Victron Generator start stop schedual not working on cerbo GX

[mfred68]

I have a multiplus 2, and cerbo gx, and have assigned Aux 1 on the MP2 to turn on AC2 output when the relay closes on the cerbo. (the relay on the cerbo is assigned to generator)
I have also set an assistant on the MP2 to turn on AC2 out when SOC reaches 90% and this works. As soc hits 90%, AC2 output becomes live and lights up a tempory lamp. then when soc falls below 90% the lamp goes off again.

The trouble is that I want the Generator quiet hours schedual to trigger the AUX 1 on the MP2 to also switch AC2 output on and off, but nothing seems to happen when generator schedual is active. But I can however manually start stop generator, which in turn is triggering AC2 output, making the lamp turn on and off, (which confirms to me that the cerbo relay and AUX1 are connected correctly)
So why wont the quiet hours schedual activate if soc is between minimum and maximum i have set during quiet hours?
please see my conditions screen shot, and let me know if any settings are preventing the schedual from triggering?
Or could it be because I have the aforementioned assistant I have on the MP2 which is also controlling AC2 out?
I have also got my system set as ess if that makes any difference.

I have asked this on the victron forum, but still no replies after several days.

 

[ricardocello]

@Adam De Lay has lots of experience in this area.
Take a look at his videos if you haven't already.

 

[Adam De Lay]

@Adam De Lay has lots of experience in this area.
Take a look at his videos if you haven't already.

Ha! “Lots”…

During your quiet hours test, is the SOC between 18 and 60 or has it actually hit 18%?

The generator won’t turn on until it hits that “start” level of 18%. It doesn’t run anytime between the start and stop level.

 

[mfred68]

In all cases it was above 18% soc.
The idea is to close a grid contactor (as I want to be off grid, not grid tied) during quiet hours which is off peak, to charge the batteries, but only charge them to 60%, so if for instance the soc has fallen to 30% at the time of quiet hours start time, I would want the generator start command to active, and then deactivate when it reaches 60%soc, but also if the soc has fallen to 20% or anything below 60%, i want the generator to start. Is this possible, if so what condition settings do i apply?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Sounds like a complex setup.

Just spit-balling here but if you want to require the generator to turn on during quiet time, I would suggest setting the “quiet time start” SOC to 55%. That way during the day it will remain on battery power till 18% is hit and as soon as quiet time starts, anything under 55% will trigger the generator to start.

 

[mfred68]

Sounds like a complex setup.

Just spit-balling here but if you want to require the generator to turn on during quiet time, I would suggest setting the “quiet time start” SOC to 55%. That way during the day it will remain on battery power till 18% is hit and as soon as quiet time starts, anything under 55% will trigger the generator to start.

Thanks, I'll try that and let you know the results.
Also could this work with general flag, ignore ac input as well, instead of controlling an external contactor via ac2 out?

 

[CVCPJared]

The idea is to close a grid contactor (as I want to be off grid, not grid tied) during quiet hours which is off peak, to charge the batteries

I apologize if im missing something here, just confirming - You're grid tied, and want to be off grid during the hours the PoCo charges less for electricity, and want the generator to run more frequently during quiet hours?

 

[Adam De Lay]

Thanks, I'll try that and let you know the results.
Also could this work with general flag, ignore ac input as well, instead of controlling an external contactor via ac2 out?

Possibly. It’s really hard to visualize how things are configured.

 

[mfred68]

Update, I got it working. I set the gen start soc too low and kept running tests while the actual soc was higher, so nothing ever happened, I just tried my setting the gen start soc higher than the current actual soc and I worked. This was a head scratch and a learning curve, thanks to @Adam De Lay for explaining this nice and clearly. I can move on now and configure this to my own customisation (until the next problem ) let's hope i can get the system to work exactly as I need it to.

 

[mfred68]

I apologize if im missing something here, just confirming - You're grid tied, and want to be off grid during the hours the PoCo charges less for electricity, and want the generator to run more frequently during quiet hours?

Exactly I'm running ess because I have a microinverter array which I get paid for the generation regardlessif i consume it or not but the generationmeter has to keep counting, so i need to feed the excess to the grid once batteries are at 100%soc.
But I want to be totally off grid other wise, so i set the assistant to turn ac in back on when soc reaches 95% so microinverters can start feeding into the grid. But otherwise I want to be off grid during the day time, but reconnect ac in via generator start time at night during cheap rate to charge the batteries. Hope that makes sense