question

james86-9 avatar image
james86-9 asked

Can I use power assist if I am not aloud to back feed?

Hello I have a quattro 24-8000-200 I have 8kw of solar with a blue solar 150-85 I want to later on grid tie a solar inverter for my day usage but I am in France and I can't back feed I will get big fines . so can I use power assist with my 100kw of batters for big loads without back feeding ? If so how do I set it up do I go on Ac input Ac output ?

battery charginggridvictron products
2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

7 Answers
JohnC avatar image
JohnC answered ·

Hi James. I'm not quite sure why you want to add a 'solar inverter' to connect to grid?

If you're just adding grid input, you could do this directly into a Quattro ACIN port. It can't feed back, but I've no idea if doing that is legal in France??

If you have a GX box and maybe a BMV, you could have all sorts of fun with prioritising, auto-cutins, etc. This is a simplistic answer, because no point going on if I'm offbeam..

2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

james86-9 avatar image
james86-9 answered ·

Thanks for your help I did want to tie a on grid inverter later without doing all the red tape application stuff but for now just didn't know if I can use power assist if I am.not aloud to back feed. If so how do in set up.

1 comment
2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

JohnC avatar image JohnC ♦ commented ·

What do you want to do? You have a good pv setup. Do you want to add to it like an offgridder might do with a generator, or a mariner with shore power at his dock?


0 Likes 0 ·
james86-9 avatar image
james86-9 answered ·

I did want to add a on grid tie inverter as I have mains to help with the load in the day but I am.not aloud to back feed . if this is not possible I will get another quattro and another blue solar mmpt 150-85 and have it charge more battery's so I am not solely relying on the grid. If I can't run assist with the mains as it back feeds I'll have to scrap the whole thing as I can't do without the mains having a 12kw air source heating and pool heaters etc. So I just need to know If power assists will back feed.

3 comments
2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

boekel avatar image boekel ♦ commented ·

You can use a grid tied inverter, and power assist, but it is much easier to accomplish with DC solar chargers (MPPT's) as the system has to tell the AC inverter to reduce output when the batteries are fully charged.

0 Likes 0 ·
ing-elec-rodolfo-martinez avatar image ing-elec-rodolfo-martinez boekel ♦ commented ·

I do not understand why the inverter is to reduce AC power output when the batteries are charged. It is precisely when the batteries are charged that one should be allowed to demand full AC power from the inverters. Am I missing something?

0 Likes 0 ·
boekel avatar image boekel ♦ ing-elec-rodolfo-martinez commented ·

Ah I think there is a misunderstanding due to my wording, we were talking about AC coupled PV systems (PV-inverter) vs DC coupled (PV-battery charger),

in this message I was referring to PV-inverter having to throttle back when the batteries are fully charged (as it is not allowed to feed back into the grid in this example)

0 Likes 0 ·
JohnC avatar image
JohnC answered ·

Like Boekel, I remain a fan of dc coupled kit in your situation.

Your 8kVA Quattro can produce that much from the batts/pv, and (without checking) maybe just as much from the grid. Power Assist allows both sources to act as one, when your grid supply is added to the Quattro.

It's not designed to feed back, and won't. Unless French Quattros have some special feature - *citation needed* if they're something different. :)

Your "12kW" heating may be just a 'performance' value, look at the nameplate input kW to find truth.



2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

james86-9 avatar image
james86-9 answered ·

Thanks for your answers guys when you say DC coupled do you mean a my 150-85 blue solar charger ? My quattro I got from the UK so my goal is to use the mains when I absolutely have to but when demand isn't there use the batterys. How do I set up assist ? I've looked everywhere ? Is it on the Victron PC updater program?

2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

JohnC avatar image
JohnC answered ·

PowerAssist is already onboard your Quattro. Like 'in the hardware'. You don't need to summon it, download it, nor turn it on. Unless you mean something else??

Yeh, dc-coupled is your mppt/pv. Victron specialty. For enjoyment..

2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

james86-9 avatar image
james86-9 answered ·

Thank you so much the only thing I might look at is the assistance profiles to better manage my set up but for now while I build the house being off grid feels great .

2 |3000

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

Related Resources

VictronConnect VE.Bus charging manual  

Additional resources still need to be added for this topic