question

Akshay Tanna avatar image
Akshay Tanna asked

Victron multiplus II in parallel - sparking near the battery terminals after one year

Hello,

I had two multiplus II 48/5000/70 in parallel.

They worked great for one year, however, recently I noticed sparking near the battery terminals of one inverter. The sparks would occur when large current was being drawn from the battery (charging or discharging)

The sparks were not at the posts but "inside" the inverter. On removing the cover, I notice clear signs of where the sparks were occuring - photos attached.

image.jpeg

The sparks were accompanied by low battery warnings.


I have since shut down one inverter and have gone to single inverter ops and everything works well again.


I was wondering if anyone had any opinions/experience with this.

Multiplus-II
image.jpeg (190.6 KiB)
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.

3 Answers
marekp avatar image
marekp answered ·

Electronic equipment fail from time to time.

Warranty is given just for that reason.

7 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.

Akshay Tanna avatar image Akshay Tanna commented ·
Thanks @MarekP . These are old inverters and out of warranty. Would you know what that part is? it appears to be a screw that "links" the metal piece to the PCB in the back.


I assume it carries a large current from the battery.

0 Likes 0 ·
Show more comments
kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

Guessing the sparking/arcing was due to looseness, but the arcs have redistributed the metal. Good clean up, maybe run a tap through the thread to clean up... Check what's behind as well.

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.

Akshay Tanna avatar image Akshay Tanna commented ·
Thanks! @kevgermany

Any idea what that piece does? IT appears like its a large metal bus of some sort, maybe even a heat sink?


Would this information be available anywhere?

0 Likes 0 ·
kevgermany avatar image kevgermany ♦♦ Akshay Tanna commented ·
Busbar/heatsink, yes
0 Likes 0 ·
klim8skeptic avatar image
klim8skeptic answered ·

The shape of the splat (arc) marks suggests there was a star washer under the screw head.

Disassemble, clean, and reassemble with new hardware.

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.