I think these questions are firmly aimed at @plonkster, but I’ll ask them publically for the benefit of the forum.
1.) I bought 4*150 85A Victron Bluesolar MPPT’s for a price I couldn’t refuse. These are the same form factor as the newer Smartsolar 150 85A Victron MPPT’s, with VE direct ports,( not the older metal-encased ones). The thing is I think this was a very small production run because they aren’t an option in the VictronConnect app and don’t see references to this model. Have I bought a supported product?
2.) I have only previously used Outback with my Victron inverters. I’d like to use these Victron MPPT’s for the solar production reporting aspect. However one of the things, I do in my setup is set the inverter charging voltage lower than the Outbacks charging voltage. I find this ability to independently set different charging voltages useful.
Will I lose this ability if I use Victron MPPT’s, in other words, will the MPPT’s automatically assume the inverters charging voltage settings?
Can I have the reporting facility and the setting independence simultaneously?
- That Bluesolar models just does not have the bluetooth part. The rest is basically the same as the SmartSolor and you can still buy them new (so I think you got a bargain if the price was good). I can’t say anything for firmware updates, but Victron is better that the avg for that anyway so it should still be well supported.
2)As far as I remember, the MPPTs charge voltage will be used when they charge with solar and they rule over the inverter. If the MPPTs are not in the network anymore, then the Inverter’s settings will be used when it charge the batteries.
You did not mention if you use a GX device in your setup?
Yeah. The BlueSolar’s don’t have Bluetooth. So maybe that accounts for it? It is certainly a supported model, although I think they were superseded fairly quickly by the Smart models.
If you have the ESS assistant on the inverter, then the inverter decides which voltage the system will follow. It is published on dbus as /Hub/ChargeVoltage and copied to the Solar Chargers, which will then follow this voltage rather than their own. So in that sense, you lose the ability to set your own.
But there is already some smarts in the Inverter to raise this by 0.4V under certain circumstances, so this may be no problem at all.
And if it is… the copying-across from the Multi to the Solar Charger is done in systemcalc, and there is a dbus path (volatile) for perturbing it slightly. Mostly for testing purposes.
Thanks for the reply, I do know the Bluesolar range limitations regarding bluetooth, it’s just that that particular 85A model of Bluesolar doesn’t seem to exist on the books.
I am sure they will be supported somehow.
So I can’t have reporting and independence…
I am trying to think of a way to shut down MPPT production before locking out the PV inverters at 53Hz in an off-grid system.
I thought I maybe able to set the MPPT’s at a slightly lower voltage.
I want to start a big motor and deal with the starting current so I need the Pv inverters on.
But they will be 53Hz locked out for the day already, the MPPT’s will come back automatically, and Multi’s will respond quickly to the starting current demand.
But maybe the surge will be too much for them alone.
I know the conditions to reset the frequency lock-out, but they are a PITA to manipulate/simulate.
Maybe the answer lies in scheduled charging …
Sorry, I didn’t say, its a future setup, in as much as I have a Cerbo, 5 MPPT’s and as many PV inverters as you can shake a stick at. I’ve been collecting gear during COVID.
It’s off-grid for me, when I retire back in SA ( smallholding on the Tugela).
1.) Would I use ESS in an off-grid situation? What do I lose?
2) Presumably, if I programmed the MPPT’s individually, I’d lose the ability to see solar production centrally, but I would be able to see individual production if I equipped the MPPT’s with a Bluetooth dongle through VictronConnect?
Another option if you want is to get VE.Direct to USB cables, add a USB HUB onto the Venus, and connect them to the HUB.
This was more my thinking as well when I looked at a second hand BlueSolar.
Oh, I know how view them centrally, it is just that connecting them centrally means that I lose individual control over their settings.
That control is more important to me that the reporting, the reporting is obviously nice, and I’ll try and keep it, but needs must.
There is firmware for it in the library…
Probably that last one in the list. Might also be interesting to see its ProductId, but you need to plug it in and read it from the Venus device. Product ID A04F is BlueSolar Charger MPPT 150/85 (1x 12V..48V 85A charge output / 1x 150V panel input / 60kB micro).
So definitely supported.
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No, you would not. If you have PV-inverters on the output, you would use the PV_inverter assistant though.
Without ESS, there is one other “feature”. If you have a managed battery (aka a BMS), then the solar chargers will follow the voltage the battery asks for.
Again, you will have to edit code if you don’t want that. Must say… never had a case where someone didn’t want that 
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@plonkster, thanks I think that answers my questions
Thanks, @plonkster , I think my questions are answered.
When it comes to a BMS, I will be in charge of the charging, not it. I have my own low tech ideas on that front.