Victron Multiplus up and running, but... With a few BUTs!

[MapisM]

I didn't investigate all the components that you guys are referring to, but in my understanding, also the Multi equipped with the so-called "old microprocessor" (i.e., like mine whose FW version starts with 19) should be capable of handling the more modern gizmos like Victron Connect software and the Cerbo, once upgraded to at least a xxxx200 firmware.
I can't confirm that ATM because I've yet to try the upgrade (fingers crossed!) due to pissing rain, that might enter the lazarette where the Multiplus is installed if I keep the access hatch open.
And while I'm oriented to try my luck with the upgrade, I'm not stretching it to try under a shower!
But I'll report back asap.

 

[MapisM]

Ok, this is hopefully the last chapter of the saga.
The main good news is that the last chapter is NOT the boat explosion, phew!
But that aside, there's no relevant good news in spite of the fact that the upgrade went smoothly.

Anyway, just for future reference of anyone who might come across the same situation, here's what I did:

I installed the 1910209.vff firmware with VE flash, which ran smoothly.
A first check with VE config confirmed that the unit is now running on the new FW:

Furthermore, since according to Victron website this "200" series FW should enable the assistants but lose the virtual switch, I checked the respective tabs, which appeared consistent with what they said on the tin:

So far so good, but did this also enable the use of Victron Connect? Well, yes and no.
In fact, the software now sees the unit correctly (while previously it just said that FW 200+ was required):

But after clicking on the unit, the following message pops up:

And after clicking on OK, the following screen is all I can see.
By clicking the gear icon, I only get another message confirming that Victron Connect requires 415+ firmware for full functionality.
Trouble is, 209 is the latest FW available in Victron website for the 1910 version of Multiplus, so I guess it's game over with regard to additional features available.

Bottom line, I didn't achieve the full result I expected, but close enough.
And I'm not complaining, anyway. My Multi does what I want, and after all the Fairline online sale I bought it from was at the end of 2020, and the price of less than 400 quid was indeed a bargain.
Ok, they advertised the unit as new (justifying the discount just as a stock part that they didn't need anymore), while it would have bee fair to mention also that it was obsolete - which it already was back then, in fact. But... Hey-ho!
In the days of race to the bottom in online sales, I guess that's as close to a honest representation as we can realistically expect!

Should anyone be interested in other details, just ask.
If nothing else, I'm now familiar enough with this Multiplus thing that I can check anything in a matter of minutes!
Last but not least, thanks everyone for the contributions - with an honourable mention for PaulRainbow.
Without your hints, I would still be stuck at square one!

 

[PaulRainbow]

Thanks for the update, glad you got most of it updated. In your case, i don't think you're missing anything and VE Config will make any changes you need to make. In general, Victron Connect is just a more modern interface, a bit more user friendly.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Ok, this is hopefully the last chapter of the saga.
The main good news is that the last chapter is NOT the boat explosion, phew!
But that aside, there's no relevant good news in spite of the fact that the upgrade went smoothly.

Anyway, just for future reference of anyone who might come across the same situation, here's what I did:

I installed the 1910209.vff firmware with VE flash, which ran smoothly.
A first check with VE config confirmed that the unit is now running on the new FW:

Furthermore, since according to Victron website this "200" series FW should enable the assistants but lose the virtual switch, I checked the respective tabs, which appeared consistent with what they said on the tin:

So far so good, but did this also enable the use of Victron Connect? Well, yes and no.
In fact, the software now sees the unit correctly (while previously it just said that FW 200+ was required):

But after clicking on the unit, the following message pops up:

And after clicking on OK, the following screen is all I can see.
By clicking the gear icon, I only get another message confirming that Victron Connect requires 415+ firmware for full functionality.
Trouble is, 209 is the latest FW available in Victron website for the 1910 version of Multiplus, so I guess it's game over with regard to additional features available.

Bottom line, I didn't achieve the full result I expected, but close enough.
And I'm not complaining, anyway. My Multi does what I want, and after all the Fairline online sale I bought it from was at the end of 2020, and the price of less than 400 quid was indeed a bargain.
Ok, they advertised the unit as new (justifying the discount just as a stock part that they didn't need anymore), while it would have bee fair to mention also that it was obsolete - which it already was back then, in fact. But... Hey-ho!
In the days of race to the bottom in online sales, I guess that's as close to a honest representation as we can realistically expect!

