In-depth guides, comparisons and how-tos for power stations, solar and backup power.
This Victron MultiPlus-II 2x120V review covers the inverter-charger version built for North American 50A RVs and homes with split-phase 120/240V service. It passes up to 50A per leg through from shore or a generator, charges the battery, and inverts 120V when the input drops. The catch: in inverter mode it only makes 120V, so 240V […]
This Victron SmartSolar MPPT 150/35 review looks at the controller many builders move to when a 100V model is no longer enough. It accepts up to 150V of panel open-circuit voltage and delivers 35A of charge current. That means you can wire more panels in series, use thinner PV cable and harvest more in low […]
This Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 & 100/20 review covers Victron’s two most popular small charge controllers. They suit one or two panels on a van, shed, boat or trailer. The 75/15 handles up to 75V of panel open-circuit voltage and 15A of charge current. The 100/20 handles 100V and 20A. Both have Bluetooth built in […]
This guide explains how to connect Victron batteries in series and parallel to build a 12V, 24V or 48V bank, using Victron’s Lithium Battery Smart datasheet and Lynx manual. Series raises voltage. Parallel raises capacity (amp-hours). Victron’s Lithium Smart batteries support both, and combinations of both, up to 20 batteries in one system. Electrical work […]
The Victron Blue Smart IP22 charger is Victron’s indoor AC battery charger for RV, boat and garage use. The 120V version comes in 12V 15, 20 and 30A and 24V 8, 12 and 16A models, with a choice of one output or three isolated outputs. It is bigger and more powerful than the sealed IP65 […]
The Victron Cerbo GX MK2 is the communication center of a Victron system. It doesn’t make or store power. Instead, it connects your inverter-charger, solar charge controllers, battery monitor and lithium BMS, shows them on one dashboard, and puts the whole system online through Victron’s free VRM portal. This review covers what the Cerbo does, […]
A Victron Cyrix battery combiner is a microprocessor-controlled heavy-duty relay. It connects a starter battery and a house battery in parallel when one of them is being charged, and separates them again when charging stops. Victron pitches the Cyrix as a replacement for diode isolators, because it has virtually no voltage loss, so you don’t […]
This Victron Lynx Smart BMS NG review covers the battery management system Victron built for its newer Lithium NG LiFePO4 batteries. It is not the same product as the older Lynx Smart BMS, which works with Victron’s Lithium Battery Smart range. The NG version comes in 500A and 1000A sizes, each with a built-in main […]
Victron MultiPlus-II review: 120V inverter-charger specs (2,400W to 4,000W), 120A charger, 20ms transfer, PowerAssist, idle draw, pros, cons and who it suits.
Victron BMV-712 Smart review: battery monitor with display, Bluetooth, programmable relay, audible alarm, 500A shunt and midpoint input. Pros, cons, verdict.
