Victron 2024 Price Drops
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 1/2/2024 to
News
Big price drops for 2024. Following their recent price drops in November 2023 which included a 40% price drop in the cost of MPPT solar charge controllers, Victron are starting off 2024 with another major price drop ......
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Cerbo GX Mk2 is here.
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 12/8/2023 to
System Integration
The new Cerbo GX is coming in Spring of 2024 and will eventually replace the standard Cerbo GX. Should we be getting excited about this new product...........?
Boat Insurance for Lithium Battery installations
Posted by Mike Hobson on 12/1/2023 to
Boats
A year or so ago some insurance companies would not cover a Lithium Battery installation in your boat. But now that has changed as LifePo4 chemistry is better understood and system design has advanced. Read up on what insurance companies are looking for when you ask them to cover your lithium installation. Blue Sea Custom Panels
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/14/2023 to
Circuit Breaker Panels
Blue Sea custom panels are now back on their regular production schedule and to celebrate we are showing this video presentation of a complete boat makeover for an Azimuth power boat using these panels ARCO Zeus Alternator Regulator Wins IBEX Innovation Award
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/5/2023 to
Alternators
PKYS will be stocking this Arco regulator once it is available for retail sale , probably some time in November 2023. I had a demonstration of its abilities at the IBEX show where it won an innovation award.
Customize your Victron Cerbo GX display with GUI MODS
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 9/26/2023 to
System Integration
GUI MODS stands for Graphic User Interface Modifications and is third party software that allows you to customize the display of your Cerbo GX or other Venus GX device.
New ECO friendly settings to prioritize solar and wind for battery charging
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 9/25/2023 to
System Integration
Victron's new solar and wind priority feature allows a shore power connected system to prioritize alternative energy when charging batteries. This much requested feature is finally available and ready to use.
An introduction to running Node Red on the Cerbo GX
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 7/24/2023 to
System Integration
Node Red is a powerful programming tool built in to the Cerbo GX. It is not enabled by default and this article will help you enable it and get started and and will guide you through your first programming exercise. The article also shows you where to get additional help for more advanced programming
Wiring and programming your Victron Smart BatteryProtect
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 6/1/2023 to
System Integration
This article guides you through the setup and wiring of the Victron Smart BatteryProtect.
Electric Propulsion
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/31/2023 to
This Hylan & Brown 34' launch "Vega" cruises at half-load at 7 knots and at full load at 9.5 knots and is powered by 30 kWhrs of Victron Smart Lithium Batteries How do I charge two battery banks on my boat and still keep them separate?
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/25/2023 to
Batteries (Conventional)
The simplest way, if you can remember to do it, is to turn your battery switch to "BOTH" when charging, and turn it back to 1 or 2 when you are finished. This solution is unsatisfactory for those who sometimes forget and then end up with a flat battery from time to time.
Latest updates to Victron VRM
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/15/2023 to
System Integration
The Victron VRM Portal is a free service that allows you to connect your Victron System to the internet and view and control it remotely from anywhere in the world. The features are constantly being updated and this post, which will be edited whenever a major change is made, will keep you up to date on what is happening,
A demo of the Bluetooth function of Victron Smart Lithium Batteries
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/14/2023 to
Batteries (Lithium Ion)
This blog post is a video on unboxing a new set of Victron Smart Lithium Batteries, updating their firmware, enabling instant readout, and checking on the status of the cells and the overall voltage of the batteries. All this is possible without even opening the box.
Programming your MultiPlus or Quattro with VictronConnect
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/8/2023 to
System Integration
This article was updated in July 2022 and covers programming your MultiPlus or Quattro with VictronConnect. The program has continued to evolve and is now at the point where it can be used for all programming unless you need to use the "Assistants". For that you still need the VE Config program
How to update the Firmware in your MultiPlus or Quattro
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/2/2023 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
Updating the firmware in the Multi is not something you do every day. This article explains how to update the firmware in your Multi and it also explains when and why you might want to do this. How to use the Victron green plugs for remote control
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 3/10/2023 to
Victron have these green plugs; learn how to use them for various functions Wiring your Lynx Smart BMS
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 2/7/2023 to
Batteries (Lithium Ion)
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This article has an annotated video and additional backup material to help you wire up your Victron Lynx BMS
Setting up your Cerbo GX device to work on the Victron VRM
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 1/24/2023 to
System Integration
We recommend you set up your Victron Cerbo GX on the Victron VRM portal as part of the installation procedure. It only takes a few minutes to set up a VRM account and is easier to do while the instructions are at hand and the installation is all fresh in your mind. Then if you ever need remote support it will be all set up and you will be able to put your Cerbo GX online and share your site.
Victron VE Smart networking explained
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 12/20/2022 to
System Integration
This article shows an example of how Victron VE Smart Networking can optimize the charge parameters of certain Victron devices to improve charging efficiency and prolong battery life.
Programming your Balmar alternator regulator for Lithium Ion batteries
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 12/19/2022 to
Alternators
The Balmar MC-618-H alternator regulator comes with a built-in program for Lithium Ion batteries but it needs to be adjusted to suit your manufacturers specifications
Torque Wrench settings for Victron equipment
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/30/2022 to
Techniques and How to...
Torque wrench settings are important : Too little and you end up with a loose connection that generates heat, too much and you can strip the threads. Here is what you need to know....
Winterizing lithium battery installations
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/11/2022 to
Batteries (Lithium Ion)
Whoever heard of winterizing batteries? Is that even a thing? Well maybe yes, if they are lithium batteries and they are going to be left unattended for an extended period of time. Read more here...
Cellphone Tower power supply in a container by Sun-In-One
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/27/2022 to
News
This project is used to power a cellphone tower and is mounted in a shipping container. Built by PKYS Customer SUN IN ONE from Wilmington DE it includes solar charge controllers that harvest power from 44 kW of solar and charge an 8000 amp hour 48 volt battery bank.Isolated vs Non-Isolated DC DC Charger?
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/7/2022 to
Battery Chargers
We get asked the question all the time: "Do we need an isolated or a non-isolated DC DC charger?" This article explains the difference. Tax Free shipping to Florida Freight Forwarders
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/3/2022 to
News
PKYS now collects sales tax for shipments going to Florida. However if your ultimate destination is overseas and you are using a Florida Freight Forwarder then as long as you choose the right forwarder the shipment can be tax free
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.
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