Question on Configuring Victron MultiPlus 2 for Priority Consumption from Battery and Solar Panels

DIY
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Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice on how to configure the Victron MultiPlus 2 inverter. Specifically, I want to prioritize electricity consumption from the battery and solar panels. However, if the maximum power output of the inverter is reached, I’d like it to supplement the missing energy from the grid.

Has anyone successfully set up this kind of configuration? If so, could you share the steps or settings required to achieve this? Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

2

Without ESS, only way, use ignore AC input and VS function. And it cant supplement missing power from grid, it drop full load to grid until power is below inverter limit. I use this setup for long time, no problem.

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I have ESS installed, and for me, it is a priority that the inverter can supplement power from the grid when it reaches its maximum limit, rather than shifting the full load to the grid. This functionality is essential for my setup. Is there a way to achieve this with ESS enabled?

4

I found it! Just set the maximum inverter power on ESS and the grid input to 0 watts. When the inverter reaches its maximum power, it will start drawing from the grid to compensate.

5

Do you have an energy meter to measure the grid? This happen natively with ESS installed. It uses the battery and solar until low battery voltage shutoff or min SOC unless the grid fails.

6

I use the internal meter of the MultiPlus, all the loads are connected to the output of the inverter.

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7

This is very interesting. I’m in a van and don’t have ESS installed as I don’t think its relevant (might be wrong). The solution I’m looking for us to prioritise battery (inc inverter) until the battery reaches x%, and then enable shore power to charge and supply mains. But also with the ability to automatically “top up” when I go above the inverters wattage limits.

Is that what you’ve done?

8

So just had a little play using a config file (for safety!). And forgive me as I’m relatively new to this!

ESS Set-up:

Battery system - They are 3rd party (TBEnergy) monitored with a SmartShunt. So would it be:
“System uses LifePo4 with other type BMS” ?? Or “VE Bus BMS” ??

Capacity 450Ah (3x150ah batteries)

Sustain Voltage 12.5v (unchanged)

Dynamic cut-off (unchanged).

Restart offset (unchanged).

PV Inverters - “No”. I only have solar through a couple of MPPT’s so I assume that is the right answer?

Questions I have:

How to I configure to stop using AC until it needs to due to low battery but also to “top up” over and above the Mutliplus wattage?
I’ve had to select a “Grid” but obviously I won’t be sending power back to the grid. I’ve currently just selected a random UK Grid. Do I need to change anything for this to operate correctly ?

9

I’m throwing my comments for you in-line with your post, with the disclaimer that we’re doing a bit of a thought experiment.

One overarching comment here - ESS isn’t intended for use in a mobile application. Once it’s activated, you’re running in parallel with whatever power source is on the AC-in of your inverter, if it’s active. There is no way to prevent feedback to that source, even in small amounts as loads (especially larger ones) turn off. The inverter needs time to compensate for changes in demand. Another issue with ESS and mobile scenario is your shore outlet/plug can still be hot for a short period of time, even after disconnecting the power source because it’s essentially bi-directional until the inverter sees you’re no longer connected to an active source.

I’d strongly urge you not to use ESS for what you’re discussing. There are other options available that are safe and suited for mobile applications.

First is wind/solar priority. This may or may not be what you want - if you have AC-in active, the system will use that to run your loads only, it will only charge your batteries from solar. There are set points for triggering charging or initiating it manually from grid/shore.

The other option - which you could use in combination - is to set up ignoring the AC input. There’s some tradeoffs here, and a lot of different ways to configure it, so I’d suggest searching / reading docs on it.

This isn’t the most ‘automatic’ way of doing it, but for my systems (I have a mobile and fixed install in my house) I just use VRM or the Cerbo screen to switch into inverter only mode. My home system uses a very simple Node Red flow to turn on AC-in based on time (I can supplement charging if I need to when energy is cheap).

Please read up on this further and understand the implications.