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temagami-electrical-services asked

Generator warm up - For a small off grid solar system.

Hi. I was hoping someone could provide me some information on the best way to implement a generator warm up period. I was shocked to see that this wasn't a feature through the Cerbo gx controls. Even if I have to use an external method of completing this task. We love our Victron products so far but it seems to be quite hard on our generators without this feature. Most of our customers want this but we are unsure of the best way to complete this task. Perhaps some external timers? Hoping somebody with the same issue has come up with a solution and wouldn't mind sharing their experience.

My question for Victron: Is this a feature that is coming in the future? we have had great success with your products but we feel like this is an important feature that is needed for off grid solar. Especially up north.

Thanks,

Ryan

Generatorgenerator auto start
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stubbs avatar image
stubbs answered ·

Pretty easy! I forget where I found this in this forum? Relay setup in assistants. Programm the Relays using the assistant as in the Pic attached. This is correct and can be trickt a bit. Works perfect for my setup. With a 8kVA Genny. With "cool down" timming! Just add them in sequence using the relay assistant; in VE-Config. The Cerbo-GX relay "NO" goes to the AUX in1 of the first inverter. Digital Input; 2 wires (NO & Com). The relay (inverter) itself goes to the remote or ATS contol of the Genny. This can be read here https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Cerbo_GX/en/gx---generator-auto-start-stop.html or

here: https://www.victronenergy.com/live/multiplus_faq

or the 3 wire interface: https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/Automatic_Generator_start-stop/en/how-to-wire-generators-with-a-three-wire-interface.html

26556-screen-shot-2021-12-14-at-70618-am.png


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temagami-electrical-services avatar image temagami-electrical-services commented ·
@Stubbs is this assistant page example for both warm up and cool down? also my generator wires that came to the cerbo "NO" "COM" do they move to the inverters relay now? you said "NO" on the cerbo now goes to aux 1, just one wire?
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stubbs answered ·

The Cerbo GX "Generator start and stop" functions will then work as wished!

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stubbs avatar image
stubbs answered ·

@Temagami Electrical Services

  • is this assistant page example for both warm up and cool down? Yes
  • also my generator wires that came to the cerbo "NO" "COM" do they move to the inverters relay now? Yes
  • you said "NO" on the cerbo now goes to aux 1, just one wire? No! Both wires. AUX is a digital input. Short = True or "1"
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temagami-electrical-services avatar image temagami-electrical-services commented ·
@Stubbs Thanks for your help. I apologize for any of my confusion as i'm an apprentice new to the trade. so No and com to K1. Then No on relay 1, on my cerbo, to aux 1, +&-? not sure what you're getting at when you say both wires.


Thanks again,

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stubbs avatar image
stubbs answered ·

@Temagami Electrical Services

The Cerbo-GX relay "NO" goes to the AUX in1 of the first inverter; both wires (Com & NO). Polarity does not matter. The relay (inverter side) goes to the remote or ATS contol of the Genny.

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stubbs avatar image
stubbs answered ·

@Temagami Electrical Services did you get it working /up?

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temagami-electrical-services avatar image temagami-electrical-services commented ·

@Stubbs

Yes, works great!

I'm about to set this up on another system.

Thanks for the help.

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