question

telluriansojourn avatar image
telluriansojourn asked

Solar to supplement generator

We have a Victron Multiplus 24, SmartSolar 150/35, Cerbo and 1400W of Renogy panel on the roof if our RV. Everything works great while boondocking until it gets got enough to run the AC...for which we have a 3400W Champion inverter generator. My question is that when hooked up to the generator, the solar power will drop to virtually nothing once the batteries are fully charged. I can confirm the ability to pull in say 1000W via the panels, but the system makes the generator take the brunt of the load...and thus burns more gas as well. How can I get the system to inject the available solar power to the RV needs and let the generator work less? Right now, we are just not using the free energy available to us. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Blue

MultiPlus Quattro Inverter Charger
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3 Answers
JohnC avatar image
JohnC answered ·

Hi @TellurianSojourn

The easiest way to do this is to set the Absorb target V in the Multi to slightly less than that of the mppt. That way the Multi will back off when it reaches it's target and the mppt will continue on seeking it's own. It may never actually reach it, so you need to ensure that your charge profile is still happening suitably overall.

Also ensure that your system is reading the same V's (can vary slightly), and varying Temp Compensation can also influence this. I find that just 0.1V in a 48V system is enough, but that's in a more comprehensive system with DVCC 'equalizing' the targets. You may need a little more?

Float V would also work the same, but by then your genset should have wound right back and be shut down anyway.


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woody avatar image
woody answered ·

What side of the Multi is your AC? I guess it would also help to know a little more about your system, like the size of your Multi and how much energy does the AC require?

Thanks,

Chris

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telluriansojourn avatar image
telluriansojourn answered ·

I will try and gather more details for my system, things I've tried and how I am trying to handle the power available to the RV via solar panels, a generator and/or shore power. I appreciate the ideas and will update soon. Thanks!

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