The fan may run for 1-2 hrs. Other times it cuts in runs for a period cut out and then cuts in again after a few mins. The unit is not hot. The circulating air is cool. Any thoughts? Is it a heat sensor problem?
asked
Victron fan running for long periods
@Donald26, can you provide us with some details as to which product you're specifically referring to? The fan behavior on different models varies depending on a number of factors, so more details are better.
I will say that on the MultiPlus 12/3000, for instance, the fan behavior varies depending on what state it's in; if it's inverting under high load, the fans tend to run fairly consistently even if the unit itself is cool, because it wants to keep itself cool; likewise if it's connected to shore power and charging the batteries at a high rate (ie, when the batteries have been significantly depleted), the fans often run fairly consistently even when the unit itself is cool, because it wants to keep itself cool.
If it's inverting under low load, however, the fan tends to only cut in and out briefly as needed (determined by the temperature sensors that actually run into the inside of the transformer coils) because of course the fans take power and the device doesn't want to draw more power than necessary.
I suspect that your device cooling fan behavior is state-dependent and within spec, but if you give us some more detail about which device you have and under what circumstances the fans are turning on or off, we could more thoroughly review the behavior and make a determination of whether or not it's anomalous.
@Justin Cook is spot on.
If there an application where silence is more important than power output, it is possible to run a special assistant in VEConfigure to disable the fan, or have it be disabled/enabled by an external switch.
The unit will then derate its power output when it can (charging a battery), or overload sooner when it cannot (power a load).
Justin,
Many thanks form your prompt reply. I'm new to boating having purchased back in June. My boat is six years old. The Victron model is Multiplus 12/3000/120.
The boat is on shore power 99% of the time.
I did turn off the charger for extended periods over last w/e and I have not noticed the fan hasn't come on since Sunday night.
I try to insure that I dont run heavy duty electrical devices at the same time. However as the weather has gotten colder I have used an oil filled heater (1500w) more frequently at low settings.
Kettle (250-100w)
Toaster (800w) (I dont run kettle and toaster at the same time)
TV (??)
Then charging phones (2) Laptops (2).
As a "newbe" I suppose I am a little paranoid regarding prolonged sounds like the fan which I hadn't noticed before.
Again many thanks for your reply.
Regards Don
Correction kettle is 250-1000w. The Victron is on “charger only”.
If I’m running electrical appliance Is the power coming thru the charger rather than directly from the shore supply’s?
Regards Don
Hi @Donald26, if your MultiPlus is on "Charger Only", then presumably all your AC loads are running on shore power only, and any 12v loads are powered from the battery, with the MultiPlus charging as necessary to replenish the battery bank. I would expect the Multi to be on "full on" mode, though, is there a reason why you have it on "Charger only"?
Justin that’s the setting when I took over the boat. There are three settings “on” “off” and “charge only”
I assumed the “on” setting what when off the shore power and the inverter is required. Should I have it on the “on” position even when on shore power?
Regards Don
@Donald26, yes, I would leave it in the "on" position; this allows the Multi to see your shore power input and modify/augment it as necessary to power your AC loads as well as providing a nearly instant switchover to inverted power in case shore power goes down for any reason. When shore power is clean and steady, the Multi will pass it through effortlessly as well as use it to charge your batteries at the same time.
