Unanswered Questions

Good Day

I had a incident where they stole some stock from my shop.

Is there a way to track a stolen inverter if you have the serial number? Is it possible for Victron to flag the inverter and check to what account is it registered when/if it comes online? Is there a GPS in a Multiplus II GX? Can I add it to my VRM using a serial number (with the help of Victron if needed)

Thank

I want to use a Orion-TR Smart 12/12V-30A Isolated Charger on a new install in a motorhome.

The chassis and house batteries both use the chassis frame as ground. I want to simply tie the two negative sides of the Isolated charger together and use a single cable to ground. I can't see the need for two separate cables to ground. Am I missing something?

Or is this just a bad idea and I should get a non-isolated charger?

Thanks!

I have a MPPT 75/15 with Bluetooth already installed with 2 x 100W solar panels and 2 x 95 amp AGM deep cycle batteries.

I would like to add an inverter to charge e-bike batteries (2 x 2 amp chargers) from solar. If I use a Phoenix 12/500, can I monitor/control the inverter from the App. If not, what else would I need to allow inverter on/off control and battery monitoring.

Thanks,

David

Hi. I'm working on a customer's boat with 2* Victron lithium batteries fitted with 12/200 BMS and 1600 Multiplus. I've noticed the 240V AC earth isn't bonded to the hull which is a requirement of UK narrowboat regulations. I assume it's not possible to bond to hull as start battery/alternator negative will connect to the LB terminal through this lead? Can anyone confirm this?

Hello!

I have a boat provided with Skylla TG, AGM batteries, Smartshunt and Phoenix Inverter. monitoring is made by Cerbo GX.

I have the issue that I can't see AC from shore on GX, due to the fact that skylla TG is not VE.CAN.

Is it possible to use AC current sensor normally used on PV inverters to do the job?

Thanks in advance

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Hallo zusammen, vielleicht kann mir ja jemand sagen warum die Stromaufnahme vom Netz während dem Ladevorgang falsch angezeigt wird. Ich habe zwei Multiplus 2 24/3000/70 im Parallelbetrieb. Lie Lade Leistung wird ja korrekt dargestellt nur die Netzaufnahme ist nur 50% davon? Danke schonmal für Eure Hilfe

I have 2 BMZ 7 batteries. I would like to add more, but I found out you cannot mix those with BMZ X. So now, I am considering to switch to Pylontech to get more capacity. Does any one have experience with switching like that?

Thank you.

From NZ Defence Force.....

I’ve got our new Victron Power System all together. Everything is working well except the interface between the CANvu-GX and the Skylla-i. I am able to get the information from the Skylla-i to come through the VE.CAN bus so it can be read on the CANvu-GX, but despite this the graphic display (the main reason I wanted the CANvu-GX) does not update to show the status/operation of the Skylla-i. (Display page example shown below – my setup only shows the Battery Information, not the AC input Power or any battery charging animation that shows the Skylla-i charging the battery bank).

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Just asking for some confirmation of what I believe I am seeing here,

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This data is showing the quattro temp derating in AC coupled mode correct? The stepping of the AC output frequency and corresponding PV inverter yield coincides with the temperature warnings. The co-located MPPT yield is not throttled, the batteries are at ~65% (LA) and are in absorption, however the throttling is seeing the voltage not holding.

To me the device looks like its heat saturated, The PV Inverter reductions are too symmetrical and correspond with the temp warnings to be clouds.

It would be great if there was an indication the unit was derating or a internal temp sensor to verify.

EDIT

So have a little more info from the site, the fans in the unit are slowly winding up then try to go to full speed and shutoff, this happens at exactly the same time the unit derates.

This leads me to believe that the power bus that runs the fans is exceeding its current and shutting down. Maybe by a self resetting fuse?

This unit runs a small island so sending the unit away will have problems.

It is possible for victron staff to look at any more internal data via the console to possibly determine the issue?

