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lukas80 avatar image
lukas80 asked

ESS Multiplus 2 without GX

Hello all,

I have a Multiplus 2, with battery and a PV system on the AC Out. Now I actually bought the device after some research and now feel kind of stupid because I am not able (or the device can not) to fulfill the simplest and probably most common requirement for me: Solar power into the battery when there is surplus and back instead of drawing power from the grid.

I thought that was more or less done with the activation of the ESS assistant. But after the device does nothing of the sort except for the UPS function, I read up for a while and found out that there is probably basically still a GX device needed for good money. And I wonder why, especially since the device has a current sensor integrated and I therefore just can not believe that an external device must take over the control here.

Could someone tell me succinctly if this high-tech multi-wonder with 1990-flair configuration software really fails on this mini-requirement? And if not, I'd appreciate a little hint as to where this thing is hiding so stubbornly.

Thanks!

Multiplus-IIESS
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3 Answers
hominidae avatar image
hominidae answered ·

In short: yes, you do need a GX device.

Your research before the purchase wasn't very detailed, I tend to think, because that fact is given at the first sentence in the ESS Manual: https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Energy_Storage_System/en/ess-introduction---features.html

You can cope with a current sensor instead of a real grid meter.

The ESS-Assistant in the MP2 is not controlling the ESS features, it is enabling the control interface to be used by the GX and (I think) serves as a backup/last resort, should the connection between MP2 and GX fail (in order to not kill your batteries).

You could try and swap your MP2 for a MP2-GX or deploy a Cerbo GX.

I am not familiar with running a normal RPi with VenusOS as a GX substitute...maybe this can be done.

Hope this clarifies some things for you.

Stay safe, stay well.

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lukas80 avatar image
lukas80 answered ·

Thank you very much. I really wonder how I was stepping over that detail over and over again.

I'll have a look at the Cerbo.

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hominidae avatar image hominidae commented ·

obviously, a RPi plus some extra gadgets can work as a substitute, see: https://panbo.com/victrons-venus-os-on-a-raspberry-pi-install-and-configuration/

Edit: latest victron info: https://github.com/victronenergy/venus/wiki/raspberrypi-install-venus-image

...no guarantees, of course....but could safe some dime.

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terriblement avatar image
terriblement answered ·

Hi,

I'm currently trying somme assistants, one make the AC ignored when DC voltage lower than threshold value, AC reconnected when power consumption lower than a threshold.

Not sur if it works as I started the test today

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