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Victron Inverter cuts out at 9.3v low shut down??

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Gavla

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Jul 12, 2022
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I have a 12v 1200w Victron inverter on a 110ah battery. When I plug an appliance in the battery falls rapidly to 9.3v and the low power shut down kicks and the unit shuts down which has appreciate is supposed to happen. I’ve had the cables checked and have been told that they are the correct gauge and the distance from the battery is vary small.

I think it’s a lead acid battery which I have been told are not the best. The battery is about 2 years old and has been well used. I have tried using the inverter with everything else turned off but I get the same results.

The only thing I can think of it’s the battery is getting old or it’s just isn’t up to the job. Other than this I’m clueless? If this is the case can someone tell me which battery/s I need to get and if more than one weather I should wire them in series or parallel?
 
The inverter is doing exactly what it is designed to do. The minimum input for most if not all Victron inverters is 9.5 volts. So if your battery is not providing at least (at the very MINIMUM) 9.5 volts, you cannot expect the Victron inverter to work. Get a better battery.
 
What is the amp draw on the appliance you are plugging in? Remember if you are going from 12V at the battery to 120V at the appliance the battery has to supply 10 times as much current as the appliance draws. Since the inverter can pull over 100 amps your batteries should be at least 200Ah or larger. LiFePO4 batteries can deliver higher current without as much voltage drop compared to lead acid.
 
Dave (Boog) said:
The inverter is doing exactly what it is designed to do. The minimum input for most if not all Victron inverters is 9.5 volts. So if your battery is not providing at least (at the very MINIMUM) 9.5 volts, you cannot expect the Victron inverter to work. Get a better battery.
Click to expand...
That’s great thanks for getting back to me. Can you suggest a suitable battery? The reply below suggests LiFePO4 si I’ll start looking at those for a starter
 
Thanks BentleyJ. I’ve had a look at the amp draw that I’m asking the battery to supply but as Dave (Boog) is saying I quite simply need to get a better battery I think ?
 
If considering a lithium battery you need to ensure,
1) that it can deliver 100 amps continous,
2) it has enough Ah capacity to run your loads for the time needed..
3) you have suitable chargers to recharge the battery .

If replacing with lead acid batteries you will need a capacity of at least 200 Ah if you are running the inverter near maximum power.

It would be useful to know the load In watts and type of appliances connected to the inverter , how long and how often . Details on your charging system would also be useful to help the discussion.

Mike
 
Gavla said:
That’s great thanks for getting back to me. Can you suggest a suitable battery? The reply below suggests LiFePO4 si I’ll start looking at those for a starter
Click to expand...
I think Bentley had the best suggestion. You need to know how much wattage your appliance(s) you’re running will be expected to draw. Once you know that you can decide on a battery size to fit.
Many people use LifePo4 batteries for many reasons including safety, but they’re not not the answer for every situation.
Do a search in the forums on batteries and I think you’ll find a solution.
 
Dave (Boog) said:
I think Bentley had the best suggestion. You need to know how much wattage your appliance(s) you’re running will be expected to draw. Once you know that you can decide on a battery size to fit.
Many people use LifePo4 batteries for many reasons including safety, but they’re not not the answer for every situation.
Do a search in the forums on batteries and I think you’ll find a solution.
Click to expand...
Thanks for getting back again, I’ll have a read then make an informed decision with the wattage draw of the appliances in mind
 
mikefitz said:
If considering a lithium battery you need to ensure,
1) that it can deliver 100 amps continous,
2) it has enough Ah capacity to run your loads for the time needed..
3) you have suitable chargers to recharge the battery .

If replacing with lead acid batteries you will need a capacity of at least 200 Ah if you are running the inverter near maximum power.

It would be useful to know the load In watts and type of appliances connected to the inverter , how long and how often . Details on your charging system would also be useful to help the discussion.

Mike
Click to expand...
Thanks Mike,
Not sure if this is what you mean? Charging devices are as below:

CBE electronic battery charger CB-516.
150w Solar panel with Victron Mppt 75/15
The battery would supply the below through the inverter but only any one of them at any given time.

Small fridge 56w for about 4 hours a day.
1000w kettle maybe a 4 times a day
700w hair dryer (wife)
Small 700w coffee machine. (Wife) twice a day.

The battery would also supply a small fridge (3.6a/1.8a, 42w) constantly but not through the inverter and six small led lights. These items would be through the original 12v set up… the inverter and solar is an addition to the original.

This all makes sense in my head I hope it does to you. I really appreciate everyone helping out with this stuff. My kids make fun of me all the time as I’m so clueless with electrics.
 
Your inverter is rated at 1000 watts continious, so will power your loads.
It will be taking almost 100 amps from the battery and although this will be 10s of minutes the battery capacity needs to be adequate.
Battery lithium, min 100 Ah, suggested 200Ah.
Battery lead acid, min 200Ah, suggested 300Ah
These will power the inverter but not perhaps be able to power your loads for more than a day or two off grid with poor solar conditions.

A rough calculation suggests your daily load is 1000 to 1500 watt hours.

Solar 150 watts, on a good day will generate around 800 watt hours in summer.

Your CBE charger from hook up will put into the system about 180 watts per hour. Engine charging via the CBE Ds300 split charge relay will be poor, say 200 watts per hour.

