Travel Trailer 24v LiFePo4 / Solar / Charger / Inverter system setup...

[CanadianEH]

180 Degree U turn ahead!!

Alright... so consider me the ultimate flippy flopper!

Yesterday I stumbled upon a Victron MultiPlus 24/3000 / 70-50 120v for an insane good deal. I honestly had written off the idea of the multiplus and the separate components route as it was WAY above budget. The system will for sure cost me more than a growatt but managed to find a few more dollars under some couch cushions to cover the more acceptable difference.

Now, the multiplus is now on its way to me and will arrive Friday.

Next up will be a Victron 100/50 mppt. and a Victron Lynx Power in buss.

 

[willo]

180 Degree U turn ahead!!

Alright... so consider me the ultimate flippy flopper!

Yesterday I stumbled upon a Victron MultiPlus 24/3000 / 70-50 120v for an insane good deal. I honestly had written off the idea of the multiplus and the separate components route as it was WAY above budget. The system will for sure cost me more than a growatt but managed to find a few more dollars under some couch cushions to cover the more acceptable difference.

Now, the multiplus is now on its way to me and will arrive Friday.

Next up will be a Victron 100/50 mppt. and a Victron Lynx Power in buss.

Contgratulations. You'll need a usb mk3 to program it.

Dunno if I posted this on this thread or not, but you'll find it useful:

DIY Inverter Combiner Switch – Burningflux.com

 

[CanadianEH]

Contgratulations. You'll need a usb mk3 to program it.

Dunno if I posted this on this thread or not, but you'll find it useful:

DIY Inverter Combiner Switch – Burningflux.com

Hey willo,

Dang victron. Seems insane that they make you buy a special item to talk to and setup the expensive multiplus you just bought. Can it not be setup through Bluetooth like the smart solar mppt?

I don't have a 50a plug. The side of my unit only has 30a service. It seems the combiner box idea is for if. Your using 50a service? Would that mean I do not require one of these? Campgrounds around here generally have 15a or 30a max. Or I will be boon docking.

 

[HRTKD]

Life is simple at 30 amps.

While I'm planning to get a fifth wheel someday, I'm not looking forward to a 50 amp system.

 

[willo]

Yup, 30a service is one legged, so it's super easy for you.
50a is only annoying because it cost extra copper and the manufacturer was too cheap to provide generator prep by default.
Interestingly, both of my A/Cs are on the same leg. Bit silly.

 

[CanadianEH]

Yup, 30a service is one legged, so it's super easy for you.
50a is only annoying because it cost extra copper and the manufacturer was too cheap to provide generator prep by default.
Interestingly, both of my A/Cs are on the same leg. Bit silly.

Having both AC on the same leg is indeed silly. Must have been an oversight when wiring. Couldn't you swap that at the electrical panel?

In regards to the mk3 USB for victron. Do you have to buy the victron one? Or is there a generic version to use?

Looks like I need a bluetooth dongle for the multiplus? Since I'll be using victron connect on my phone I'd prefer to use bluetooth for the multiplus as well.

 

[willo]

I have both. The dongle will let you adjust amp load for hybrid mode. That's about it. You must use a Mk3 to actually configure the thing.
The bluetooth dongle now lives in the corner of my parts bin. In the end I used the mk3 to connect to a raspberry pi running the venus image. The data from that is awesome. I wanted easy inverter control so I added the control panel on the inside - this lets me adjust amp load and turn the inverter/charger on/off. You can do this with a simple toggle switch for like $10. I had some gift cards to blow so I figured why not.

 

[willo]

Few more things:
The mk3 is talking via victron bus. You only really need it the one time unless you're modding things or hooking up to a venus pi. One could take advantage of easy returns at a particular online superstore.

 

[CanadianEH]

So the bluetooth dongle is useless? man the more I learn about Victron stuff the more I am disliking it haha.

Why on this earth would they not allow you to make all of the exact same changes via the bluetooth dongle vs the MK3 usb connection. And why isnt this built directly into the multiplus? for the money these things retail at, you should be able to not only plug directly in via USB to a computer or network cable, or just connect wirelessly.

IMHO that is a huge failure.

 

[willo]

I felt the same way, but consider that config can create insane fire risks. Do you want some dude to change his charger setting over bluetooth? It makes sense once you consider that.

 

[CanadianEH]

I felt the same way, but consider that config can create insane fire risks. Do you want some dude to change his charger setting over bluetooth? It makes sense once you consider that.

