I am seeking assistance and advice designing a self-consumption, non-exporting energy system using Victron components.
The system will include:
Three 280Ah 48V batteries** connected to a Victron Quattro inverter for both grid and generator integration; along with LINX Distribution.
The system will prioritize powering household loads from the battery bank during peak hours and recharge during off-peak hours via the grid or generator.
I also want the capability to integrate solar panels in the future, ensuring no power is exported to the grid, complying with local utility regulations.
The design should focus on redundancy by using two 120V inverters in a split-phase configuration to supply 240V for critical loads. In the event of extended outages, the system will use a 6200W generator to recharge the battery bank.
I have successfully built such a system, with the exception of the two points quoted above.
Assuming you are in the USA or Canada, you may have difficulty complying with local utility regulations.
Victron’s ESS (Energy Storage System) as implemented will certainly export small amounts of power to the grid when loads are dropped, which may violate your utility regulations (depending on the utility and the age of your utility meter). Therefore, do not assume ESS is an option for you.
Without ESS, you can avoid any export to the grid using the input relay in a Quattro or Multiplus. Either you are running off of battery/PV (inverting), or you are running off grid and recharging the batteries if necessary.
Yes, this is certainly viable.
But you need to understand the implications of using the input relay programmatically to select between grid and inverting to implement your peak/off-peak plan.
I assume you will have a critical loads panel for the household loads.
The inverters must be selected to handle the maximum power (not the average) you will draw, because you don’t want unnecessary shutdowns due to overload.
When you are running on inverter, you must have sufficient battery/PV to make it through the day (assuming cheaper rates are in the evening). You will want to specify a minimum State of Charge (SoC) where grid kicks back in as well. It is possible to accomplish the scheduling and SoC monitoring using a Cerbo GX. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZsGHi8nKGc
Also, to use 100% of the solar PV you get, you’ve got to consume it immediately (in loads), or have somewhere to put it (battery). Once your battery is fully charged, the MPPTs will throttle back and the PV power will be “wasted”.
Rick, you are giving me much help and I appreciate that. I am a newbie and I have never done a project such as this but I have tried to read and educate myself as much as I can.
Inverter sizing was my consideration last night as I was working on the design - while also reviewing that daily loads. So, I will definitely need to dig into this a bit more.
You mentioned:
Would that be the inverter sizing that you mentioned?
Regarding the panel, yes, I was planning to move the circuits to the emergency panel; however, I acknowledge that I may not be able to move everything - thus I will have peak-hour grid consumption for those items not moved.
Sometimes people want an ESS to simultaneously “blend” power from grid, battery, and PV to optimize their power usage. As I explained above, this can run into utility problems, because an ESS implementation puts your inverter power in parallel with the grid (i.e., grid-interactive).
The Victron hardware can certainly do this well, but you will need to live with “unblended” power. Either grid or battery/PV at one time, there is no middle ground if you want to avoid inadvertent power export. Bottom line: Do not install the ESS Assistant.
Victron configurations are complicated system engineering projects. Sign up for the professional site (no cost), and watch the tutorials there. Then the manuals will make more sense.
Thank you! Yes, no blending for me… I simply want to use the batteries during peak billing times to power the “emergency panel” or if sized properly, the dwelling and have the batteries charge from the grid in non-peak times. Then finally, in the event of a grid power outage, manually start and use a generator to charge the batteries.
Ok, I am locking in the inverter. I am leaning towards (2) Victron 48V Quattro 10kVA 120V Inverter 140A Chargers with (3) 280ah 48v battery packs (I believe that to be 40.32kWh). It is my understanding that the Quattro has a built in xFer switch detecting/sensing the 2 input AC sources; is there a call for an additional switch ahead of the Quattro?
Besides the following, what other items do I need to consider?
1ea. Victron Lynx Power In – Power Distribution System (M10)
1ea. Victron Lynx Shunt VE.Can – Power Distribution System (M10)
1ea. Victron Cerbo GX (MK2) Kit (which includes part numbers: BPP900451100, BPP900455070 and BPP900465070)
250A Class T Fuse or Breaker for each battery connection
Class T fuses rated for 250-300A battery disconnect
How about surges, do I need to account for surges from the Grid or Genset?
Consider also posting on diysolarforum.com, there are lots of people who can advise you on other non-Victron issues like surge protection and system builds.
Hi Björn. Can you provide a complete part number for those fuses? I can’t seem to find anything like those pictured here in the U.S. The only ones I can find have a round middle section, not rectangular like the ones you show. Thank you very much!
The company Jean Mueller has NH00-DC fuses and holders for TelCo capable up to 800A@80V.
This might be an option to connect battery Lynx with distribution Lynx.
Thank you very much for the link. I will see if I can source those in America. This would be a fantastic solution. For large installations, I like to use multiple Lynx Power Ins Or Lynx Distributors as a basic buss bar and interleave sources, loads, and batteries across the buss so that local currents are under 500A. The Lynx buss is not capable of sustaining 1000A current without active cooling, no matter what the datasheet says Using smaller class T fuses works ok, but it’s not a rugged mount. Larger Class T fuses won’t fit side-by-side. So these look like an excellent solution. Thank you for sharing!
I downloaded the spec sheet and it appears the EF3 fuses fit the Lynx M8 posts just fine, but I’m not sure if the fuses will fit the new M10 Lynx posts. It will be close. Have you tried using these fuses in a M10 Lynx Distributor? Thanks!
I imagine that internally they are the same, The M8 and M10 only apply to the interconnecting terminals between Lynx devices, the fuses remain at M8 and spaced for Mega fuses.
From the Lynx distributor manual.
… available in two versions, with M8 or M10 busbar. Note that M10 refers to the busbar connection joints where the modules are connected to each other. The fuse and cable connections are always M8.
Hi @BjoernK how fast have you had delivery? I’m in the UK and well the UK supplier here wants about £60 -£70 more to get them which is a joke, Ive ordered them from Germany ECS so just waiting not if i don’t here anything by December i may have to use the UK supplier
Using smaller class T fuses works ok, but it’s not a rugged mount. Larger Class T fuses won’t fit side-by-side. So these look like an excellent solution. Thank you for sharing!