Can normal VE.Bus Quattro clusters accept external P-Q / U-f commands for load sharing?

DIY
, , ,
1

Hello Victron Community,

I would like to clarify a possible off-grid 120/208 V system architecture using multiple independent Victron Quattro VE.Bus clusters.

The concept is:

  • 5 independent Quattro clusters
  • Each cluster has 3 × Quattro 48/10000 units configured as one 3-phase 120/208 V system
  • Each cluster has its own battery bank, its own Cerbo GX and VE.Bus network

I am trying to understand whether normal VE.Bus mode can support this type of operation.

Questions:

  1. Can a normal VE.Bus Quattro 3-phase cluster accept real-time external P-Q or U-f commands through Cerbo GX / Modbus TCP / any supported interface?

  2. Can five independent normal-mode Quattro clusters be paralleled on one common 120/208 V AC bus and load-share under external controller supervision?

I understand that Victron Microgrid / Hybrid Droop mode is designed for multiple independent Power Banks sharing one AC bus, but I am specifically asking about normal VE.Bus mode because the same bus may also have AC-coupled PV/wind inverter sources.

Thank you for any clarification.

2

Nope. Only config that works like that is microgrid, and that is definitely not intended for the DIY market due to the complexities and restrictions involved.

3

Thank you Nick, that helps clarify the normal VE.Bus limitation.

Just to confirm my understanding: if multiple independent Quattro clusters need to share one AC bus, the supported Victron approach is Microgrid / Hybrid Droop mode only.

In our case, the same AC bus may also have other AC-coupled sources, such as PV inverters, wind inverter output, or possibly generator. These sources would be actively monitored, controlled, and curtailed by an external microgrid controller.

However, the Victron Microgrid manual says AC-coupled PV inverters and AC gensets are not supported on the Microgrid AC bus.

Does that mean this architecture is still not Victron-supported even if those AC sources are controlled/curtailed by an external controller? Or is there any supported architecture where Microgrid / Hybrid Droop Power Banks can operate with controlled AC-coupled PV/wind/generator sources on the same site bus?

Your guidance would be valuable to us.

Thank you.

4

Microgrid is fully offgrid only at present.

The ecosystem allows you do create your own integrations to control systems, home-automation at commercial scale.
But none of that will be supported.

There are many different ways to connect systems, only documented standalone configs are supported. Doesn’t mean getting creative can’t work, just that the buck stops with you.
As long as you’re not trying to break physics, there is a lot you can achieve.

That, though, is best discussed in our modifications section.