Hi all,
Looking for some kind of tester/partner interested in an excess energy management system for off-grid systems.
I’m a Victron (also Fronius and Lorentz) official installer. During the last years, I’ve been developing a system to use all that PV power excess that we are just losing when our batteries are full (or our charge capacity is smaller than the available PV power).
At the beginning, I designed this system to be used with AC-coupled Fronius -Victron. As a matter of fact, the actual prototype, which has been working for the last two years with excellent results, has this set-up with a 24/3000 and Primo 3.0. I chose this configuration for many reasons, one of the most important, it’s the one who allows you to oversize your PV field and, then use the excess power in a more efficient way.
The system can manage up to six loads ON/OFF (also implemented but not tested yet a seventh variable load). Based on a stablished priority and parameters, the different non-critical loads will be switched on when is energy excess. When there is no excess energy anymore, the system will shut down load by load, again following priorities. Energy excess is calculated in a very cost-efficient way, working really fine.
For the actual prototype, all loads are AC, with two AC units, a 1200 W water heater, a small water treatment plant and a couple of pumps. Loads can be switched on/off by a dry contact, 0-10V signal or IFTTT (this last one preferred). The system can be connected to Alexa (private sketch by now). Also, monitoring is possible via Blynk, as well as manual function for switch on/off loads and set of most system parameters).
As I’m aware that AC coupling is not the most popular coupling method, I decided to adapt the system to work with DC-coupling (as long as everything is Victron in the system, it will be easy).
What I’m looking for is someone who is interested, professional Victron installer preferable, with a DC-installation medium size (PV 4-6kWp, Inverter Multiplus 3, 5 or Quattro, single phase), internet connected, with an IFTTT and similar non-critical loads as described, to test the DC-coupling version and, eventually, be associated for future development or more interesting things.
I forgot to say I’m in Spain, but nowadays I don’t think this is making any difference.
I attach some pics of the App that monitor the system.
