Victron install

[birdhunter]

Anyone install Victron inverter chargers? My understanding is they use a different type of comm cables to connect to remotes than our Xantrex or Magnums. How did you run those cables?

[geordi]

Originally Posted by birdhunter

Anyone install Victron inverter chargers? My understanding is they use a different type of comm cables to connect to remotes than our Xantrex or Magnums. How did you run those cables?

It depends on how far you plan to go, Victron gear has two primary types of communication cables, VE.Direct and VE.Net.

One is a 4 wire microplug (I can't remember the name right now) and the other uses a standard Cat-5 cable. I ended up routing a flexible conduit from below my monitoring panel area all the way to the battery / electrical bay outside, and fished several cables through it for use with the Victron gear. I probably should have run at least one more network cable through it, but it is sufficient for now.

I have a Victron solar controller, Victron inverter, and their intelligent controller the Cerbo with touchscreen. Very happy with all of it, it has a ton of functionality.

[BonS]

Originally Posted by birdhunter

Anyone install Victron inverter chargers? My understanding is they use a different type of comm cables to connect to remotes than our Xantrex or Magnums. How did you run those cables?

It totally depends upon your coach layout. I suggest adding your year and coach model to your signature line. For me, in my '09 allure, I went in through my 1/2 bath because my existing Magnum control panel is located just outside the bath. I removed a bathroom wall panel and moved the toilet aside for access to the void behind inside the wall cavity. I could then drill a small test hole in the floor. The test hold appeared in the basement over the water tanks. I enlarged the hole and ran flex conduit to the electrical bay located in the center of my coach. A piece of string that's twice as long as the conduit serves as a fishing tool that pulls cable from either end to the other. Using conduit is not required.

Caution: Be very careful when blind drilling as you run the risk of damaging almost anything.

The actual cables for the Victron devices depends on what you're doing. I used a Cerbo GX, Touch 50, and MultiPlus-II. That meant I had to fish both a USB and HDMI cable through the conduit.

[birdhunter]

I have an O2 Magna, should have mentioned sorry since they're all different. The control panel is above the dash. Having looked it over, it seems to me it would next to impossible to run anything 30 feet away to my house batteries or inverter bay from there. It would be a major project I would think if doable at all. Maybe someone has done it? Cannot use the existing Xantrex phone plug type cable with some type of an adapter?

[BonS]

The Victron BMV-712 is a basic battery monitor and it uses a RJ-11 cord for communication. However, It uses a 6-pin version of the RJ-11 and the old Xantrex and Magnum only use a 4-pin version. The good news is that the cable Country Coach used itself is usually a 6-wire cable. So, cutting off the old RJ-11 plugs and replacing them by using all 6 wires on each end will make it work. That's much easier than pulling new wires. Here's a link to the BVM-712.

[birdhunter]

Originally Posted by BonS

The Victron BMV-712 is a basic battery monitor and it uses a RJ-11 cord for communication. However, It uses a 6-pin version of the RJ-11 and the old Xantrex and Magnum only use a 4-pin version. The good news is that the cable Country Coach used itself is usually a 6-wire cable. So, cutting off the old RJ-11 plugs and replacing them by using all 6 wires on each end will make it work. That's much easier than pulling new wires. Here's a link to the BVM-712.

Thanks. I'll have to check how many wires I have. Looks like a pretty sophisticated battery monitor. What would I use for inverter control and what type of cable does that require?

[Tskadberg]

Originally Posted by birdhunter

Thanks. I'll have to check how many wires I have. Looks like a pretty sophisticated battery monitor. What would I use for inverter control and what type of cable does that require?

I have a victron multiplus 2 I can do basic things via a Bluetooth app on my phone, with the right adapter thing. The more complex settings I can do with my laptop via an USB adapter and a Ethernet cord. I would recommend downloading the computer based app and the phone app you can go into Demo mode and test run most of their products to see what you can do. Some inverters I think can do much more via the phone app than others.

[BonS]

Victron also has a WiFi option along with the Bluetooth. The MultiPlus II Inverter/Converter is an amazing device. A dongle is required for initial setup and if you have JUST the MultiPlus II then you have to connect to it with a dongle and cord to see how it's doing or change settings. If you add the Cerbo GX to the MultiPlus II then you have more options of WiFi and/or Bluetooth. This can be just a local WiFi connection or it can be anywhere on the Internet with your phone or laptop etc. It's the Cerbo GX that gives you some display options like the GX Touch color display. The GX Touch requires an HDMI cord between the Touch color display and the Cerbo GX. The Touch also requires USB (5 volt) power.

