Replacing EG4 with Victron - Advice welcome

[Dinobot248]

I am looking to replace my one EG4 6500 with a Victron kit. Never used Victron before. Tired of mediocrity and want something that just works well. I am open to suggestions / critiques.

Location: Northeast Ohio. PV array is oversized to compensate for shade / trees.


Current system -------
Single EG4 6500EX (another 6500 not used since house load is small enough)
30kwh Lifepower4 battery bank
10kw worth PV

Future system --------
Victron kit composed of two 48v Multiplus II 5kva running 120v parallel (don't need/use 240v), cerbo, distributor, shunt, etc. Link below

10kVA 120/240V Base MultiPlus-II Power System | Current Connected

Embrace independence with our modular 10kVA MultiPlus-II Power System. Unleash the freedom of off-grid living without sacrificing comfort.

www.currentconnected.com

30kwh Lifepower4 battery bank
10kw worth PV

Planning to add a DIY 15kwh battery (16 x 305ah grade B cells)




Some questions

What are disadvantages to using two EG4 6500 as solar charge controllers such as can't see incoming PV, can only see battery charging via shunt. Trying not to spend the extra money on a Victron SCC.

I picked up two Victron MPPT 150/45 SCC during the recent price drop. How many Victron SCC can be connected? I want to use them if I can.

 

[Adam De Lay]

What are disadvantages to using two EG4 6500 as solar charge controllers such as can't see incoming PV, can only see battery charging via shunt. Trying not to spend the extra money on a Victron SCC.

I think the big thing is just not being able to see the data. You would still have power coming in and the 6500s would just act like external DC chargers.

I picked up two Victron MPPT 150/45 SCC during the recent price drop. How many Victron SCC can be connected? I want to use them if I can.

Not sure there's a limit to how many you can connect, cause it's just a charger (Did you see the video where Dexter from CC hooked up 12 chargeverters?). Obviously you would need more if you use the smaller SCCs.

 

[Dinobot248]

Thanks for the quick response Adam.


In regards to the limit of Victron SCC allows, I meant to say / ask .... How many can be properly connected and communicating with the Cerbo so the data is available.


Another question and thinking out loud here.

Do I really need the Cerbo, lynx distributor, shunt, etc. Trying to justify the approximately $1900 for those parts. I was thinking maybe re-use the bus bars, buy a standalone Victron shunt ($130 version), re-use my DC breakers, maybe buy Bluetooth ve.direct dongle. That will allow me to see the net in/out flows to the battery.

Entire kit is about $6700 and the Multiplus II inverters are $3800.

 

[Adam De Lay]

In regards to the limit of Victron SCC allows, I meant to say / ask .... How many can be properly connected and communicating with the Cerbo so the data is available.

It depends on the comm ports used for the SCC. The Cerbo has 3 VE Direct (which is what the 150/45 has), plus you can always use some VE Direct to USB adapters (there's 2 USB ports, but I believe you could use a USB hub to expand that). Some of the other SCCs use the CAN port and can be daisy chained together.

Another question and thinking out loud here.

Do I really need the Cerbo, lynx distributor, shunt, etc. Trying to justify the approximately $1900 for those parts. I was thinking maybe re-use the bus bars, buy a standalone Victron shunt ($130 version), re-use my DC breakers, maybe buy Bluetooth ve.direct dongle. That will allow me to see the net in/out flows to the battery.

Entire kit is about $6700 and the Multiplus II inverters are $3800.

Honestly since you already have a lot of the cables/bus bars, you probably don't need any of the Lynx components. It does make a new system much easier to install, but you already have the components.

I would still look into the cerbo though. You might not need the display if you don't want it. A mobile phone/tablet would work just as well to see everything. You could go the raspberry pi route and load Venus OS on that instead of buying the cerbo, but you would end up having to purchase extra components/cables in order to connect your VE Direct and VE Bus components. I think it's worth it. Think of it like your Solar Assistant software.

Also, if you're looking to sell your 6500s, I know of someone that might be interested.

 

[Dinobot248]

Thanks again Adam

I definitely want the Cerbo too. I'm being too stubborn right now and don't feel the $1900 is worth it for remote monitoring and configuration. I think I'll eventually warm up and get desensitized to the price the more I keep looking. I'll look at prices later, my guess is that there does not appear to be much of a discount by getting the kit versus buying it piecemeal.

I wasn't planning to sell the two 6500s since I didn't want to discount them for the low quality and no support options. Prefer to eat the cost and learn a good lesson.

 

[Adam De Lay]

I definitely want the Cerbo too. I'm being too stubborn right now and don't feel the $1900 is worth it for remote monitoring and configuration. I think I'll eventually warm up and get desensitized to the price the more I keep looking. I'll look at prices later, my guess is that there does not appear to be much of a discount by getting the kit versus buying it piecemeal.

Removing the Lynx components would drop the price down to $4458.33. That’s the 2 5kva inverters, cerbo kit and 2 patch cables.

I think the “kit” is just a prebuilt shopping cart. You can customize and add/remove what you want.

 

[Adam De Lay]

You could save another $350 if you didn’t want the display. Could easily be added later.

 

[Rocketman]

You need a battery monitor- BMV712 - Smartshunt - Lynx Shunt.

Smartshunt is the cheapest

BMv712 adds an relay and better Bluetooth signal and the remote display.

Lynx Shunt is most expensive loses the Bluetooth- I believe it’s communication is on the Can-bus - (instead of VE.Direct).

If you decide you want the Victron bus bars w/fuses - look at the PowerIn and YouTube has some videos on how to add fuses to it (you lose the led lights that say “burned out fuse”).

I believe there is a limit of something like 12 devices on the VE.Direct - (VE.Direct + USB) any more and you have to use the CAN-Bus mppt’s. (Best verify this).

Get a good Victron dealer - call them and talk - if I do a large order I can often get a discount. Also helps that you don’t forget certain cables.

 

[Brucey]

I am looking to replace my one EG4 6500 with a Victron kit. Never used Victron before. Tired of mediocrity and want something that just works well. I am open to suggestions / critiques.

Location: Northeast Ohio. PV array is oversized to compensate for shade / trees.


Current system -------
Single EG4 6500EX (another 6500 not used since house load is small enough)
30kwh Lifepower4 battery bank
10kw worth PV

Future system --------
Victron kit composed of two 48v Multiplus II 5kva running 120v parallel (don't need/use 240v), cerbo, distributor, shunt, etc. Link below

10kVA 120/240V Base MultiPlus-II Power System | Current Connected

Embrace independence with our modular 10kVA MultiPlus-II Power System. Unleash the freedom of off-grid living without sacrificing comfort.

www.currentconnected.com

30kwh Lifepower4 battery bank
10kw worth PV

Planning to add a DIY 15kwh battery (16 x 305ah grade B cells)




Some questions

What are disadvantages to using two EG4 6500 as solar charge controllers such as can't see incoming PV, can only see battery charging via shunt. Trying not to spend the extra money on a Victron SCC.

I picked up two Victron MPPT 150/45 SCC during the recent price drop. How many Victron SCC can be connected? I want to use them if I can.

You can connect up to 10 devices via a ve.smart (Bluetooth) network.

If you want to keep costs down just get the two multiplus and a bmv 712 shunt. Reuse your existing bus bars etc. No VRM with this path tho.

The only issue I see is that each 150/45 will be good for about 2300W of output. So for 10kWp there would be massive over panelling. Maybe a third 150/45 or two more depending on how often you max out your sccs.