Day #7 come and gone!
Started working this morning about 7am trying to figure out why I couldn’t get the Victron Quattro inverters programed correctly. On Saturday I did get the system up and running…but only using one inverter and only in single phase 120vAC. The problem was the programing. Yeah, the inverters have a computer inside of them…doesn’t everything nowadays!
So I could program each inverter individually with one software application. But I couldn’t get them programmed to work together because each inverter needed their firmware updated. And that took another application to accomplish. And that firmware update had a problem…my network cable. But a tender mercy helped me figure that out. Now all is good…the system is up and running!!
Here is a bit of a recap…
I started with version 3 of my off-grid system: 404ah LifePO Elite batteries, 1xVictron 150/70 MPPT, 1x Victron 48v/5kw/120v Quattro and kindof a mess that had been pieced together from versions 1 & 2)
I ended up with 634ah LifePO4 batteries (2xElites, 1xTrophy), 2xVictron 150/70 MPPTs, 2xVictron 48v/5kw/120 Quattros in split phase configuration. Much less of a mess and that should be cleaned up by the end of the week once I get the the wire ducts in.
In the build I used a Victron Lynx PowerIn as a busbar, added a Class-T fuse, then combined a Victron Lynx shut and another Victron Lynx PowerIn as a fused distributor. I even built 2 of my own busbars vs 4/0 cable connection. All of that made things much cleaned, much more organized and a lot more safe. Upgraded all my wiring and cabling. Added better circuit breakers, got rid of a weak fuse set-up, and balanced my 3 arrays between the 2 MPPTs.
The downside does exist:
- While Victron equipment is Tier 1 gear, it can be complicated to work with. The MPPTs are Smart Networked which is nice, but they had to be programed individually via Bluetooth.
- The Victron Quattro inverters are really great, very high quality, they were a pain to configure correctly. Eventually the process was: 1) upgrade the firmware on both units, 2) configure each inverter for its function, 3) then configure them together to work in split phase. Each step was a different computer program. That is a huge downside to otherwise great gear. Victron needs to get it together and have a single computer program that can do all the functions from that one program.
- I am not 100% confident that the Lynx Shunt, inverters, and CCGX are working together correctly to give me an accurate SOC. I might have add back in my BMV 712 to accurately monitor the battery bank.
- I am not sure how long it will take my batteries to balance with the addition of the 3rd battery. I am thinking at least a couple of weeks, maybe a month or two.
The upside:
- I now have 240vAC vs 120vAC available to me.
- I now have 10kw vs 5kw available to me.
- I now have 57% more battery capacity available to me.
- I now have more efficient PV charging for the system.
- And it all works!!!!!!
Yeah, I know…I sound silly…but this has been 6 months in the planning stage and 8 days work in the shed…including 6 days running on generator. I am just thrilled!!
Once I get the wiring cleaned up I will post pictures.
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