Fair point, But that same person can make those changes with the mk3/USB and have the same risks.

Your mention of the venus pi piqued my interest. Do you have pictures of yours anywhere?

 

[willo]

It's just a pi 3+ with a sd card that I loaded the victron image on:

raspberrypi install venus image

Victron Energy Unix/Linux OS. Contribute to victronenergy/venus development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

It's basically a software GX. You can wirelessly or bluetooth(sorta beta) to hit the gui.
I connect mine via wireless to my internet gateway (which is a pi with a 4g lte card installed).
From there, it uploads status data to the victron VRM portal. Locally, the thing is only really useful for immediate status data.
Where it shines, is acting like

I've got my pi connected to my solar controller, multiplus, and BMV-712.
Had I planned to do all of that before hand, I would have gone with a victron smart shunt instead of the BMV.

VRM is very nice. I've been making extensive use of the remote stats as I tune my camper build.
At some point I'll setup the venus/graphana docker build for improved local stats.

 

[CanadianEH]

It's just a pi 3+ with a sd card that I loaded the victron image on:

raspberrypi install venus image

Victron Energy Unix/Linux OS. Contribute to victronenergy/venus development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

It's basically a software GX. You can wirelessly or bluetooth(sorta beta) to hit the gui.
I connect mine via wireless to my internet gateway (which is a pi with a 4g lte card installed).
From there, it uploads status data to the victron VRM portal. Locally, the thing is only really useful for immediate status data.
Where it shines, is acting like

I've got my pi connected to my solar controller, multiplus, and BMV-712.
Had I planned to do all of that before hand, I would have gone with a victron smart shunt instead of the BMV.

VRM is very nice. I've been making extensive use of the remote stats as I tune my camper build.
At some point I'll setup the venus/graphana docker build for improved local stats.

So can you control the system completely from building this venus pi? Is this the one with the pi touch screen?

I think I have a a pi3b kicking about somwhere.

I don't need remote access at all, but like the idea of having a mounted screen with all the system details. I was counting on doing this with my phone. But if the multiplus is crap for bluetooth, perhaps it makes sense to make this controller screen.

 

[willo]

Mine is screenless - I have it installed down in my electric bay.
It also offers remote access - you have to turn it on but I can access all the gx menu bits from the internet if I want to.

 

[CanadianEH]

Mine is screenless - I have it installed down in my electric bay.
It also offers remote access - you have to turn it on but I can access all the gx menu bits from the internet if I want to.

Ahh gotcha. I looked up people doing the touch lcd screen venus pi. I like that idea alot. I might give that a go.

Problem is I have a Asus tinkerboard S, not the raspberry pi I thought I had. I'll give it a go anyhow I'm sure it'll work.

Good news though the multiplus already arrived. This baby is heavier than I thought.

 

[willo]

Nice. How good was the deal?
And yeah, it's a heavy one! Install is easy tho, the mounting bracket is pretty stout.
When you crack it open you may note the big inductors tucked inside. This is very similar to high end audio gear - you'll get some very clean power from this thing.

 

[CanadianEH]

Nice. How good was the deal?
And yeah, it's a heavy one! Install is easy tho, the mounting bracket is pretty stout.
When you crack it open you may note the big inductors tucked inside. This is very similar to high end audio gear - you'll get some very clean power from this thing.

I got it for $1000 Cad. Shipped to my door in 2 days. (about $800usd.)

Best I've seen it for up here has been around 1650CAD shipped.

 

[HRTKD]

I got it for $1000 Cad. Shipped to my door in 2 days. (about $800usd.)

Best I've seen it for up here has been around 1650CAD shipped.

If I saw that deal I would be hard pressed to turn it down. Heck, I might even convert from 12v to 24v just to take advantage of it.

 

[CanadianEH]

If I saw that deal I would be hard pressed to turn it down. Heck, I might even convert from 12v to 24v just to take advantage of it.

I couldn't believe I found it in the warehouse deals section of the Giant online Superstore that offers Prime delivery

If I had to guess somebody mispriced it. When it arrived the Box didn't even look like it has been opened

 

[CanadianEH]

sooo..

Here is the new setup I guess.

I picked up a Victron Lynx power in today. Anything I am missing?


Edit.. oops I forgot to add the Raspberry pi venus with touch LCD but that'll be an addon for later.