@mvader (Victron Energy) @Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) @Johannes Boonstra (Victron Energy Staff)

I have a victron 48/5000/70-50 multiplus running a Redflow ZCell which stopped working (No power from UPS circuit).

LED error codes - absorption, float, Flashing Invertor and low battery.

The system was reset a number of times with no change in status

The system logs don't show anything for the period of time the Victron was down for (2 days). It came back up again with no user intervention (suspect maybe a short power outage may have reset the system).

The BMS for the ZCell is on the UPS circuit and was down as well.

Any help would be appreciated to prevent this happenning again.

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Hello VictronEnergy,

I'm a big fan of your products, I use the SmartSolar, the SmartShunt, the Phoenix Inverter and the LoRaWan Module happily.

As many before, I do also have feature suggestions to improve the usability of the VictronConnect App. I strongly believe you should invest more UI development resources into the App, as todays mantra is "mobile first" when it comes to building UIs. Don't get me wrong, I like the Apps structure and easiness of use, but I believe some crucial things are still missing for a happy user experience.

Many other such posts where made before this, so I'm sorry if there are a few duplicate requests.

Some of these other posts reported a flawed bluetooth connection and thus the app constantly needs to re-connect. I must say the App is most stable and very smoothly useable with Iphones. I tried several Android Phones and even with Victrons suggested Samsung Phones, the app runs far slower and not as smooth as with an Iphone.

Anyways the troubles of us VicrtonConnect users are still always the same, no matter which phone, the pain is only amplified on Android. So here is my which list:

* general offline mode

* more history metrics

* remove trends - replace with daily metrics

* Dashboard

* background mode

Let me elaborate in detail:

general offline mode

===============

I think that's pretty obvious: I want to access my harvest history and all the relevant historic statistics, even when I'm not connected via bluetooth. I'd also like to see how "old" the history data is, so to speak, when was the last update.

Currently the "Status" tab is the Entry tab when connecting to the device. I would change this to the history tab and grey out the Status tab. When clicking on the status tab, the app could try to reconnect via bluetooth while still showing the history data.

I would consider this to be very important, with only little difficulty.

more history metrics

==============

Some other posts mentioned some missing metrics, here is my wish list:

I'd like to see the current temperature (in Status) and also the historic values (Minimum, Maximum, Average).

I'd like to see daily average values for the solar power and the battery voltage.

I'd like to see the minimum, average and maximum power on the load port (on MPPT with Load connectors).

I consider this medium important, with only little difficulty. Not sure if the MPPT firmware would need updates to calculate the averages and send the temperature information.

remove trends - replace with daily metrics

============================

I'd really like to see a solar, battery, and power output curve for the last and current day. more or less similar to the ones from the VRM but with a slightly higher resolution (e.g. every 15 minutes).

The trends functionality is rather useless, as many suggested before, as it requires the app to run constantly in foreground. I would completely remove this function.

I consider this to be medium important and medium difficult. This would surely require firmware upgrades and changes to the app.

Dashboard

========

When using multiple Smart Victron Products It would be fantastic to have a status dashboard which includes the most important stats into a single page. I'd like to see the current Solar Yield, DC Load Power, AC Load Power, Batter Fill level for my setup. I can imagine other metrics could be interesting in such a dashboard too.

I consider this to be less important and rather difficult as it might require multiple parallel bluetooth connections, which might be different on each platform.

background mode

=============

This has been requested often, and I would request it once more. I'd like to have a background mode which leaves the bluetooth connection open even when the app is in background, so that the app doesn't need to reconnect and load all values again when switching to it.

I consider this to be medium important and difficult as it might be different on different platforms.

--

I understand it is a lot work to improve the app, build the firmware test everything and finally release it for multiple platforms. Some of these features might be very difficult or even impossible to add. But keep the mantra "mobile first" in mind.

