question

aphexer avatar image
aphexer asked

Synchronized charging with 2x Blue solar, Venus and Phoenix inverter

I've got the following off-grid setup:

- 1 BlueSolar 75/15 MPPT on PV string 1

- 1 BlueSolar 100/30 MPPT on PV string 2

- Venus running on a raspberry pi

- Phoenix Inverter

- 12V AGM battery bank

- Smartshunt


The MPPTs & smartshunt are connected to the Venus using a VE.direct-USB cable. The inverter is connected to the Venus using a MK3-USB cable. Both PV strings suffer from occasional shading at different times throughout the day.


Is there any way to enable synchronized charging on both MPPT charge controllers? Either controlled through the Venus, or controlled by an assistant running on the inverter? Right now I get into situations with one controller in float, and the other one still in bulk. One trying to reduce power to reduce voltage, the other doing the opposite...


From the documentation I found so far it seems impossible. Ve.smart networking is not applicable as I'm using Bluesolar instead of Smartsolar. The ESS assistant I can't use because I don't have an AC-in.

MPPT Controllersmppt state
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

5 Answers
ludo avatar image
ludo answered ·

Not ESS, but maybe with DVCC ?

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

nickdb avatar image
nickdb answered ·

You could enable DVCC for external control, device coordination, charge limits and shared sensors (temperature etc).

2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

aphexer avatar image
aphexer answered ·

DVCC is already enabled, for limiting the charge current.

Shared voltage sense is enabled too, still that doesn't get both MPPT chargers to coordinate.

2 comments
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

ludo avatar image ludo commented ·
Same with ve.smart and common voltage distributed by the smartshunt.


The mppt 's ignore everything and do what they want.


1 Like 1 ·
aphexer avatar image aphexer ludo commented ·
I see, so VE.smart also doesn't synchronize the MPPT state...


Wouldn't this be a good case for a new assistant on the inverter, to control the chargers centrally? Or as an extension of the ESS assistant, to make it work with AC-in disconnected.


0 Likes 0 ·
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

Set the system battery monitor to the smart shunt. Is it connected to the GX?

3 comments
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

aphexer avatar image aphexer commented ·
Yes the smart shunt is connected to the Venus using a VE.direct-USB cable.


In the console -> settings -> system setup -> the smartshunt is displayed under "battery monitor", so that seems to be setup correctly.


Also the configured charge current limit I've setup in DVCC is applied correctly. Both MPPT chargers together will respect it. It's just the MPPT state that isn't synchronized, one will stay in absorption or float and hardly give any power while the other one is still in bulk.


0 Likes 0 ·
JohnC avatar image JohnC ♦ aphexer commented ·
Take a look at the 'Tail' function in the mppts. With DVCC they see the same V (SVS), same T (STS, so they have the same targets. And providing they have a sufficiently long Fixed or Adaptive Absorb time set, the Tail Current (SCS) can override/terminate their Absorb phase when the battery can't accept charge above the Tail setting.
1 Like 1 ·
aphexer avatar image aphexer JohnC ♦ commented ·
Thanks John! I hadn't touched the expert settings in the MPPT configuration and noticed the tail current was set to 2A on one charger and 1A on the other. I now configured it to 1A on both.


However the end-result is still the same... At the end of the day I had one charger that went into float (the 100/30 one), and the other one was still in bulk mode.

0 Likes 0 ·
ludo avatar image
ludo answered ·

Yes, you probably have a constant load parallel to your battery that is higher then the tail current you specified.

1 comment
2 |3000
Toggle Comment visibility. Current Visibility: Viewable by all users

Up to 8 attachments (including images) can be used with a maximum of 190.8 MiB each and 286.6 MiB total.

aphexer avatar image aphexer commented ·

All current goes through the smart shunt, but yes the 2 MPPT controllers + Venus consume about 1A of standby current at night and my tail current is set to 1A on both MPPT controllers now.

Why does that matter however? The MPPTs should see the current flowing into the battery from the shunt, no? Shared current sense is enabled in the DVCC settings.

0 Likes 0 ·

Related Resources

MPPT Product Page

MPPT Error codes

MPPT 150/60 up to 250/70 Manual

Additional resources still need to be added for this topic