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How to Add the Victron ESS Assistant

SteveBrown said:
I'm trying to add the ESS Assistant in the Victron configuration tool. It requires a Grid-Code which is not available for North America.
Click to expand...
First things first: I wouldn’t bother with Victron ESS in the United States, too complicated and unapproved.
I like @Adam De Lay approach better, it is more direct.

But since you asked:

You need to signup with professional.victronenergy.com, watch a video, and get the password. Or google cleverly.
For North America, choose Other grid code (not None).
Your ESS will not pass inspections anywhere in the USA, as far as I know (others, please give an opinion).

I’ve been running ESS experimentally from the beginning, and I like the feature set it provides as well.
I select LOM B compliant. I‘ve never seen any power backfed when the inverter is engaged (e.g. during a power outage, or the dozens of times i’ve tested my main panel breaker). So it clearly detects loss of mains properly.

No matter what you do, there will always be the potential for short bursts of power back to the grid, usually when inductive loads are turned off.
The inverters just can’t react fast enough.

One way I minimize this is by using an EM530 grid meter which runs at 10Hz (faster updating), and CTs in my Main panel.
The point of these is to carefully measure how much power goes in and out over the two legs.
Note that measuring L1 at -500W and L2 at 600W is ok, because net 100W is coming in.

I’ve got the old spinning wheel meter, when I push back to the grid, its starts to go backward and then ratchets to a stop.
That’s an old meter. A newer one will detect the power going back to the grid, and probably notify the POCO.

This conversation is of course a whole set of threads on this site, definitely read through them.
 
Last edited:
ricardocello said:
First things first: I wouldn’t bother with Victron ESS in the United States, too complicated and unapproved.
I like @Adam De Lay approach better, it is more direct.

But since you asked:

You need to signup with professional.victronenergy.com, watch a video, and get the password. Or google cleverly.
For North America, choose Other grid code (not None).
Your ESS will not pass inspections anywhere in the USA, as far as I know (others, please give an opinion).

I’ve been running ESS experimentally from the beginning, and I like the feature set it provides as well.
I select LOM B compliant. I‘ve never seen any power backfed when the inverter is engaged (e.g. during a power outage, or the dozens of times i’ve tested my main panel breaker). So it clearly detects loss of mains properly.

No matter what you do, there will always be the potential for short bursts of power back to the grid, usually when inductive loads are turned off.
The inverters just can’t react fast enough.

One way I minimize this is by using an EM530 grid meter which runs at 10Hz (faster updating), and CTs in my Main panel.
The point of these is to carefully measure how much power goes in and out over the two legs.
Note that measuring L1 at -500W and L2 at 600W is ok, because net 100W is coming in.

I’ve got the old spinning wheel meter, when I push back to the grid, its starts to go backward and then ratchets to a stop.
That’s an old meter. A newer one will detect the power going back to the grid, and probably notify the POCO.

This conversation is of course a whole set of threads on this site, definitely read through them.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for this information. This is what I've been needing to hear. I really appreciate your reply.
 
ricsun said:
Thx Adam, you have a beautiful setup there... I'm ashamed to post any pictures of mine... but it works! ;)
Click to expand...
Thanks! That’s the most important thing right? That it works…well I guess not burning things down is important too…?
 
ricardocello said:
First things first: I wouldn’t bother with Victron ESS in the United States, too complicated and unapproved.
...
Your ESS will not pass inspections anywhere in the USA, as far as I know (others, please give an opinion).
Click to expand...
Thanks ricardocello for stating this out right and clearly. This is a conclusion that I have been arriving at indirectly on my own. I have a small 1.2kw split phase system with a pair of 48/3000/35 Multiplus 2 inverters running systems in my greenhouse. I want to expand to services in the house, but it's not clear to me what the best model is at this point. I wonder if Victron will be tweaking their devices to accommodate US grid regulations?
 
portsample said:
Thanks ricardocello for stating this out right and clearly. This is a conclusion that I have been arriving at indirectly on my own. I have a small 1.2kw split phase system with a pair of 48/3000/35 Multiplus 2 inverters running systems in my greenhouse. I want to expand to services in the house, but it's not clear to me what the best model is at this point. I wonder if Victron will be tweaking their devices to accommodate US grid regulations?
Click to expand...
The USA home market simply hasn’t been Victron’s priority, and that is their choice.
Which is strange, because the regulatory environment in the UK, Europe, and Australia seems much more complicated to me.
Look a the constant firmware twiddling they do to meet updated Grid Code rules.

The RV and boating markets must give them plenty of USA revenue (but no ESS allowed their either).
I was hoping my direct statement would have prompted some response from US Victron resellers.

The Victron technology is great, but the only ESS customers in the US are those who do not care about inspections, have no AHJ, and/or have a PoCo stuck in the dark ages who cannot detect the momentary grid pushback.
 
ricardocello said:
The USA home market simply hasn’t been Victron’s priority, and that is their choice.
Which is strange, because the regulatory environment in the UK, Europe, and Australia seems much more complicated to me.
Look a the constant firmware twiddling they do to meet updated Grid Code rules.

The RV and boating markets must give them plenty of USA revenue (but no ESS allowed their either).
I was hoping my direct statement would have prompted some response from US Victron resellers.

The Victron technology is great, but the only ESS customers in the US are those who do not care about inspections, have no AHJ, and/or have a PoCo stuck in the dark ages who cannot detect the momentary grid pushback.
Click to expand...
Assuming that grid code specifics could be worked out, what would be the point of failure where a power company would disapprove of a Victron based system with MPPTs, a Multiplus, and a VM-3P75CT meter etc? Is there an actual Victron hardware deficiency or incompatability? Is it a regulatory problem? Political pressure from US inverter manufacturers?
 
ricardocello said:
The USA home market simply hasn’t been Victron’s priority, and that is their choice.
Click to expand...

Agree. Though... they are nearing completion of UL1741 for the Quattro 48/10kVA - not ESS, but possibly indicating a shift in market focus.

ricardocello said:
Which is strange, because the regulatory environment in the UK, Europe, and Australia seems much more complicated to me.
Click to expand...

But it's what they know, and the EU power grid can be absolute nuts with highly variable rates spanning a single 24 hour period, and their average $/kWh is notably higher than the U.S.

ricardocello said:
Look a the constant firmware twiddling they do to meet updated Grid Code rules.
Click to expand...

IMHO, it seems more like they do it when the rules change - not as an ongoing necessity, but they may need a few iterations to get it right.
 
portsample said:
Assuming that grid code specifics could be worked out, what would be the point of failure where a power company would disapprove of a Victron based system with MPPTs, a Multiplus, and a VM-3P75CT meter etc? Is there an actual Victron hardware deficiency or incompatability? Is it a regulatory problem?
Click to expand...
Regulatory problem.
Probably difficult for them to get UL9540 and UL9540A, which are likely easier to implement and test in All-In-Ones like the EG4 18kPV and SolArk.
Our California forum-members are more familiar with the difficulties than I am.

The modular Victron approach has lots of configuration possibilities, how would you test them all?

portsample said:
Political pressure from US inverter manufacturers?
Click to expand...
Lots of jokes popped into my head on this one, but no, I don't think they have that kind of clout.
 
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