How to Configure the Victron Multiplus for 840 Ahs of 3 280Ah Watt Cycle batteries.

[Teaney Hull 292]

I pulled the plug and got 3 Watt Cycle 280 Ah Lithium Batteries for a total of 840 Ahs. Yes, based on Will Prowse’s review, got the Blue Sea 400 amp fuse. 

I also bought the Victron Multiplus, yes, not the II, the Cerbo GX, and the Victron 50 Touchscreen. Good news is that Beast fits where the old Xantrex ProWatt SW was. 

I’ve read, and reread, and reread the great posts other owners have posted on their MultiPlus upgrades. Sad to say, it’s way over my pay grade. 

Have a mobile RV guy coming out to install. 

He is saying 3 to 5 hours for install. Seems fair to me, since I don’t have a clue. He says it might also take an hour to configure the Multiplus. I am hoping someone can give me their configuration or tell me who might get me that info to save me that $150 an hour of button pushing. 

I’ll have him install the Cerbo GX. I may install the Victron 50 Touchscreen later. Would like some advice on best place to run the wire and mount for that. I do NOT have the Zamp Controller panel installed so that hole does not exist in my trailer. 

My goal is to have all this work done before I’m on the road to the April Ollie Rally at Lake Guntersville. 

Any comments, suggestions, questions will be much appreciated. 

Thanks

Gary Hull 292

The Range Rover

 

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, Teaney Hull 292 said:

Have a mobile RV guy coming out to install. 

He is saying 3 to 5 hours for install. Seems fair to me, since I don’t have a clue. He says it might also take an hour to configure the Multiplus.

Good to read this Gary. You've really made progress here! Having the mobile guy come out was the #3 option I suggested in another thread. 3 hours would be amazing (don't count on it) and get him to do the 5 hours max with Multiplus configuration which should only take 20 minutes.

The Multiplus requires setting physical dipswitches (this was replaced by software in the MP2). You want LiFePO4 settings of course and for Epoch batteries I set bulk charge to 14.2V and all other charge settings to 13.6, but check for these numbers in the user manual for your specific battery choice.

I'm not seeing any reason for external Zamp ports unless at some point you add portable solar (and when you do, add one Zamp/SAE or other port without drilling 5 holes into your hull like OTT does)!

This guy has thorough Victron installation and configuration videos. He shows the Mk-3 USB interface I mentioned previously. I purchased the newer USB-C version which is the next-gen interface, given your laptop has a USB-C port (standard USB ports will soon not be offered on laptops. My new Dell Latitude 9330 has 3 USB-C ports only).

 

Edited April 10 by jd1923

[Galway Girl]

2 hours ago, Teaney Hull 292 said:

I may install the Victron 50 Touchscreen later. Would like some advice on best place to run the wire and mount for that.

Maybe show us a pix of what's already in your control panel by the pantry.
 If you have physical space there for your Victron Touchscreen that would be a good location.

You can run a fish tape from a new hole (next to the pantry) down into the belly of the trailer and across to the location of your new Cerbo GX.   You can access that between the wall area through the Access Port inside your pantry.

Another option is to put the touch screen to the right or left side of the upper rear attic door.  You can gain access down the back side of the trailer (back side of attic) with a fish tape.  That's the location we put a new display when we upgraded.

Alternate location for any touch panels if the space next to the pantry is already full of panels.
 
Shown below - the space right of he rear Attic Door.  
The access path for the cable is along the belly area street side to the back wall of the trailer.  
Next cable runs up the back wall into the attic area.  
You need to un-bolt the rear interior wall of the attic to gain access to the back of the space shown. (Easy to do.)

 

[Derek B]

5 hours ago, Teaney Hull 292 said:

Would like some advice on best place to run the wire and mount for that.

Gary, I do not have a victron inverter yet but have thought about this install. My guess to the left of the pantry you only have a radio with a blank space above where the zamp controller would normally be installed. If I was installing a Cerbo GX display that is where I would put it. 

During my solar install I tried multiple attempts to get wires up along the left side of pantry from under street side bed and had no luck. I could not get anything any further than the line where the upper and lower hulls meet. The place where I found to easily fish wires thru was to follow along the ac drain tubing from attic to lower basement area. Once in the attic the wiring can be passed along the back of the street side upper cabinet and behind the radio area. 

[Teaney Hull 292]

4 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Good to read this Gary. You've really made progress here! Having the mobile guy come out was the #3 option I suggested in another thread. 3 hours would be amazing (don't count on it) and get him to do the 5 hours max with Multiplus configuration which should only take 20 minutes.

The Multiplus requires setting physical dipswitches (this was replaced by software in the MP2). You want LiFePO4 settings of course and for Epoch batteries I set bulk charge to 14.2V and all other charge settings to 13.6, but check for these numbers in the user manual for your specific battery choice.

