Hello Everyone,
About 1 month ago I decided to complete the v3.53 update and during my recent cruise, we turned on the Genset to fully charge the house battery bank (like we did all last year) and the Multiplus II is not prioritizing the Genset to charge the batteries, it’s still using 90% alternator and about 10% genset to charge.
Could this be a setting that changed in my Multiplus II settings?
If the charging is independent between the Multiplus and alternator then set the absorption voltage on the Multiplus higher than the voltage on the alternator.
If both Multiplus and alternator are controlled by DVCC then I am not sure how DVCC prioritises different charge sources.
Thank you, Sir, for assisting me with my dilemma.
Here are the DVCC setting and the Lynx BMS 500 settings, are they setup correctly?
With the Lynx BMS you have no ability to vary individual charger voltages as DVCC controls the devices, neither can you change the charging voltages in the Lynx BMS. Your settings are OK. You have the relay set as Alternator ATC so I assume you have something like a Wakespeed WS500 which is also under DVCC control, is this correct. Therefore, it all depends on what priority DVCC sets to the charging sources and I am not 100% sure. The manual, linked below in Section 11.4.1 states
Limit charge current is a user-configurable maximum charge current setting. It works across the whole system, whereby Solar is prioritised first, then the Orion XS DC-DC battery charger and then the inverter/charger.
I do not know where the alternator falls in this list but I am guessing that it is prioritised higher than the inverter/charger so the generator charging through the Multiplus only makes up the difference between maximum charging and what the alternator is providing. There have been changes to DVCC and integration for the WS500 lately so this may be the cause of the change.
If you tell me some more about what alternator set up you have I might be able to make some suggestions. For example, on my boat I have connected the WS500 feature in wire through a relay on the Cerbo GX as well as the Lynx BMS ATC contacts and programmable relay. This way I can turn the alternator off if I know that I am going to have enough solar during the day to recharge.
Yes, your assumption is correct.
We have a Balmar Alternator - Model 621 -150-SR-IG, producing 160amps @ 1500rpms.
External regulator is the WS500, all wired and using the ATC wire to the Lynx BMS.
I haven’t changed or updated the WS500 since it was originally configured, Jan '24 and the charging system has been working fine.
Do you think I should update the DVCC settings?
I am interested in "how to turn off the alternator, while underway and having enough solar to keep the batteries recharged.
I can not remember the sequence / timing of changes in the WS500 firmware updates but The current version V2.60 is now fully controllable by DVCC, you have to set a value in the alternator max current for this to work. Again, I have no idea again how the system balances between devices.
I will add another post later on how I have wired my WS500 feature in.
I have made up a sketch from the diagram in the Victron schematics and the WS500 install notes. The 12V wire that signals the WS500 feature in wire is connected as per Victron diagram through the ATC relay and the programmable relay on the Lynx BMS. It then goes to the COM terminal on Relay 1 of the Cerbo GX and then from the NC terminal of Relay 1 to the WS500 feature in wire. Relay 2 could also have been used.
Relay 1 of the Cerbo is then set to manual.
When Relay 1 is off it is closed and the 12V signal passes to the feature in wire so the WS500 runs normally as it needs +12V to run and if required the BMS can stop charge by opening either the ATC or programmable relays. However, if I wish to stop alternator charging, I can click on the manual settings button on the Cerbo GX and turn relay 1 on, which opens the relay, stops the +12V on the feature in wire and disables the alternator. Note I am running V3.60 Beta version, if you are running standard firmware your screens may be a little different.
I had another thought, for DVCC to properly work with the WS500 you definitely need to have a shunt measuring the alternator current. Page 5 of the current guide.
WS500, Lynx, Cerbo.pdf (4.6 MB)
As the alternator has a much higher efficiency then the genset its a wise decision😎
Thank you very much, I will take this information and review my entire setup this weekend and report my findings.
Thanks for all of your help.
Ken
Ken,
I am out for my first full trip on my boat since the WS500 and Victron NG lithium / Lynx install. I am running the V3.60 beta firmware. When batteries are nearly full and charge current is falling DVCC stops the solar charging and leaves the alternator charging despite there being enough solar.
I am guessing the priority goes something like
Alternator - solar - Orion XS - inverter/charger.
I would prefer solar to be higher than the alternator. But this confirms why the alternator is leading your generator if the alternator leads solar.
I completed the WS500 firmware update and reloaded the configuration (See attachment). Sometime this week I will drain the batteries to 70% and the start the Main engine and the generator.
Hopefully the Lynx BMS will prioritize (6kw Genset, 150amp Alternator, then 1400w solar)
But after reading your last post I’m not to hopeful 
Uggg
(Attachment BalmarAlternator2.JSON is missing)
I see DVCC is turned off, to run DVCC it needs the alternator max charge current and a shunt at alternator. I have no idea how it will work without DVCC enabled as I have not tried it.
