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vibe avatar image
vibe asked

Using SOLAR and shorepower/generator with a Quattro

Hi we have solar panels with a Victron MPPT on each panel. Want to change the battery charger to an invertor charger and are thinking of the Quattro.

We would like for the solar to charge the batteries until there is not enough power to charge and then shore power is used (we live on a boat). If there is no shore power then the Panda generator kicks in. When the batteries are charged (or the solar starts producing power) then the shore power / generator stop feeding 240v to the Quattro.

Can this be done and what else do we need please.

MPPT ControllersMultiPlus Quattro Inverter ChargerSolar Panel
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2 Answers
JohnC avatar image
JohnC answered ·

Hi @vibe

Yes, Quattro will shine doing this. If you're going to diy it, there's a bit to learn about setting up the many options you may want to use, but there's lots of documentation and even help here if you get confused.

If you have internet I'd add a Cerbo GX for monitoring and settings access (incl mppts). And if pb batteries, consider a Smartshunt to really complete the installation.

With one panel per mppt I suspect you have a 12V system. Once you buy you're locked to that, so consider carefully.

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vibe avatar image vibe commented ·
Yes we have a 12v system as its a Hanse 540. Don't want to change everything to make it 24v or 48v.

Having read through the installation manuals I can't see a way to do this automatically. You are correct there are a lot of settings so I may have missed it. Please can you point me to the correct section, thanks

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JohnC avatar image JohnC ♦ vibe commented ·

@vibe

Start here, the fun part.. https://www.victronenergy.com/live/assistants:start

You may find this all a little difficult to get your head around. And even think it seems a little clunky. But it's actually very powerful, the options combined can work wonders. And make you think about what you really want to do.

Leave the ESS one alone, it's not for mariners, even though it might look good.

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piraya avatar image
piraya answered ·

I have the same setup in my boat. I have not found how you can automatically limit/pause the shore charging while the solar charges. So if I understand your question right; how you can limit/save shore consumption and only use it when necessary, I do not see any automatic solution (at least not without programming the quattro).

If such solution is possible through programming, at which factors/values/limits would you like the shore charging to start and stop?

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vibe avatar image vibe commented ·
Yes you have got in one - we want to start the shore power / generator operating the quattro charger when the batteries fall to a particular voltage and then stop the charger again when the MPPT supplies solar (or the batteries are charged) automatically. I can monitor manually via the display panel and manually switch the charger on and off - but want to automate the process.
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