My First Build Journal

[ebelew]

I thought I'd log my first build to keep up with what I used/spent/done. This is a simple test system to teach myself how the theory and concept works and hopefully one day have and off grid system. These are components I've had a while or just purchased because I've been planning on doing this for years and have collected various items.

After reading the beginner section one of my goals is to make it easily expandable, so if/when I go bigger I don't have to replace the whole system. I welcome comments, suggestions and constructive criticism. Maybe this will help another beginner and I'm sure I may ask some dumb questions.

 

[ebelew]

First up is trying to get the Victron Cerbo GX working. The Lynx shunt 1000 was fairly easy and the MPPT 100/30 really was because bluetooth shows right up in the Victron Connect App. Not so with the GX and being a typical end user reading the 153 page user manual for the GX (https://www.victronenergy.com/uploa...us_GX__Cerbo_GX__Cerbo-S_GX_Manual-pdf-en.pdf) seemed way too complicated.

Evidently you don't just Bluetooth into the GX and set it up even though it shows up in the connect app. Nope that would be way too simple. Seems you have to change your phone/desktop network to the WIFI Access Point the GX creates first and do the settings in the GX network on the GX and then join your local network (save your changes) and then change your phone/desktop back to it's original network and then the GX should show up. But you might see two GX's in the Connect App one with signal bars (that's Bluetooth) and one without. Picking the Bluetooth one didn't seem to work once the network version was set up. A little complicated but this guy does a nice job and helped me out.

https://youtu.be/6by_mOA2sf8?si=ikApOTX7g3m-DgPI

So now we have an MPPT, Power In, Shunt 1000, GX and Distributor all in the system.
Updated layout included

 

[ebelew]

Updated the Inverter to Victron

 

[ebelew]

UPDATE: Added two more batteries to the setup but I haven't installed them yet, just ordered them under the Black Friday sale. I need to learn to "top them off 4 & balance them" It was easier with just two. Connected them together for 24hrs. I have one of the Renogy 100w panels plugged and testing. So far so good. Cloudy today so not much going on. I almost messed up in that I had all this hooked together with no panels, no charging in the system. Batteries got very low. 10.61v.

In the process of figuring out where the cutoff switches and fuses need to be placed. Off to research the forum

 

[ebelew]

Update: got a set of panels (100W 50x2) mounted on the wall of the building. 44 degrees for my location in December. I swapped from the panels sitting on the ground to the panels on the wall. It showed no PV voltage at all. I checked at the panels and was getting 21.16v. Back to basics. Found a terminal issue in the wiring from the panel to the MPPT inside.

So far 2 batteries and one set of panels seems to work. Next is to figure out the correct fuses, their placement in the system and the cut off switches. More later