!!! Victron finally released a 5kVA Multiplus-II for 120VAC in the US!

[Brett V]

Pricing is better than I expected!

 

[Brucey]

Forgot all about those differences.

I'll tell you at 34W of idle capacity (between 2, 5kVAs and a cerbo running) I'm saving approx 3.4kWh a day compared to my 6500s. The larger wiring space was so much nicer to work in as well! No more bloody knuckles!

How's the noise level with the new 5kVAs? Silent?

 

[G00SE]

To you guys running dual 5ks. Are you on or off grid? What is your daily energy consumption and peak load demand?

 

[sunshine_eggo]

To you guys running dual 5ks. Are you on or off grid? What is your daily energy consumption and peak load demand?

Off.

Site is remote, so daily average is pretty low = about 5kW powering LED lights, keeping 12V floated, router, wireless AP, BMS, 10 cu-ft compressor fridge, etc.

Operation is very inefficient due to idle consumption and low average output power... about 65% (50-100W out of a 5kW inverter is NOT efficient).

When we're there and running A/C, load goes up substantially:

Rarely exceed 3000W on one leg, and L2 does most of the work, obviously. Occasionally, we'll have a few high consumption items running at once, and I'll see ~4500w/leg.

Total consumption goes way up when we're on site:

 

[Adam De Lay]

How's the noise level with the new 5kVAs? Silent?

So much quieter than the ROAR of the jet engines inside the 6500s. These fans seem to be temp controlled and only really kick on once you get above 2800W. In a silent room, they may seem loud, but nothing compared to the constant idle fans on the 6500s. When the fans are off, you hear a low hum of the transformer.

 

[Adam De Lay]

To you guys running dual 5ks. Are you on or off grid? What is your daily energy consumption and peak load demand?

At the moment I'm off-grid. Still have to get the AC IN wired up.

Running a majority of the house. Biggest loads would be well and water heater.

I haven't gone through to really push the system yet, but I've also not tiptoed around running things in the house either.

 

[G00SE]

@Adam De Lay what size is your well pump and how deep is your well? Are you/your family prudent in exercising what can be powered on together or has that been a non issue for you thus far? Thanks for sharing your data!
@sunshine_eggo thx for sharing yours as well!

 

[Adam De Lay]

@Adam De Lay what size is your well pump and how deep is your well? Are you/your family prudent in exercising what can be powered on together or has that been a non issue for you thus far? Thanks for sharing your data!
@sunshine_eggo thx for sharing yours as well!

Not exactly sure. There wasn’t much data when we bought our house and the county doesn’t have anything either. We went to the township years ago to try and get more info and they told us “we show it was built in 54 and has had a lot of additions…”.

I know when I ran tests before, it was pulling around 2.4kw. I’ve had some people tell me I have a 1/4 horse, I’ve had others tell me I have 3/4 horse pump.

As far as “exercising” goes, no were all pretty “fit” people…. ?

So far we haven’t focused at all on what’s running and when it’s running. We’re not frugal with using our power. Now things might end up changing after I run some load tests.

 

[Brucey]

Not exactly sure. There wasn’t much data when we bought our house and the county doesn’t have anything either. We went to the township years ago to try and get more info and they told us “we show it was built in 54 and has had a lot of additions…”.

I know when I ran tests before, it was pulling around 2.4kw. I’ve had some people tell me I have a 1/4 horse, I’ve had others tell me I have 3/4 horse pump.

As far as “exercising” goes, no were all pretty “fit” people…. ?

So far we haven’t focused at all on what’s running and when it’s running. We’re not frugal with using our power. Now things might end up changing after I run some load tests.

The Victrons do have a great reputation for extended surge performance.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

The Victrons do have a great reputation for extended surge performance.

Truth. Additionally, if in a mild environment with low DC ripple (producing stable AC output), they'll run for extended periods above rated power. While split phase, the 50A to 30A splitter feeds one inverter to one 5th wheel and the other inverter to the other 5th wheel, so the same 120VAC single phase on each leg of the 50A panel.

One 5kVA Quattro will run both of the 5th wheel's A/C. I take care to make sure I have one running before I start the second to make sure I don't get double surge. Once both are running, we'll use the microwave and/or the water heater electric element.

 

[Tomthumb62]

Yeah I just watched that. Ridiculously low idle consumption numbers. Can’t wait to see more on this. Really cool.

Which is why we ditched a Renogy 2000W inverter for a Victron 1000W (1200W for resistive loads like lightweight space heaters). 24W idle for the Renogy, 9W for the Victron and 2W if you use the Eco mode. We’re using the Eco mode powering our 7.4cf fridge. Energy cost was 576 Wh on the Renogy but only 48 Wh on the Victron eco mode. And if we need a short run of a high draw item (I think it’s about 60 seconds), we can power it with the Victron. Ran our full size Dyson vacuum at 1850W for about a minute before the Victron started beeping. Didn’t push it to see for how long it would run before shutting down. Not sure what the startup surge was but it’s gotta be more than the rated 2400W surge the Victron is rated for. Count me impressed.

