I’ve been building Victron systems for many years in automotive and marine applications. This is my first fixed installation, and it is for my home. I’m an engineer by trade, and I work as dealer support for a manufacturer of CT scanners.
2x Seplos Mason 560 32kWh: These are ready-to-go batteries with a great active BMS, 157A rated continuous charge/discharge, 200A max, and a built-in fire suppression system. Total of 64kWh. [Link here]
MPPT 250/60 DC-side solar charger
Lynx 1000 M10 Power In and Lynx Distributor
SolarEdge AC grid-tie inverter: This was an existing system that I had to keep, since it’s getting a government feed-in payment grandfathered at a very high rate—60p per kWh, I believe.
Cerbo GX: This will also control the room ventilation via the relays.
The system is a work in progress. I will show you the build photos!
First, the battery room:
I wanted to create an environment that will keep the batteries and the Victron equipment at peak performance and longevity. Keeping lithium batteries around 21 degrees is good for them, and they definitely shouldn’t drop below zero.
I didn’t have space in the house; I hate attic installations and hard-to-reach, awkward setups. I dislike how such important infrastructure is often installed as an afterthought. Also, having a large battery system inside the house can void your insurance, as there is a possibility of fire.
With that in mind, I wanted to build an insulated, fire-resistant room inside my outbuilding garage.
I used metal stud walls for fire resistance, followed by pinkboard fire-resistant drywall. This will also help maintain humidity levels in the room and reduce condensation.
The room is insulated with 70mm Rockwool and will be completely airtight. I will duct in controlled, filtered ventilation to prevent dust build-up. The room should self-heat due to the waste heat produced by the system (though will have a backup space heater). The ventilation will run only to reduce the room temperature.
A galvanized steel back wall is installed on top of the drywall, as drywall can’t take a screw easily. I wanted to be able to install the hardware easily anywhere with self-tapping screws. It also makes for a clean look and provides additional fire protection.
The concrete floor is sealed with a 2K industrial epoxy.
The batteries were shipped from China and arrived on heavy-duty pallets. They are extremely heavy, making them impossible to lift even with two people.
I decided to go with these big rotary isolators for the AC input and output on the MultiPlus. I think they’re going to look great!
On the left is the SolarEdge. Above it, I will install a changeover switch to select between connecting the house to the ESS or directly to the grid (in case the system fails, it’s a good backup). I’ll also install a submain distribution board, which will send power out to the house, the EV charger, and various outbuildings via heavy shielded cable.
It looks impressive, and it’s going to be quite a substantial system! I don’t have room for a separate outbuilding. For safety reasons, I want to install my system in a steel Rittal cabinet, as these are designed for industrial electrical installations. It’s expensive, but I’m not comfortable leaving inverters and batteries loose in my garage.
Thank you! Yes is it is the biggest system I have worked with. I am usually installing very small systems in campers and helping friends install their systems.
I didn’t build a new building for it, the system is inside the garage, I merely built a room for it. The garage itself happens to be an outbuilding.
Have you considered the heating of the battery if you place it in a cabinet? The bms will shut the battery off and you’ll get an error if the internal temporature drops below freezing.
I’ve been doing the tedious task of making up the cables so not much progress.
This Rittal cabinet will be installed in my heated garage. In principle, the temperature shouldn’t drop below 10°C. I’m taking into account that I’ll need to install an anti-condensation heater, also known as a cabinet heater, at the bottom of the cabinet.
Are those AC main switches that you’ve installed below the inverter?
Yes, they’re 3 pole 100A rotary isolators. On an inverter both poles, neural and live should be isolated. Ground should never be switched.
In the UK, isolators must be installed right next to the equipment.
There is also the distribution MCB board which will also act as an isolator, but regulations require lockable isolation. Technically since its a lockable room this is enough, however, I like big obvious rotary isolators so any layman knows how to turn off generation, this is standard practice in the UK.
I have installed the inverter DC cables and now working on the AC.