I'm not seeing any reason for external Zamp ports unless at some point you add portable solar (and when you do, add one Zamp/SAE or other port without drilling 5 holes into your hull like OTT does)!

This guy has thorough Victron installation and configuration videos. He shows the Mk-3 USB interface I mentioned previously. I purchased the newer USB-C version which is the next-gen interface, given your laptop has a USB-C port (standard USB ports will soon not be offered on laptops. My new Dell Latitude 9330 has 3 USB-C ports only).

 

Great info thanks. 

[Teaney Hull 292]

4 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Good to read this Gary. You've really made progress here! Having the mobile guy come out was the #3 option I suggested in another thread. 3 hours would be amazing (don't count on it) and get him to do the 5 hours max with Multiplus configuration which should only take 20 minutes.

The Multiplus requires setting physical dipswitches (this was replaced by software in the MP2). You want LiFePO4 settings of course and for Epoch batteries I set bulk charge to 14.2V and all other charge settings to 13.6, but check for these numbers in the user manual for your specific battery choice.

I'm not seeing any reason for external Zamp ports unless at some point you add portable solar (and when you do, add one Zamp/SAE or other port without drilling 5 holes into your hull like OTT does)!

This guy has thorough Victron installation and configuration videos. He shows the Mk-3 USB interface I mentioned previously. I purchased the newer USB-C version which is the next-gen interface, given your laptop has a USB-C port (standard USB ports will soon not be offered on laptops. My new Dell Latitude 9330 has 3 USB-C ports only).

 

 

[Teaney Hull 292]

Just now, Teaney Hull 292 said:

 

JD, went to get it and it says need a password and only for Victron trained Professionals???

[jd1923]

6 minutes ago, Teaney Hull 292 said:

JD, went to get it and it says need a password and only for Victron trained Professionals???

Password = ZZZ

[Teaney Hull 292]

3 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

Password = ZZZ

Thanks, and I hope it doesn’t put me to sleep. %^) ZZZZZZ get it? 

[Teaney Hull 292]

4 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

Maybe show us a pix of what's already in your control panel by the pantry.
 If you have physical space there for your Victron Touchscreen that would be a good location.

You can run a fish tape from a new hole (next to the pantry) down into the belly of the trailer and across to the location of your new Cerbo GX.   You can access that between the wall area through the Access Port inside your pantry.

Another option is to put the touch screen to the right or left side of the upper rear attic door.  You can gain access down the back side of the trailer (back side of attic) with a fish tape.  That's the location we put a new display when we upgraded.

Alternate location for any touch panels if the space next to the pantry is already full of panels.
 
Shown below - the space right of he rear Attic Door.  
The access path for the cable is along the belly area street side to the back wall of the trailer.  
Next cable runs up the back wall into the attic area.  
You need to un-bolt the rear interior wall of the attic to gain access to the back of the space shown. (Easy to do.)

 

Do you mean above the Radio, or on the side of the pantry in the pics I just sent? 

[Teaney Hull 292]

1 hour ago, Derek B said:

Gary, I do not have a victron inverter yet but have thought about this install. My guess to the left of the pantry you only have a radio with a blank space above where the zamp controller would normally be installed. If I was installing a Cerbo GX display that is where I would put it. 

During my solar install I tried multiple attempts to get wires up along the left side of pantry from under street side bed and had no luck. I could not get anything any further than the line where the upper and lower hulls meet. The place where I found to easily fish wires thru was to follow along the ac drain tubing from attic to lower basement area. Once in the attic the wiring can be passed along the back of the street side upper cabinet and behind the radio area. 

Derek, I did not even know where the AC drain was. Love this forum. Found it and this sounds like a great idea. Thanks

[Teaney Hull 292]

5 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Good to read this Gary. You've really made progress here! Having the mobile guy come out was the #3 option I suggested in another thread. 3 hours would be amazing (don't count on it) and get him to do the 5 hours max with Multiplus configuration which should only take 20 minutes.

The Multiplus requires setting physical dipswitches (this was replaced by software in the MP2). You want LiFePO4 settings of course and for Epoch batteries I set bulk charge to 14.2V and all other charge settings to 13.6, but check for these numbers in the user manual for your specific battery choice.

I'm not seeing any reason for external Zamp ports unless at some point you add portable solar (and when you do, add one Zamp/SAE or other port without drilling 5 holes into your hull like OTT does)!

This guy has thorough Victron installation and configuration videos. He shows the Mk-3 USB interface I mentioned previously. I purchased the newer USB-C version which is the next-gen interface, given your laptop has a USB-C port (standard USB ports will soon not be offered on laptops. My new Dell Latitude 9330 has 3 USB-C ports only).

 

 

44 minutes ago, Teaney Hull 292 said:

 

Got it. Thanks