Battery Discharge When On Shore Power

[ncitro]

howson The two fuses is common when using the lynx, the one outside the lynx is the main protection fuse coming from the batteries, the one inside the distributor is the fuse for that circuit, in this case the inverter.

Country Campers I'd doubt a pedestal problem since it works on charge.

OP, I'd review your settings for three Multiplus. It should switch over a couple seconds after being put into on. It should then pass the line voltage to your system. When shore power is removed then it should automatically go into inverter. When shore is reapplied then it should go back to passing the shore power. My first Multiplus would not detect 120v, and would only invert. In my case it would not work on charge either, but it is certainly possible there is damage to the circuit that detects the input voltage. That said I'd look for a setup issue first.

[tmakie]

I used the my Hughes autoformer info and everything is within the grid limits: 123.5v, 60.0Hz. I disabled the UPS checkbox but that did not have any effect either as it immediately goes to inverter.

Any other ideas why it might be going directly to inverter in the "On" mode but has no problem using the Shore Power in the "Charge Only" mode?

Todd

[howson]

howson The two fuses is common when using the lynx, the one outside the lynx is the main protection fuse coming from the batteries, the one inside the distributor is the fuse for that circuit, in this case the inverter.

What would be the difference (rating) between the two fuses? Measured against the potential load of the Multiplus (while inverting), the rest of the camper's DC loads are almost insignificant. In other words, I don't see the rationale in this application for a "main" and a "sub" fuse.

Sorry if I seem to be an alarmist, but if that's a 400A fuse that blew in the Distributor that would get my attention. Why did it blow? A fuse blowing is normally a symptom, not the problem.

Todd ( tmakie ) -- what's the rating on the fuse that blew? I hope the issue is it's just too small.

[ncitro]

It is optional in installs I have seen. I did not install one in my home install (uses a Lynx system). It is mainly there to protect the wiring between the battery and the distributor, whereas the fuses in the distributor are to protect the wiring out to the devices. This way if something goes wrong with the inverter circuit the rest of the loads will not be disconnected. Normally the main battery fuse would be rated higher than the combined loads, but obviously needs to also be sized to the wiring used. He said his inverter was fused at 400A and failed due to a faulty Multiplus. I took him at his word there, not sure what would fail in the Multi to blow the 400A fuse, but it must have been bad...

[howson]

It is optional in installs I have seen. I did not install one in my home install (uses a Lynx system). It is mainly there to protect the wiring between the battery and the distributor, whereas the fuses in the distributor are to protect the wiring out to the devices. This way if something goes wrong with the inverter circuit the rest of the loads will not be disconnected. Normally the main battery fuse would be rated higher than the combined loads, but obviously needs to also be sized to the wiring used. He said his inverter was fused at 400A and failed due to a faulty Multiplus. I took him at his word there, not sure what would fail in the Multi to blow the 400A fuse, but it must have been bad...

Gotcha. I failed to read it that way the first time through.

[Yoda]

On question does the Cerbo GX need to be grounded to properly work? I don't see a ground connected to it. I am also still a bit confused by the shunt install as I don't think it sees all the negative loads as wired. On mine it ties between the negative battery bus bar in the Lynx power it and a negative return block where all negative wiring attaches too, except the battery cables That block then goes to the chassis ground.


The battery cables will attach to the negative buss bar in the Lynx power in later. Second picture is how the battery cables attached to the lynx power in. Negative are under the black plastic covers.

Also it wold be good to know how shore power is wired in. In my mind it should now come direct to the multiplus and then to the distribution panel with nothing inbetween except maybe a surge protector. BTW if there's a surge protector wired in, is it delivering the correct power to the multiplus?

Just brainstorming
Keith

[tmakie]

Yes, shore power is direct to the Multiplus in and out terminals. Hope I don't have a defective one like ncitro had where it would not recognize 120v and automatically inverted.

[Country Campers]

I used the my Hughes autoformer info and everything is within the grid limits: 123.5v, 60.0Hz. I disabled the UPS checkbox but that did not have any effect either as it immediately goes to inverter.

Any other ideas why it might be going directly to inverter in the "On" mode but has no problem using the Shore Power in the "Charge Only" mode?

Todd

Remove the Hughes from the system and see if that changes anything.

Brian

[Jimmer]

Any other ideas why it might be going directly to inverter in the "On" mode but has no problem using the Shore Power in the "Charge Only" mode?

Todd

The "Charge Only" mode only operates the Multiplus to charge. In this mode, it does not let the inverter turn on, but the AC power is "passed through" without any inverter function. So, in that mode, pass through is occurring, showing this aspect of the Multiplus is capable.

[Jimmer]

Todd, there are at least three reasons why your Multiplus is not "passing through" the line voltage like it should be when the inverter is not needed. I review these three scenarios below.

1) Your Multiplus is defective. But, at this point I doubt that's the case.

2) Your Mulitplus is in "Inverter" mode, even though you think it is on the "On" position. Can you see a screen either on the Touch50 pad or on VE Configure/VictronConnect which shows in software what mode the Multiplus is in? Actually, I see from the pictures at the end of my post that you can see the state of the Multiplus Switch in both of the bottom 2 pictures that the switch is in the ON state.

Here's a picture of my Touch50 in the "On Mode."




3. The Multiplus is forcing the inverter to operate because it doesn't like something in your AC input to the Multiplus. My Victron System for some reason cannot connect with VE Configure, so I can't check the same screens you posted in one of your first threads. However, here's what my settings look like in VE Config. Can you go into VE Config and post screen grabs from "Ac input control" and the main screen which shows all of the AC inputs/outputs?

The important part is the Conditional AC input connection is off.

[tmakie]

Note: Todd asks a question about solar panels that has been moved to it's own thread. See Solar Panel Mount Position for that discussion. -Howard (moderator)

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Yes, charge only mode works fine but the "On" mode is not triggering the shore power / 120v but rather immediately goes into "Inverter" when the switch is in the "On" mode position.

I will have to experiment more tomorrow.

Todd

[Yoda]

Note: Todd asks a question about solar panels that has been moved to it's own thread. See Solar Panel Mount Position for that discussion. -Howard (moderator)

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Yes, charge only mode works fine but the "On" mode is not triggering the shore power / 120v but rather immediately goes into "Inverter" when the switch is in the "On" mode position.

I will have to experiment more tomorrow.

Todd

Do you have the power boost feature enabled. That's when the multiplus will supplement buy use of the inverter if shore power is low. If you have that enabled can you share a screen shot of the parameter settings Also If you have it on, try disabling it and see what happens.

Again brainstorming

Keith

[tmakie]

ncitro can you send me your multiplus settings to compare as it sounds like we have the same equipment?

[howson]

ncitro can you send me your multiplus settings to compare as it sounds like we have the same equipment?

Do you have a VRM portal account and can you access your system from your local computer?

[ncitro]

ncitro can you send me your multiplus settings to compare as it sounds like we have the same equipment?

Unfortunately I am away from my rig until Saturday, but I can grab them then. I have a Type 1 not a Type 2 though.