Hello Everyone.
Could I please have your advice on configuring and switching on a newly installed DVCC system in a yacht? Questions at the bottom. First, a system description. The devices involved are:
- three 12.8V Smart lithium batteries, in parallel as the house battery bank
- Smart BMS CL 12-100, to keep the diesel engine’s alternator safe from overheating
- Smart Battery Protect 220 for load disconnect
- Smart Battery Protect 100 for charge disconnect of MPPT output (might change to a 220)
- Smart Shunt
- Cerbo GX and GX Touch 50 display
- MultiPlus 12/3000/120 - 50
- three 100/50 MPPTs with three x 400W solar panels
There are also two battery chargers connected to the positive bus-bar, being:
- an Orion-Tr 12/12-30 battery to battery charger, for charging the engine start battery, if needed
- a Sterling 12-24 charger for charging the 24V battery bank for the bowthruster
Data connections between the devices are:
- VE.Direct cable between the Smart Shunt and the Cerbo GX
- VE.Bus between the MultiPlus and the Cerbo GX
- VE.Direct-to-USB between the MPPTs and the Cerbo GX
And of course there are:
- load disconnect cable from the Smart BMS CL 12-100 to the Smart Battery Protect 220
- charge disconnect cable from the Smart BMS CL 12-100 to the Smart Battery Protect 100
I’ve read the DVCC information in the Color Control GX Manual. I’d happily read more information if it was available. :-)
How do the following configuration steps look to you?
- I need to activate DVCC in the Cerbo GX. Easy.
- I’m thinking I will activate ‘Limit charge current’ at first, to keep charging calm, at 50 amps max
- Shared Voltage Sense (SVS) comes on by default when DVCC is enabled. From Section 4.4.2 of the Manual, I gather the Smart Shunt will be the source of the voltage measurement, rather than the MultiPlus. This makes sense, so I think I’ll leave SVS on.
- Shared Temperature Sense is a problem. The system doesn’t have a temperature input at present. The batteries in the bilge are likely to be colder than the distant MultiPlus, a possible temperature source. I think I will turn STS off, until I can connect a sensor directly to the Cerbo. Which sensor?
- Shared Current Sense (SCS). Section 4.4.4 of the Manual is difficult to understand, but I get the impression I should turn SCS on, so the MPPTs can be configured to use the Smart Shunt’s current measurements.
Could I please have your thoughts on this approach? I will of course be working with the installer, however, he is not a Victron expert.
Thank you.