Peter Kennedy has been in business since 1991 designing, installing and servicing marine electrical systems. The purpose of this blog is to offer support to both professional installers and do-it-yourself boat owners who wish to undertake this work themselves.

Blog Home

Programming your Victron MultiPlus inverter charger with the VE Configure program - Part 2 - The Settings

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/14/2018 to Victron MultiPlus and Quatro

Programming with the VE Configure program is easy and Part 1 of this Blog Post described the proceedure. This part describes the settings themselves

(0) Comments

Programming your Victron MultiPlus inverter charger with the VE Configure program - Part 3 - "The Assistants"

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/14/2018 to Victron MultiPlus and Quatro

Programming with the VE Configure program is easy. Part 1 of the Blog Post described the proceedure. Part 2 described the settings, and this is Part 3 which discusses the use of "Assistants" which are apps you can load and which control how the MultiPlus behaves in certain circumstances.

(0) Comments

Programming your Victron MultiPlus inverter charger with the VE Configure program - Part 1 - The Proceedure

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/9/2018 to Victron MultiPlus and Quatro

Programming with the VE Configure program is so easy compared to trying to program your MultiPlus using the dipswitches. You will require the Mk3USB interface. Here are part 1 of the instructions which describes the proceedure. Part 2 wil then go into the settings themselves

(0) Comments

Installing your Victron MultiPlus Inverter Charger

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/8/2018 to Victron MultiPlus and Quatro

The post details unpacking, mounting and wiring your new MultiPlus, subsequent articles will detail the programming options.

(0) Comments

Programming your Victron MultiPlus Inverter/Charger - Using the dipswitches

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/7/2018 to Victron MultiPlus and Quatro

There are various ways to program the Victron MultiPlus inverter charger, this article details using the dipswitches to do basic programming

(2) Comments

How to install a simple shore power system on a small boat

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/19/2018 to Shore Power

This is a description of how to install an ABYC compliant shore power system for a small boat. The goal is to connect to a standard US 30 Amp 120 Volt dock pedestal

(0) Comments

Camper van project using Victron 24 volt Lithium batteries

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/18/2018 to Batteries (Lithium Ion)

This 2017 Dodge Promaster 3500 Van has been tricked out for boondocking and is loaded with solar panels and a Victron Lithium Iron Phosphate battery system with all the trimmings all supplied by PKYS

(0) Comments

Converting a European 16 Amp 230 Volt boat to US Shore Power

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/18/2018 to Shore Power

This article discusses the easiest way to convert a European 230 Volt boat with 16 Amp service to work in the US with a 30 Amp 120 Volt dock power.

(0) Comments

Programming your Balmar alternator regulator for Lithium Ion batteries

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/12/2018 to Alternators

The Balmar MC-614-H alternator regulator comes with a built-in program for Lithium Ion batteries but it needs to be adjusted to suit Victron's specifications

(0) Comments

Serpentine kit installation on a Yanmar 4JH4E

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/11/2018 to Alternators

Read about this Balmar Altmount Serpentine Kit installation on a Yanmar 4JH4E

(0) Comments

Duplex and Triplex wire versus using Single Conductors

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 8/4/2018 to Electrical Standards

Should I use duplex and triplex wire for my rewiring project or is it easier to use single conductor wire?

(0) Comments

Troubleshooting your Alternator

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 7/13/2018 to Alternators

Has your alternator stopped working? Often the tachometer will stop too. First check the drive belt to see that the alternator is turning. Here are some other troubleshooting tips

(0) Comments

Sourcing High Voltage DC Equipment

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 7/13/2018 to Circuit Protection

I get asked all the time about high voltage DC applications. Most equipment we sell at PKYS tops out at 48 Volts DC rating, only a few items are rated higher, and quite a lot have lower ratings. Finding equipment for high voltage applications is not that easy.

(0) Comments

Wondering how much further forward the Balmar Serpentine Kit will be on your engine?

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 6/25/2018 to Alternators

Wondering how much further forward the Balmar Serpentine Kit will be on your engine? We took a photo to explain it. Click for more.......

(0) Comments

Raymarine announce end of support for a long list of legacy products

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 6/1/2018 to News

This list of products no longer supported was posted by Raymarine on June 1st 2018

(0) Comments

Customizing your Venus

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/23/2018 to Software

We know that Victron software is open source and we know that really clever people can write their own programming integrations, and we know that the Victron Venus is the most tweakable and programmable item in the Victron product range. However talking about this and actually doing it are not the same and for most of us this is too intimidating an excercise to attempt. Here is the story of one installation with all the explanations necessary to accomplish it yourself.....

(1) Comments

What is the load output used for on certain Victron MPPT charge controllers

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 4/4/2018 to Solar

The smaller Victron MPPT Charge Controllers have a load output separate from the battery connection. This short article explains what it is used for.

(0) Comments

Blue Sea Systems custom panel: What will it look like when installed?

Posted by Peter Kennedy on 3/1/2018 to Circuit Breaker Panels

The custom panel program from Blue Sea Systems lets you design your own panel online and produces an image of what it will look like. Its not quite the same as seeing it installed of course. Here is how one panel turned out.