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bartrs avatar image
bartrs asked

Grid alarm: Grid lost

Hi all,

First of all, a Merry Christmas to everybody!

As I'm new to off grid and only bought my Victron setup last month, I've been playing with battery/solar/charging settings to get to know and understand the system.

I've been charging the batteries by solar and with temporary grid connection. I never had an alarm. So for the last 2 weeks or so it has been working perfect.

Yesterday I've set up the Cerbo relais (generator) as I wanted the Multi 2 to start and stop charging at desired SOC levels.

All worked fine, until I removed the temporary grid connection: Grid alarm, grid lost.

Which is a good thing.
So I cleared the alarm and plugged the grid back in, alarm popped up again.

I've set the Multi off, waited for 15 minutes and back on. A new Grid alarm.
I then checked the voltage AC-in with Multimeter, 229,2V and checked the VRM Advanced Graphic, yes the grid is connected.
Unless I go into Remote settings and disable 'Monitor for grid failure' there is no way I can stop the Alarm.

What is going on?

Thanks for your help in advance !


gridalarm
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5 Answers
Alexandra avatar image
Alexandra answered ·

@BartR


Is the system rejecting the grid? Or set to inverter only?

The other possible thing is something is loose. Since you did temporarily disconnect and then reconnect it?

I assume you want to keep the alarm monitoring on?

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bartrs avatar image bartrs commented ·

All is connected properly, nothing loose (I can see in VRM Graphic there is grid connected).

Yes I did temporarily disconnect it, but the after reconnecting and clearing the alarm its like the Multi doesn't see it's connected, although it does show in VRM graphic AND I've checked voltage on AC- in, both show 229v.

Multiplus is set at 'on' (inverter and charger).

So I would say the system is rejecting grid.


I have now put a decent load on the batteries for it to drain, and will then change charging parameters. Clearly if the Multi starts charging AND the alarm keeps popping up there is something wrong with software.
P.S. all Victron is on latest firmware, just checked it.

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bartrs avatar image bartrs bartrs commented ·

tempimageuadt5n.gif


tempimage9jpuhl.gif


As you can see there is grid.
Will start charging in a few minutes, lets see what happens.

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tempimageuadt5n.gif (8.8 MiB)
tempimage9jpuhl.gif (8.8 MiB)
bartrs avatar image
bartrs answered ·

@Alexandra

Here are some pictures:

Charging started at 80% SOC, set at 88% SOC, 14:09hr :

img-3258.png


Charging stopped as it reached the 88% SOC, 14:11hr :
img-3260.png


One minute later, 14:12hr :

img-3262.png





img-3258.png (1.1 MiB)
img-3260.png (522.9 KiB)
img-3262.png (386.3 KiB)
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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ commented ·
So the grid is there but it is not using it. Are you using virtual switch or some other way to disconnect to prioritise self consumption?
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bartrs avatar image
bartrs answered ·

I'm going to load the old file into the Multiplus, as I have a feeling the Generator setting is causing this issue (something in the system thinks there is no grid, due to the Cerbo relais).


Edit: uploaded old file into Multiplus, let's wait and find out.

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bartrs avatar image bartrs commented ·
Well ,that didn't last long..... grid alarm, even with the old settings I used before and never had a grid alarm !
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nickdb avatar image nickdb ♦♦ bartrs commented ·
If everything else is working and grid is being rejected, use the mk3 and the ve bus monitor to check what it might be unhappy with.
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bartrs avatar image bartrs nickdb ♦♦ commented ·

You mean this:
VE.Bus Monitor ?

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bartrs avatar image bartrs bartrs commented ·

I'm going to disable 'Monitor Grid failure' for now, I got a couple of very busy working days ahead. But i'm surely going to dive into this as I want to know and understand why this is happening.
PV charging and inverting are working great.
Worst case scenario I will have to reset the Cerbo and Multi, for a fresh new start. I'm not in a hurry as there isn't a lot of sun here in Holland at the moment :(


Thanks for your input!


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netrange avatar image
netrange answered ·

Did you enable input current limiting or limit the charge current so the multi doesn't draw too much current through the AC In ?
Possibly something is defective in the supply line. So it shows 229V in idle but can't draw any load over the supply line because then its voltage collapses.

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bartrs avatar image bartrs commented ·

I've tried between 6 and 25 amps, which didn't make a difference.

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freher avatar image
freher answered ·

Any solution on this topic? Have the same issue..

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Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ commented ·

@freher

If everything is up to date fw wise....

What needs to be established is - is it grid rejection for

1. physical reasons

a. such as N/L mix up)

b. Leakage of power to earth preventing gnd rely from opening/closing as expected.

2. Programmed reasons

a. Virtual switch or ignore ac is active

b. Grid is outside of programmed parameters (or grid code)

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