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7 Aug 23 Update: Victron has a new "Solar and Wind Priority" feature! Still in beta, but check it out (link here to Victron website).
WARNING: Messing with a Victron configuration without understanding what you're doing could result in a non-operational system. If you experiment based on what you read here you do so at your own risk.
If you're still interested, the attached PDF has all the images that goes along with the text below.
There's a really long thread here that I will close with an update pointing to this new thread. I'm not sure if I missed a key piece of information in the past or if there's been changes due to firmware updates but with the configuration you'll soon read about now works exactly as I'd always hoped--solar is prioritized (when available) over the shore connection and battery power is the last resource utilized. (This is important when I'm home--why pay the electric company when I can generate my own power?)
First, some quotes from the Victron manual for the CCGX snipped from Chapter 8 DVCC that can be found here: https://www.victronenergy.com/media/...t-control.html
8.4.1. Limit charge current
That last quote is what really caught my attention and what set me down the path of (again) testing my configuration.
Page 1 of the attached PDF is a screenshot showing the firmware configuration of my system. I am not sure if firmware versions have anything to do with how the system is performing.
Page 4 & 5 is with DVCC enabled but without ESS. The specific DVCC settings I chose were determined based on the description in the Victron manual. (I could have them wrong.) Note how this appeared to make no difference--shore is still providing 100% of the power required by the trailer.
Page 6 & 7 is with the ESS Assistant installed in the Multiplus (and note the configuration change in the Multiplus) but DVCC is not enabled. Here the PV Charger is providing power to the battery to keep it fully charged, thus there's a 64W output from the solar controller. (This is better than 0 as was shown previously but still not what is desired.)
Page 8 & 9 is with both DVCC enabled AND the ESS Assistant installed. Voila! Almost all power required by the RV is being provided from the solar panels. The 14W coming from the SHORE is to keep the connection active. (This will fluctuate slightly during use.)
Conclusion: FINALLY I have the prioritization scheme I've always wanted. Why? Because PV is prioritized (used first) for power requirements in the trailer, then Shore, then the battery bank. In my previous configuration (ESS utilizing a different mode not discussed in this post) the priority was BATTERY > PV > SHORE. This caused undesired charge / discharge cycles on the batteries. Now the batteries stay charged but PV is used when available--hooray!!! Of course, shore is used at night or when PV is not sufficient for the power requirements but that's OK when at home and connected to shore power.
Howard
DVCC Experiment.pdf
WARNING: Messing with a Victron configuration without understanding what you're doing could result in a non-operational system. If you experiment based on what you read here you do so at your own risk.
If you're still interested, the attached PDF has all the images that goes along with the text below.
There's a really long thread here that I will close with an update pointing to this new thread. I'm not sure if I missed a key piece of information in the past or if there's been changes due to firmware updates but with the configuration you'll soon read about now works exactly as I'd always hoped--solar is prioritized (when available) over the shore connection and battery power is the last resource utilized. (This is important when I'm home--why pay the electric company when I can generate my own power?)
First, some quotes from the Victron manual for the CCGX snipped from Chapter 8 DVCC that can be found here: https://www.victronenergy.com/media/...t-control.html
Enabling DVCC changes a GX device from a passive monitor into an active controller.
8.4.1. Limit charge current
This is a user-configurable maximum charge current setting. It works across the whole system. MPPT Solar Chargers are automatically prioritized over the mains/generator.
That last quote is what really caught my attention and what set me down the path of (again) testing my configuration.
Page 1 of the attached PDF is a screenshot showing the firmware configuration of my system. I am not sure if firmware versions have anything to do with how the system is performing.
- The rest of the document captures loads of about ~325W of AC and ~78W of DC. I had one air conditioner fan on high (the AC Load) and two MaxxAir fans also on high (the majority of the DC Load). The document also has the configuration of the CCGX and the configuration of the Multiplus (as shown via VE Configure3) for each specific tested configuration.
- Please note this post does not document how to do these configuration changes (that's a whole topic in itself)--what this post does is capture the results.
Page 4 & 5 is with DVCC enabled but without ESS. The specific DVCC settings I chose were determined based on the description in the Victron manual. (I could have them wrong.) Note how this appeared to make no difference--shore is still providing 100% of the power required by the trailer.
Page 6 & 7 is with the ESS Assistant installed in the Multiplus (and note the configuration change in the Multiplus) but DVCC is not enabled. Here the PV Charger is providing power to the battery to keep it fully charged, thus there's a 64W output from the solar controller. (This is better than 0 as was shown previously but still not what is desired.)
Page 8 & 9 is with both DVCC enabled AND the ESS Assistant installed. Voila! Almost all power required by the RV is being provided from the solar panels. The 14W coming from the SHORE is to keep the connection active. (This will fluctuate slightly during use.)
Conclusion: FINALLY I have the prioritization scheme I've always wanted. Why? Because PV is prioritized (used first) for power requirements in the trailer, then Shore, then the battery bank. In my previous configuration (ESS utilizing a different mode not discussed in this post) the priority was BATTERY > PV > SHORE. This caused undesired charge / discharge cycles on the batteries. Now the batteries stay charged but PV is used when available--hooray!!! Of course, shore is used at night or when PV is not sufficient for the power requirements but that's OK when at home and connected to shore power.
Howard
DVCC Experiment.pdf
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