Testing your Lithium Ion battery system
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 9/18/2019 to
System Integration
When you have completed your lithium battery system you need to take if for an extended test drive so that you understand fully that it works the way it was designed. Don't assume it works, try it out.
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Programming your Victron MultiPlus inverter charger with the VE Configure program - Part 3 - "The Assistants"
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 9/18/2019 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.
Programming your Victron MultiPlus inverter charger with the VE Configure program - Part 2 - The Settings
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 9/18/2019 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
Programming with the VE Configure program is easy and Part 1 of this Blog Post described the procedure. This part describes the settings themselves.
Programming your Victron MultiPlus inverter charger with the VE Configure program - Part 1 - The Procedure
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 9/18/2019 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 procedure. Part 2 wil then go into the settings themselves. Since this article was written Victron have updated the instruction manual for the VE Configure program. You can read about it on my updated Blog Post
Installing your Victron MultiPlus Inverter Charger
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 9/18/2019 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
The post details unpacking, mounting and wiring your new MultiPlus, subsequent articles will detail the programming options.
Mounting Procedure for Heavy Victron Energy Items
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 8/22/2019 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
This is the Mounting Procedure for Heavyweight Victron Energy Items like the MultiPlus, Isolation transformers, Quattro inverter chargers, and large battery chargers like the Centaur and Skylla.
Test it out
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 7/15/2019 to
System Integration
One way to test out a complicated system is to build it on the test bench before installing it. This is a great idea on so many levels. It allows you to get thoroughly familiar with what we are installing, it is so much easier to work on a system sitting on a table, and it allows you to get the bugs out without being on your hands and knees.
Signal K and Victron Energy integration
Posted by Peter Kennedy and Victron Energy on 6/13/2019 to
Older Posts
This article points to a Blog Post from Victron Energy outlining some of the things you can do by integrating Victron Energy with Signal K
Mounting procedure for dual foot alternators
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 5/21/2019 to
Alternators
When you have a dual foot alternator it is important to mount it correctly to avoid bending or breaking the mounting feet.
DC load calculations for marine and mobile projects
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 4/10/2019 to
Techniques and How to...
DC Load calculations for marine and mobile projects. A discussion on how to size the loads for panelboards, how to calculate daily power consumption and generation, and how to use that to come up with a battery size. 
Mounting options for the Blue Sea m-Series battery switches
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 4/10/2019 to
Techniques and How to...
Blue Sea Systems m-Series battery switches can be mounted in three different ways and this article shows how that works.......
How we handle warranty claims at PKYS
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 3/14/2019 to
News
Warranty claims are handled differently depending on the manufacturer of the item. Read more to learn how to deal with warranty issued for items purchased at PKYS
Generating a 120/240 Volt split phase power supply from an inverter
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 3/7/2019 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
There are a couple of ways to set up a split phase 120/240 volt system using an inverter. This article discusses the merits of the different methods,
Demo electrical system layout with Victron 24 Volt MultiPlus inverter charger, solar panels and generator
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 2/15/2019 to
System Integration
This post shows a wiring diagram prepared by Victron Energy showing in detail how some of their products connect together. I have annotated the drawing with notes and comments. 
Please use Victron VE Bus cables to hook up Victron VE Bus equipment.
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 2/14/2019 to
System Integration
Please use Victron VE Bus cables to hook up VE Bus equipment. Other brands may or may not work, its really not worth the hassle. Read more....
Frequently Asked Questions about Lithium Batteries
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 2/13/2019 to
Batteries (Lithium Ion)
I spend so much of my time answering questions about Lithium Batteries that I decided to put some of the most common questions here for all to see. This is an ongoing project so check back again to see more. I apologize for the randomness of it but when I have enough written I will try to sort them by category
Solar Panel on Sprinter Van
Posted by Peter Kennedy with KM on 2/1/2019 to
Vehicles & Camper Vans
The panel is a Canadian Solar 300watt mono-Si PERC. The van is a Sprinter 170. The batteries are Victron Smart LiFePO4 200 Amp Hour Lithium Iron Phosphate. The Inverter is a Victron Multiplus
Using the Victron Energy Autotransformer in a US 120/240 Volt system
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 1/28/2019 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
The Victron Energy Autotransformer is the one item we sell that causes the most confusion. Read about how it gets used in a US 120/240 volt system here
Camper Van and RV Electrical Systems
Posted by Mike Hobson on 1/22/2019 to
Vehicles & Camper Vans
Camper van and RV electrical systems comprise charging from the engine, shore power and solar panels. From these sources we can charge batteries or power AC and DC systems directly allowing for extended time off grid and away from shore power.
Installing a High Power marine alternator on your boat.
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/21/2019 to
Alternators
Arguably, there is no more worthwhile electrical project you can undertake on your boat to improve comfort and convenience than the installation of a high power alternator. Having a high power alternator will provide you with a substantial improvement in the availability of electrical power on board.
Why is my Amp Hour Meter giving strange readings after its winter break?
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/21/2019 to
Battery Monitoring
Amp hour meters do a great job at assisting the boat owner with battery management. They provide an accurate reading of voltage and of amps going in and out of the batteries and by keeping track of these readings over time they can provide a reading of "amp hours" or the state of charge of the battery as a percentage. They also often maintain a record of historical data and can use that to figure out battery efficiency.
How big a battery bank do I need?
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/18/2019 to
Batteries (Conventional)
For most people to answer to this is "as big as possible". Charlie Wing's book the "Boatowners Illustrated handbook of Wiring" has a very good explanation of how to calculate the capacity you need. The calculations start by working out what your daily load will be both at anchor and while underway.
Using Victron Energy equipment with other brands of Lithium Ion batteries
Posted by Peter Kennedy` on 1/14/2019 to
Batteries (Lithium Ion)
Victron Energy offers a suite of equipment for use with their own brand of Lithium Ion batteries. Can that same equipment be used with other brands of batteries? See here what works and what doesnt.......
Inverter Specifications: The difference between VA and Watts
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/30/2018 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
The terms Watts and VA are often used interchangeably when referring to inverter specifications, but are they the same?
Victron Glass Bridge System Integration
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/21/2018 to
System Integration
The Victron Venus GX or Color Control GX will be able to provide a seamless plug and play integration with many models of Raymarine, Garmin and Navico MFD's starting in 2019
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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