Victron MultiPlus idle consumption is the power the inverter uses with nothing plugged in. Off-grid, it can quietly use more energy than your fridge. Victron publishes three idle figures for most of its inverters: normal, AES mode and search mode. Here they are from the datasheets, with what they mean per day.
Victron MultiPlus Idle Consumption (120V Models)
| Model | Zero load | AES mode | Search mode | Per day at zero load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MultiPlus-II 12/3000 | 13W | 9W | 3W | 312Wh |
| MultiPlus-II 12/4k | 18W | 11W | 4W | 432Wh |
| MultiPlus-II 48/3000 | 11W | 7W | 2W | 264Wh |
| MultiPlus-II 24/5000 | 24W | 10W | 3W | 576Wh |
| MultiPlus-II 48/5000 | 15W | 10W | 3W | 360Wh |
| Quattro 12/5000 | 30W | 20W | 10W | 720Wh |
| Quattro 48/10000 | 60W | 40W | 15W | 1,440Wh |
Sources: Victron MultiPlus-II 120V and Quattro 3–10kVA 120V datasheets. Per-day figures are zero-load watts × 24 hours.
Phoenix Inverters
| Model (12V) | Zero load | Low-power mode |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix 12/1200 | 8W | AES 5W, search 2W |
| Phoenix 12/3000 | 20W | AES 15W, search 8W |
| Phoenix Smart 12/1600 | 8W | ECO 0.6W |
| Phoenix VE.Direct 12/500 (120V) | 7W | ECO 1W |
Sources: Victron Phoenix Inverter 1200VA–5000VA, Phoenix Inverter Smart and Phoenix VE.Direct 120V datasheets.
What AES, Search and ECO Mode Do
- AES (Automatic Economy Switch): when the load is very low, the inverter lowers its output waveform slightly to save power. Victron’s MultiPlus-II manual says it cuts no-load consumption by about 20%.
- Search mode: with no load, the inverter switches off and pulses briefly to check for a load. Victron says it cuts no-load consumption by about 70%. On the MultiPlus-II, the default thresholds are off at 48W and on at 72W.
- ECO mode (Phoenix Smart and VE.Direct): the same idea as search mode. On the Phoenix VE.Direct, the minimum threshold is 15W and the load check runs every 2.5 seconds by default.
When Not to Use Search or ECO Mode
- Small always-on loads like Starlink, a router or a CPAP may not hold the inverter on, causing dropouts.
- Clocks and standby loads can keep it awake anyway, so you get no savings.
- Pressure switches and thermostats need power present to start a pump or furnace.
Size the Inverter to the Job
A 3kVA MultiPlus-II idles at 13W. A Phoenix VE.Direct 12/500 idles at 7W. If you only need AC for a laptop and Starlink, a small Phoenix saves about 144Wh a day over the MultiPlus at zero load. Turn the big inverter off when you don’t need it.
Want the source figures? The MultiPlus-II page on Victron’s site has the datasheet.
Worked Example: Idle Draw as a Share of a 200Ah Battery
A 12V 200Ah LiFePO4 battery stores about 2,560Wh. Here’s how much of it each idle figure uses in 24 hours with the inverter on but nothing running:
| Inverter and mode | Idle watts | Wh/day (est.) | Share of 2,560Wh (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MultiPlus-II 12/3000, normal | 13W | 312 | ≈ 12% |
| MultiPlus-II 12/3000, AES | 9W | 216 | ≈ 8% |
| MultiPlus-II 12/3000, search | 3W | 72 | ≈ 3% |
| Phoenix VE.Direct 12/500, normal | 7W | 168 | ≈ 7% |
| Phoenix Smart 12/1600, ECO | 0.6W | ≈ 14 | ≈ 0.6% |
Estimates from datasheet zero-load figures. On a small system, the choice of inverter and mode can matter as much as a mid-sized DC load.
Worked Example: A Weekend Cabin
At a cabin used on weekends, AC loads are a coffee maker in the morning, a microwave at lunch and a TV in the evening, with nothing on AC overnight. With the MultiPlus-II 12/3000 in search mode, the inverter sits at about 3W between uses and wakes when a load above the threshold is switched on. Over a 48-hour weekend, that’s around 144Wh of idle use instead of about 624Wh in normal mode. Estimates. Those savings go straight to the battery, which means fewer generator hours or a smaller solar array.
How to Turn On Search Mode or AES
On a MultiPlus-II, search mode and AES are set in VictronConnect (through an MK3-USB or VE.Bus Smart dongle) or VEConfigure, and you can switch search mode on and off from a GX device. You can adjust the on and off thresholds to suit your loads; the defaults on the MultiPlus-II are off at 48W and on at 72W. On the Phoenix Smart and Phoenix VE.Direct, ECO mode and its thresholds are set in VictronConnect.
Finding the Right Threshold
- Switch on the AC load you want to wake the inverter, such as a lamp or the microwave in standby.
- Watch whether the inverter wakes within a couple of seconds.
- If it doesn’t, lower the “on” threshold a little, then test again.
- If small standby loads keep it awake, raise the threshold or move those loads to DC.
Moving Small Loads to DC
Many always-on devices, such as routers, Starlink Mini, phone chargers, LED lights and 12V fridges, can run straight from the battery through DC-DC converters or 12V sockets. Moving them off the inverter is often the biggest single saving, because the inverter can then sit in search mode or be switched off overnight.
Measuring Your Real Idle Draw
A SmartShunt or BMV shows battery current directly. Switch off every DC load, turn the inverter on with nothing plugged into it, and read the current: amps × battery voltage gives the idle watts. Repeat in AES and search mode to see the difference on your own system.
Idle Draw in Charger and Pass-Through Mode
When shore power or a generator is connected, a MultiPlus-II passes AC through to your loads and charges the battery, so its inverter idle draw no longer comes from the battery. That’s why idle consumption mainly matters off-grid, when the inverter is running from the battery with nothing else to supply it. In an RV that’s plugged in most of the time, the figures above apply only to the hours spent boondocking.
A Simple Rule for Off-Grid Systems
Use the smallest inverter that runs your regular AC loads, use search or ECO mode whenever your loads allow it, and switch the inverter off overnight if nothing on AC needs to run. Together, those three habits often save more energy each day than adding another solar panel would produce on a cloudy day.
FAQ
Does charger-only mode draw power?
The inverter section is off. A SmartShunt will show what’s left.
Why does my measured draw differ?
The datasheet figures are at zero load. Connected loads and temperature change it.
Is AES mode safe for electronics?
AES lowers the output waveform slightly at very low loads; Victron’s manual describes it as a way to cut no-load consumption by about 20%. It switches back to normal output as the load rises.
Does a bigger inverter always idle higher?
Generally yes, as the datasheet tables show, which is why many off-grid builders pair a large inverter-charger for heavy loads with a small Phoenix for light, always-on AC loads.
Sources: Victron MultiPlus-II 120V, Quattro 120V, Phoenix Inverter, Phoenix Inverter Smart and Phoenix VE.Direct 120V datasheets; MultiPlus-II manual (victronenergy.com, accessed Oct 2026).
Related: EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Efficiency and Idle Draw, EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Offline No Wi-Fi, Klein CL390 Clamp Meter Solar Panel Test, plus the Victron Energy Guide