Multi RS ESS and AC Input Control

Q&A and troubleshooting
, , , ,
1

Hi,

It seems the Multi RS ESS settings are overruled by the AC Input Control. I would expect the other way around.

Example:

Conditions are happy for AC Input Control to disconnect the grid.

Setting any ESS setting (Keep Batteries Charger, Min SoC, or Scheduled Charge) to a mode that wants to charge fails, as the grid remains disconnected.

I would think that if ESS wants to use the grid, it should override the AC Input Control settings.

Multi RS 3 Phase, all on v1.26, which the Cerbo on v3.66.

Regards,

Deon

2

ESS is designed to be continuously grid connected but priority is self consumption.

Ac ignore while it help with self consumption is not the same thing and its application is slightly different.

What you might have to look at is writing your own more complex logic using node red to connect and disconnect from grid.

3

I disagree that AC Input control and ESS have different applications. I believe they can be very complimentary.

If the AC Input Control can be overridden by ESS for Scheduled Charge, Min SoC, Keep Batteries Charged etc, it can be perfect.

I will probably end up writing a Node-RED flow to fix the behaviour for myself. I see the AC Input Control cannot be directly enabled/disabled by the Multi RS node. I will have to duplicate that functionality in its entirety by manipulating the switch from On to Inverter only.

4

You can access directly the Victron register 0xD0E0 over CAN to enable/disable AC Input Control.
Use vreg utility in a Node Red script to access that register.

5

Interesting.

Can you share an example flow?

6

Sorry, don’t use NodeRed, but, from what I remember, others have implemented and posted here flows that call a command line utility and parse the result. Search for vreg.

LE:
Like this implementation here: Switching a relay on an MPPT charge controller using Node-Red on RPi - #46 by roeller

Only that the command, for VE.CAN, would be:
For disable: vreg -c socketcan:can0 -n xxx -s 0xD0E0 0
For enable: vreg -c socketcan:can0 -n xxx -s 0xD0E0 1
Where xxx is the network address of your Multi RS.
Also, the CAN network could be different, depending on where you have the Multi RS connected.

1 Like
7

This worked. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

I still maintain that if ESS wants to charge, it should override the AC Input Control condition

1 Like