Should anyone be interested in other details, just ask.
If nothing else, I'm now familiar enough with this Multiplus thing that I can check anything in a matter of minutes!
Last but not least, thanks everyone for the contributions - with an honourable mention for PaulRainbow.
Without your hints, I would still be stuck at square one!

If I am confusing the issue, apologies! Looking at the ac IN it would appear that, if this is your shore supply it is a tad low (In the UK, the declared voltage and tolerance for an electricity supply is 230 volts -6%, +10%. This gives an allowed voltage range of 216.2 volts to 253.0 volts.) If this is your shore supply you may wish to get the marina, or such like, whoever you are connected to, to have a check as to why it is not within limits. Could of course be your cable, what is the type and Cross Sectional Area (CSA) of that?
I am assuming you are in the UK.

 

[MapisM]

You're not confusing anything, so no need to apologise.
Rather the opposite, in fact: well spotted, and thanks for highlighting it.
Your only mistake is the final assumption, because I'm in Sardinia, and I can't be positive about the allowed voltage range in Italy, but nominal voltage should be 230 also here, and 210 is indeed unusually low.

All that said, it's a problem I'm already well aware of, and is neither related to the grid nor to my boat and her connection cables.
It's just that the main shorepower line along the dock where I'm based is occasionally a bit stressed by unusually high loads, all from single phase users, which potentially creates also un unbalanced load on the main 3-phase supply, depending on which sockets are being used (each pedestal having multiple single phase sockets connected to each of the 3 phases, but not labelled in such way that you can decide whether to use 1, 2 or 3).
So, when this happens, either the load exceeds the total line capacity and trips the main 3-phase OCPD breaker upstream of the dock line (but that's very rare), or we experience some voltage drops like the one you correctly spotted.
For this reason, it's all a bit unpredictable, but so far we never experienced any practical problems, so it's not something I'm too concerned about.
And IIRC, the default lower limit that the Multiplus tolerates is 200V, so it seems that they designed these units knowing that voltage drops can and do happen...

Just for the records, I'm seeing 228V as I'm writing.
But thanks again for highlighting that, anyway!

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

You're not confusing anything, so no need to apologise.
Rather the opposite, in fact: well spotted, and thanks for highlighting it.
Your only mistake is the final assumption, because I'm in Sardinia, and I can't be positive about the allowed voltage range in Italy, but nominal voltage should be 230 also here, and 210 is indeed unusually low.

All that said, it's a problem I'm already well aware of, and is neither related to the grid nor to my boat and her connection cables.
It's just that the main shorepower line along the dock where I'm based is occasionally a bit stressed by unusually high loads, all from single phase users, which potentially creates also un unbalanced load on the main 3-phase supply, depending on which sockets are being used (each pedestal having multiple single phase sockets connected to each of the 3 phases, but not labelled in such way that you can decide whether to use 1, 2 or 3).
So, when this happens, either the load exceeds the total line capacity and trips the main 3-phase OCPD breaker upstream of the dock line (but that's very rare), or we experience some voltage drops like the one you correctly spotted.
For this reason, it's all a bit unpredictable, but so far we never experienced any practical problems, so it's not something I'm too concerned about.
And IIRC, the default lower limit that the Multiplus tolerates is 200V, so it seems that they designed these units knowing that voltage drops can and do happen...

Just for the records, I'm seeing 228V as I'm writing.
But thanks again for highlighting that, anyway!

Thanks for reply. That is interesting, mainly because in UK all sockets on any pedestal must all be from the same phase, the pedestals are built that way!
I believe, but need to double check, that the latest BS 7671 (18th ed.) requires all pedestals on the same pontoon to be on the same phase.
Glad you are all sorted

 

[MapisM]

Not sure if there's any rule about that in Italy, but the opposite is somewhat common.
Not that I don't see the logic of using the same phase on all single phase sockets of the same pedestal, mind.
BTW, that's also convenient for using the lethal bit of kit (aka LBOK) to connect a single 32A plug to two 16A sockets!

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Not sure if there's any rule about that in Italy, but the opposite is somewhat common.
Not that I don't see the logic of using the same phase on all single phase sockets of the same pedestal, mind.
BTW, that's also convenient for using the lethal bit of kit (aka LBOK) to connect a single 32A plug to two 16A sockets!

Could make your hair stand on end