Indeed. But zero solar is being generated.
It’s 11PM 
aah. Moonpower 
Forgot you’re down under.
Did you configure the 3-phase MP2 cluster with Victron quick configure? This tool will setup the cluster and is located in the directory of VE.configure. Afterwards you need to send same configuration from this tool to the MP2s.
Background:
Your screenshot gui-v2 does not look like ESS. There should be “external controll”.
A small changing amount of energy flowing
from/to grid is normal as most grid code restrict rate of change. In Europe it is 400W/s. Thoug a change in load or PV generation will lead to
Temporary changes in the grid meter.
- Idea:
As all you loads are in AC_out, try MO2 as grid as grid meter.
I think I am following you. To that end, yes all three MPs were setup in VEconfigure with the same configuration and assistant loaded onto each.
Why would there be ‘external control’ if the mode is not set to ‘external control’?
Have tried changing energy meter from External to Multiplus. No difference.
Hi @kitto
you cannot setup a MP2 cluster with VE configure. You need to use “VE.bis quick configure” to setup the cluster config. You will assign each MP2 as a master for exact one phase. After that you do the configuration like ESS assistant. Save to a file and apply the config/file to each MP2 vie VE.bus quick configure.
The MP2 will show “external control” as the external device Cerbo GX will control the MP2.
I assume you are not having an 3p ESS running.
While offgrid, the each MP2 need to take care about it’s own phase.
I hope you do not have 3p loads dependent on 400V between two phases in offgrid mode.
The config file was posted above, if you’d care to scroll up a page.
Hi. How is your schedule charge setup configured? If it set to 100% SOC and PV only, the load will be taken from the grid in the charge period. Self-consumption above limit should be set to PV+Battery. I had the same issue for years ago.
This is a “feature” of the local grid code. The system is behaving as intended, but not as desired.
DC use is disabled until loads are large enough to ensure no feedback occurs, to satisfy the recent local regs and certification requirements, hence the powerassist-like behaviour.
So far, the plan is to use nodered to intelligently disconnect from the grid to optimise DC usage.
Just to add to Nick’s comment here,
After much back and fourth diagnosing via PM, and Nick discussing with Victron engineers in the back ground the reason for this behaviour has been found. Unfortunately it is behaving as designed, given the Australian grid code strict requirements.
This is not a solution to the problem, but the reasoning behind it. If you are in Australia, connected to the grid for import only, have an Australian grid code selected - which you must have for compliance, have ESS enabled and find that you are having un-desired self consumption behaviour that prioritizes the grid, this is probably a good place to start investigating.
Thanks to Nick for your efforts on this.
The ‘sort-of’ solution which is more of a work around: Is the use of Node Red to interject/over-ride the ESS operation logic to force self consumption and bring grid import to 0. Being very new to Node Red and having to quickly teach myself how to use it over a day, I have managed to setup a flow that forces the MPs to be in inverter mode, disconnecting them from the grid based on battery state of charge using a simple hysteresis loop. Extremely primitive for now and i’ll add in my more complex requirements as knowledge and time permits.
Daniel, how did you manage to get a Victron system connected in Australia with a DIY battery? Would love to do the same. Have 2 x MPII 5kVA and VM3P75CT sitting waiting. No battery yet but know exactly how to build it. Did you do it yourself and/or have somebody else approve it? The site I have in mind is on the Snowy River in southern NSW. We are on a local 50kVA pole-top transformer but are double-phase (not 2-phase!) which will have its own interesting quirks.
First and foremost I am not feeding back to the grid, not that Victron syatems are approved for export in Australia anyway. This opens up some flexibility as it is essentially a UPS and the Mutis are approved for grid connection, just not export.
As I am an electrician, I do all my own testing, meet compliance and complete the CoC. If you are not an electrician, you may find it difficult to find someone willing to complete the work and sign it off. I’m not familiar with NSW local laws. However, on face value the system is essentially a UPS and doesn’t require the same approvals for use in the regard of a typical grid connected PV/battery for export - assuming you are not trying to claim any STCs.
Sounds like you are on SWER - its not called double phase, but rather split phase (460/230V). The multis can be setup for this.
Hi @kitto Can you please advise what grid code one would select in VE Configure for Australia if your state and power company did allow excess PV exports (lets just assume they allow exports for Victron with the use of anti islanding relay) for a grid connect Fronius PV set in AC couple mode with Victron MPII 48/10000 model?
Will it be these 2 settings? I am trying to find out if enabling the “Allow feed-in” checkbox in 2nd screenshot bypasses the restriction of “no export allowed’” if you select the grid code for Australia A.
Firstly, do you have an electrician doing this work for you? I cannot give you any electrical advice, or grid code advice as messing with this can have severe consequences.
Victron equipment cannot export in any state or territory in Australia at the moment - they are not CEC approved for export. The only way around this is to seek dispensation from your DNSP (good luck). If you are going rogue and attempting to export with no approval to do so, stop now.
However, if your PV AC inverter is installed and setup correctly, it will export excess back to the grid, independent of the multiplus.
The correct answer was already given by Dennis, but maybe overlooked due to other messages overwhelming you.
Your ‘problem’ has to do with scheduled charging in ESS.
The setting in each schedule for “Self-consumption above limit” needs to be set to “PV & Battery”.
Even if your battery is above the scheduled “SOC limit”, the ESS will NOT use power from the battery if this option is set to “PV”.
Have you read the entire thread?
Perhaps read my response on May 15th again.
It is not a settings issues but a grid code behaviour characteristic.
I read your response on May 15th. As I read it, you’re talking about a work around in NodeRed, not a real solution.
My answer refers to your first post:
How I want the system to behave:
- Use battery and PV always unless: A scheduled charge event is active (eg. 10AM-1PM daily), or battery SOC <15% - but do not charge batteries, or manual charging of batteries is selected.
Correct, because ESS under the Australian grid code will not perform as desired - that is a statement from Victron engineering.
Already played around with every setting possible including self consumption. With this grid code selected, ESS will always pull from the grid whether in scheduled charge is active or not.
Hi Daniel. About the workaround in NodeRED, does that effectively put the inverters into ‘Inverting Only’ mode? I found the On/Off and Charging/Inverting Only modes in the menu, but here it keeps pulling from the grid. What am I missing?
Correct. A simple flow that instructs the MPs to change between On (connected to the grid) and Inverting (disconnected from.the grid).
Although I am going to change it to time based so that at 10:00 everyday the MPs are switched to on so that a scheduled charge can begin.
It is a poor workaround, but its the only way to stop import from the grid when not required with ESS in Australia.
If you change your setting in the menu manually what does it do?