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Adding another Victron Phoenix 12/1200

Featured Replies

Good day

I hope that someone here can help me. I have an camping caravan with a Victron phoenix 12/1200. I would like to add another one to increase my load.

What do I need to do and how would the wire diagram look like. 

Your advise on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

Regards

Erik

8 hours ago, Deep 6 said:

Good day

I hope that someone here can help me. I have an camping caravan with a Victron phoenix 12/1200. I would like to add another one to increase my load.

What do I need to do and how would the wire diagram look like. 

Your advise on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

Regards

Erik

The wiring would be just like the 1st one. Bear in mind you cannot parallel the outputs. Thus loads will be connected to the one or the other. You can use a common battery if you wish. 2400W on a 12V system is very high.

  • Author
14 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

The wiring would be just like the 1st one. Bear in mind you cannot parallel the outputs. Thus loads will be connected to the one or the other. You can use a common battery if you wish. 2400W on a 12V system is very high.

Hi there. 

Thanks for your message. I have 2 x 12v batt and I will only use the full 2000W when the sun is up and I have solar input to the system and only for short periods.

I dont quite follow with the wiring. So my pos. and neg. wires will run from the one 12v batt to the other and from there I will then have 4 wires running to the 2x inverters. 2 x pos and 2 x neg to the inputs on the inverter. 

And you are saying that my output will then be from either one of the 2 inverters? I am not to clued up on the matter but this dont sound right to me, or am I missing something? 

13 hours ago, Deep 6 said:

Hi there. 

Thanks for your message. I have 2 x 12v batt and I will only use the full 2000W when the sun is up and I have solar input to the system and only for short periods.

I dont quite follow with the wiring. So my pos. and neg. wires will run from the one 12v batt to the other and from there I will then have 4 wires running to the 2x inverters. 2 x pos and 2 x neg to the inputs on the inverter. 

And you are saying that my output will then be from either one of the 2 inverters? I am not to clued up on the matter but this dont sound right to me, or am I missing something? 

Yes you connect the 2 batteries as mentioned. Then a red and black to each inverter. Now you can connect equipment on each inverter. You will not be able to use more than 1200W from any inverter. Remember that drawing 1200W means drawing 100A from the 2 batteries. If they are of same age one can assume each will provide 50A. This is a HUGE load and the batteries will not last if done on a regular basis. Having 2x100Ah batteries you want to try and stick to about 30A load=360W load to get a few years life out of them.

The risky period will be after sunset even if you only use 600W for hours on end.

Edited by Scorp007

  • Author
7 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

Yes you connect the 2 batteries as mentioned. Then a red and black to each inverter. Now you can connect equipment on each inverter. You will not be able to use more than 1200W from any inverter. Remember that drawing 1200W means drawing 100A from the 2 batteries. If they are of same age one can assume each will provide 50A. This is a HUGE load and the batteries will not last if done on a regular basis. Having 2x100Ah batteries you want to try and stick to about 30A load=360W load to get a few years life out of them.

The risky period will be after sunset even if you only use 600W for hours on end.

Hi there 

Thanks for your advise.  Then i dont see the point of connecting another inverter to increase my output capacity to use a appliance that use more than 1200w.

I was under the impression that if you parallel them then I can increase my output to use with heavier load items, and not more items at the same time running off the combined inverters.

12 hours ago, Deep 6 said:

Hi there 

Thanks for your advise.  Then i dont see the point of connecting another inverter to increase my output capacity to use a appliance that use more than 1200w.

I was under the impression that if you parallel them then I can increase my output to use with heavier load items, and not more items at the same time running off the combined inverters.

Yes paralling AC circuits from 2 or more sources is a specialised field as you need to synch the 2 before connection together and both must then produce power at the same frequency. Imagine the task before Eskom can connect any genny with the grid. Not that it takes them a very long time but checks to do it is needed. The same when a power line trips. It must come back only after being synchronised.

  • Author
On 2022/06/07 at 5:25 PM, Scorp007 said:

Yes paralling AC circuits from 2 or more sources is a specialised field as you need to synch the 2 before connection together and both must then produce power at the same frequency. Imagine the task before Eskom can connect any genny with the grid. Not that it takes them a very long time but checks to do it is needed. The same when a power line trips. It must come back only after being synchronised.

Ok thanks. So it is possible then. I will then try and find someone that can help me synchronize the 2 inverters then. Thanks for your advice. Much appreciated.

7 hours ago, Deep 6 said:

Ok thanks. So it is possible then. I will then try and find someone that can help me synchronize the 2 inverters then. Thanks for your advice. Much appreciated.

Not something you can do only externally. You need circuitry inside each inverter to do frequency adjustment to keep both at the same. Even if you connect the 2 together the moment they both cross the zero point of the sinus wave and 1 runs at 49.9Hz and the other at 50.1Hz it does not take long for the 2 sources to be out of synch.

Not something I would even try. Rather sell the 2 and buy a 2kw inverter.

Edited by Scorp007

  • Author
18 hours ago, Scorp007 said:

Not something you can do only externally. You need circuitry inside each inverter to do frequency adjustment to keep both at the same. Even if you connect the 2 together the moment they both cross the zero point of the sinus wave and 1 runs at 49.9Hz and the other at 50.1Hz it does not take long for the 2 sources to be out of synch.

Not something I would even try. Rather sell the 2 and buy a 2kw inverter.

Aaa ok. I understand. I thought that is was common practice to parallel the 2. Just out of curiosity. When they parallel 2 x say 4kw inverters to reach 8. Can you for instance pull a single load of 8kw or are you limited to 4 kw per inverter? 

In other words will the same sinario apply to bigger inverters. 

On 2022/06/05 at 7:02 AM, Deep 6 said:

Good day

I hope that someone here can help me. I have an camping caravan with a Victron phoenix 12/1200. I would like to add another one to increase my load.

What do I need to do and how would the wire diagram look like. 

Your advise on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

Regards

Erik

You can parallel up to 6 of these units as long as they are the same version.

Go to the Victron community forum and you will get all the info required. e.g. Connecting 2 x Phoenix 12/1200 inverters in parallel - Victron Community (victronenergy.com)

https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/72350/connecting-2-x-phoenix-121200-inverters-in-paralle.htmlhttps://vimeo.com/372986305/ada74b3601#t=1135s

1 minute ago, GVC said:

Thanks for the links.  I was under the impression only the Multiplus and the other larger models can be run in parallel.

This is great to know.

5 minutes ago, GVC said:

Yes, I was not too sure either and checked on the Victron forum.

Great to see Victron updating the firmware to even be able to use 3 in a 3 phase configuration. Victron is just so good at expanding on all their gadgets.

  • Author
57 minutes ago, GVC said:

Thanks for the link. Great news. Much appreciated 

  • Moderator2 changed the title to Adding another Victron Phoenix 12/1200

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