In-depth guides, comparisons and how-tos for power stations, solar and backup power.
The Victron MultiPlus-II GX is a MultiPlus-II inverter/charger with a GX monitoring device built in. You get a small display, Wi-Fi, Ethernet and a BMS-Can port in the same box, so many systems don’t need a separate Cerbo GX. There’s one big catch for North American readers: every model in Victron’s datasheet is 230V. Here’s […]
The Victron MultiPlus classic is the original MultiPlus inverter/charger, sold for years before the MultiPlus-II. The 800VA to 2,000VA “Compact” models are popular in small boats and vans, and the 3kVA rounds out the range. Here’s what Victron’s MultiPlus 800VA–5kVA datasheet says about the 800VA to 3kVA models, and how they compare with the MultiPlus-II. […]
This Victron Phoenix Smart IP43 charger review looks at Victron’s mounted AC battery charger for boats, RVs and workshops. It sits between the portable Blue Smart chargers and a full inverter/charger. Victron’s current datasheet names it the “Smart IP43 Charger.” Every spec here comes from that datasheet. Victron Phoenix Smart IP43 Charger Review: Specs 12/30 […]
The Victron Phoenix Inverter VE.Direct is Victron’s small pure sine wave inverter. It’s built for vans, boats and cabins that need a few hundred watts of clean 120V power without a full inverter/charger. This review covers the 120V models from 250W to 800W, using Victron’s datasheet. Victron Phoenix Inverter VE.Direct: Specs (120V) 12/250 12/375 12/500 […]
Victron vs Mastervolt is the classic marine power debate. Both brands come from the Netherlands, and both make serious inverter/chargers for yachts. Here’s how Victron’s MultiPlus-II and Quattro compare with Mastervolt’s Mass Combi Ultra, using each company’s own product pages and datasheets. Victron vs Mastervolt: Inverter/Chargers Compared Victron MultiPlus-II 2x120V 3kVA Victron Quattro 120V 5kVA […]
The Victron SmartSolar MPPT VE.Can range covers Victron’s larger solar charge controllers, from 150/70 up to 250/100, with a VE.Can port next to the usual VE.Direct and Bluetooth. VE.Can lets you chain many controllers together and to a GX device with simple RJ45 cables. Here’s what the six models offer, from Victron’s two VE.Can datasheets. […]
The Victron SmartSolar MPPT RS 450 is Victron’s high-voltage 48V solar charge controller. It accepts up to 450V of PV input and comes in two sizes, the 450/100 and the 450/200. It suits large off-grid homes and cabins where long panel strings keep cable losses down. Here’s what it offers, from Victron’s MPPT RS datasheet. […]
The Victron SmartShunt IP65 and the standard IP21 SmartShunt measure your battery the same way. Victron’s two datasheets list the same accuracy, the same power draw and the same app. The main difference is the housing. Here’s what’s identical, what changes and which one makes sense for your build. Victron SmartShunt IP65 vs IP21: Specs […]
A Victron ESS setup turns a MultiPlus-II and a battery into a grid-tied home battery. It stores extra solar, powers the house in the evening and keeps the lights on during an outage. ESS stands for Energy Storage System, Victron’s name for the operating mode. Here’s how it works and what you need, using the […]
A Victron Cyrix-ct installation is one of the simplest ways to charge a house battery from your engine. The Cyrix links the two batteries when charging voltage appears and separates them when it’s gone. Here’s how it works and how to wire it, based on Victron’s Cyrix-ct datasheet. One caution first: for a lithium house […]
