Tried my V2L Adapter today ...

[Cabansail]

and it worked very well.

I did look at the Genuine MG V2L Adapter, which sells for AU$250 (~£122)

Instead I took a gamble and bought one from China. It cost AU$33.21 (~£17)

I did make a mistake and did not specify the outlet plug, so it arrived with an EU Outlet (the default) and so I had to buy an adapter fro AU$6 (~£3) I should have selected the AU or International socket.

It operates just the same as the genuine adapter.

Now I need to find out if I can install wiring to allow transfer from the Car Batter to the House Batteries.

 

[Jamesrr]

Now I need to find out if I can install wiring to allow transfer from the Car Batter to the House Batteries.

That is a much more involved journey.

Like, really really more involved

 

[Cabansail]

My Solar Guy was here just after I bought the MG4. I said I was ordering a V2L adapter. He suggested I could get a "Caravan Socket" wired into my controller as if it were a back up generator. I will have to quiz him more to make sure I can set it to just supply charge to the batteries.

 

[T1 Terry]

I'm thinking about winding a 220vac to 250vac toroidal transformer, so my Victron Multiplus doesn't freak out so much when trying to connect into the supply to become a battery charger as well as pass through the AC supply.

The 3 way fridge, toaster, coffee machine, kettle, air fryer, hot water and rooftop rattler air conditioner really like 250vac in preference to 220vac, they still work, but the freezer isn't quite up to keeping the ice cream suitably solid in the warmer weather, and takes ages to make the next batch of ice cubes The toaster is more of a breadcrumb maker, the kettle takes an age and the pod coffee just isn't while right as the water doesn't seem to be quite hot enough when it blasts through the coffee capsule ......

Apart from that, the MG4 big backup battery worked brilliantly for up to 3 nights in the sub zero keeping it pleasant inside through to midnight, the electric blankets all night and warmed the motorhome up enough to venture out of bed the next morning ..... while the sun was still melting the ice on the roof.

With all the rain in the Illawarra area while we were there, mains power became very iffy with the rivers running across the front lawn, was even enough to waterlog the mains charger and stopped it from working at all.

But the V2L kept the Winnie powered up, a drive to the local fast charger every 3 days, bought all the power we needed to free camp ..... it takes a fair bit to keep a 10 mtr motorhome warm just using the air con ..... along with all the other appliances .... roughly $25 average for 3 days power .... gotta be happy with that .... the Onan 3.6kw generator is marked for removal and to be on sold ....

T1 Terry

 

[Barrie]

That is a much more involved journey.

Like, really really more involved

Not really. You connect your V2L to a 48v battery charger that then connects to your house battery.

 

[wattmatters]

Not really. You connect your V2L to a 48v battery charger that then connects to your house battery.

48 V grid-tied battery systems compatible with with plug-in AC chargers are not that common here.

 

[T1 Terry]

Plug in a powerboard and 4 x 12v chargers, each on their own 4 series cells (12v nom.)..... Might even balance the battery a bit better, but one of these on each 4 cells in series will definitely keep it balanced if combined with one of these 192V Battery Balancer | ZHCSolar

T1 Terry

 

[Cabansail]

48 V grid-tied battery systems compatible with with plug-in AC chargers are not that common here.

My system is effectively an Off Grid system. When we get a blackout the only thing that alerts me is the oven does not work, as it is not on the battery load. It basically operates as a big UPS. Using the car as a back up gennie should be fairly simple.

 

[wattmatters]

My system is effectively an Off Grid system.

If you are able to charge home batteries with an AC charger, that is really the only viable option for using V2L to power a home. Home is then powered by the home battery inverter and not the V2L directly.

Attempting to power a home with V2L via, e.g. a power inlet and transfer switch, is going to result in a fault in the car's discharge system as it is not expecting to supply power to a load with an earth-neutral link.

 

[decrep]

My problem is, the house battery is wired direct to the inverter, and there's no where to input the V2L to the inverter. If I try to wire a separate charger to the battery it will void the warranty.

 

[Cabansail]

My controller/inverter has a provision to accept a generator input. I understand from my solar guy that is where I would plug in the V2L

 

[Jamesrr]

My controller/inverter has a provision to accept a generator input. I understand from my solar guy that is where I would plug in the V2L

Yes, that is the only way you can use it. You already need an "off grid capable" wired battery system powering your home that allows a "220v generator" to top up the battery.

