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Cptnvideo's avatar
Cptnvideo
Nomad
Nov 04, 2022

Anyone familiar with or have a Victron MultiPlus-II inverter

We are looking into replacing our GoPower IC3000 inverter with the Victron model on the subject line.
Reason: the GoPower only monitors and controls load sharing on Line 1.
It is my understanding that the Victron does this on both lines of 50 amp service but calls it "assist". Does it come with or is a control/monitor panel (for settings, etc) available for the RV interior?
  • StirCrazy's avatar
    StirCrazy
    Moderator
    Nov 08, 2022
    StirCrazy wrote:
    Cptnvideo wrote:
    StirCrazy, I apologize if I insulted you. However that is exactly what you did when you basically said I didn't know the product I owned. You implied that I was stupid.


    sorry if it came accross that way, I should have asked where did you find this out as I wanted to look at it also. I was under the asumption it did monitor both legs.

    so my next question, how does this affect us and why are we concerned about it, I have been blisfully ignorant of it for years, should I even be worried about it now?
  • StirCrazy's avatar
    StirCrazy
    Moderator
    Nov 08, 2022
    Cptnvideo wrote:
    StirCrazy, I apologize if I insulted you. However that is exactly what you did when you basically said I didn't know the product I owned. You implied that I was stupid.


    sorry if it came accross that way, I should have asked where did you find this out as I wanted to look at it also. I was under the asumption it did monitor both legs.
  • Tom_Barb's avatar
    Tom_Barb
    Explorer
    Nov 07, 2022
    Cptnvideo wrote:
    Will it display amps for both Line 1 and Line 2?


    ours will... on a display to my phone. it requires a dongal device
  • Cptnvideo's avatar
    Cptnvideo
    Nomad
    Nov 07, 2022
    From a post by TechWriter, it appears the Victron shows the combined current draw of the 2 lines. I don't know how their load sharing works which they call "load assist".
    I should have done more research instead of relying on the installer's advice. But I assumed they knew best.
  • 3_tons's avatar
    3_tons
    Explorer III
    Nov 07, 2022
    Well, it would be interesting to see how the GoPower differs from the Victron?

    3 tons
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Nov 07, 2022
    Cptnvideo wrote:
    Since I have solar, it really doesn't affect it all that much. Another call to GoPower (and different tech) produced the opposite response. But I tested both ways, charger on and off, and tests confirmed charger must be on. (Maybe I have a defective inverter.)
    Fortunately, charge rate can be adjusted to 1% on the inverter/charger but one should not have to do that.


    It doesn't behave like the Magnum Load Support.

    I don't think you have a defective inverter/charger.

    From those that have Victrons--I've heard they operate in a similar fashion to the Magnum.

    For both the Magnum and Victron, the inverter must be on to do load support.

    The magnum chose to use 120 volt cooling fans. So if the unit has been heavily loaded and it is shut off, it can catch on fire. DAMHIK. (They did replace it under warranty)

    Neither of them do voltage support--which is why I have a stand alone autoformer.
  • Cptnvideo's avatar
    Cptnvideo
    Nomad
    Nov 07, 2022
    Pianotuna, maybe that is the case. Charger is turned on but not actually trying to charge.
  • Cptnvideo's avatar
    Cptnvideo
    Nomad
    Nov 07, 2022
    Since I have solar, it really doesn't affect it all that much. Another call to GoPower (and different tech) produced the opposite response. But I tested both ways, charger on and off, and tests confirmed charger must be on. (Maybe I have a defective inverter.)
    Fortunately, charge rate can be adjusted to 1% on the inverter/charger but one should not have to do that.
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Nov 07, 2022
    Cptnvideo,

    An inverter charger, to do load sharing, must have some kind of autoformer. That means it will *not* charge when it is in "share" mode.

    I've got the monitor where I can see it. It NEVER charges until the load share stops, or is turned off.

    If the GoPower charges and load shares at the same time that is weird.

    It would mean that the GoPower is simply doing double conversion. I.E. drawing all power from the battery bank while only using the shore power to charge the battery bank.

    I used to do that lots when I didn't have an inverter/charger. I'd only plug in the converter.
  • 3_tons's avatar
    3_tons
    Explorer III
    Nov 07, 2022
    Cptnvideo wrote:
    By design. I spoke to GoPower about an hour ago to confirm. Current on Line 2 is not displayed. Nor is it limited during load sharing.
    Another tidbit. Since we have 1600 watts of solar, we don't have the charger portion of the inverter turned on. But load sharing does NOT work unless the charger is turned on. That is also a design flaw - so the charger is on trying to charge the batteries while current is drawn from the batteries to share the load.


    That’s very curious - But some good sleuth work though :) , particularly the possibility that load sharing requires the charger on line…In this regard my ‘uninformed question’ would be, isn’t load sharing a feature thats designed to assist deficiencies with shore power, and if so, how does having the charger on (say, concurrent with shore power) adversely impact the solar charging option?? Thanks :) (dummy me - lol).

    3 tons

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