Installing a Rapid Shutdown (RSD) for My Victron Inverters & Solar Panels

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Links to the parts & pieces in the video (affiliate links) ------------------------------------ Tigo Energy Single Core RSS Transmitter Rapid Shutdown voltaico.com/product/tigo-energy-single-core-rss-transmitter-rapid-shutdown/ amzn.to/4buAdZM Tigo Energy TS4-A-F Rapid Shutdown Module voltaico.com/product/tigo-energy-ts4-a-f-rapid-shutdown-module/ amzn.to/3SRUwZJ Victron 48V MultiPlus-II 5kVA 120V Inverter www.currentconnected.com/product/victron-48v-multiplus-2-5kva-120v-inverter-70a-charger/?ref=AzzpK9Fl 10kVA 120/240v Base MultiPlus-II System www.currentconnected.com/product/10kva-120-240v-multiplus-2-5kva/?ref=AzzpK9Fl Victron MPPT RS 450V/100A SmartSolar Charge Controller www.currentconnected.com/product/victron-smartsolar-mppt-rs-charger-controller/?ref=AzzpK9Fl Victron MPPT 150V/35A SmartSolar Charge Controller www.currentconnected.com/product/victron-smartsolar-charge-controller-mppt-75v-100v-150v-250v-ved/?ref=AzzpK9Fl

[@nihongobenkyoshimasu3190]

I like the added shutdown capability of both the solar panels and the inverters, however NEC 2017 / 2020 requires ARC fault protection (AFCI) with PV systems operating at more than 80V. NOTE on Arc Fault Circuit Interruption (AFCI) NEC requirements. Any PV operating at > 80V is now required to have AFCI compliance ... i.e. be able to identify a serial arc fault and shut down the string. AFCI breakers work by detecting high frequency noise caused by arcs. High frequency switching noise from inverters will not make them happy. Tigo systems are compatible with certain inverters with built-in AFCI compliance (Sol Ark etc...) I contacted Tigo to check if Victron was AFCI compliant, and received the following anser: "Thank you for submitting an inverter compatibility request with Tigo. " "Victron Energy products are not compatible with our Tigo TS4 " "due to the manufacturer not being open to testing." "We have a full list of roughly 1,300 other inverters here that have been tested" "and deemed compatible with respective documentation. "

[@hendersonsobers396]

Hey Adam, even though we're now in different inverter camps, I still come to this channel and always learn alot when I do. Keep up the great work.

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Thanks Henderson! Who knows…maybe one day I’ll be testing what you have…

[@boomermatic6035]

I see YT is at it again, I have not been notified of any of your videos for about two months now, and your channel doesn't show up in my subscriptions even though I am subscribed. I have been thinking about adding something like this to my system, thank you for this video.

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Sorry you haven't been notified. I would try unsubscribing and resubscribing. Not sure why it does that. I know I've heard of issues on other channels with the same thing happening. Hope the video helps!

[@macklane3467]

Both videos on this are seriously awesome. Thanks!

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Appreciate that!

[@DIYorDIE_Off-Grid]

I love your Victron setup! So neat and organized and clean ❤ very professional! I think you've got me sold on Victron if I ever need to upgrade from my EG4 6500 system.

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Thanks! Just don't look inside the wireway too closely... 😁

[@theadventuresofarenaissancman]

Glad to see you got the technical side figured out.

[@kurt2439]

I wonder if you did any other research into the actual disconnect switches -- I think NEC code requires a clear distinction between off/on states and the button style switch has a lot more potential ambiguity there. Thanks for your video, I didn't realize that solving this module / inverter disconnect requirement could be so painless and relatively inexpensive (depending how many modules you have)!

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

I did not. This switch was the one I was seeing recommended for rapid shutdown use. It is easily interchangeable though if another type is required. Yeah, it all depends on the number of modules. In my case it wasn't 100% necessary since most of my arrays are ground mounts. Would be nice if there was some kind of "array level shutdown" module for ground mounts so you don't have to wire each module up, of course that wouldn't work for roof mount panels.

[@DIYJim-wx6hq]

Adam, you do great videos. It is normal practice to make emergency stop circuits go thru normally closed (N.C.) contacts that open when the switch is pushed. This is safest as a broken wire, for example, shuts the system down. The contact blocks on the e-stop switch usually can be removed and also stacked. By using three N.C. Contact blocks you can have one for each inverter and one for MPPT. I am planning this for my system, with a N.C. Contact to each inverter’s remote on/off connector and one for the MPPT remote on/off also. Your thoughts? I have two other safety improvements. Wish I could PM you.

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

@@DIYJim-wx6hq thanks! I’ve actually seen it used both ways across different systems. Some have a jumper wire across their built in RSD terminals and when that jumper is removed, the state shuts down. Others you have to close the circuit to get it to shut down. I do agree it seems safer to have a NC circuit for the very reason you described. I was originally just gonna go the same route you described, but when a Cerbo is involved, those remote switches don’t seem to work (at least on the MPs). Victron disables them whenever you have a Cerbo. Not exactly sure why.

