MapisM
Well-known member
I just treated my boat to a Multiplus 24/3000/70.
I found the installation and configuration not as simple as they pretend it is, eventually everything seems to work fine.
Its main recharge output is connected to my domestic 450Ah FLA bank (including a temp sensor), the trickle charge to the engine start bank, and I can check voltages etc. through a BT SmartShunt.
Shorepower AC is directly connected to the Multiplus AC IN, and the onboard services are all feeded through AC OUT-1. I appreciate that it would have been logical to feed all the AC services that can't run on inverter (airco, cooktop, etc.) through AC OUT-2, which is meant to strictly pass through shorepower AC if available, but that would have required extensive rewiring, and I don't mind "managing" services whenever AC is supplied by the inverter anyway, which essentially means at anchor and with no genset running.
I neither have a remote panel installed, nor a wired BMV, because the Multiplus is easily accessible, and I can check the batteries via VictronConnect app on my mobile - though only the numbers that can be supplied by the SmartShunt, which doesn't say anything about the Multiplus as such, which leads me to one of the BUTs (more about it later).
Lastly, since I had a chance to borrow a MK2 USB interface, I configured and checked and all the Multiplus parameters on the PC - some of which are easy peasy, some others less so (again, more later).
Anyway, after a bit of fiddling, as I previously said the thing now is up and running, phew!
Charges the batteries as it should (automatically passing through bulk/absorption/float), both when set to "charger only", or set to "ON" (full inverter).
And whet set to the latter, it automatically provides 230V AC seamlessly as soon as I disconnect shore power.
The fan at the bottom of the unit turns on when on bulk recharge, but other than that it's always off - which sounds logical.
And none of the three red error LEDs ever turned on - not yet, anyway!
So far so good, but this was just the premise.
Now, here's the BUTs, which are the real thread core - with apologies for the longish post, and thanking in advance everyone who will contribute!
A) the unit is intermittently buzzing, regardless of whether set to charger only or inverter, and also regardless of charge status (bulk/abs/float).
I wouldn't say it's a worrying buzz, it may well be normal - I just don't know, and would like to hear from someone who experienced that. If you raise the volume in the video below and listen carefully you can hear it, even if somewhat confused with noises from the wind and the mooring lines squeaking - sorry!
What I find a bit weird is that the buzz remains also when the unit is only working as a charger on float, i.e. doing the least possible amount of work.
But what do I know...?
For the records, I also limited the AC passthrough (which is what the unit is supposed to do 24/7, regardless of battery charge status), to 30A out of the 50A max the unit is rated for, because that's all I will ever use. So, also in this respect the workload (if any) shouldn't be a big deal.
B) the internal temperatures seem a bit high to me, again also when the unit is on float and doing theoretically very little work.
For instance, aside from a few ICs whose temp is higher than the rest, I noticed that the two big toroids behind the motherboard are constantly around 50°C, in spite of an external temp which is now, give or take, 10 degrees lower than what I'm used to in the peak of the summer. As I said previously, I don't have any red LEDs on, including temp and overload. But... are those temp normal anyway, I wonder?
The following is a one minute video made with the thermal camera, showing the spots with the higher temperatures.
You can also hear the buzz I previously mentioned, from about 30" onward.
C) VE configure software parameters: I found some of them beyond my pay grade, and I would appreciate your views.
BTW, after watching this YT video where someone eliminate the buzz on a similar Victron unit by upgrading the firmware, I hoped that VE configure would have allowed me to do that, but nope, it only shows the firmware version currently installed (1910137, FWIW).
Actually, in the video, they are using another software for the upgrade (VictronConnect), which I did try, but as opposed to the VE configure, it doesn't "see" my Multiplus at all.
Maybe (just guessing) it's because I'm using an old MK2 interface?
In all Victron papers I checked they always mention the MK3 when talking of VictronConnect...
Anyway, below are the VE configure tabs that left me with some doubts:
I found the installation and configuration not as simple as they pretend it is, eventually everything seems to work fine.
Its main recharge output is connected to my domestic 450Ah FLA bank (including a temp sensor), the trickle charge to the engine start bank, and I can check voltages etc. through a BT SmartShunt.
Shorepower AC is directly connected to the Multiplus AC IN, and the onboard services are all feeded through AC OUT-1. I appreciate that it would have been logical to feed all the AC services that can't run on inverter (airco, cooktop, etc.) through AC OUT-2, which is meant to strictly pass through shorepower AC if available, but that would have required extensive rewiring, and I don't mind "managing" services whenever AC is supplied by the inverter anyway, which essentially means at anchor and with no genset running.