I always recommend your products to friends and colleagues. It would be much easier if I could show them my real offline data with my mobile. I know there's the demo function, but still I'd like to share my stats with them, so they can learn how much energy they can harvest with a similar setup like mine.

Has anyone got any recommendations on "How To Clean The Internals of MultiPlus Units" ?

Unfortunately one of my units has been collecting Diesel Soot from a blowing exhaust !

Answers on a postcard, (for those of a certain age )lol.

Hi everyone. First post here. I searched for quite some time, but couldn't find an answer.

I have an Multiplus II 48/5000/70-50 working fine as an ongrid system. Just one small problem:

There is no power on the "Auxiliary power supply 12 V 100 mA" (Terminal J). Is there a fuse (wich could have blown, though there was never any load connected) or any action nedded to activate the power?

I appriciate any help!

Thank you

Daniel

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When trying to start the generator and using the Run for x minutes its virtually impossible to adjust the run time, the scroll buttons do not seem to work, its possible when using a PC and mouse, but accessing via a phone makes it very difficult to adjust

Hey,

im looking for an old doc regarding interfacing with old VE.9Bit Devices

It is referenced in an stil lavailable document about interfacing with an mk2 adapter

https://www.sv-zanshin.com/r/manuals/victron-interfacing-mk2-protocol-3.12.pdf

For communicating with older (VE 9-bit RS485) products, refer to “VE - Interfacing with the Phoenix Product Range”.

i know old devices can not communicate with venus but i also know old devices can talk to the current victron config 3 app through an mk2 adapter talking ve.9bit.

i have an old multi around where i can configure and connect trough the current victron config 3 app with an mk2.2b usb to serial adapter (for communication handling see the linked pdf chapter 3.4.

with the old doc i hope to get more insight about the communication to create an open source driver for venus integration in combination with an mk2 adapter.

any help/info is greatly appreciated, victron won't supply the old doc sadly.

if anybody could send me the doc i would be very thankful -

mail: victron@allthingscitrix.com

Hi,

I have a 3-phase system consiting out of 3 Mulitplus 2 GX 5kVA inverters, a Cerbo GX, Pylontech batteries and 3 MPPT's.

When Inverters supply non-essential loads on AC Input side, the one inverter (L1) frequently feed power to the grid although I have a similar 1.8kW load on all three phases (3-phase element). The second inverter (L2) also pushes a bit back, but not as bad as L1 and then L3 is perfect. The Grid-meter (EM24) seems OK as when I deplete the batteries and it supplies the same 3 phase from the grid then all is good.

I have set grid feed-in to 0, and minimum set-point to 150W. Any additional items I could check?

Thanks

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I have tried to elaborate in another post, but seems I was just not descriptive enough and not found a solution.

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/77312/3-ph-multiplus-2-erratic-behaviour.html?childToView=79646#comment-79646

Hi,

The sail drive on my boat suffers from electrolytic corrosion. I just have a Blue power IP 22 charger connected. Do I need a isolation transformer?

I was told the charger itself is a transformer and thus isolated as well so I don't need one. However the corrosion is there?

Many thanks for your opinion.

Martin

I Have a Quattro 10KVA DC coupled with a 250/100 and AC coupled with a Fronius 8.2kw with 6 x power plus 4KWH Eco batteries, the problem I am having is the house has a ducted panasonic AC system and works fine until the batteries reach 100% and the frequency shifts upwards and drops out the AC unit on high frequency. Is it possible either turn off the frequency shift and use AC out 2 to drop out the Fronius inverter on say 95% or battery voltage or ajust the frequency shift settings so it doesn't go so high.

I'm at the end of having any idea what to do next. Here's the setup...

Victron Multiplus 12/ 3000/ 120

Smart Solar MPPT 150/100

Shunt

4 Battleborn 100ah Batteries

4 325W solar panels

This is installed in a 2004 Tiffin Phaeton

Connected to shore power

Solar is switched off for testing Multiplus

I am 67 and have an extensive electronics background

The Issue
The past several months, and it seems like this happened after installing a BIM in place of the charging relay, the Multiplus will run as expected for roughly 48 hours. After that, the charging stops, and batteries begin to discharge.

