If the batteries are below 51V, keep charging amperages below 10A per battery.

If the battery voltages are significantly different, one technique is to commission the system by powering up with the lowest voltage battery first. Apply a charge, and when the charging voltage is ~0.2V above the resting voltage of the second lowest voltage battery, turn that battery on to. Proceed until all batteries are turned on and at the same voltage level. 

If total number of the batteries are slightly more than +/-0.5V from each other, pre-commission the batteries by turning on the highest voltage battery group by itself, and then power them down and turn on the lowest voltage battery group by themselves. This may bring the total battery group within the +/-0.5V tolerance. 

Use of our firmware update tool can help speed up commissioning times. Fortress installers should request a firmware update tool by filling out a support ticket at https://support.fortresspower.com

Victron monitoring is supported with a variety of accessories.  

For closed loop operation the VE.CAN protocol needs to be implemented.  This is supported with the Cerbo GX, CCGX, VenusGX, Octo GX, CANVU GX communication centers. 

It is recommended prior to commissioning the batteries you use VictronConnect to get the latest release of firmware loaded.

Make Sure that all batteries are within  +/- 0.5V from each other.

Power up the Victron Inverter from grid, generator, or batteries. This step can be done during pre-commissioning while running the batteries in “master only” mode (all batteries need to be within 0.5V), ahead of installing the battery communication circuits. 

Set up Victron Quatro Inverter using the VE Configure App or using the touchpad and buttons. 

Setup the Inverter for Voltage control or open loop with the batteries.

If a BMS error occurs when powering up the inverter, turn the batteries off. Connect the inverter and any battery breakers so that power can flow from the batteries to the inverter. Turn the batteries back on again. Then power up the inverter again. You may need to repeat this process up to three times to pre-charge the inverter enough for it to power up.

If a single eFlex battery is being used skip this section.

When installing multiple batteries use standard Ethernet cables to enable communication between them.

Communication ports (CAN RS485) are interchangeable, i.e. it does not matter which communication ports are used on batteries, as long as one cable connects two batteries. 

The batteries parallel with each other automatically.  If a battery can not parallel with the rest of the batteries, the battery that failed to parallel will disconnect and its BMS light (red) will start blinking.

Once all batteries are connected, two unused communication ports will remain, one on each end of the system. 

If closed-loop communication mode is to be applied, one of the two unused communication ports will receive an IP-65 Bus Terminator, whereas a communication cable will run to the inverter from the other one. 

If open-loop communication mode is to be applied, both of the two unused communication ports will receive an IP-65 Bus Terminator.

eVault Classic batteries are supported with Victron Inverters in open-loop communication (voltage mode) only. If using multiple eVault batteries, their voltages must be within 0.5V of each other. All batteries will be set to Master-1 configuration, with no battery-to-battery communication cables installed. 

eVault screen is used to configure the mode setting (M-Set) and battery index (ParallelNum).

Mode setting (M-Set) : All batteries must be set to "Master"

Battery index (ParallelNum) : All batteries must be set to "ParallelNum: 1"

If a single eVault Max battery is being used skip this section.

When installing multiple batteries use standard Ethernet cables to enable communication between them.

The eVault MAX has the bus terminators built into the unit. The two eVault MAX units on eachend have the bus termination set to 120 (ON), all others set to OFF (see below).

eVault screen is used to configure Battery ID and Protocol ID.

Battery ID : The battery ID must be set to sequential numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, … number of batteries in the bank). 

Protocol ID : The protocol ID must be set to 4.

The batteries parallel with each other automatically.  If a battery can not parallel with the rest of the batteries, the battery that failed to parallel will disconnect and its BMS light (red) will start blinking.

The eFlex batteries communicate with Victron GX using three wire CAN bus.

Standard Ethernet cables can be used to make the custom cable. This conversion can be made in the field with locally procurable items, but registered Fortress installer-dealers can also purchase pre-made cables at https://fortresspower.com/shop. 

eFlex RJ45 pins 4+5 correspond to Victron pins  7+8.

Cut a standard Ethernet cable to cut out wires 1, 2, 3, 7 & 8. 

Wire connecting pin 6s on both sides remains untouched. 

Redirect wires coming out of pins 4 and 5 on the eFlex side to the pins 7 and 8 on the Victron side (see below) and connect the communication to the VE Can port (see below).

Setting up closed loop with an eFlex requires running CANtool software.  This is installed on a windows laptop to set the protocol ID. To obtain a CAN tool, contact tech support of Fortress Power.

eFlex CAN Bus protocol is set using the BMS tool to a unique setting of 3, using the following steps:

For configuring the settings, refer to section "Communication Settings".

eVault batteries are supported with Victron Inverters in open-loop communication (voltage mode) only.

To configure the settings, refer to the "Open-Loop Communication Settings" 

The eVault Max batteries communicate with Victron GX using two-wire CAN bus.

Standard Ethernet cables can be used to make the custom cable. This conversion can be made in the field with locally procurable items.

eFlex RJ45 pins 1 and 2 correspond to Victron pins  7 and 8.

Cut a standard Ethernet cable to cut out wires 3, 4, 5, 6 7 & 8.  

Redirect wires coming out of pins 1 and 2 on the eVault side to the pins 7 and 8 on the Victron side (see below) and connect the communication to the VE Can port (see below).

For configuring the settings, refer to section "Communication Settings".