I neither have a remote panel installed, nor a wired BMV, because the Multiplus is easily accessible, and I can check the batteries via VictronConnect app on my mobile - though only the numbers that can be supplied by the SmartShunt, which doesn't say anything about the Multiplus as such, which leads me to one of the BUTs (more about it later).
Lastly, since I had a chance to borrow a MK2 USB interface, I configured and checked and all the Multiplus parameters on the PC - some of which are easy peasy, some others less so (again, more later).
Anyway, after a bit of fiddling, as I previously said the thing now is up and running, phew!
Charges the batteries as it should (automatically passing through bulk/absorption/float), both when set to "charger only", or set to "ON" (full inverter).
And whet set to the latter, it automatically provides 230V AC seamlessly as soon as I disconnect shore power.
The fan at the bottom of the unit turns on when on bulk recharge, but other than that it's always off - which sounds logical.
And none of the three red error LEDs ever turned on - not yet, anyway!
So far so good, but this was just the premise.
Now, here's the BUTs, which are the real thread core - with apologies for the longish post, and thanking in advance everyone who will contribute!
A) the unit is intermittently buzzing, regardless of whether set to charger only or inverter, and also regardless of charge status (bulk/abs/float).
I wouldn't say it's a worrying buzz, it may well be normal - I just don't know, and would like to hear from someone who experienced that. If you raise the volume in the video below and listen carefully you can hear it, even if somewhat confused with noises from the wind and the mooring lines squeaking - sorry!
What I find a bit weird is that the buzz remains also when the unit is only working as a charger on float, i.e. doing the least possible amount of work.
But what do I know...?
For the records, I also limited the AC passthrough (which is what the unit is supposed to do 24/7, regardless of battery charge status), to 30A out of the 50A max the unit is rated for, because that's all I will ever use. So, also in this respect the workload (if any) shouldn't be a big deal.
B) the internal temperatures seem a bit high to me, again also when the unit is on float and doing theoretically very little work.
For instance, aside from a few ICs whose temp is higher than the rest, I noticed that the two big toroids behind the motherboard are constantly around 50°C, in spite of an external temp which is now, give or take, 10 degrees lower than what I'm used to in the peak of the summer. As I said previously, I don't have any red LEDs on, including temp and overload. But... are those temp normal anyway, I wonder?
The following is a one minute video made with the thermal camera, showing the spots with the higher temperatures.
You can also hear the buzz I previously mentioned, from about 30" onward.
C) VE configure software parameters: I found some of them beyond my pay grade, and I would appreciate your views.
BTW, after watching this YT video where someone eliminate the buzz on a similar Victron unit by upgrading the firmware, I hoped that VE configure would have allowed me to do that, but nope, it only shows the firmware version currently installed (1910137, FWIW).
Actually, in the video, they are using another software for the upgrade (VictronConnect), which I did try, but as opposed to the VE configure, it doesn't "see" my Multiplus at all.
Maybe (just guessing) it's because I'm using an old MK2 interface?
In all Victron papers I checked they always mention the MK3 when talking of VictronConnect...
Anyway, below are the VE configure tabs that left me with some doubts:
1) "General" tab - nothing special here, just included for reference.
Note the AC limit to 30A, as I previously mentioned.
That aside, I left (not only in this screen, but also in the following) all the parameters I'm not mentioning in the same status I found them.
In this screen for instance, this is true of the unflagged "Dynamic current limiter", whatever that is (?), and of the 85%
2) "Inverter" tab - what's the (default flagged) "Ground relay"?
And would you suggest to turn on the (default off) "AES"? I found contrasting indications on that, on the web.
3) "Charger" tab - aside from selecting the appropriate battery type, I left all default value, but also here I'm open to suggestions.
4) "Virtual switch" tab (and its sub-tabs) - am I right in assuming that if I'm using neither the automatic genset startup nor any external alarms I could as well flag the "Do not use VS" box in the first screen and forget all the rest, even if the unit came with the configuration below by default?
5) "Assistants" tab - not much to say really, except that it suggests (sort of) that my unit is in need of a firmware upgrade?
Which I'm willing to do, particularly if it could also eliminate the buzz, but ATM I can't find a way to make VictronConnect see my unit, aaarumph!
Apropos, aside from possibly finding a MK3 interface and see if the MK2 I'm using is the reason why I was unable to run it, do you think the bluetooth VE.Bus Smart Dongle would work equally well?
If yes, I guess it could be worth buying one, also as a mean to check the Multiplus status on my mobile, in the same way I'm now doing for the SmartShunt...
