Help & Guidance
To login, you go to: https://portal.gridless-solutions.com/login
After login in you will immediately end up on the design page where you can make your wiring diagram.
In the video below ill give an detailed explanation of the possibilities and maybe some answers to your questions!
Left control panel
You can give input on the control panel on the left side of the screen.
The first three things you can fill in are: Alternator voltage, System voltage and AC voltage.
Alternator voltage
The alternator of your vehicle or boat has a certain voltage. For most cars and vans this is 12V. But sometimes this is 24V, for example: older vehicles or big trucks (Overlanders).
System voltage
Most off grid electrical system have one of these three voltages: 12V, 24V or 48V. We’ve adapted the most frequently used voltages for vehicles and boats: 12V & 24V. 48V is mostly used in big off grid installations.
AC voltage
You have the choice between 230V (similar to 220/240V) or 120V. The first option is relevant for anyone who’s from Europe. Here we mostly use 220/230/240V. On the other side of the ocean, in North America they use 120V.
Busbar selection
A busbar is an extension point of the positive and netagive pole of the battery. Some regulations don’t allow more than two connections on the same point so a busbar is necessary. Next to that is a busbar the best way to manage your cables nice and neat.
You can select two busbar:
A what we call ‘individual busbar’. For this we use a midi/mega fuse holder in combination with a negative busbar. This is the best way to manage your cables neat and safe, and minimising connections. For ‘smaller’ systems we’d recommend you use this busbar: put to a maximum of 200A/2400W
You can also choose a Victron Lynx Distributor, this is the more professional approach. This device has an integrated positive and negative busbar, with integrated (Mega)fuses and can handle up to 1000 Amps.
Battery and Fuses
You can select a lithium battery and a lead acid battery. If you don’t know yet: you can also select that. You can select up to 5 batteries connected in parallel.
Based on the type of battery you select, you can choose certain alternator battery chargers.
Lithium
A lithium battery can not be charged with a Victron Cyrix Relais, due to to low internal resistance of the lithium battery. Therefor it can only be charged with a DC-DC charger.
Lead acid
These batteries can be charged with a Victron Cyrix Relais or a DC-DC charger. But the DC-DC charger alway is the prefferd option.
Fuses
The fuses that will be shown also display based on the type of battery that is selected.
The diagram has 4 type of main fuses:
- Yellow: Midi Fuse
- Green: Mega Fuse
- MRBF Fuse
- T-Class Fuse
The Midi fuses are used for low currents and are used for the DC-DC chargers and in the Midi/Mega fuse holder.
Mega fuses are used as the main fuse when you select Lead acid battery, and they are used when you select the Lynx Distributor. Also they are used in the Midi/Mega fuse holder for the inverter fuse.
Both the MRBF- and T-class fuse are used as a main fuse when you select a lithium battery. These fuses have the ability to to stop a lithium battery from shorting. Other fuses, like a mega/ANL fuse can not handle the current/voltage that occur during a shortage and simply do not provide safety.
The MRBF fuse is shown until 300A, above that the T-class fuse will appear.
Battery monitoring
A battery monitor is curtail for your electrical system. You can compare it to driving a car without a fuel gauge: not knowing when you fuel up. We offer the following options for battery monitoring:
- No battery monitor
- Victron SmartShunt
- Battery Monitor
- Victron Cerbo GX (MK2)
If you have a build in bluetooth battery monitor, you can choose not to install an external battery monitor.
A Victron SmartShunt offers the possibly to monitor your battery status via the victron connect app, via your smartphone.
If you want to use a Renogy battery monitor, or a battery monitor without a brand, or even an Victron BMV 712, you can select a battery monitor.
For the most extensive monitoring you can choose the Victron Cerbo GX (MK2). This device works seemingness with other victron devices and offers great insight into your electrical system. You can extend it with a global link so you can monitor your system online, from all over the world.
Battery Protection
This section is made for the protection of your (lead acid) battery and is centered around the 12/24v appliances. There are 3 options for this:
A (victron) battery protect: this device can cut of the power to the 12/24v appliances when the voltage drops below a certain voltage. This is especially crutial for lead acid batteries, since these can’t be discharged below 50% of their capacity. (most) Lithium batteries have a build in BMS that protects the lithium cell, and therefor you don’t need an battery protect if you have a lithium battery.
The next option is a simple isolator switch. Somtimes you want to isolate all your appliances, for example if you’re putting away your camper/boat etc into winter storage. With an isolator switch you can disconnect your appliances easily.
If you don’t want any to these, thats possible aswel: ‘no protection’
Alternator charing
Charing your battery with the alternator. There are a few options for that: No alternator charing, DC-DC charging and a Victron Cyrix Relais.
We’ll start op with the least popular option: the Victron Cyrix Relais.
This device is a simple relais that closes when the voltage reaches a certain level, and opens when it comes below the threshold. You’re only able to select this device if: you’ve selected a lead acid battery or ‘not sure’, and when you have a equal alternator and system voltage: 12V-12V & 24V-24V. If you haven’t selected one of these options, you won’t be able to see the Relais.
