question

Javier San Juan Costillas avatar image
Javier San Juan Costillas asked

AC-IN RCD tripping when Quattro connects starts using it.

Hi!

Hoping to get some insights on this because it is very odd.

The ACin-1 of my Victron Quattro 15000VA it is connected to the mains but with an RCD to protect about 15meters of cable that is from main SwitchBoard to the Victron. In this case as soon as Victron internal switch makes the contact (click noise inside Victron) the RCD trips on the switchboard. I have tried to put a Type A just in case that would fix it but trips as well...

When I connect direct without RCD, all works perfect, Victron works as UPS and no issues in the supply.

Any insights?

Thanks a lot!

MultiPlus Quattro Inverter ChargerGenerator
5 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.

Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ commented ·

@JSJC

Check with a meter and see if there is any voltage between neutral and earth. You may have a bad earth somewhere, or another wiring issue

0 Likes 0 ·
Javier San Juan Costillas avatar image Javier San Juan Costillas commented ·

Hi @Alexandra, thanks for your answer.

There is not leakage, it happens ONLY when the Victron Quattro activates the connection in ACin. Until then no problem, if remove Victron Quattro and connect the loads trough that RCD the whole house all works perfect, no trips anytime and trips when needs to trip.

Leakage/tripping happens right when Victron connects and starts drawing from ACin, so its very very odd. Is it supposed to have direct connection from mains/grid to ACin without any RCD?? I would like to protect those 15meters of wire tho.

0 Likes 0 ·
Alexandra avatar image Alexandra ♦ Javier San Juan Costillas commented ·

@JSJC

There is a ground relay inside the victron unit it is active when there is no grid power so maybe in the crossover there is an issue. Do you have your physical wiring neutral earth tie before or after your inverter. Grid code does also affect the ground relay setting.

0 Likes 0 ·
Show more comments
electricboating avatar image electricboating commented ·
I have the same issue with a Quattro 5kVA. No Neutral/Earth connection downstream. Swapped out for a 3kVA Quattro and then a 4kVA multi to test, all fine.

Trips when switching on initially, when RCD reset it works OK unless switched off....

Inrush current??

0 Likes 0 ·
4 Answers
miles avatar image
miles answered ·

Did you find an answer to this? I have the exact same issue, if when my system is setup the same as what you have mentioned above....... Thanks

1 comment
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.

Matthias Lange - DE avatar image Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented ·
Do you have a RCD on AC Out (there should be one)?

Maybe the problem is a device or the wiring at the output of the Multi/Quattro.

0 Likes 0 ·
the-doon avatar image
the-doon answered ·

Sounds like the ground relay closing giving you a short between neutral and earth after the RCD installed on the ACin-1 circuit. If this is the case it’ll trip every time you turn on the supply to ACin-1.

1 comment
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.

miles avatar image miles commented ·
Yes, I think that's it too. As soon as the relay closes it trips the RCD every time. (Ideally, I would like to have the AC in plugged into a power point just to add charge to the batteries if they get below about 40% SOC) ( Where I am located I can't have AC in hardwired to the Multiplus. (the power company will not allow it) :( Any Suggestions?
0 Likes 0 ·
gro avatar image
gro answered ·

The RCD goes off due to an imbalance between active and neutral currents. Your Quattro must be providing an alternative return path via earth at the Quattro for the RCD to trip. You can either find where the earth and neutral are being connected at the Quattro and stop that from happening or you can change the RCD to an over current only circuit breaker.

The above assumes you have an earth neutral link at the main distribution board where your local provider comes into the house.

1 comment
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.

miles avatar image miles commented ·

Yes, there is an earth neutral link at the main distribution board. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to have a circuit breaker without an RCD, However It was replaced with one, just to try this, and of coarse there was not a problem then, it worked. But the electrician had to put the RCD breaker back in for compliance.

0 Likes 0 ·
Trevor Bird avatar image
Trevor Bird answered ·

Hello,

This is a common problem if the neutral from the output of the inverter is inadvertently connected to the neutral of the mains. Inverter neutral should be a separate neutral and not connected to mains. This may be an obvious point but it is very easy to put a neutral in the wrong place sometimes. Everything will work perfectly when Quattro is bypassed and in fact no fault exists but the neutral is not isolated.


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.

miles avatar image miles commented ·

The inverter has a mains/victron change over switch in the main switch board in the house. When the change over switch is set to Victron the Neutral from the inverter is connected to the neutral on the switch board. (my electrician set it up this way- I think it has to be??) As I mentioned earlier ( Where I am located I can't have AC in hardwired. (the power company will not allow it) So I just wanted to be able to plug it into a non victron power point to provide power for charging etc when needed..... ?

0 Likes 0 ·
offgridvoltage avatar image offgridvoltage miles commented ·
Hi Miles.... Did you end up getting a definative solution to your dilemma ?


Please let us know what worked, and what didn't, and what you learned along the way :)

0 Likes 0 ·