# Balancing grid-tied ESS: now pulls from grid **URL:** \ **Category:** Q&A and troubleshooting\ **Tags:** parallel, dess, multiplus-ii, diy\ **Created:** [15 November 2025 10:33 UTC](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/balancing-grid-tied-ess-now-pulls-from-grid/48711 "2025-11-15T10:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tfboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tfboy](https://community.victronenergy.com/u/tfboy)\ **Post date:** [15 November 2025 10:33 UTC](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/balancing-grid-tied-ess-now-pulls-from-grid/48711/1 "2025-11-15T10:33:59Z")
Historically, my ESS system was working well balanced with my ET112 grid meter, having a grid set point at 0, it did a good job minimising grid usage. Over the last month or so, sometimes it’s behaving as expected, but other times, it seems to take power from the grid and I don’t know why. I have added a second 5kVA MP2 in parallel, but cable lengths, etc are the same and I can’t see why this would impact balancing grid usage with the meter. Any ideas? ![Screenshot_2025-11-15-11-27-39-07_bc2aea2f1887607afb8a748e894fe9f8](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/victron/original/3X/0/7/0740fbfb246e7f6aa5357b0218dd45b3e6fdf3d8.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Netrange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ab992/32.png) [@Netrange](https://community.victronenergy.com/u/Netrange)\ **Post date:** [15 November 2025 14:57 UTC](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/balancing-grid-tied-ess-now-pulls-from-grid/48711/2 "2025-11-15T14:57:20Z")
Did the second parallel multi also receive the ESS assistant? It appears it is simply passing through the remaining 340W… Are the two multis properly programmed as a parallel system via the Ve Bus System Configurator? ---
**Author:** ![A-P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@A-P](https://community.victronenergy.com/u/A-P)\ **Post date:** [15 November 2025 15:08 UTC](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/balancing-grid-tied-ess-now-pulls-from-grid/48711/3 "2025-11-15T15:08:43Z")
Here’s a related thread I created a few months back which could be relevant. TLDR: your AC MCBs could be to blame. > [@Backfeed relay resistance calculation in Wiring Unlimited](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/backfeed-relay-resistance-calculation-in-wiring-unlimited/38766/): > > I’m debugging an sporadic imbalance issue within a parallel system and had a question on something within the Wiring Unlimited docs: [6. AC wiring](https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/The_Wiring_Unlimited_book/en/ac-wiring.html#UUID-1f27e748-57b7-5c91-c0bd-2c513fd58880) The voltage drop tolerance of a 100A backfeed contactor is about 20mV at 100 A. Therefore, the total cable resistance (input + output) should be larger than R = 60mV/100A = 0.6mΩ. The first part of the sentence says voltage drop across the backfeed relay is 20mV, but the ohms law formula uses 60mV. Is this accurate? If so, I’d appreciate if someone… ---
**Author:** ![tfboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tfboy](https://community.victronenergy.com/u/tfboy)\ **Post date:** [16 November 2025 14:53 UTC](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/balancing-grid-tied-ess-now-pulls-from-grid/48711/4 "2025-11-16T14:53:39Z")
Yes, they’re configured as two parallel units. Both have identical ESS configurations - I set up the first then exported / imported into the second. ---
**Author:** ![tfboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tfboy](https://community.victronenergy.com/u/tfboy)\ **Post date:** [16 November 2025 15:33 UTC](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/balancing-grid-tied-ess-now-pulls-from-grid/48711/5 "2025-11-16T15:33:43Z")
Actually, I’m wondering if this is an issue with DESS. I forgot to mention I had DESS on, but didn’t think it could be an issue. At the moment, I was having the same issue - pulling nearly 1kW from grid despite not being in an off-peak rate. But having turned DESS off, my grid power seems to be much more stable and closer to zero. I’ve looked at my DESS settings in VRM and I do think there’s an issue: the submit button is greyed out and I think I could do with adjusting the settings now I have the second MultiPlus connected. But I can’t save anything. I know it’s been said that if you can’t save, it’s because you’re missing some data or some data is incorrect, but I can’t see where that might be the case. ---
**Author:** ![Netrange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ab992/32.png) [@Netrange](https://community.victronenergy.com/u/Netrange)\ **Post date:** [16 November 2025 15:44 UTC](https://community.victronenergy.com/t/balancing-grid-tied-ess-now-pulls-from-grid/48711/6 "2025-11-16T15:44:51Z")
Just to be on the safe side, check both of your multi settings for the offset and/or sustain voltage… One of the multis may be recharging the battery 🤔