[birdhunter]

Originally Posted by BonS

Victron also has a WiFi option along with the Bluetooth. The MultiPlus II Inverter/Converter is an amazing device. A dongle is required for initial setup and if you have JUST the MultiPlus II then you have to connect to it with a dongle and cord to see how it's doing or change settings. If you add the Cerbo GX to the MultiPlus II then you have more options of WiFi and/or Bluetooth. This can be just a local WiFi connection or it can be anywhere on the Internet with your phone or laptop etc. It's the Cerbo GX that gives you some display options like the GX Touch color display. The GX Touch requires an HDMI cord between the Touch color display and the Cerbo GX. The Touch also requires USB (5 volt) power.

Yes the Multiplus 2 looks like a very cool device. Where the inverter is located in my Magna, however is not somewhere you want to be getting to very often. I've read discussions that the Bluetooth range is pathetic on the Multiplus, like about 5 ft. You say it has Wi-Fi as well? But I would need a cord to change all the settings?

[BonS]

Originally Posted by birdhunter

Yes the Multiplus 2 looks like a very cool device. Where the inverter is located in my Magna, however is not somewhere you want to be getting to very often. I've read discussions that the Bluetooth range is pathetic on the Multiplus, like about 5 ft. You say it has Wi-Fi as well? But I would need a cord to change all the settings?

The MulitPlus II doesn't have bluetooth or WiFi. The Cerbo does. Yes, the Cerbo Bluetooth is weak and that is made worse if its located in a steel lined electrical space in the center of your coach. I ran an Ethernet cable from the Cerbo to my WiFi router so I have a solid signal in my coach and anywhere in the world. You only NEED the dongle and cord when initially setting up the MultiPlus II. After that you can use your phone or computer to make changes. Victron does change their software from time-to-time so the cord requirement may change if or when they want. Victron really wants qualified, trained technicians installing the MultiPlus II because you're playing with high voltage and a wrong setting could let the smoke out of something. The app is more limited so you can't mess things up (as badly) when using it. Oh, and you need both a cord and a dongle to physically connect to the MultiPlus II.

Also, there is a Victron Energy Smart Dongle that connects to the MultiPlus II that allows you to have Bluetooth without going all the way with the Cerbo and Color Touch display. It's less expensive than the Cerbo/Touch Color combination. Instead of a physical display you'll use the phone app to see the same info and make limited changes like I previously mentioned.

[BonS]

A unique (AFAIK) feature of the MultiPlus II is that it connects both of the 50A lines together (L1 & L2) when its providing the power. This means that your entire bus is powered up while boondocking. If you have enough solar and batteries you can have some AC and even use your washer/dryer. It's a hybrid inverter as well, so if your shore power is 15, 20 or 30 amps then the inverter will use power from the batteries as needed, to augment shore power thus allowing you to use high-current draw devices without blowing the limited shore power breaker. Neither my Xantrax or Magnum Hybrid did all that. The rewiring of the electrical bay is trivial to allow all this to happen and nothing has to change in the main house breaker panel.

[birdhunter]

Originally Posted by BonS

The MulitPlus II doesn't have bluetooth or WiFi. The Cerbo does. Yes, the Cerbo Bluetooth is weak and that is made worse if its located in a steel lined electrical space in the center of your coach. I ran an Ethernet cable from the Cerbo to my WiFi router so I have a solid signal in my coach and anywhere in the world. You only NEED the dongle and cord when initially setting up the MultiPlus II. After that you can use your phone or computer to make changes. Victron does change their software from time-to-time so the cord requirement may change if or when they want. Victron really wants qualified, trained technicians installing the MultiPlus II because you're playing with high voltage and a wrong setting could let the smoke out of something. The app is more limited so you can't mess things up (as badly) when using it. Oh, and you need both a cord and a dongle to physically connect to the MultiPlus II.

Also, there is a Victron Energy Smart Dongle that connects to the MultiPlus II that allows you to have Bluetooth without going all the way with the Cerbo and Color Touch display. It's less expensive than the Cerbo/Touch Color combination. Instead of a physical display you'll use the phone app to see the same info and make limited changes like I previously mentioned.

But in order to use your phone which would be fine, the Bluetooth from the E.S. dongle has to reach it, correct?

[birdhunter]

Originally Posted by BonS

A unique (AFAIK) feature of the MultiPlus II is that it connects both of the 50A lines together (L1 & L2) when its providing the power. This means that your entire bus is powered up while boondocking. If you have enough solar and batteries you can have some AC and even use your washer/dryer. It's a hybrid inverter as well, so if your shore power is 15, 20 or 30 amps then the inverter will use power from the batteries as needed, to augment shore power thus allowing you to use high-current draw devices without blowing the limited shore power breaker. Neither my Xantrax or Magnum Hybrid did all that. The rewiring of the electrical bay is trivial to allow all this to happen and nothing has to change in the main house breaker panel.

That's one hell of a battery bank you've got to be running your air conditioner or washer dryer! I thought that the Magnum Hybrid cut in to protect shore power breaker as you described?

[Tskadberg]

I have a 37 foot rig and have had no trouble with Bluetooth on the multiplus 2 with bluetooth adapter. One could place the adapter anywhere they want with enough Ethernet cord.