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elmar-streich avatar image
elmar-streich asked

Multi RS Solar uses Grid instead of PylonTech and Solar panel

Hello Everyone,

in my father's house I have installed the Multi RS solar on PylonTech barltteries. thanks to other users in the forum I have managed it to make it running. if there is consumption on the deducted AC output, unfortunately the system prefers to switch directly to the grid and ignores the full batteries. only if ACin is switched off and the system is disconnected from the grid, it switches to the batteries.

I can imagine that this mode makes sense in mobile homes or in a boat. In my parents house it makes no sense this way and I have to put down the fire manually each time I want to use the batteries.


is there a setting that I haven't seen in the software? can someone please give me a hint?


thanks again to the community!

Elmarimg-20220602-210651.jpg

gridsmart solar charging behaviourrs inverter
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3 Answers
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·
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seb71 avatar image seb71 commented ·

Unfortunately ESS can't be used with Multi RS.

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shaneyake avatar image shaneyake commented ·

Unfortunately the Multi RS is not the right inverter for this application.
A Multiplus-II would be the correct inverter for this application.
However you should be able to tell the Multi RS to disconnect from grid when at high SOC and reconnect once the batteries are low. I would try the Victron Connect APP to see if you can setup ignore AC.

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mondeoman avatar image
mondeoman answered ·

I have also asked if the Multi RS can be used for a solar self-consumption system and I did NOT get an answer. Solar self-consuption requires disabling the grid charger so that the inverter would not charge the batteries from the grid when switching to grid.
But I did find some ambiguous information that the Multi RS might actually support some form of embedded ESS.

See here: https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/121388/multi-rs-solar-hybrid-self-consumption-optimizatio.html

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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ commented ·

@MondeoMan

@Elmar Streich

Only VE Bus products can do ESS.

The Multi RS is not a VE Bus product so cannot be controlled like that.

The features being searched for are found in the fuller featured Multi 2 as mentioned above.

See ESS manual here.

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mondeoman avatar image mondeoman Alexandra ♦ commented ·

@Alexandra Look at the screenshot posted by "ubi" on the topic linked above.

It clearly shows ESS being set up via VictronConnect.

33862-multi-rs-solar-ess-menu.jpg

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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ mondeoman commented ·
@MondeoMan
It has an ESS of sorts.

Not the full features of the ve bus inverters.


Can the grid set point be changed on it through the GX? Feedback etc.

As mentioned can be disconnected from grid at higher battery voltage.

And thank you for sharing the screenshot I am sure @Elmar Streich will find it useful.

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mondeoman avatar image mondeoman Alexandra ♦ commented ·

@Alexandra Yes, that is precisely why I said "some form of embedded ESS".

I don't know what are the features and limitations of its ESS implementation. I was trying to find out, but @Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) kind of shut down the conversation.

And for simple PV self-consumption without ESS like @Elmar Streich is tryign to accomplish, I was trying to find out if the grid charger can be disabled so it doesn't charge the batteries from the grid when switching back to grid.

My guess is this product is not yet ready, but it looks very promising.

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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ mondeoman commented ·
@MondeoMan

So there is no Grid tab? Or Charger tab?

I have the inverter RS so dont have this issue.

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mondeoman avatar image mondeoman Alexandra ♦ commented ·
@Alexandra I don't know, I don't have one. I WAS considering ordering one so I was trying to gather information about what it can and cannot do, but not much success so far. The Multi RS manual is too vague, the product is not in the "Demo Library" of VictronConnect...
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wkirby avatar image wkirby ♦♦ mondeoman commented ·
The way I do this is to limit the AC input current limit. If the battery gets low (18%) then I will allow AC-IN and set the input current limit to 2A to just about cover my base load and charge with 100W or something like that.

If it gets to 00:30 when the electricity price is very cheap then I will increase the current limit to allow charging with a few kW. I then disconnect the AC-IN at 04:30 when electricity starts to get expensive again, or 40% SOC whichever come first. 40% is usually enough to carry the loads through to daytime.
If the 3D printer is processing a job and is going to continue running for a few more hours , then the SOC limit will be set to 45% to allow enough cheap electricity to run that until daytime.
These SOC limits usually result in 20% SOC by morning time and leaves plenty of space in the battery for sunshine.

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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ wkirby ♦♦ commented ·
@WKirby

Neat solution.

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semlohnhoj avatar image semlohnhoj wkirby ♦♦ commented ·
@WKirby are you achieving this externally using Modbus or MQTT or internally using dbus? This is essentially the same as I am looking to do and have verified the method using Modbus but would like to embed the code in the Cerbo GX eventually using dbus if that is possible.
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semlohnhoj avatar image
semlohnhoj answered ·

I've just ordered the Multi RS Solar to use in a hybrid system. I want it to use batteries unless the load is too high for the inverter and then supplement it with the AC input. I know the MultiPlus-II has "AC input control" which seems to achieve this but is this not possible with the Multi RS Solar? If not then is this product just a glorified UPS? I might be tempted to cancel the order if that's the case.

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