Matthys

Thank you again. I ordered my usb cable. Kind regards

Thank you @plonkster. It sounds a lot easier to go and buy the cable... By the way - I just found the document from where I made my conclusions: "ESS: design and configuration Manual": I know I read it somewhere.. See 4.2.2. According to that my system should work. But they are not specifically saying BlueSolar MPPT chargers!? Maybe I am reading it wrong. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.2 Multi/Quattro and ESS Assistant Settings to be made in VEConfigure: Grid tab: configure the country code. A password is required: ask your supplier. More information in VEConfigure: grid codes & loss of mains detection. Note: If you leave this setting as 'None', the system will not supply battery energy to support local AC loads when the grid is connected. You do need to change this setting even if it is your intention not to export DC energy to the grid. Add the ESS Assistant. Instructions on how to add an Assistant here. General tab: the ESS Assistant will have enabled the built-battery monitor. Leave that enabled (!). Also when there is a BMV or intelligent canbus-connected battery in the system. Charger tab: the ESS Assistant will have already selected the proper battery type, as well as disabled the Storage mode. Verify and where necessary change the rest of the settings: charge voltages & maximum charge current. Note that, for systems with the ESS Assistant installed, the MPPT Solar Chargers will follow the charge curve as set in VEConfigure. The charge parameters configured in the MPPT Solar Chargers are ignored in an ESS setup. Configure all the other settings. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Here is my VEConfig settings of the Multiplus: I deliberately choose a simple battery without a BMS to do the testing TAB: General System frequency 50Hz Shore current 32.0 A Overruled by remote unchecked Dynamic current limiter unchecked External current sensor connected (see manual) unchecked State of charge when Bulk finished 95.0 % Battery capacity 150 Ah Charge efficiency 0.95 TAB: Grid Country / grid code standard South Africa: NRS 097-2-1:2017 LOM detection AC input 1 Type B (grid code compliant) TAB: NRS097 grid code settings Power ramp time 600 seconds TAB: Inverter PowerAssist unchecked Inverter output voltage 230 V Inverter DC shut-down voltage 44.00 V Inverter DC restart voltage 48.00 V Low DC alarm level 48.00 V Do not restart after short-circuit (VDE 4105-2 safety) unchecked enable AES checked Load for starting AES mode 69 W Offset for ending AES mode 46 W AES type modified sine wave TAB: Charger Enable charger checked Weak AC input unchecked Stop after excessive bulk unchecked Lithium batteries unchecked Storage mode unchecked Use equalization (tubular plate traction battery curve) unchecked Charge curve Fixed Absorption voltage 53.00 V Float voltage 51.50 V Charge current 32 A Repeated absorption time 0.50 Hr Repeated absorption interval 1.00 Days Absorption time 1 Hr TAB: Virtual switch TAB: Usage Virtual switch usage Do not use VS TAB: Assistants TAB: Assistant Configuration ESS (Energy Storage System) (size:895) *) System uses Gel or AGM batteries *) The battery capacity of the system is 150 Ah. *) Sustain voltage during the first 24 hours of sustain 46.00 V. Sustain voltage after 24 hours 50.00 V. *) Cut off voltage for a discharge current of: 0.005 C= 46.00 V 0.25 C= 45.70 V 0.7 C= 45.50 V 2 C= 44.80 V *) Inverting is allowed again when voltage rises 1.20 V above cut-off(0). *) Relevant VEConfigure settings: - Battery capacity 150 Ah. - PowerAssist unchecked - Lithium batteries unchecked - Dynamic current limiter unchecked - Storage mode unchecked Total size of all assistants including the required (hidden) system assistants is: 954 __________________________________________________ Thanx

I am in Pretoria. I think you are in the Cape somewhere. The cable is available at Re-volt in Centurion. That may be a bit easier. Or am I wrong? Thank you.

Thank you TTT! yes, the VE.direct to USB will be a better choice. (A lot cheaper!) Have you ever tried to change the bulk or absorption voltage to some other than the standard +-57V in the MPPT? And, you are not aware of a setting to change the MPPT's voltage settings with the Venus? The Multiplus's charger seems to work ok by using the setting as configured in itself by VEconfig. So, I may have to buy another cable! Thanx again.

