Victron and GE

Anyone used a Victron inverter on their GE batteries? For Victron sometimes a shunt is needed between the inverter and the battery but Victron can read quite a lot of the most commonly used BMS built into batteries.

jimjimma most likely not.
Its supposedly a custom BMS but i personally have my doubts (i just dont have the cash to prove myself right or wrong!)
I beleive they only warranty their batteries to their inverters so you need to bare that in mind. Also youll be lucky to find any batteries in stock lately!

I dont doubt you can use them in "lead acid / Voltage mode" but its a bit more risky than true BMS interface.

If your feeling brave & you do try let us know how you get on.

hoggy - I understand there is an open API so I might have a play - I would suspect the BMS is off the shelf but they primarily are just balancing the cells,

I've got 3 x 9.5s boxed in my garage with no sign of an inverter anytime soon, nor cables so am thinking about Victron (their gear really is bullet proof, huge dev budget, amazing support, many battery manufacturers approved etc)

Did you take this any further? I bloody sold my Multiplus II 48/3000 a year ago thinking this would be good 🙄.
I'm seriously considering getting rid of this junk

Note Victron inverters have been removed from the DNO approved list of use in UK ( Still approved in NI) 🙁

Brookydave

Say what? Do you mean they no longer meet g98/99?

To he fair Givenergy ones are in no mans land right now on the ENA Type Test Register here

hoggy Yes, it looks like there was a specification change at the beginning of September and many of the inverters need to be retested to meet the new specification.

kram Yes it was discussed on the Victron facebook group. https://www.ena-eng.org/gen-ttr/ you then put manufacturer = Victron and Device category = Inverter, and if you drill down the green ones are for Northern Ireland use only.

Oh dear. It would appear there are no Giv Energy devices approved for new UK installation now.

Maybe this explains the delays many in other threads and on the Facebook group are facing, if nothing is approved it can't be supplied by GE or the wholesalers

hoggy It looks to me like they have a G99 Type Test Certificate for GB/NI for the HY5 but, as I understand it, from 1 May 2023, it will have to be Type Tested for G100. Doesn't really put them in no mans land until next year. I didn't look at any other Manufacturers devices. I don't know how long G100 has been available as a standard for manufacturers to Type Test against but G98/99 Was only introduced in 2019, so quite a pace of change.

I guess that as long as inverters are installed before the end of April 2023, they need only be Type Tested to G98/99 and being Type Tested to G100 beforehand won't help unless they are also Type Tested to G98/99.

Tim

G100 is for export limitation and has been out along side the G98/99.

I believe the G100 means the grid can signal the device and make it restrict export within a certain (Short) time limit and also allows the DNO to cap it.

I wonder if G100 is mandatory, such that a system like the US can be adopted.
You can install anything and you can use it for battery/self consumption, but it can't export anything at all until your DNO approves.

This would allow the systems to get on the roof quicker, not require approvals before starting the install (Whcih I believe is a headache for the DNO currently) and allow for these systems to be certified physically if needed before connection back out to the grid.

There are too many cowboys installing the systems right now, which means more need for physical inspections.

I'm at work but they were all green/approved before as you'd expect g98/g99 and also g100...
Think I have a screenshot somewhere.
They now seem to have different levels for different outputs (G99A) but as yet not fully approved.

The Specification has changed for the implementation of Limited Frequency Sensitivity Mode - Overfrequency (LFSM-O) requirements on 1 Sep 2022.

It tells you this on the home page of https://www.ena-eng.org/gen-ttr/

All in all... probably the best time to change the requirement and make all inverters non compliant 😆

It looks like pretty much everything can't be installed now :/

Please tell me how I am miss-interpreting the ENA type register. As I read it late 30 Sept, all of Giv devices, and the Multiplus ii range of Victron are "Awaiting asessessment" 23rd Sept 2022 for use in UK ( not NI). I really want somebody to tell me there is a more up to date web page / database - please, or is Awaiting assessment considered good enough?

Brookydave My view FWIW is that Givenergy think their kit will comply with G100, otherwise why would they submit the paperwork? "Awaiting assessment" is just that. When ENA get round to making the assessment, either the certification provided by Givenergy will be sufficient to meet G100, or it won't. If not, they'll be asked to submit additional information, or carry out additional tests. It's in nobody's interests to submit inadequate or incomplete paperwork.

It's a bit like sitting exams and then waiting for the results. Someone will get round to carrying out the assessment in time. If it was me, I'd not worry too much about placing an order. The Type testing just means they have to comply with G100 for installations after April next year. If you can get your installation completed beforehand, it should be fine, otherwise they've got seven months to get the approval. In the end, the DNO won't agree to non-compliant installations so you can hardly lose money, but you can lose time waiting for things that are outside your control.

But if anyone else has a different point of view, feel free to comment.

Tim Thanks for your knowledge Tim, I guess I am being conservative because for me, 15kW of Victron gear + 15kW panels is not cheap. I already have 6kW allowance on Giv, so in my mind its not obvious the DNO will say yes to the additional 3x5kW. I also had dealings with them at work (2x660MW) and there, awaiting assessment meant just that - it in somebodies in tray.

Without and up-to-date ENA how can DNO approve the installations connectivity to the grid?

I do remember distinctly, Victron was not interested in getting Multiplus type tested once their Multiplus II was compliant.
In short, till this mess is sorted out things are in a limbo

ispookie666 Agreed. I believe the original Multiplus series only had a single disconnect relay, so they would have failed. The Multiplus 11 have twin relays in series hence are compliant on that aspect.

Brookydave its not obvious the DNO will say yes to the additional 3x5kW

I can't think why they would say no, but will likely restrict your export to your current level. Therefore, the inverters (existing and new) need to be able to reduce output to no more than the DNO restriction.

Existing 6kW + plan for 15kW? Are you sure you're not still at work? Hehe