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John Mitchell avatar image
John Mitchell asked

Multiplus ii gx and timed charging

Is there any way (apart from using ESS) to set up the Multiplus II to switch on the charger at a preset time when energy is cheap. eg At midnight switch on grid and charge batteries for up to 6 hours. At 6am switch back to battery.

It's difficult for me to test atm because I have no bypass switch for my Multiplus and it's powering essential loads so every time I load an assistant I get a power cycle and if I do something wrong I have to run my router on battery as I'm still waiting on delivery of my MK3 usb cable.

Multiplus-IIbattery charging
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3 Answers
nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

Yes, with a Cerbo and nodered you can easily flick the soft-switch into inverter/charger/on at a specific time using the default and victron nodes.

This requires some software savviness. Much on the topic and beginner guides available on the modifications section. Just some searching, reading and trial and error required.

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maa avatar image maa commented ·

I'm not sure he has a cerbo

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Duivert NL avatar image Duivert NL maa commented ·
yep he doens't, he has a multiplus GX
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John Mitchell avatar image John Mitchell Duivert NL commented ·
Correct. I do have Home Assistant - I wonder if I can work something with that.
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dmsims avatar image dmsims John Mitchell commented ·
Yes you can from HA

Install the Victron integration and you can set ESS modes

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John Mitchell avatar image John Mitchell Duivert NL commented ·
FYI You can run Node Red on the Multiplus II GX.
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maa avatar image
maa answered ·

Have you tried to look at the VS side? But I'm not sure that there is a time concept in all its settings...

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John Mitchell avatar image John Mitchell commented ·
Yep - it seems like it should be simple with assistants or the VS but time of day is not an option. It's all built around SOC and load. I can probably do it by treating the grid as a generator but it feels "shonky". I will eventually use ESS but I need the electrician to come back and install the meter and he's backed up a few weeks.
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dangermouse avatar image
dangermouse answered ·

You need a Mk3 Usb, but you can put a timer switch on the Aux port on the Multiplus and use the general flag to ignore AC.

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John Mitchell avatar image John Mitchell commented ·
I can use remote VE Config for that can't I?
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dangermouse avatar image dangermouse John Mitchell commented ·
Yes if you have a GX device.
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