battery fully charged after I installed it)
- 11.2V = 3% - 2.8V/cell (information provided on the user manual)
But, I am not an expert and there might be some technical limitations.
Would anyone know or have an idea.
Thanks in advance,
Rémi
dc4me commented ·
7 Answers
Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 and CEC Approval (Australia) - ESS Not Allowed
Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 Inverter is CEC listed as approved as Stand Alone Inverter With Generator Input Battery Only. This means my local electricity distributor will not allow it to be grid connected in an ESS configuration.
The approval certificate is Certificate SAA181339.pdf.
That certificate shows compliance with:
IEC 62109-1 Ed 1.0,
IEC 62109-2 Ed 1.0,
AS 62477.1:2016 and
AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 Inc A1
The CEC document CEC-inverter_listing_categories_2021.pdf (p2) indicates the Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 Inverter meets the requirements as a Multiple Mode Inverter and hence approved as a Grid Interactive inverter.
As I have just acquired 2 Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 in Jan 2022 for use in a parallel ESS system with Fronius inverter on AC1 Out, this has become an issue.
Is there any reason the Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 Inverter is not listed as a Multiple Mode Inverter?
bipedalprimate asked
Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 Inverter is CEC listed as approved as Stand Alone Inverter With Generator Input Battery Only. This means my local electricity distributor will not allow it to be grid connected in an ESS configuration.
The approval certificate is Certificate SAA181339.pdf.
That certificate shows compliance with:
IEC 62109-1 Ed 1.0,
IEC 62109-2 Ed 1.0,
AS 62477.1:2016 and
AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 Inc A1
The CEC document CEC-inverter_listing_categories_2021.pdf (p2) indicates the Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 Inverter meets the requirements as a Multiple Mode Inverter and hence approved as a Grid Interactive inverter.
As I have just acquired 2 Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 in Jan 2022 for use in a parallel ESS system with Fronius inverter on AC1 Out, this has become an issue.
Is there any reason the Multiplus II 48/3000/35-32 Inverter is not listed as a Multiple Mode Inverter?
bipedalprimate edited ·
1 Answer