If I switch off the Multiplus - or disconnect it from shore power - for a few minutes, the Multiplus will begin charging again (Bulk @14.4v) for several hours and then drop to 13.56V. Eventually, I will see there is a zero amp draw, even with all our equipment running, it occasionally drops to -.5a for a short time and returns again to zero. Batteries are then fully charged and all 12v systems we have running are supplied by shore power.

It will stay this way for 36~48 hours and then, a 7 or 8 amp draw shows up, the system stops charging, and the process repeats.

Looking at the color monitor, the marching dots show the Multiplus is supplying power to all A/C. However, the batteries are actually supplying the power because they are quickly being drained.

If I disconnect from shore power, there is a change in the display. Marching dots from batteries to the inverter to coach outlets.

Reconnecting shore power, the inverter starts charging again. Marching dots to a/c load and also to batteries (bulk charging at this moment).

Smart Solar voltage: 13.22v
BMV Voltage: 13.02v
Shouldn't these be the same???

What I've Tried
For starters, I fully disconnected the BIM. The charging system seems to remain fully active for days. I reconnect it, and within roughly 36 hours or so, the Multiplus charging stops. At that point, I switch it off and on or switch shore power off and on at the receptacle... Ready to run again for a few days.

Like you reading this, I thought the BIM was the issue - and maybe it is. But what I have been told about this device tells me it is either switch on or it is not. I have checked dozens of times. It is switched off. That mentioned, it will occasionally click on for a brief time (less than a minute) and switch off. I'm told this is expected and would not cause the issues we have.

I removed each battery to check voltage. Fully charged, 13.56v. During discharge, it goes as low as 11.8v.

As I write this, there is a strange 5.8 amp draw, though nothing has been switched on and different since noon today when all was well and the draw was 0.5 amps. Currently, my voltage is 13.06v. The charge shows at 88% and dropping slowly. It was at 100% three hours ago.

The starter battery trickle charge is connected to the starter batteries from the Multiplus. It drops to 12.55v during failure times and returns to 13.49v for a short time, then on to 12.7v when all is working well after a restart.

I have no idea what this issue is. Is the Multiplus faulty? Is the MPPT faulty... though the solar panels are currently switched off, the MPPT is connected. Is this issue due to the BIM we bought from Battleborn?

One final item; The color monitor (Victron) will not show there are any traveling beads going from the inverter to the batteries during the failure. Likewise, while watching the Victron app while all is working correctly, if the amp draw drops below 0 amps the system shifts rapidly from "Infinite" to "nanm" to 10 days. If charging is working correctly, it jumps back to Infinite within a few minutes. However, when it fully fails, ten days drop over a few hours to only a few days or a few hours... all the while connected to shore power.

I simply can't figure out WHAT to look at or test next.

The shore power switch (permanently mounted inside a bay on the coach) is brand new. Shore power, as I have carefully monitored it, never changes at the Multiplus or the pedestal.

I've taken this apart so many times, checked every connection, and carefully reconnected according to the schematic we originally used to install this system...Which worked flawlessly for nearly two years before this happened.

I'm thinking the Multiplus is failing... But how do you test something like this???

Does anyone reading this have any ideas... If so, thanks in advance. I really am at the end of reasoning this out.

Jerry Wills

Is the AC ground connected to the DC negative on the BlueSmart IP67 25A charger?

I tried some settings in the Color Controller menus in an attempt to limit the power the batter charger was using.

Something I did seems.to have turned off the shore power completely. The overview screen shows no AC input and the boat is running on the invertor.

I assume.some.setting I changed did this, but I can't find one that fixes it Any ideas?

