question

banne avatar image
banne asked

No ESS assistant found Multiplus 2 while added with VEconfig

I have a 48/5000 GX Multiplus 2 with a Pylontech BMS connected by CAN to LifePo4 batteries. That is all working, the MP2 sees the battery and shows charging state etc on display. Only problem is after adding the ESS assistant with VEconfig for Lifepo4 batteries it does not show ESS assistant in Remote console. It says no assistant found. I uploaded (and downloaded for checking) the settings many times to the MP2, changed to factory settings, updated FW etc etc. All not helping! Result is no charging at all and message on display ESS off.

What am I doing wrong?

Multiplus-IIESSBMS
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

2 Answers
derrick thomas avatar image
derrick thomas answered ·

I would start over with resetting mp2 to defaults. Make sure all firmwares are up to date. Install the ESS assistant and run through the assistant make all settings. Upload to the mp2 then download to make sure the settings pushed correctly. Reboot the cerbo and see if ESS settings populate.

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

banne avatar image
banne answered ·

I think I found the problem. When the MK3 programmer is connected to the MP2, the MP2 is basically dead. You need to disconnect the tool from VEbus in order to bring the MP2 back alive. I kept it connected in order to test and change things if needed. Just costed me half a day to find this out.

How hard can it be for Victron to mention this in any of the manuals? “Disconnect the MK3 after programming otherwise the inverter will not work”

4 comments
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

Matthias Lange - DE avatar image Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented ·
Normally the MP should work but that depends on the configuration and you setup.

The MP also should be shown as "blocked" in the remote console device list.

0 Likes 0 ·
banne avatar image banne Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented ·

Maybe thats just me being new to all this but I see a lot and a lot of settings, statusses etc in the manuals, in the config, in the remote console etc. which are totally unclear to me what and why. Reading the manual does not always make it clear. In fact sometimes it even makes it more unclear.


There is a lot at Victron going on that you must have some basic knowledge about Victron in general to understand particular things. Its not very userfriendly. What you say is very well possible that the status was blocked. I would add a debug popup text to it with some explanation why its blocked

0 Likes 0 ·
Matthias Lange - DE avatar image Matthias Lange - DE ♦ banne commented ·

Victron is always trying to improve the manuals.

But due to the complexity and nearly infinite possible configurations it is hard to cover everything in the manuals.
(and many people don't even read the manuals...)

Due to the complexity you have a disclaimer at the beginning of all manuals that the installation/configuration should be done by a trained installer.

I will reach out to the developer and ask them if they can add a hint in the manual that a MK3 is blocking the communication to the GX device.

0 Likes 0 ·
banne avatar image banne Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented ·
Actually I did some more research, everything related to VEconfig will block the MP. Even with remote VEconfig download it goes to ESS off on display and it stops charging. So the real issue is that if you want to test anything after using VEconfig in any way (remote or local) you must disconnect everything first before it comes back to life
0 Likes 0 ·