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tobe91 avatar image
tobe91 asked

Orion XS input voltage compensation

Hello,

I thought about replacing my Votronic VCC1212-50 booster in my Camper van with an Orion XS 50A.

From what I currently understand the Orion doesn't measure input voltage separately from the main 12v input coming from the starter battery?

Like in the most installations there is at least 4m or more cable between starter battery and the Orion XS. This ends up in a considerable voltage drop and affects the charging efficiency quite strong.

I'm using the Victron SmartShunt where I have the starter battery voltage on the Auxiliary Measurement port of the SmartShunt.

Wouldn't it be possible to forward this information anyhow to the Orion XS to compensate for the voltage drop? So no separate connections would be needed.

Thanks, Tobias

orion xsvoltage drop
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2 Answers
Matthias Lange - DE avatar image
Matthias Lange - DE answered ·

As far as I know is Victron working on a software solution for that.

You enter the cable length and cross section and the Orion can calculate the voltage drop.

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tobe91 avatar image tobe91 commented ·

This sounds really weird from my perspective, topics like cable ambient temperatures and so will all influence the calculations.

This has a smell of that they designed something and forgot something essential and now try to come up with a cheap solution to overcome this.

Why not just use what is already there with the SmartShunt or BatterySense, used by many customers? This would enable a precise information and not something error prone.

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) avatar image
Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) answered ·

Hi @Tobe91,

The Orion XS supports receiving battery voltage via a Smart Battery Sense, or SmartShunt via a VE.Smart Network (over bluetooth).

For more info on how to set that up please see the VE.Smart Network manual here - https://www.victronenergy.com/media/pg/VE.Smart_Networking/en/ve-smart-networking-product-compatibility.html

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tobe91 avatar image tobe91 commented ·

I read this instruction already, but from what I read the Orion XS only receives the voltage of the battery which it should charge and not the voltage from the vans starter battery or? So the input voltage measurement for the Orion XS is not doable via VE Smart Networking or?

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Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) avatar image Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ tobe91 commented ·

I think I might have misunderstood your question,

What is the relevance of the input voltage drop?

A precise battery voltage reading is quite important for charging a battery, but the input is necessary to see if the alternator is running and doesn’t need to be exact.

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tobe91 avatar image tobe91 Guy Stewart (Victron Community Manager) ♦♦ commented ·

This topic is coming up regarding the Camper Vans with EU6 emissions. The smart alternator is not all time running at maximum voltage or at least quite seldom.

So it will often just run at about 12,5V or so. So if we have about 5-6m cables we have easily a drop of 0.5V or more volts, which will result in quite low voltage at the Orion XS main input terminals and it will start lowering the charge current even if it shouldn't.

There are already many videos out where they are comparing the Votronic VCC-1212-50 with the Orion XS and there is a significant lower charging current at the Orion XS in comparsion with the Votronic.

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