Installing your Victron MultiPlus Inverter Charger

Thank you Peter for this excellent post; I have a question in regards to the remote panels and their functions that are available. I understand that there are two, the Digital Multi Control /GX and the Color Control GX. I was hoping that the Color Control GX could handle all or at least the main functions such as input 'current limit' and 'on/off/charger only'. From the manual of the Color Control GX i understand that for 'some' system configurations with the Multiplus these functions cannot be performed by the Color Control GX. One of the mentioned system configuration is a setup that uses the VE.BUS BMS which is a must for Li battery banks. Here Victron proposes the use of the Digital Multi Control AND a rocker switch for the on/off function. From my perspective hard to believe or do I misunderstand something here. I would love to have everything consolidated in the Color Control GX remote.

Great great article. Really simplified the process. My question pertains to the switching. Ac in from shore power, out to main Ac breaker. My reading of the manual says the battery charger will automatically turn on when it's receiving shore power. What if I connect my generator but do not want the battery charger to engage, can this be done?

This an excellent "how to" for the MultiPlus and associated monitoring accessories. My specific question/concern is the chassis ground. I have a 1999 Beneteau 411. Are you aware of any concerns about grounding the chassis to the negative DC ground given that this model of boat does not have any bonding on its through hulls. I have heard arguments for and against grounding the chassis to the DC negative grounds. Thanks in advance for any thoughts you may have on this concern.

Wonderfull information. Thank you. Is there a way to program the 24v, 3000W, 70A Multiplus to run an auxiliary fan anytime the internal Multiplus fan runs? I'm installing the Multiplus I just received from PKYS into an unused battery compartment on my camper. I will need to provide an auxiliary fan to vent that compartment to provide proper cooling. Thank you again.

Great article,Very informative! Can you program the Multiplus with a Venus GX or do you have to use the MK3 to USB adapter?

Peter We are connecting a gas generator into system also Only to come on when batteries run low We have a sma invertor from panels Iam presuming the 230v from invertor and generator go in the incoming supply of multi plus ,same connection ,fused before getting to multiplus

Hello Peter, Many thanks for an excellent article. I am reworking the installation of a Multiplus on a canal boat I recently bought. I am concerned that all the circuit protection is downstream of the Multiplus. Can you see any problem if I go from the shore power socket direct to a correctly current rated earth leakage circuit breaker then on to the Multiplus. Thanks again. Kind regards Peter Wilson France.

Peter, excellent article, thank you. RE: ABYC A-31.6.5: Are they really saying the case ground should be the same size as the DC positive conductor? That could easily be 4/0, or even 3/0 if you go one size smaller. I don't think I've ever seen an inverter case ground using 4/0 cable, have you? Would the provided mounting hardware even support a 4/0 sized lug?

I m in the process of a solar panel and battery bank and charger inverter install and have run into a problem that I can t seem to come up with the best solution or work around for.... basically the Victron inverter/charger has an AC IN that has three connections and three connections for AC OUT but my Power Panel has four AC leads coming in; I believe this is because Fifth Wheel has a 50 amp panel ( I believe there are two hot legs a neutral and a ground ) ..... How do I make this work with my new Victron inverter charger ?? please help :-) I discovered this when I was about to disconnect the AC into panel and run it to the AC In of the Victron and then take the AC Out back to the service panel.... ps... it looks to me that the 2 hot leads one to each side of the fifty amp breaker is set up to service two different sides or halves of the service panel .. Thanks in advance for any and all help.. Joe

Peter; thanks for this fantastic blog. I've found answers in here that I haven't found in a week of searching the net. I'm still confused about wire size and over-current protection for the DC side of the 12/3000. I won't have any cables over 6' long. I expect defaulting to 4/0 is the safest approach but it's a bit pricey and harder to work with. I will need it from the + battery to the switch (rated at 300A), and from the switch to the inverter. On the negative side from the battery to the shunt, shunt to the inverter and shunt to chassis. (This is an RV by the way). What about the short jumpers between batteries - do they need to be 4/0? Since my switch is rated at 300A should I use a 300A fuse to protect the lowest rated device - or a bigger switch? Thanks for your help!

I see that doubled up cables are required for the battery connection. Why do you only have a single set running in the diagram? Is it as simple as just running two wires from the positive terminal and two from the negative and connecting them to their respective battery terminals?

I have 2-120ac 30amp circuits in my coach that I have wired to my exsisting magnum inverter which has 2-ac outs I want them both powered from my new multiples 3000 can I combine them and run them both off the one ac out. If so what method of combining them would be appropriate I can’t afford a Qauttro

Peter, This blog has been the most helpful information I have been able to find, including the Victron manuals. I recently bought a Victron 3000 Multiplus 12v model inverter/charger for my motorhome while in Arizona and had it scheduled to be installed while we were there. Unfortunately, circumstances forced us to leave and return home before the installation date, so now I am trying to figure it all out by myself. I live in a very small town with no RV services. My question is this. My RV currently has a 1000w inverter that only runs the two televisions, even though the wiring diagram from Winnebago shows it powering multiple AC outlets as well. This is not the case. My dilemma has been how to connect the Multiplus into the system to power all these outlets without powering the air conditioner and refrigerator. From the previous post about the two AC outputs, it appears I can put the different circuits on the two different outputs, with my AC outlets on the full-time outlet and the aircon, refrig., etc on the shore/generator outlet. Correct? Does this mean I need to split the circuits in the current control center/breaker box and add a second breaker box and move these circuits to it? I had talked with two different installers. One gave me a bid which included a second breaker box and fuses, while the other was planning to tie into the wire from the auto transfer switch, directing it to the inverter and back to the power control center. This second option looks like it would have put all my electrical loads on the inverter, including the ones I don't want on it. I am understanding this all correctly? Your input would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Peter. In reading the manual for the Victron 3000, I saw that the max amperage through the AC Output 2 is limited to 25 amps. That is not enough to run the AirCon, which requires about 60 amps to start up. Should the AirCon circuit be connected directly to the incoming AC source (shore/gen) instead of running through the inverter?

Peter, Excellent blog, thank you. I have two house battery banks on my boat, 470 AH each. Can one Multi-Plus 3000 handle two separate battery banks? Thanks

Looking at the 230v Quattro I only see on ac in one hot, neutral, ground. This is USA so I have incoming shore power 2 hots, neutral and ground. Do I combine L1 and L2 together and come into inverter?

The 230 volt Quattro can be used in a US 240 volt system provided that you set it up correctly. First you can change the voltage from 230 to 240 in the software, you can also change the frequency from 50 to 60 hz. Then you can connect two hot legs to the input instead of a hot and a neutral, We still have to make sure that we have a correct ground at all time, I can discuss that one on one in a support ticket, you can contact me through the support portal support.pkys.com

This is very helpful, thank you! I'm confused. I'm planning on getting a MultiPlus 24|3000 120V, and because I'd read it had a built-in automatic transfer switch, I thought I would NOT need an external ATS. However, traditional ATS's switch between shore and generator power, but with only 1 AC input on the MultiPlus, it can't do that. So will I still need an external automatic transfer switch to switch between shore and generator power? The internal "ATS" only switches between shore/generator power and inverter power? If this is correct, the MultiPlus's internal ATS is NOT a traditional ATS, it's really just a UPS functionality? Or am I completely confused? Thanks in advance!

Peter, Great article. We are doing install right now. Having problems fining torque specs for install of various wires. Do u know torque spec for 4/0 ground wire? Appreciate any help you can offer.