On Monday August 26, 2024 Victron announced the release of their new, improved on line MPPT calculator. Unfortunately improved is a relative term in this case. Victron made some improvements to the user interface that are nice and make the calculator usable on pretty much any size screen, but they took away some key functionality in this process. The user is now required to select a PV module from Victron’s “extensive database” in order to use the calculator. Victron actually touts this as an improvement in the what’s new section on the calculator. Well I’m here to say this is not an improvement, it is a degradation. There are so many available PV modules on the market around the world that there is no way to maintain a proper database to make the calculator useful to all users. The old calculator that this new and improved calculator replaced allowed the end user to enter custom values to fit any PV module rather than limiting itself to only process information on PV modules Victron chose to enter into their database. This upgrade has rendered the calculator useless to me and many other installers and end users who use PV modules that Victron has not chosen to include in their “extensive database”. Hopefully Victron sees the error of their ways and brings back the custom option. From a time management standpoint on Victron’s part, I would think that that would be much more effective rather than trying keep up with a database of PV modules worldwide that would always be changing. I have already seen numerous posts on other solar related social media groups expressing displeasure with this functionality loss since Moday. Hopefully Victron is listening. Ideally, if someone can answer why Victron made the change to remove this functionality or whether there are plans to integrate the custom option into the new calculator, that would be great. I have sent several emails to contacts I have within Victron to see if they can get any answers as well. If I hear anything I will update the information here as well.