To help your power calculation assume,
A 100Ah rated lead acid battery has 600 watt hours usable
A 100 Ah rated lithium battery has 1100 watt hours usable

Summary,

New greater usuable capacity batteries are needed. (Roamer Batteries have a range of lithium batteries with a 200 amp output capacity)
Solar needs to be increased, 300 watts minimum.
If off grid, need more efficient engine charging, battery to battery charger 30 or 60 amps.
It's probable cables and fuses will need upgrading .

Mike
 
Last edited:
Check wires and fuses.

Did you read the 9.3V also directly on the batteries? If so, the battery is gone

It might be also caused by voltage drop. Especially the black/red cheap automatic breakers are well known for causing voltage drop.
If you have these installed, my first bet would be those.

If it is the battery, get a bigger bank. 100A current from a 110Ah lead-acid is not recommended, even on a decent battery. Lead-acid isnt made for these currents unless you oversize the bank. The peukert effect will lower the capacity, and these currents also have a negative effect on the lifetime.
 
mikefitz said:
Your inverter is rated at 1000 watts continious, so will power your loads.
It will be taking almost 100 amps from the battery and although this will be 10s of minutes the battery capacity needs to be adequate.
Battery lithium, min 100 Ah, suggested 200Ah.
Battery lead acid, min 200Ah, suggested 300Ah
These will power the inverter but not perhaps be able to power your loads for more than a day or two off grid with poor solar conditions.

A rough calculation suggests your daily load is 1000 to 1500 watt hours.

Solar 150 watts, on a good day will generate around 800 watt hours in summer.

Your CBE charger from hook up will put into the system about 180 watts per hour. Engine charging via the CBE Ds300 split charge relay will be poor, say 200 watts per hour.

To help your power calculation assume,
A 100Ah rated lead acid battery has 600 amp hours usable
A 100 Ah rated lithium battery has 1100 amp hours usable

Summary,

New greater usuable capacity batteries are needed. (Roamer Batteries have a range of lithium batteries with a 200 amp output capacity)
Solar needs to be increased, 300 watts minimum.
If off grid, need more efficient engine charging, battery to battery charger 30 or 60 amps.
It's probable cables and fuses will need upgrading .

Mike
Click to expand...
Wow!! Mike, thanks for all your advice, your a gent.. I’ll have a look at some batteries and do some overtime!!

She. You say the cables and fuses would need upgrading is this just in relation to the battery to battery charging 30 or 60 amps?

Couple of days power is good for us to be honest and when off grid we will probably drop the second fridge anyway so our daily load would be slightly less.

I’ll get the batteries sorted first then look at adding a second 150w panel.

Thanks again for you help,

Gav
 
mikefitz said:
Your inverter is rated at 1000 watts continious, so will power your loads.
It will be taking almost 100 amps from the battery and although this will be 10s of minutes the battery capacity needs to be adequate.
Battery lithium, min 100 Ah, suggested 200Ah.
Battery lead acid, min 200Ah, suggested 300Ah
These will power the inverter but not perhaps be able to power your loads for more than a day or two off grid with poor solar conditions.

A rough calculation suggests your daily load is 1000 to 1500 watt hours.

Solar 150 watts, on a good day will generate around 800 watt hours in summer.

Your CBE charger from hook up will put into the system about 180 watts per hour. Engine charging via the CBE Ds300 split charge relay will be poor, say 200 watts per hour.

To help your power calculation assume,
A 100Ah rated lead acid battery has 600 amp hours usable
A 100 Ah rated lithium battery has 1100 amp hours usable

Summary,

New greater usuable capacity batteries are needed. (Roamer Batteries have a range of lithium batteries with a 200 amp output capacity)
Solar needs to be increased, 300 watts minimum.
If off grid, need more efficient engine charging, battery to battery charger 30 or 60 amps.
It's probable cables and fuses will need upgrading .

Mike
Click to expand...
Your example has amp hour when it should be watt hour…
 
DJSmiley said:
Check wires and fuses.

Did you read the 9.3V also directly on the batteries? If so, the battery is gone

It might be also caused by voltage drop. Especially the black/red cheap automatic breakers are well known for causing voltage drop.
If you have these installed, my first bet would be those.

If it is the battery, get a bigger bank. 100A current from a 110Ah lead-acid is not recommended, even on a decent battery. Lead-acid isnt made for these currents unless you oversize the bank. The peukert effect will lower the capacity, and these currents also have a negative effect on the lifetime.
Click to expand...
Thanks DjSmiley,

I saw the voltage drop on the Victron app not at the battery itself. The battery holds it own charge and seems to still work fine on the original system keeping the fridge going for days. I think it’s like everyone else has said. The battery simply isn’t up to the job and will need replacing… I’m not in any massive hurry so will get a 200ah lithium battery/ 20x 100ah batteries depending on how the will fit in the van.

Haven’t got the red and black automatic breakers fitted so that’s one good thing.

Thanks,

Gav
 
Does this sound like a sensible plan?

I Would struggle to fit a Renorgy 200ah battery in the space I want to use. I could fit two Renorgy 100ah lithium batteries in with a little room left over. If I connect them in parallel I could get the the values recommended by Mikefitz which would hopefully give me the couple of days off grid I need.

Would it be wise to buy one 100ah and fit it to make sure the system is working correctly and then add the second once I know it’s all in order? I appreciate I would only have half the usable watt hours until the second battery is connected but like I say I’m not in any massive rush.

Thanks all again for your help and patients with this.
 
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