Using V2L with Multiplus II

DIY
, ,
1

I am exploring the best cheaps way to integrate my EV’s Vehicle-to-Load (V2L, 230V AC / 3.6 kW) into my current Victron installation.

SOrry for the length and questions, I did a my research (and couldnt find it all) before asking here :blush:

Here is my setup:

Inverter/Charger: MultiPlus II 5kVA, single-phase, 40A grid connection

Battery: BasenGreen 51.2V 230Ah (≈11.7 kWh) LiFePO4, connected via DVCC and running in ESS mode

PV:

3760 Wp south-facing via Growatt 3600MTL

2600 Wp west-facing via Victron SmartSolar MPPT

Loads: Typical household loads + Peblar Business EVSE (11 kW, metered by ET112)

Meters: Grid meter via clamp, PV meter via ET112

Goal:
Use the EV’s V2L output as an additional AC source to support my house and/or charge my battery when the car is at home, while still maintaining normal ESS operation.

Options I am considering:

  1. Automatic transfer switch on AC-IN

Switch MultiPlus AC input between the grid and the car’s V2L output.

Question: if I do this, I’d need to disable grid feed-in but also adapt ESS grid code settings to avoid backfeeding into the EV?

Can I automate this in NoteRed?

  1. 230V → 48V charger connected to the battery

Using the car’s V2L output to power an external 48V LiFePO4 charger that feeds directly into the battery.

Question: Can such an external charger safely work in parallel with the MultiPlus II and the Victron MPPT on the same battery at the same time (all charging the same DC bus)?

Any recommendations on charger type/brands that integrate well?

  1. Quattro with generator input

This would seem ideal (V2L as “generator”), but unfortunately Quattro is not certified for use in Belgium, so I cannot use it.

My questions:

What is the best cheap but robust and Victron-compliant way to make use of the V2L capacity in this type of ESS setup?

For the AC-IN + transfer switch method: are there specific configuration pitfalls to avoid (ESS, grid feed-in, anti-islanding)?

For the 48V AC-charger method: is it common practice to run an external charger in parallel with MPPT + MultiPlus, and if so, any guidelines?

Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

2

This would be the easy option but you can ‘t change the grid code with Node Red.
If the Growatt is managed by the GX, you could try creating something with Node Red to turn off ‘grid’ injection if you’re running off your car - but that remains tricky and dangerous.

As long as you keep the charge voltage below the Float voltage of your batteries, this should be safe.
A Victron managed charger would be perfect. The fully integrated ones go by the name ‘Multiplus’ - but I think it’s not the goal to add one of those just to be a charger.

The Quattro-II is certified for use in Belgium !

3

Thanks Bart,

Looking at the price of a Quattro II it is almost double that of my Multiplus, that is overkill my intended use.

The switch would work yet as I can’t change the settings it would be dangerous I suppose. Also would need it to be validated to the AREI standards as it would change my electric setup.

So I bought a 48V 20A battery charger (with 54.6V charge (=float) iso 58.8V most do) so approximately 1000Watts (for about 120euros that is decent)
This should then allow the Multiplus to remain in charge. And although less power it is the most secure way I see right now.
And being a DC battery charger this does not require an AREI validation in Belgium.

I’ve tested it once and it works, the overview shows that the battery then changes to ‘charging’ if the AC consumption is lower than 1000.

4

I agree, the best way to utilise V2L is to use a separate charger like you have got. Prevents all the issues around grounding, neutral earth bonding and compliance issues. Plus it’s controllable and eliminates problems like potential overloading on the vehicles V2L output.

See my other post PowerHub Outdoor 3-Phase Off-Grid House System with EV V2L feature (UK)

In this setup we used a MPII as a dedicated charger fed through an isolation transformer. Of course this is much more expensive setup.

In your setup you could add in a low cost smart shunt configured as a AC Charger which will be displayed separately as another input source. Benefit of this is not just the visualisation, but the charge current is taking into consideration on the battery DVCC control when operating in ESS mode.

5

This topic was automatically closed 14 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.