The energy saved from a low idle draw is very important to us since this is in a camp trailer with a roof space for only 4 x 100W panels. We also have 2 x100W in portable panels but those can only be used when camped. And can’t be left unattended unless in a remote and private location due to sticky fingers.

 

[Tomthumb62]

When the fans are off, you hear a low hum of the transformer.

At least on my tiny Victron 12/1200VA, the hum is much less noticeable than I had feared. I don’t hear it from 5 feet away, but if I’m within 24 inches I can definitely hear it but even then it’s not loud.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Which is why we ditched a Renogy 2000W inverter for a Victron 1000W (1200W for resistive loads like lightweight space heaters). 24W idle for the Renogy, 9W for the Victron and 2W if you use the Eco mode. We’re using the Eco mode powering our 7.4cf fridge. Energy cost was 576 Wh on the Renogy but only 48 Wh on the Victron eco mode.

Those numbers are EXTREMELY suspect UNLESS you're just referring to the inverter consumption only as "energy cost" for a 7.4cf fridge should be about 500Wh/day.

I also assume they are calculated an not actual. The inverter will consume 9W when powering loads, and the duty cycle is likely at least 30-40%. Here's our 10.1 cu-ft fridge that uses 0.7-0.8kWh/day cycling on and off:



Assuming a 33% duty cycle (easy math), it's 9W*8h + 2W*16h = 104Wh - still a crapton better than Renogy, but higher than a 2W continuous consumption.

Generally, an ECO mode is worthless if any power whatsoever is needed. Generally, the thermostat needs AC power to determine when to cycle the compressor on and off. I'm impressed it's actually working. The reduced frequency signal must be enough to keep the thermostat going.

 

[JRH]

If only it was UL1741...

This is what I would have bought in 2019 if they offered 48V/5kVA MP.

That would solve all my issues with wanting more power…. But I’m too committed now to what I already have… drat…!

 

[Tomthumb62]

Those numbers are EXTREMELY suspect UNLESS you're just referring to the inverter consumption only as "energy cost" for a 7.4cf fridge should be about 500Wh/day.

Yes for inverter draw. Fridge draws about 0.8-1.2kwh per day. Good catch as I didn’t make that clear.

 

[Tomthumb62]

Generally, an ECO mode is worthless if any power whatsoever is needed. Generally, the thermostat needs AC power to determine when to cycle the compressor on and off. I'm impressed it's actually working. The reduced frequency signal must be enough to keep the thermostat going.

I don’t yet know enough about how or why it works.

I did have to mess with the settings to get it to work. The default setting only provides power for less than 0.5 seconds, which wouldnt work. I have it set to seek every 15 seconds and provide power for 5 seconds. It also works at powering for only 2.5 seconds, but since I’m not there to change the settings, I wanted to be sure my wife wouldn’t have problems.

I don’t see how it can’t work with proper settings. But it’s a mechanical thermostat. Eco mode won’t work very well with a digital thermostat, or so I’ve been told.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I don’t yet know enough about how or why it works.

I did have to mess with the settings to get it to work. The default setting only provides power for less than 0.5 seconds, which wouldnt work. I have it set to seek every 15 seconds and provide power for 5 seconds. It also works at powering for only 2.5 seconds, but since I’m not there to change the settings, I wanted to be sure my wife wouldn’t have problems.

Much wisdom!

 

[Tomthumb62]

Much wisdom!

I have created new profiles for both the Victron charger and inverter and have emailed them to her. All she has to do is install them via the Victron Connect app. But she doesn't want to do that, lol. Her eyes gloss over when I start trying to explain these things (in what I think are as simple of terms as possible, but I guess not simple enough, lol.) I guess it can wait until I can be there soon to fine tune it.

 

[Brucey]

I have created new profiles for both the Victron charger and inverter and have emailed them to her. All she has to do is install them via the Victron Connect app. But she doesn't want to do that, lol. Her eyes gloss over when I start trying to explain these things (in what I think are as simple of terms as possible, but I guess not simple enough, lol.) I guess it can wait until I can be there soon to fine tune it.

Yeah I'd consider that a pretty advanced task for a non technical wife.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I have created new profiles for both the Victron charger and inverter and have emailed them to her. All she has to do is install them via the Victron Connect app. But she doesn't want to do that, lol. Her eyes gloss over when I start trying to explain these things (in what I think are as simple of terms as possible, but I guess not simple enough, lol.) I guess it can wait until I can be there soon to fine tune it.

This is why you need a GX. VC can connect to the MPPT through VRM as though you were local. The inverter would need to be done with VEConfig and remote upload via VRM.