I am very new to Victron, 2 days! When I run my generator it immediately starts charging and doesn’t give the generator a chance to warm up. I switched to inverter only and it did not pass through to AC 1. I enabled the dynamic limiting. I set the incoming current to 28A, I’m going to lower that to 20A. When I made coffee this morning the internal relay would click and I could only make coffee while inverting. Touch 50 did not show generator. Once coffee was done the system then saw the generator again and started charging. UPS is enabled. System is mostly set up default. Is it simply that I had my current set too high? I also read in a different question about disconnecting the ground wire from the Honda. I will be heading back to my cabin and would like to get this figured out. I’m in Alaska and winters get very dark so I can’t really count on my PV panels to do much Nov-Jan. With my last system I always ran the generator to make coffee since it draws so much current. I’d appreciate any advice. Thank You
You didn’t say what size your generator is or how it is connected. The Multi only has one AC input so I am guessing you have a transfer switch ahead of the Multi’s AC input to switch between grid and generator.
Inverter only ignores the AC input completely and runs the AC output off the batteries vis the inverter. So that’s probably not what you want to do.
You need to set the AC input current limit when on generator to something under what your generator will actually produce. Rule of thumb is 80% of the WATT rating of the generator.
I’d turn UPS off as it might be rejecting the AC input from the generator.
You need to program one of the relay outputs of the Cerbo (or other GX device) to control the generator start-stop or the generator overview page and setup menus won’t appear.
The relay output closes to run the generator and opens to stop it. You may need an interface module between the relay and the control lines for your generator. Victron has some discussion about this in their GX device documentation.
There is also a digital input type that can tell the GX device if the generator is running or not. The stock code uses this to raise an alarm if it expects the generator to be running and it is not.
GuiMods provides some generator enhancements that make better use of the generator digital input. It accumulates time the generator is actually running based on that digital input.
GuiMods also handles input current limit, AC input type and some other parameter changes when switching an external transfer switch to make it easier to integrate the switch into the system.
Thanks Kevin, the Generator is a120V 3000W Honda EU3000is. We are completely off grid, generator and PV panels only. The Generator is run directly to AC-IN. AC-OUT-1 feeds my CB panel. The generator has a choke so I have to manually start it and stop it. I’ll not be using the relays at this time. After researching I realize I had the current set to high and I’m going to change that to 20A. I’ll try reducing the current first and then turn off UPS.
Should I consider adding a digital multi control?
@BillFAK
You haven’t done too badly for someone so fresh to Victron. Be patient though, gensets can often cause grief.
You seem to have mastered changing settings in a Multiplus(?), so for your warmup time you could try mastering it’s Assistants. Try this…
This will give a 1 min delay before the ACIN relay closes and reset itself after 5 min of no ac power available. Adjust to suit.
Not sure why you would want a DMC. If it’s to change Amps In, then that can also be done via Cerbo, VRM, or even MFD app. Start low and work up.
Try to stay aware of whether the Multi is rejecting the genset, or the genset is overloading and cutting out. Both may reset and leave you wondering. A light plugged into a secondary ac port on a genset can help.
Thanks John, I was an electronic technician on low voltage electronic systems before I retired so this is kind of up my alley . I did disable UPS and set my current limit to 20A. It seemed to work this morning just fine but my batteries where at 99.6% full. I need to run them down so that I’m getting close to a full bulk charge and see how it operates with it charging and pulling about 1KW the same time. The delay with the assistant is something I will definitely look into. When its -10F its needs lots of warm up time.