Thanks,

Gary

My small system is 200amp batteries, CERBO GX, SmartSolar MPPT 100/30, BMV-712 with temp, and an ET112 Energy Monitor. Everything working great, connected to VRM with a Verizon MiFi. I can see the ET112 as wattage on VRM. Maybe not where I would like on VRM but can see it.

Is there a way to show Volts and Amps from ET112? Thank you.

Hi my multiplus (old 24 3000 70) with analogue control panel charges my Lifepo4 batteries fine up to around 8amps of shore power (45amps @ 27.3v). Anything above that and it cuts out, charges or a few second and cuts out again. The result is I can't charge my Lifepo4 battery past about 26.9v resting voltage. Has anyone heard of this happening?

Hello,

I'm using general flag to ignore AC and some other assistants. I'm wondering if it is possible to switch AC-Out2 off BEFORE AC-In comes available and on again AFTER AC-In gets cut off.

I want to use a Fronius which isn't allowed to be connected to the grid

Thank you!

kind regards,

porcini

It's wired so that the negative terminal from the battery goes straight to it, then you have the loads on the other side.

For some reason it picks up current but never shows total Ah consumed so all the stats are completely wrong.

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Bonjour à tous

Afin de tester le bon paramétrage d'une installation PV, j'imaginais utiliser un "simulateur de SOC" . Quelqu'un a t il déjà fait cela ? à l'aide d'un raspberry par ex ?

Merci d'avance

Hi does anybody have a wiring diagram similar to the Victron schematics thats editable i have tried some different programs but nothing looks anything near as good .

thanks

Gordon

OK so not sure how it calculate it but i have the following on my dash. approc 12kw generated , 6.8kw to battery and 11kw to grid which is kinda wrong.

Any ideas why / what. Looking at MQTT the levels look closer to correct, or at least add up better

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I hope someone can help with some difficulties and confusion I am having with my new Blue Solar! Many thanks if you can!!

Tiring of the spurious claims and poor performance of cheaper solar controllers I bought a new MPPT 75/10 about a week ago. It is required for a sailing boat I will be taking around Ireland this summer, and energy is a very important part of safe passage making.

I have looked through forums/online but cannot find information required, please can you help with some advice?

I have two batteries, (12v) to serve primarily engine and secondary VHF, navigation and domestics. The set up I have (the chinese controller removed and the Victron put in its place) is a 3 way switch on the + output from the controller : primary battery, off and secondary battery. Readouts: I have an amp metre on the output of the controller (after the 3 way switch) and a battery monitor giving voltage and amps.

Installation of the Victron: I followed the instructions in the little booklet, connecting battery first, then solar panel.

Problems: At first (few days, to see it works) I switched to secondary battery. The green soon showed it was on ‘Battery Life’ and the yellow on ‘bulk’ (terms from victron toolkit app). About 20 minutes and it showed , if I can recall, battery Life and Float (I was not sure of the meaning, the booklet is not clear and I had not yet seen the victron toolkit definitions). Next day I switched to primary and the same seemed to happen.

Problems started yesterday morning after I started the engine. Before starting the engine I turned off the controller feed to the batteries (turned 3 way switch to off) . This left the controller still connected to the PV and not connected to either battery. I ran the engine for routine engine checks for about 25 minutes and after turning off the engine I turned the 3 way switch to the secondary battery (waiting a few minutes after turning the engine off). The green soon showed it was on ‘Battery Life’ and the yellow on ‘bulk’, both blinking quite fast. From readouts it seems to have been charging and the voltage was going up. Unfortunately it kept going up and going up all day reaching 16.5 volts. It appears to me the controller no longer switches mode and, it seems is overcharging.

I waited all day for it to switch to float ( a sunny day, yesterday). I turned the switch to the primary battery and for half an hour it also did not revert to float (the primary had just had full charge from the engine.

I cannot find information on bootloader mode, I cannot find information on firmware does or if it needs updating.