Victron - prioritise solar/wind over grid

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Just seen that Victron has a recent s/w update which introduces the ability to configure the charger (Multi/Quattro) to use solar/wind energy in preference to shorepower (whilst a shorepower connection is connected), Seems to me to be a very useful feature especially for the winter season ashore/afloat, it should reduce shorepower costs. Probably better for Lithium than AGM/Lead acid. At zero cost it’s definitely worth a try. See here: Solar and wind priority [Victron Energy]
 

[2574]

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If you have solar why do you need shorepower charging the batteries?

I understand that some people run things like dehumidifiers onboard.
I don’t think you understand the technology, best to read the link. The 240v is not used unless there is inadequate energy coming from solar - persistent cloud etc…..
 

Ningaloo

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I don’t think you understand the technology, best to read the link. The 240v is not used unless there is inadequate energy coming from solar - persistent cloud etc…..
I think the point was that whilst the boat is not in use, the power consumption will be minimal. Mine is about 24Ah per day (i.e. a 1A constraint draw for my remote monitoring systems). Any solar solution will more than compensate for this without shorepower with its attendant risks.
My boat is now ashore for the next 7 months without any shorepower. In fact I haven't used shorepower since increasing my solar array in early July and I've had fridges, instruments and lights drawing power whilst cruising since then.
However for those with marginal solar input this is indeed a useful and potentially money saving feature.
 

Sandy

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I don’t think you understand the technology, best to read the link. The 240v is not used unless there is inadequate energy coming from solar - persistent cloud etc…..
I do understand the technology. What I can't understand is why, if solar or wind is available, anybody would want to plug shore power in just to keep their batteries 'topped up'.

I use just under 2Ah per day to run my Victron system, solar, shunt and battery temperature thingibob. On a dull day the panels generate c3.6Ah on a bright winters day that can be over 10Ah, the boat is in Cornwall not Shetland.

Even with nothing charging the batteries that is a loss of 14Ah per week. On a simple 100Ah system from fully charged that is a maximum of three weeks, but then I would have pulled all the fuses on the Victron kit and there would be no power draw.

I think Victron, I am impressed with what they do, are trying to find a solution to a non problem. Or more likely to be a user problem where they have left something on when leaving the boat.
 
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B27

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To completely charge a 100Ah battery from the mains is about 50p.
If you've got mains power on board, why would you leave your batteries partly discharged in the hope of saving a few shillings?
A new battery is about £100, the less time it spends discharged even partially, the longer it lasts.
 

Sandy

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To completely charge a 100Ah battery from the mains is about 50p.
If you've got mains power on board, why would you leave your batteries partly discharged in the hope of saving a few shillings?
A new battery is about £100, the less time it spends discharged even partially, the longer it lasts.
You might be surprised at some of the marinas charging policies. The last marina I moored in had a 'connection fee' or £10 per month!

I am more concerned about having another 'live' device onboard while you are away from the boat for several weeks.
 

B27

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You might be surprised at some of the marinas charging policies. The last marina I moored in had a 'connection fee' or £10 per month!

I am more concerned about having another 'live' device onboard while you are away from the boat for several weeks.
As I said 'if you've got mains on board'.
Personally I don't.
When I had the boat on a pontoon with power, I gave up on the power as soon as I'd done a few jobs and sorted the solar. Where I was, it seemed a good idea to charge the battery before some janner nicked my electricity anyway.
 

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To completely charge a 100Ah battery from the mains is about 50p.
If you've got mains power on board, why would you leave your batteries partly discharged in the hope of saving a few shillings?
A new battery is about £100, the less time it spends discharged even partially, the longer it lasts.
None of this makes any sense at all, you clearly don't understand what the OP is about.

If the charger/inerter is set to prioritise solar over shore power, it will use solar to keep the batteries charged up, reverting to shore power if solar cannot keep up, so no chance of batteries spending time partially discharged.

A single 100ah battery is totally irrelevant within this thread, no sane person would have such a battery arrangement and have a Victron multi etc.

Also, you are restricting your thinking to your own circumstances. The OPs post is not aimed at someone with a small boat, on a mooring, with a single battery, who uses 24ah in 24 hours. We live aboard full time and our boat is fully electric, we would use about £50 per month on shore power. Being able to use solar as much as possible, with shore power as an automatic backup, would be a significant advantage and save a decent amount of cash.
 

Bristolfashion

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You might be surprised at some of the marinas charging policies. The last marina I moored in had a 'connection fee' or £10 per month!

I am more concerned about having another 'live' device onboard while you are away from the boat for several weeks.
Really? I've been to loads of marinas (in the UK and ROI) and never seen that. Where was it?
 

Bristolfashion

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As I said 'if you've got mains on board'.
Personally I don't.
When I had the boat on a pontoon with power, I gave up on the power as soon as I'd done a few jobs and sorted the solar. Where I was, it seemed a good idea to charge the battery before some janner nicked my electricity anyway.
Swansea's system allows you to take your credit off the meter and back onto your card. Prevents "nicking". Very good I thought.
 

B27

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None of this makes any sense at all, you clearly don't understand what the OP is about.

If the charger/inerter is set to prioritise solar over shore power, it will use solar to keep the batteries charged up, reverting to shore power if solar cannot keep up, so no chance of batteries spending time partially discharged.

A single 100ah battery is totally irrelevant within this thread, no sane person would have such a battery arrangement and have a Victron multi etc.

Also, you are restricting your thinking to your own circumstances. The OPs post is not aimed at someone with a small boat, on a mooring, with a single battery, who uses 24ah in 24 hours. We live aboard full time and our boat is fully electric, we would use about £50 per month on shore power. Being able to use solar as much as possible, with shore power as an automatic backup, would be a significant advantage and save a decent amount of cash.
I thought the point was that it will leave the batteries low for a while, up to a week, in the hope/expectation that solar will charge them later.
The cost per Ah will scale to however big your bank is.

Did you read the article?
 

PaulRainbow

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I thought the point was that it will leave the batteries low for a while, up to a week, in the hope/expectation that solar will charge them later.
The cost per Ah will scale to however big your bank is.

Did you read the article?
I did read the article. Did you ?

These are the recommended sustain voltages:

System voltage LiFePO4 Lead (AGM, Gel)
12V 13.0V Float minus 0.2V
24V 26.0V Float minus 0.3V
48V 52.0V Float minus 0.4V

So your typical SLA battery won't drop below 13.4v - 0.2v = 13.2v Hardly fits your description of "partly discharged" in post #8

"While in sustain mode, the inverter/charger will use shore power to make sure that the battery voltage will not drop below the configured Sustain voltage. Using shore power for that if need be."
 
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B27

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A partially discharged 12V AGM battery at 13.2V will barely be charging at all, it will stay partly discharged?
 

PaulRainbow

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A partially discharged 12V AGM battery at 13.2V will barely be charging at all, it will stay partly discharged?
At 13.2v the shore power will kick in. If you don't like those voltages, change them.

Are you sure you read the article ?
 
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