Multiplus Compact Mains Switch is not working!

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chefjrr asked Dec 26, '20

Multiplus Compact Mains Switch is not working!

My Multiplus Compact’s transfer switch doesn’t flip to mains when connected to shore power. It’ll start with the ‘inverter’ light lit, but then flip to ‘charger’ without any explanation. The problem with this is that when it is just in ‘charging’ mode, no power goes through the mains to the rest of the bus; no power to the outlets

Don’t have a VE.Bus to diagnose it, and according to my SmartBMV the battery system is getting power (charging through bulk/absorb/float) through the shore hookup, but the whole point of why I bought Victron was really for that transfer switch to run the mains.

MK3

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seb71 commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 06:22 PM

Is this a newly purchased Multiplus?

If yes, I think this might be the normal behavior with the default ("factory") settings.

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chefjrr seb71 commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 06:50 PM

Understood; I’m guessing that’s not something I can fix without the software and ve.bus?

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seb71 chefjrr commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 07:01 PM

Read the manuals first, so that you know what you are doing.

Do you have a GX device? You need either this or the Mk3-USB interface to change Multiplus settings.

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Answer 1 · 2020-12-26T19:07:04Z

Matthias Lange - DE answered · Dec 26, 2020 at 07:07 PM

@ChefJRR

What makes you think transfer switch isn't working?

You plug in shore power, wait a few seconds, you should hear a "click" (the transfer switch), the green LED goes off, the yellow LED goes on and the Multi starts charging the battery.

The behavior of the LEDs is described in the manual (chapter 3.4)

In this schematic you can see that the Multi can only start charging if the transfer switch ( G ) is closed.

1609009297973.png (90.2 KiB)

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seb71 commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 07:15 PM

I was not sure if this is because he is using the default settings or if it is something else, so I replied to him as a comment, so that his question remains "unanswered". Just in case.

But if he indeed has the Multiplus with the default/factory settings, I think this is the cause why his Multiplus switches to charger mode when AC in is present..

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chefjrr commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:02 PM

The problem is that there’s no power going to the bus bar/outlets. If the inverter in ‘charger’ mode is sending that power to the batteries instead of running into the mains then that defeats the purpose; if it’s a setting issue that I get, but we need that pass-through.

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Matthias Lange - DE ♦ chefjrr commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:08 PM

And if you unplug the shore power it starts inverting and you have AC at you outlets?

Is the output plug properly connected?

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chefjrr Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:22 PM

Edit: yes, power goes to the outlets when the inverter is running from the batteries

This is correct. I’ll check to see if it s properly connected. If that ends up not being the issue, anything else I should look out for while I’m working on it?

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seb71 chefjrr commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:24 PM

As I told you, it's normal with the factory settings.

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chefjrr seb71 commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:32 PM

And I’m guessing there’s no way to change that setting without VE.direct cable?

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Matthias Lange - DE ♦ chefjrr commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 10:07 PM

To programing a Multi you will need a MK3 interface (or a GX device to do it via the VRM portal).

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Matthias Lange - DE ♦ seb71 commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:34 PM

No, it is definitely not normal!

The AC OUT is not switched off when AC IN gets connected and the charger starts.

As the schematic above shows it's also not possible and makes absolutely no sense.
Before the charger can start charging the transfer switch have to be closed and if the transfer switch is closed the AC IN will automatically passed through to the AC OUT.
That is a hardwired feature and can't be changed.

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seb71 Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:39 PM

My Multiplus II did exactly the same. First I only used it on battery for a while (with the factory settings). When I connected (switched on) the AC In, it disabled the inverter and started charging the batteries.

It took me by surprise, because this is not mentioned in it's manual. But I found the explanation in ESS manual.

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Matthias Lange - DE ♦ seb71 commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:49 PM

Indeed the inverter is "switched off" (actually it is more in standby) but you won't lose the AC power at the output because the power from the AC IN is passed through.

This is how every MultiPlus is working since more than 15 years.

Out of the MultiPlus-II manual:

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1609019526865.png (84.3 KiB)

seb71 Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 09:54 PM

Well, he sais that he can power the loads from the batteries (with AC In disconnected). So that part works.

Also, he sais that when AC In is connected, his Multiplus is charging the batteries. So the AC in relays also work.

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Matthias Lange - DE ♦ seb71 commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 10:05 PM

Yes and that makes it strange.

From the technical point of view it is not possible that with AC at the input the charger is charging and there is no AC power at the output.
But without power at the input there is power at the output.
For me that makes no sense.

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chefjrr Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 10:29 PM

From a similar question to mine, I saw that it might be a firmware issue. Is that a possibility?

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Matthias Lange - DE ♦ chefjrr commented · Dec 26, 2020 at 10:46 PM

I don't think so but if you want to give it a try you need a MK3 Interface.

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