I plan on installing a Multiplus 3000 and an SmartSolar 100/30 MPPT charger. The internal BMS of my batteries does not provide low temperature cutoff. As such, I was planning on installing a temperature sensor for the purposes of monitoring when the batteries are too cold to charge, and connecting it to the Multiplus. Can the Multiplus share this temperature directly with the MPPT controller if I set up a VE.Bus network? I do not plan on using a Victron BMS.
Thanks.
@kafolske, unfortunately not, as the MultiPlus is VE.Bus and the MPPT is VE.Direct or VE.Smart... the two do not talk to each other at all.
Your best, lowest-cost solution is a Smart BatterySense. Under US$40.00, sticks directly to the case of your battery, and transmits the temperature and voltage data to the Smart MPPT over a VE.Smart network.
Keep in mind if you are using shore on the Smart Battery Sense will not prevent the multi from charging below freezing. However it's easier to monitor that BEFORE you enable the charger.
Also keep in mind that the Multi Temp is only for Lead Acid charge compensation and can't provide native low temp disconnect for the charger. Maybe this is something that Victron could implement with a software update, but as of now, I don't think that's possible. You'd have to rig up another temp source (or use a BMV relay with an assistant to disconnect the charger) if it's just the multi.
Ah well if you enable Lithium mode in the Multi or Quattro (in "charger" settings) and have the MultiPlus temperature sensor installed, the Multi will disable charging below 5C.
If using drop-in LFP banks like Battle Borns or Victron SuperPacks, no Assistants are needed... if using Victron Smart LFPs with external BMS, then you have to load the associated Assistants for it to work.
Interesting, I didn't know that nor do I see it mentioned in the manual. I'm helping a friend with an install in a few weeks and we were talking about that. He was thinking about NOT getting a GX unit for his van. I was going over the benefits of DVCC and shared voltage and temp sense with the multi from the BMV, but without the GX, he can just use the temp sense on the multi.
Do you have any documentation on that? I don't see it listed in VE.Configure either.
Victron has been slowly putting a vast amount of documentation into not-very-apparent sections of VictronConnect as they update VC...
Open VictronConnect (ver 5.16), load a demo MultiPlus, go to "charger settings", scroll down until you see a hotlink that says "click here to know the effect of enabling or disabling lithium battery mode" and click that link... a page will open that fully details the various effects of lithium mode and when you do/do not need to use lithium Assistants.
I'll note that this is actually in use on several of my clients' systems, so I know it's a legit setting and not one of Victron's "coming soon" features.
It's worth noting that this is on a desktop version of VC... I'm not entirely sure how the mobile version would show it, though it should be the same.
I was planning on adding a separate temperature sensor to the Multiplus and using this to disable charging by it...separately since it doesn't communicate with the Solar charger.
@kafolske, perfect. Just remember to get the temp sensor that is actually for the MultiPlus!
...I wouldn't normally mention that except I had a tech support call from a customer earlier this morning who couldn't get their Multi to work... after looking up their LED error codes I finally determined that they'd connected an old Xantrex temp sensor to the MultiPlus, and the MultiPlus promptly shut down because of the gibberish temperature readings it was getting.
"Your best, lowest-cost solution is a Smart BatterySense.,"
Its worth saying that you can also shut of charging of the MPPTs with high low logic of the VE.Direct port rx pin.
Victron sell the VE.Direct non inverting remote on-off cable. Then an inexpensive temp sensor relay module. You can use the relay as the high / low switch but for the solid state option remove the relay and use the voltage that controls the relay.
@TTbb eh.. I suppose it depends on how much one's time is worth. The non-inverting remote cable is about $20, plus however much the external temp sensor relay would cost, plus the time to wire everything up and program the TX/RX functions of the VE.Direct port and the external temp sensor relay... or $39 for the Smart BatterySense.
I'll stand by my statement that the Smart BatterySense is both the best and lowest-cost way of doing what the OP needs to do.
@Justin Cook - Bay Marine Supply USA
You said "if you enable Lithium mode in the Multi or Quattro (in "charger" settings) and have the MultiPlus temperature sensor installed, the Multi will disable charging below 5C.
If using drop-in LFP banks like Battle Borns or Victron SuperPacks, no Assistants are needed... if using Victron Smart LFPs with external BMS, then you have to load the associated Assistants for it to work"
I tried this and sadly it didn't seem to work on my Multi 12/3000. I saw the note about Victron Connect and it certainly implies this. I wonder if this feature only works like this when you have a Smart VE.Dongle connected?
Have you had this working with Multipluses with no Smart VE.Dongle?
I saw the info in there about different types of Lithium and I am wondering also how the Multiplus would actually know if you have a drop-in LFP (as it is just a Drop-in and so only has the +ve/-ve connections - no comms outside that?). The only setting for those drop-ins to tell the Multiplus they are fitted is the "Lithium" check box in 'Charger' settings I think?
I found to get the charger to turn off I needed to load the 2-way BMS Assistant in VE.Configure and configure it to use the Aux input - and then wired up a cable to the Aux to have an external trigger.
I really would prefer to have the Multi use the temp sensor that it comes with - and is generally connected - to disable the charger at low temp with Lithium - and with a settable option as well, not just a "disable under 5C (some Drop-in Lithiums can actually be charged below 5C - Relion have their LT model which can be charged down to -20C).
I am quite surprised - and pretty disappointed - Victron have not got a better set of Lithium options within VE.Config :(