Hi, I installed my system, and you advice on this forum was very helpful. (Victron grid tied setup from scratch) But I do have a problem with the battery charging voltage. It seems as if the battery's inbuild BMS, the Multiplus and the MPPT are working against each other. The battery relays seems to open as the voltage is going over 57V and the system doesn't like that. (The BMS is not connected to anything.) My setup is as follows: Multiplus 48/3000/32, Firmware 2628 459 Venus GX, Firmware v2.23 Bluesolar MPPT 150/60, Firmware 0xA04E v1.16 6 x 330 watt panels and 2 used Huawei ESM 4800A1 batteries. My problem is that although the charger in the Multiplus is configured for a max of 54V the solar charger keeps going to 57V. My understanding was that the ESS would have controlled the MPPT charger' voltage. (The MPPT manual states "use VE.direct to VE.direct cable to connect to … Venus GX" Or is that only for monitoring?) There is a setting on the remote console: settings->system setup, "Solar charger voltage control" but it is "off" and I don't seem to be able to change it. Do I need (another!) cable (VE.direct to Bluetooth) to configure the MPPT on its own? Or am I missing a setting in the Venus GX and/or Multiplus? Your help will really be appreciated. Thys NS: is there a way to export the Venus GX settings? That will be helpful with a question like this.

Point taken. Thank you.

My panel installer, with all his experience, said not a chance in Cape Town for the 350w. HOWEVER, it is best to be cautions. To run the larger 350w and the newer 400w (and even bigger ones coming) two in series - or go 250v MPPT if you must have higher volts. Am pretty sure one of these years you will have very large panels and by fitting two in series they will be a perfect match for the 150v concrete ceiling of the Victron controllers. But lets not deviate. This is a very very good exercise to show the importance of the Temp. Coefficient and the effect of that on MPPT's and warranties. Thank you for a very informative thread. In following the discussion on 2 panels in series or 3 in series for a 150V MPPT charger I notice that nowhere was the irradiance on the panel mentioned with low temperatures. Canadian spec: 1: Electrical Data | STC* CS6U 320P 325P 330P 335P Nominal Max. Power (Pmax) 320 W 325 W 330 W 335 W Opt. Operating Voltage (Vmp) 36.8 V 37.0 V 37.2 V 37.4 V Opt. Operating Current (Imp) 8.69 A 8.78 A 8.88 A 8.96 A Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) 45.3 V 45.5 V 45.6 V 45.8 V Short Circuit Current (Isc) 9.26 A 9.34 A 9.45 A 9.54 A Module Efficiency 16.46% 16.72% 16.97% 17.23% Operating Temperature -40°C ~ +85°C Max. System Voltage 1000 V (IEC) or 1000 V (UL) Module Fire Performance TYPE 1 (UL 1703) or CLASS C (IEC 61730) Max. Series Fuse Rating 15 A Application Classification Class A Power Tolerance 0 ~ + 5 W * Under Standard Test Conditions (STC) of irradiance of 1000 W/m2, spectrum AM 1.5 and cell temperature of 25°C. But the rest (which isn't mentioned): Electrical Data | NMot* CS6U 320P 325P 330P 335P Nominal Max. Power (Pmax) 235 W 239 W 242 W 246 W Opt. Operating Voltage (Vmp) 33.9 V 34.0 V 34.2 V 34.4 V Opt. Operating Current (Imp) 6.94 A 7.01 A 7.08 A 7.15 A Open Circuit Voltage (Voc) 42.2 V 42.4 V 42.5 V 42.6 V Short Circuit Current (Isc) 7.48 A 7.54 A 7.63 A 7.70 A * Under Nominal Module Operating Temperature (NMOT), irradiance of 800 W/m2, spectrum AM 1.5, ambient temperature 20°C, wind speed 1 m/s. You will notice that the Voc is lower for 800W/m^2 than for 1000W/m^2. (That makes sense because as the irradiance becomes lower the Voc will drop. To take it further: Panels installed (static) somewhere in the Kalahari at an angle of 25 degrees. Early morning it is not strange to measure -8degrees on a cold night. But the angle of the sun at 9 o'clock will be about 60 degrees. Thus the true irradiance on the panel will be 1000W/m^2(very optimistic) * cos 60 = 500W/m^2. My calculation (with 'n straight line calculated from STC and NMOT) is that the Voc will be about 37.8V at 25 C. At -8 C it will be 37.8 + 3.87 = 41.7V. With 3 panels you will still have a margin of 25V. The coldest I personally experienced in the Kalahari was 10 C at midday on a cloudless day. So the real question is: What is the real irradiance on the panel at the minimum temperature? So I do not see in problem to strung 3 panels in series. Hope I made sense. Did I miss something?

Thank you Triplett. Sorry for my lack of understanding. Thus to make ESS (An Energy Storage System is a specific type of power system that integrates a power grid connection with a Victron Inverter/Charger, Venus-device and battery system. It stores solar energy into your battery during the day, for use later on when the sun stops shining) working, the VenusGX has to dynamically manage the Multiplus ii. Am I correct?

Dear all, thank you for this very informative thread. One question please: Is the Venus GX an absolute necessity in the proposed Victron setup? (Grid tide but not necessarily feeding power back into the grid.) If I am willing to forgo the monitoring, what do I need to do the system (Multiplus 2 and MTTP 150/60) setup? Will be appreciated.