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tresrio avatar image
tresrio asked

Missing AMPS Line 2 with Generator

I Currently have the Multiplus -II 3000/120 Converter/Inverter installed in my RV with a a Guard dog upstream. When the House/RV park shore power is on I get good volts and amps with no issues, runs everything. When I boon dock and hook up my 2 WEN generators 4500 in parallel only Line 1 shows AMPS. As you can see in the picture there are bo AMPS or WATTS available. Ideas?


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shorepower
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3 Answers
Justin Cook avatar image
Justin Cook answered ·

If your generators are not outputting split-phase 120/240 at 180-degrees out of phase as the MultiPlus-II 2x120 requires, it will ignore the L2 input entirely, which would explain there being no current pulled on L2 input through your Watchdog.

See the MultiPlus-II 2x120 product description, as well as the manual:

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https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/MultiPlus-II_12V-24V_3kVA_2x120V/en/index-en.html


Editing to add: If you don't have the 2x120 version and only have the standard 1x120 version, then there's no L2 input on the MultiPlus at all which would also explain why it's not pulling current from L2.


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tresrio avatar image
tresrio answered ·

Thanks Justin for the feedback, I do have the 2x120 (attached photo). I get line 2 when hooked up to the land line and also got it BEFORE installing the MultiPlus and everything worked fine. output.jpg


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Justin Cook avatar image Justin Cook ♦♦ commented ·
A 50A land line is going to be split-phase 120/240 at 180-degrees out of phase, so the MP-II is going to accept that. And hooking up off the generators, if they're running straight through to the panel rather than through the MP, then your panel wouldn't care if the lines were in phase or not (though any 240 consumers likely wouldn't have functioned).

Now that you have a unit that requires split-phase input to be able to pass-through both lines, the two generators aren't out of phase so the Multi is rejecting L2 input and only using L1 input.

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tresrio answered ·

Perfect explanation!

Thank you.

Is there any work around that maybe possible?

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Justin Cook avatar image Justin Cook ♦♦ commented ·
Yes, though not necessarily an easy one depending on your existing wiring. You can't run the second generator straight around the Multi to the panel, because the Multi is feeding L2 output (along with L1 output) from its accepted L1 input.

You also don't want to fully disconnect the Multi's L2 output because then it wouldn't work when you're plugged into a land line and do have split-phase input.

I could see a lockout breaker panel like a BS-8061 or a rotary selector like the BS-6337 that would let you shut down the Multi's L2 output to the panel and instead route the second generator's output around the Multi to the panel, but that could get messy in the wiring depending on what you have going on - that's one of those that if you get into, would strongly suggest consulting a reputable and experienced systems installer to help with just to be sure all the wiring is correct and properly isolated.

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