Charge batteries at night - Multiplus II

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andrew069 asked Dec 15, '22

Charge batteries at night - Multiplus II

I have a Fronius Primo with Victron Multiplus II Quattro 48/15000/200 and a 28kWh battery.

I live in Spain and normally there is enough solar power to charge the batteries during the day even in winter.

However during a prolonged period of overcast days there is only just enough SP to feed the load with little left over to charge the batteries and sometimes they barely increase from their minimum of 15% capacity. For example it is now just after 1300 and the SOC is still only 16% althought the PV is increasing..

As the overnight electricity tariff is considerably cheaper I would like to be able occasionally to charge the batteries overnight from the grid when necessary.

This is a screenshot of my dashboard with the control panel open.

Could someone please advise if I can achieve my aim of charging the batteries overnight from the grid using this control panel or is it a job for the installer?

battery charging

victron.jpg (129.7 KiB)

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Modifications Space

Node Red Space

Answer 1 · 2022-12-15T12:33:55Z

nickdb answered · Dec 15, 2022 at 12:33 PM

Pick up a copy of the ESS manual and look at the scheduled charging feature. It is configured from the GX console, also accessible remotely via VRM.

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Answer 2 · 2022-12-15T13:31:59Z

johnone answered · Dec 15, 2022 at 01:31 PM

At the moment, unfortunately, using the Remote Console 'settings -> ESS -> Scheduled charging' does not support conditional charging, i.e. you manually set it to charge at a certain time every day, or some days etc.. Whereas, understandably, you want to charge 'when necessary'. Others seem to be working on conditional charging as per this thread:

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/160773/victron-system-in-combination-with-dynamic-pricing.html

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Answer 3 · 2022-12-15T13:52:18Z

andrew069 answered · Dec 15, 2022 at 01:52 PM

Thank you for the replies.

I had been hoping that the 'keep batteries charged' option in the menu shown in my attachment would have been the answer but, apparently, not.

I will investigate the other possiblities suggested. Thanks again.

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nickdb ♦♦ commented · Dec 15, 2022 at 02:12 PM

if you set that, it will charge until you set it back again manually. If that works for you then go for it.

Alternatively, creating a flow with node red which runs in the evening and automatically enables it below a set soc and disables it when done, is not overly complicated, if you have the prerequisite tech background.

I have been creating a number of automations to make ESS more dynamic. Very flexible if you know how.

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Answer 4 · 2022-12-15T17:02:12Z

andrew069 answered · Dec 15, 2022 at 05:02 PM

Thank you. I have been reading the manual and have discovered how to set a schedule. If I do this and set an SOC at, say, 50% I understand that if the 50% is reached prior to the end of the scheduled time the battery will not start to discharge until the end of the schedule.

From around April to October the battery rarely falls below 50%. In this case will the schedule with the SOC set at 50% simply not start or will it start anyway during which time the battery will not be discharged but that the load will be satisfied by the grid?

That seems a very clumsy way of putting it but it is the only way I can ask the question in as few words as possible.

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Answer 5 · 2022-12-15T23:14:01Z

sharpener answered · Dec 15, 2022 at 11:14 PM

Yes, your interpretation is correct, it is a known failing of the way scheduled charging has been implemented (unlike several of the cheapo Chinese inverters).

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Answer 6 · 2022-12-16T11:00:20Z

andrew069 answered · Dec 16, 2022 at 11:00 AM

Thank you.

In that case if the maximum soc is set at 50% but at the time of the commencement of the schedule the battery is at, say, 60% will the schedule simply not start or will it start anyway even though it does not need to charge the battery and will this result in the grid feeding the load?

Also, I usually leave the grid switched off when there is plenty of solar power. What would happen when the schedule started in that case?

Thanks again for the help.

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nickdb ♦♦ commented · Dec 16, 2022 at 12:22 PM

The system will invert and use solar to charge/power loads.

Discharge can't be blocked without grid.

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Answer 7 · 2022-12-16T13:15:53Z

ponzoa answered · Dec 16, 2022 at 01:15 PM

Hola Andrew, I live in Spain also and our company manages a good number of Victron installations. If you like, I can remotely support you to set up the way you want or to configure charges etc. Si me quieres llamar, llama al número que figura en la página de MyVatio . es y pregunta por Andrés.

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