So due to Victron Inverters not being UL Listed for grid connections here in the US I ended up using a Sol-Ark 15k for my whole house solar battery backup system. However I am using the Victron Lynx power in, shunt, and distributors to move energy between the batteries and the Sol-Ark so I can monitor the system through a GX device (I haven’t decided on which one yet).
One thing I just learned in this project is that the Sol-Ark cannot accept a generator input on it’s GEN port if it’s AC-coupled to micro-inverters on the LOAD port. Since my solar is all micro-inverter based that means that I cannot connect a generator to my Sol-Ark.
Because of this I purchased some EG4 “Chargeverters” which can charge a 48v battery with 100 amps. I plan to run 4 of these in parallel for a total charge current of 400 amps from a 24kW generator.
So the problem I’m trying to solve now is: How can I track how much energy is being delivered from the generator chargers? If I just wire these chargeverters into the power distributors there will be no way to differentiate charging current that comes from the generator powered chargerverters vs current that comes from the Sol-Ark. I’m wondering if I can put a second Lynx Shunt (Or any shunt) between the main distributor and the distributor that the chargeverters are connected to. But I think the GX devices would all see that as a 2nd battery correct?
Or is there an easier solution here that I’m overlooking? I just want to be able to easily track how much energy is being delivered from my generator input.
The Victron SmartShunt or BMV-712 battery monitors can be used as DC Energy meters and they connect to a GX device via VE Direct cables. The SmartShunt is cheaper as you probably do not need the separate display on the BMV-712.
Have a look in the SmartShunt manual, it has a section on DC Energy Meter function.
Thanks! I will check this out, but this looks like exactly what I need. Does the Lynx shunt not offer the same “DC Energy meter” function as the other shunts? Because it would be a lot easier cabling wise to just add one of those in between the main distributor and the distributor where I connect the 4 chargeverters.
I’m not sure this is feasible in my case. The reason I have micro-inverters is because my solar is spread out across four separate buildings on my property which are hundreds of feet apart. The solar inverters are connected to the subpanels of the respective building they are attached to. So I would need to install relays on all four buildings and they would need to be wireless controlled relays that I can control from hundreds of feet away. In addition to that, the Sol-Ark has a config option for “AC Couple on Load Port” which would also need to be disabled before it will allow a generator to be connected to the generator port. That’s a lot of moving parts to manage before hooking up the generator. Then on top of that I lose whatever solar might be produced while I’m running the generator. Granted I wouldn’t be running the generator on a bright sunny day but I would probably not be out running the generator in total darkness either.
You already have the EG4 chargers, just add another shunt that has been mentioned.
Thanks! I will check this out, but this looks like exactly what I need. Does the Lynx shunt not offer the same “DC Energy meter” function as the other shunts? Because it would be a lot easier cabling wise to just add one of those in between the main distributor and the distributor where I connect the 4 chargeverters.
The lynx shunt has charge and discharge sides if you get is correct you will see something but if you want just AC charger then you will need a sperate shunt. They are cheap as chips and a bus terminal.