If you don’t want to use an alternator charger, that’s also possible. you can just select that.
Then we are left whit the most used option: the DC-DC charger. When you select this option, you have the choice between an isolated and non isolated DC-DC charger.
For campervans, a non isolated charger is most frequently used. Because cars and vans have a common return path; the metal chassis.
For boats or overland vehicles with Isolated cabine or hull you use an isolated charger.
Based on the choice that best suits your situation you have the following options:
Isolated chargers:
| Victron Orion 12-12|18 (12v-12v) |
| Victron Orion 12-12|30 (12v-12v) |
| Victron Orion 12-24|15 (12V-24V) |
| Victron Orion 24-12|30 (24V-12V) |
| Victron Orion 24-24|17 (24V-24V) |
Non Isolated Chargers:
| Victron Orion 12-12|30 (12v-12v) |
| Victron Orion 12-24|15 (12V-24V) |
| Victron Orion 24-12|30 (24V-12V) |
| Victron Orion 24-24|17 (24V-24V) |
| Victron Orion XS (12V-12V) |
| Victron Orion XS 1400 (12V-24V) |
| Victron Orion XS 1400 (24V-12V) |
| Victron Orion XS 1400 (24V-24V) |
| Ective BB 30 (12v-12v) |
| Ective BB 30 Compact (12v-12v) |
| Ective BB 60 (12v-12v) |
| Ective BB 25 (12v-24V) |
| Ective BB 50 (24v-24V) |
| Ective BB 60 (24v-12v) |
Solar Panels
You can select up to 5 solar panels. if you dont want solar panels, you select 0.
There are two options of connecting: Series or parallel. In most situations a series connection has the preference: the Victron SmartSolar MPPT charger starts working when the voltage of the solar panel reaches battery voltage + 5V. Solar panels connected in series add the voltage together, so you will reach the minimum threshold faster.
An parallel connection is preferred when you have a lot of shade on one or multiple of your solar panels.
There is also an option to disconnect your solarpanels from you MPPT charger. You can do this via a Soler Isolator switch. This switch is mandatory in some countries. If you use a Victron SmartSolar MPPT, you have to option to disconnect the solar connection via the victron connect app.
Last part of the Solar panel section is the selection of solar panels. These range from 90W all the way up to 500W. If your solar panel is not listed, please use a panel close to your wattage, and choose the size greater than your solar panel wattage.
The calculation of the MPPT charge controller is done via the Victron MPPT Calculator. We took the solar panels and inserted them in this calculator. The outcome we’ve placed in our software. Please note that if you have a solar panel with an hight VOC – like 100V (is occurs in sometimes) you need to manually calculate your MPPT Charger.
The calculation is done for the Victron SmartSolar MPPT, but can be used for other variants like Renogy etc aswel. In the future we will add a function to choose between different brands.
Inverters
The biggest topic we’ll write about in this page. The inverters (type and size) you will see, are determined by: System Voltage & AC Voltage. Based on that you will see one of the following inverter options:
- No Inverter
- Inverter
- Victron MultiPlus
- Ective CSI
- Ective CSI Pro
- Ective SSI
- Ective SSI Pro
No inverter
Pretty straight forward, if you don’t want an inverter, this is what you select.
Inverter
These are the normal inverters, without build in battery chargers. There are two ‘types’ you can select: inverters displayed in VA and in W. The VA inverters are the Victron Phoenix inverters. The Inverters in W can have any brand: Renogy, Ective, a random Amazon brand, you name it.
The size reaches from 250VA to 3000VA and from 500W to 3000W.
Victron MultiPlus
The most used inverter/charger on the marked (I believe). This device had an inverter, charger and transferswitch build in one case. Available from 500VA up to 5000VA (24V) (3000VA 12V maximum).
Ective CSI/Pro
Ective is a German that sells inverters, chargers, solar panels etc. Their Ective CSI is an inverter charger with build in transferswitch. It does the same as a Victron MultiPlus, but with the MultiPlus you have way more options(settings)
The pro variant is an upgrade from is previous model, with ventilation vans that are more quite, bigger battery chargers, build in RDC.
Ective SSI/Pro
The Ective SSI had a build in inverter, charger, transferswitch and MPPT charger. So this thing packs every thing you need in once case. That being said its a fairly simple device aswel, you can not set any charging voltages or tweak any settings.
The pro variant is an upgrade from is previous model, with ventilation vans that are more quite, bigger battery chargers, build in RDC.
Shore power connection
The inverter/chargers have a shore power connection, which is shown by its blue plug. This plug connects to the AC-in of the inverter/charger and goes through a RCD/MCB combination, with a separated earth connection.
Wall outlets
These same inverter charger also have an AC-Out port, from there you will make a connect to your wall outlets. Going through a RCD/MCB combination again.
Earth markings
The inverter/charger is connected to the chassis of the vehicle.
The RCD/MCB are connected to the chassis of the vehicle.
The AC and DC earthing must be separated with a minimum distance of 30 cm.
Battery Charger
You can also select a battery charger, this is only possible when: you select an inverter or no inverter. The other models have a build in battery charger so it is not possible to select a separate battery charger.
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