Has anyone implemented or have experience of installing a Multiplus ESS Setup in UK/EU on a 230V/460V split phase grid supply arrangement, 3 wire 2 phase, where phases are 180degree apart.
Is it possible to have an arrangement with single battery bank and a Multiplus II on each phase operating with ESS assistant.
Grid Parallel operation only G99 & G100 export limitation will be enabled. Backup or Island mode not essential.
Have a remote rural site with this type of grid supply and would like to install solar PV, wind and battery storage, however keen on a single system solution with single monitoring and management as opposed to implementing two typical single phase setups that would be standalone, so generation can be accessed from on either phase on demand.
I see in there is a configuration option for split phase 180Degrees in the VEConfigure, however questioning is this designed only for the US 115/230V? And wondering will it work with 230V Multiplus models?
As far as I’m aware, the UK or the EU does NOT operate a split phase 180 degree system, there are 3 phases that are 120 degrees separated. This gives phase to neutral of 235V and phase to phase of 401V. 460V is NOT used.
If you need to implement 2 inverters as a single system, then you can either parallel them, or install them as 2 legs of a 3 phase system. The 180 option is purely intended for the US market.
Its an older type system that was implemented long ago in rural parts of the UK, however still used in some places where higher power is needed where single phase is inadequate and 3-phase not available.
Getting an upgrade to 3-phase in these areas won’t happen anytime soon as the entire overhead HV transmission lines to include the 3rd wire needed for 3-phase would need placed costing £Ms, plus replacement of all the transformers etc.
Site has its own dedicated 50KVA split phase transformer off what I gather is off a 11kV HV line, with 2 live wires and shared neutral to the incomer and polyphase utility meter. 2 x 100A fuses are fitted.
Measuring across the two lives L1 and L2 with a meter typically reads about 485Vac, with each single phase to neutral being around 240V.
I have exactly the same situation to address. As you say 240/480 split phase is common in rural areas, it’s combined with single phase 11kV so changing it is prohibitively expensive.
Coming to you from rural Western Australia and wanted to ask the same question as we are in a similar situation, we also have 240/480v Split phase and would love to hear further from you guys if you manage to get anywhere with this.
Have setup 2 x 230V MPIIs and configured as 180Deg, which programmed successfully and result is 460V Phase-Phase is created in island /off-grid operation which works perfectly.
Haven’t tested connecting to grid as don’t have split phase supply, and also further testing needed to see how it would work in ESS mode, grid parallel with identifying what energy meters etc to use.
However a good indication that a result can be achieved.
Did any of you gents get this to work in 180 degree 230v as a grid connected ESS? I’ve just come across the same type of connection (at least I think I have - not metered phase to phase yet, there is a posibility it could be 2 X 230V phases at 120 degrees.)
I have the same questions - can I get two multiplus units on the same battery and GX to grid syncronise and what are my energy meter options?
I haven’t done anything further yet on this with Victron so unsure on the best metering arrangement.
I would suspect using 2 x Multiplus II inverters with CTs directly connected to each inverter separately should work in theory and be the simplest method?
100A CTs are available and it’s rare to have a split phase larger than this. Just means system needs to be kept relatively close to the grid supply location.
In terms of using separate RS485 Energy meters only way I can see it could be done would be to install 2 X separate 230V meters, either direct connect or CT Type, address them as separate modbus IDs and connect them to a device e.g. raspberry Pi that could be programmed to read the data, collate the data and broadcast the data to the GX, effectively emulating a single polyphase Grid meter, E.g a Carlo EM530 or EM540 protocol. A bit of hardware and software required.
I am looking a split phase grid connected project at present, however have decided to use another Vendor equipment as Victron isn’t best suited for it.
Ok, I sit corrected, I was not previously aware that this was done in the UK (and other places).
I don’t see why the ESS system should not work on split phase systems - these are common in the US.
On the subject of Rural wiring, I once worked on a distribution system that used a single HV wire to distribute power - 13.5kV SWER system, uses the ground as the return.
