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ClintonDBN

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ClintonDBN last won the day on September 1 2019

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  1. Hi, I was hoping this was something simple but I'm battling. I have the above devices. I use VRM to check my energy consumption on the Multiplus, and to access my Remote Console, however, I am wanting to connect the Smartsolar MPPT so I can see my solar PV generation remotely. At the moment I can check it using Victron Connect via Bluetooth but I'd like access to all of it remotely. I would like solar to show on these graphics. I have read about ve.direct and ve.bus but they're just confusing me. What is the cheapest way to do this? Do I need a new device or connector?
  2. Voice 003.m4a This is the sound when the fan kicks in. I was recording right next to it but the sound is still audible across the room.
  3. Hi, Can anyone comment on the expected noise from the above inverter please. I have searched online and see comments ranging from silent to some noise. The issue is many of the comments refer to grid tied and they speak of noise when inverting. I am fully off grid so always on invert. We live in a tiny house so the inverter is in the house and not tucked away in a storeroom or garage. The usual sound is a slight "hum" for want of a better description. Today, being an upper 20s hot day in Durban the dam kicked in and I could hear that noise. It was expected but I would've expected it to be more "uniform" as opposed to a "whirring" noise. My concern, however , is primarily regarding the usual noise. It doesn't bother me but I just want to make sure it is normal.
  4. Thank you. The lights and pump would be in the same place, would it be necessary to run a 1.5mm and 2.5mm or could I run one cable and have both lights and pump running off there?
  5. Any other assistance please? What's the thinnest I can get away with for my needs?
  6. Thank you, I've been checking out a few online charts and calculators but ended up just confusing myself more I started wondering whether I need to add the amps from the two lights and pumps, and then confused myself with seriew vs parallel, then I got an idea of cable size and then got caught up on ripcord vs cabtyre vs surfix (??). Then I started concerning myself with earthing... Hoped someone might just say get this size and this is what it's called Edit: I see that chart also doesn't mention actual cable sizes. I presume there is a key missing?
  7. I am running off grid. I have a separate panel, batteries and a charge controller that I want to run some 12v garden lighting and a small 12v garden pond fountain pump off. I am unsure of what cable to use between the batteries and the lights/pump. Lights - no more than 20w LEDs, probably 10w, two of them at most. Pump - 12v 12w pump. Distance - batteries to pond is about 20m one way. I have an inkling of an idea about voltage losses etc but am looking to do this the most cost effective, but obviously safe, way. What is the smallest cable size I can safely use? I will need to go across the garden so I will need to bury the cable. Will basic white 25mm conduit suffice or is there a better way?
  8. Hi, Just wanting to bounce something of you guys and gals. I currently have solar set up with 4x250w panels, a 150/85 Victron MPPT, a Cotek 2000w 48V inverter and 8x 105ah 12v batteries connected in series/parallel to give 48v banks. My Cotek inverter has been giving me issues and this is where I've been thinking. A family member has a 24v inverter. I have also been looking online and there are some good reviews for a 24v Chinese inverter. Yes, yes, I know but budget is tight and I was thinking of having it as a back up to the family member's one. This is where my layman thinking needs some wise brains to bounce this off. I realise 48v system is better in most instances as it allows for smaller cable sizes. The charge controller can also be a lower amp one. The latter is not an issue with my small system as 85amps is fine. When it comes to cables, the battery bank, inverter (whichever it ends up being) and charge controller are all within 1m of one another. The only thing that is distance are the panels with cable length of under 10m. Would I need to increase my cable sizes if I decrease voltage? What potential issues do you see if I change my battery bank to 24v from 48v? My current daily power usage is under 4kw/h. I realise I may run into issue of I want to increase panels one day. True? I have read that too many parallel banks are not suggested. I'd be looking at 4 parallels of 2x 12v batteries then connected in series. Will my battery efficiency be affected? I already run to 40% DOD so don't want to be running the batteries lower if this is somehow effected? Thanks in advance.
  9. Sorry, most of that was foreign to me But my inverter isn't the greatest, it is a Cotek SK2000 48v.
  10. Thanks. So my float is a little high at 55.2 so I'll reduce this. The issue is I can only see where to set absorption and float on the Victron connect app (as shown on the screenshot - together with equalisation which I've read mustn't be used on gel) but not bulk. You can also change max charge current but I see no bulk voltage setting.
  11. That leaves me worried whether I should be concerned! The very basic instructions that came with the batteries had me confused about what settings to use so I went with the Victron rotary switch option which included Victron gel. The settings looked about right based on my limited knowledge and a little Googling. Maybe someone can confirm or tell me exactly how wrong I am... Attached are the settings on the Victron and the battery brochure.
  12. Hi all, I understand that you cannot ascertain the state of charge of a battery by measuring voltage across the string as it'll be affected by load etc. But I have been keeping track of battery voltages shown on the Victron Connect app during the course of a day to get a general idea. Our place is tiny so more often than not the load will be similar as I'll know exactly what is on. I know there are tables online that equate voltage to SOC and there is much debate over this due to load, temperature at time of measurement etc. What I'm interested in here is the voltage that my Victron SmartSolar MPPT charge controller is showing during the course of a day. The thing of most interest is that maximum voltage of the 48v battery string during a day. Should I be concerned (or happy) about being told that the max battery voltage was over 57v? I know the voltage of fully charged battery will be higher than the given voltage but is as high as this "normal"? I was on float for over 4 hours today which I'm happy about. I'm trying not to go under 70% too often.
  13. What about this sort of thing (besides it being cheap and from China ), would that be able to give me an indication? I hear the talk re BMV but we talking R2000+ vs R200. Yes, I know I need to weigh that against replacing the batteries prematurely but I'll get there. Does one BMV monitor each 12v battery or only the whole string?
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