Basic Multiplus operation and control tutorial

[Yoda]

I really need to be re-educated on what I actually have and how to properly use it more.. I have a basic Multiplus 12/3000/120 30 amp unit with Touch 50 pad (CerboGX) inside the trailer. Multiplus is mounted in the front bay.

I normally keep the switch on charger only and only move the switch to on when I need the inverter, and then activate the inverter using the Touch 50 pad. When done I move the switch on the Multiplus back to charger only. This is going to sound really dumb, but can I leave the switch on ON and just use the touch 50 pad to have the inverter off and charger on, etc? Save me getting dressed and hitting my head getting to the Multiplus in the front bay. early in the morning.

Why am I asking this? SWMBO dropped a bomb shell on me during this last trip that she was glad we did not have the trailer with us. She hates RV parks and wants something more remote where she can hike - me too if I can get my back issue fixed that affects my hips. Otherwise I sit and do stuff around the camp. Fishing if possible. This means taking longer stops (shorter drive times) and finding State parks, Forrest . BLM. etc which will have minimal services, but things to do.I am OK with all of this, but need to relearn the basics I guess. This is important guys, so bear with me.

I am OK with the longer transit times like 4 days to get to Mississippi instead of two long days,, but realize I will be using the Multiplus more which I really haven't done. Even going to Alaska I usually found an RV park instead or boon docking.. I thought she would feel more comfortable that way but know now she wants to rough it more. with less glamping and folks parked next door.

I have been looking for Multiplus use videos, but only finding set up and programing ones. I just need a good tutorial on the basic operation and using what I have better and not pulling a "Yoda Moment" and end up killing the batterys or letting the magic smoke out of the wires. I guess I forgot what I thought I knew by not using it more.

Inverter use would be minimal - morning coffee, microwave for reheating or defrosting meals , but not much more as we don't watch TV when traveling.

Initially my battery bank should be good 520 AH @ 50%, (4-6V flooded) but they are coming up on 4 years old, My time to switch to lithium is coming near I think. But OK if the prices keep falling. Ill ask for advice later on that.

The only other thing is finding a good guide on state parks and other non RV park places to stay. so DW can pick places to stop. Again another topic for later. Were still having cell coverage issues (AT&T carrier through Consumer Cellular) so using the phone to be able to search is not reliable. Maybe I need a cell booster for the truck.when driving. Again another topic for later.

At least she does not want to sell the trailer. So any help here is appreciated.

Thanks
Keith

[Yoda]

I think I found some of the information I was looking for, It was under the Cerbo GX / touch 50 screen settings on what can be done to operate various components.. I just need to go out and look at mine. Still not sure where the switch on the Multiplus needs to be set. Video had it off and the remotely turned it on with the touch screen. Snowed all day today and more cumming over the next week.

Keith

[Country Campers]

Mine is set to "On" on the Multiplus and I use the Touch 50 to change the settings, input amperage, on/off, but I have not changed from charge only to inverter.

Brain

[howson]

Yoda (Keith),
IMO there is no need to switch back and forth between modes unless there is a very specific reason to do so. Leave the manual switch on the Multiplus (I'll refer to the Multiplus as "M" for the rest of this response) set to ON. Leave the soft setting (available via the Touch screen) to ON.

Why?

When connected to shore power, the M will automatically pass the legs through the inverter to the camper. In other words, like a transfer switch (which is really what it is inside the M).

When shore power drops off, the M automatically transfers to inverter mode. This happens so fast you may not even realize shore power has dropped off. (If you want to be notified when shore power drops, go to SETTINGS > SYSTEM SETUP > MONITOR FOR SHORE POWER and turn on that option.)

Whenever the inverter in the M is not needed, by default the converter/charge side in the M takes over to keep the battery bank fully charged.

In normal day-to-day usage, my only interaction with settings on a regular basis is the {your Multiplus' name on the Touch screen} > INPUT CURRENT LIMIT setting. When at a 30A site, it's set to 30. Obviously set to 50 when at a 50A site. I've also set the INPUT CURRENT LIMIT as low as 10A when "moochdocking". That results in pulling the first 10A from whomever I'm "mooching" from (typically for the air conditioner) and then, when needed, the inverter kicks in an additional 25A through the Power Assist function as required. (Link is to a YouTube video on Power Assist.) Works great.

Does that help or is there still something specific that's not addressed?

Howard

[ncitro]

I am the same as Howard, but I have a residential refrigerator so I need the inverter on all the time. In your case given you're not on lithium, I could see wanting to kill it so you don't need to wander through the rig and turn everything off. Not sure but I think with the switch set to on, you can toggle it into charge only mode or off from the touch 50. Should be easy to test but my rig is in Florida and I'm in Chicago lol. That shouldn't let any smoke out I promise.

[howson]

Not sure but I think with the switch set to on, you can toggle it into charge only mode or off from the touch 50.

Yoda, what Neil suggests does indeed work as advertised. When I want the Multiplus off (for whatever reason during maintenance) I use the "soft off" via my CCGX's screen. The Inverter and Charger Only options work the same (via the screen options).

I don't worry about minor 120vAC draws in the camper while towing. Between the solar and DC-DC Charger capability of my system I arrive at a boondocking location with 100% battery capacity. I also have a residential refrigerator so that's always powered, too.

When I wrote minor the assumption is that you don't run the water heater (tank version) on electric when disconnected from shore power, nor the air conditioner or fireplace. Everything else I can think of is (relatively) minor. It's easy for you to monitor via the VictronConnect app to get exact values and determine if your draws are indeed "minor". If something is accidentally left on (electric blanket?) you'll know instantly by the amperage draw from the batteries (and you'll be able to track down the culprit). If the draws are minor, leave the Multiplus set ON--bet you'll find it works out just fine.

Howard

[Yoda]

Brian Country Campers , Howard howson , Neil ncitro .

Thanks so much. This is exactly the information I needed. Once you all mentioned it, I started to remember some of it. Ill do some test runs when it warms up. I need to get out and plow the drive today sometime - what fun - NOTTTTTT Should have stayed in Mississippi where it was warm.

Now on to researching all the non glamping options along our usual trips and routes and see if open in the winter.

Thanks again for the help
Keith

[ncitro]

Yeah my fridge (both the main and outdoor kitchen) dwarf any "minor" draws I have, so I do not think twice about any of it. Same as Howard, my solar and DC to DC keep me full whenever towing so if I am on the go I pretty much never need to stop at a RV park until we want to. If we are stationary and running off solar it depends on location and trees/cloud cover but I can minimum get 2-3 days with no sun.