[@AveRage_Joe]

Nice Work! I have a set of the RSD's on 1 set of roof panels. Still need to add them to the 2nd set of panels. Waitn for the temps to come up a lil. YEAH DUDE.....THE SUN🤷‍♂️ Havent seen it in months till the other day!

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Thanks Joe! Yeah the sun has been very elusive over the past few months. Spent a lot more time on grid power than I care to.

[@anthonymiller3933]

Adam, do you think it’s possible to add another switch in parallel or series (how ever needed to work)? That way you have one in the basement by your equipment and one outside. Incase you are in the basement messing around you can shut down something or if you are out of town and first responders can hit the button without finding it in the basement. Allow them to activate independent

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

That's my plan. I want to put one in the basement as well as outside. I just have to pick up another switch and see exactly how it needs to be wired together. With only having a single sip of coffee so far this morning, I think series would be the way to go.

[@ChrisNorman-d3w]

Hi Adam, I see you installed this 8 months ago. Are you still happy with the setup, and have you had any problems or performance issues with Tigo - Victron compatibility? Thanks for documenting this setup!

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Howdy Chris! Glad to be able to help! I haven't had any issue with it. There haven't been any accidental shut-downs or anything. It's fairly straight forward of an install.

[@simon359]

I hope one time you can do a grounding video for Victron. I have an off grid Victron system that goes through my main panel via Internet connect switch. I recently had a short, and it took a long time for me to figure it out. Unfortunately, I still don’t know how to ground my inverter properly. I also use my AC number 2 (set at 15 Aps) on the inverter to plug into my house outlet and that charges my batteries at night. I’m not sure if this was the problem with the short or not? Anyway, I don’t see too many videos on grounding at all. 😜🖖

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Unfortunately I’m not an electrician so any grounding video I did would just be my thoughts and assumptions. I do know that all the grounding terminals (including the ground stud) are all bonded together in my Multiplus 2, so I only have 1 connected. You might ask “if they’re all bonded together, why do they have so many grounding points then?” and that’s a great question. Here’s my assumption: These inverters are originally designed for mobile/marine installations where you might not normally have a path to ground. In a mobile install, you would connect the grounding stud of the inverter case to the frame of your RV and then the ground from the AC out would go to your distribution panel. When you plug into shore power, you would then be connecting the AC In ground to the rest of your system. In a fixed/home install, you would always have a connection to ground, so you would only need one in your inverter. That connection to ground could be in your main electrical panel (which is provably the normal case, even when off-grid) or the grounding stud of the inverter. Again, all my thoughts and assumptions. You’re not the first to ask about it, so maybe I’ll throw it together and let the “brain trust” of KZbin correct me…

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

What inverter do you have?

[@simon359]

@@AdamDeLayDIY 48 V 5000 70. From my understanding, an off grid system inverter to the electrical panel is only outgoing from the inverter to the electrical panel. There will be no connection to the grid. The grid has to be turned off when doing this. If I need to power my batteries, I do it through a generator or plug it into the wall outlet of my house; of course the connection to the panel needs to be shut off when I do that. Then I have to take the ground from my inverter to a ground bar, which all my charge controllers are grounded to the ground bus bar and I recently heard that your battery negative has to be grounded to the bus bar also. From the ground bus bar, I have to go outside to a grounding rod. At least this is from my understanding. 🖖

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

@@simon359 Do you have a Quatto or a MultiPlus? I know the MultiPlus 2 doesn't have a second AC IN only a second AC OUT. So if I understand your setup correctly, you're using an interlock kit on your main panel which allows you to switch between grid power and your inverter. If that's true, are you switching back over to grid power before you plug your inverter into the wall outlet to charge from the grid? Since your using an interlock kit to go back to the main panel, you should already have a ground connection from the AC Out of your inverter back to the main panel. That ground connection does not get disconnected when you throw the interlock switch, so your inverter should always be grounded. You should also have the bus bar you have your charge controllers on always connected back to the same grounding system as the home. You should only ever have 1 grounding system. You shouldn't have to move grounding wires around based on what you're trying to run. Lastly, you do not ground the negavive of your battery connections. That's only for mobile installations.

[@simon359]

@@AdamDeLayDIY Yes, the Quattro Yes, I’m switching back to grid power before I plug in on the AC2 in! I too thought there was only one ground in the system, but that’s only if you’re got L1 and L2 connected to the grid, which I don’t. I don’t power my batteries through the grid panel. I only have L1 going to two 50 amp breakers and I’m sure the ground works for AC once it’s converted from DC. But talking to Battle Born Batteries, the equipment needs to be grounded to a grounding rod outside for DC. Like I said, the whole thing is kind of confusing, and I’m just not sure who really knows what they’re talking about. 😳 🖖

[@LambySRI]

Sorry if I missed it somewhere, but are you running split phase?

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

Yes I am

[@blainecelestaine4543]

Why cant you just use a breaker near the array? That tigo looks like $50 bucks a panel

[@AdamDeLayDIY]

I believe you could do that for a ground array, but for a roof array, NEC code has certain panel level requirements. I got a good deal on these used tigo units so I wanted to see what I could do with them.