Sort of begs the question of why?

I guess there are a very few scenarios where the home battery was low and topping it up from the car battery helps get through the time till you recharge the house battery from your solar panels.

 

[wattmatters]

My controller/inverter has a provision to accept a generator input. I understand from my solar guy that is where I would plug in the V2L

You still need to know what earth-neutral link arrangement it requires of the generator.

If your system is expecting a generator without an internal E-N link (as would be the case for most home backup generators because the home's main circuit board already provides the E-N link) then your V2L system will throw a fault.

There's one way to find out...

As I said, if you can power a separate isolated AC battery charger, that will work with V2L.

V2L is designed to power isolated loads, not bonded E-N systems.

 

[Cabansail]

Yes, that is the only way you can use it. You already need an "off grid capable" wired battery system powering your home that allows a "220v generator" to top up the battery.

Sort of begs the question of why?

I guess there are a very few scenarios where the home battery was low and topping it up from the car battery helps get through the time till you recharge the house battery from your solar panels.

I have been on Battery since late 2013, but the Inverter/Controller and Batteries were replaced 2018. The Solar Panels are original. My Inverter was sold locally but that company folded and then it failed, in quite a spectacular way. My wife called me at work to say it was on fire. It seems that one of the Power FET's failed and the whole thing was spewing showers of sparks out of the base.

As it was still under warranty I put in a claim, which the company voided as it was fitted outside of the house. It was their company that did the installation and the inverter was IP rated. The installation was outside but fitted such that it was completely sheltered. No matter how correct I was, there is no way I would win a warranty claim from here when the company was in the Netherlands. Instead I placed a claim on my Home Insurance. The new system I made sure was Bomb-Proof. About six months later one of my Lead Acid Gel Batteries dropped a cell. Probably due to being left too long uncharged. They had cone seven years and I knew that Lead Acid had a shorter life but anything Lithium was not affordable originally. I then changed the Batteries over to a set of LTO Batteries. They are a better chemistry for homes than the various other chemistries which are sold because they are used in cars. The LTO are less energy dense but are under warranty until 2040 (a twenty year warranty) and have a life expectancy of 50 years.

That is my system and how it has evolved. To get the quality I wanted I bought off grid product that can take a grid input. The LTO batteries usually last all night. So the Panels charge the batteries and supply the load and then run the load at night. All the excess is fed to the grid and I am usually getting a negative bill. The only problem is that when we get blackouts here it often after a few days of overcast weather, sometimes with a flood. The battery is then flat and we get a blackout too. If I can add charge to the batteries in that situation my system will be solid.

 

[wattmatters]

the inverter was IP rated

What was the IP rating? If it's IP 21 like a Victron Multiplus then it's unsuitable for outdoor installation. The installer should've known that and have either designed a suitable housing or chosen a more suitable product. The installer themselves are liable for warranty claims.

 

[Jamesrr]

The installer themselves are liable for warranty claims.

Yeah, given they folded poor @Cabansail is out of luck

 

[wattmatters]

given they folded

Sound like a bunch of cowboys.

 

[Cabansail]

What was the IP rating? If it's IP 21 like a Victron Multiplus then it's unsuitable for outdoor installation. The installer should've known that and have either designed a suitable housing or chosen a more suitable product. The installer themselves are liable for warranty claims.

The Specs when I bought it said IP44, which was adequate for where I had it installed. I just looked now and they have since down-rated it to IP21.

A warranty claim from them would have resulted in me getting one of their unsupported products again. The home insurance claim meant I could get a superior Australian made product.

 

[wattmatters]

The home insurance claim meant I could get a superior Australian made product.

Selectronic?

 

[Cabansail]

Yes - Selectronic and Zenaji Aeon LTO Batteries.

Would like to add a couple more batteries.

The Solar Panels are now 12 years old. With the MG4 I am wanting to increase the power to allow home charging. Getting a quote to swap the Panels to newer ones which have double the output. Will keep the old ones for some other projects, like running a Fresh Water Pool and a Solar Pump from the Well.