I haven't had my Multiplus II installed yet but I'm keen to use ESS. I already have Myenergi products installed so my grid consumption is already monitored. Do I need to install a Victron energy meter or can I pull the data from the Myenergi API? I hate having too much redundancy in my meter box and it will be an expensive install being 3 phase.
Hi @John Mitchell,
The Victron system supports some 3rd party energy meters, specifically some models of ABB and Carlo Gavazzi.
I have never heard of myenergi being supported, so I am quite sure they are not, but I can't say 100%.
For a bit more information check out this Energy Meter selection guide
https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Energy-Meters-Selection-Guide-EN.pdf
In almost all cases now I would choose to use the Victron brand energy meter, the performance of the integration is significantly improved.
Thanks Guy - quick follow up - on the meters table it says for the CT clamp version a max of 5 amps per phase? I assume that is not the maximum of current it can measure but rather the max it can take via induction?
Hi @John Mitchell,
I am not sure.
The way I read that is the maximum it can measure, it can probably take more via induction, but I don't know how much or for how long, and I would be certain it couldn't read it (i.e showing 5A when there is 6A flowing).
In most cases I would size a unit that had a maximum current rating greater than the expected operating currents, and ideally on a circuit that is fused with a value less than the maximum.
The following is made up off the top of my head and shouldn't be considered accurate without further confirmation
The way that I understand how these analogue to digital CT meters work is that there is a voltage that induced by the current. The higher the current the higher the induced voltage, between a range of 0 and 3.3V or 0 and 5V.
Then there is some circuit in there that has some resolution of bits, say 4096 steps. So 0V is interpreted and 0 A, and 5V is interpreted as the maximum, in this case 5A. And everything else in-between 2.51V = 2.51A
That circuit that is reading the voltage has its own limits, those are not documented in the manual beyond the 'maximum', as a rule of thumb I would say over 10% is potentially damaging the measuring circuit, but it could be higher or lower for all I actually know.
hi, yes the 5A is correct for that type of meter, maximum current measure of 5A per Phase
if you need an fast meter with CT i suggest the VM-3P75CT
otherwise the EM 540, the slower EM340 or the slowest EM24 direct shunt version
that could be possible!, i never opened one, but what i mean is there are different em24 versions
versions with internal measuring and versions with external CT clamps, CT clamp version is max 5A
