A real world comparison between Mono, Poly, PERC and Dual PV Modules.
* This is a field test and the results are specific for this installation on this location please research which is the best solution for your own situation as the results can be different based on environmental influences.
Total solar yield as of 27/03/2023 when the results were reset:
Mono: 9158 kWh
Split-cell: 9511 kWh
Poly: 9113 kWh
Perc: 9471 kWh
Perc-east: 1970 kWh
Perc-west: 1730 kWh
When seconds can save a life, the importance of a reliable mobile power system cannot be underestimated. The power system should never become a distraction for the medics, it simply needs to work anywhere, anytime, every time. The system needs to be prepared for worst case scenarios and prevent power issues wherever possible.
It is these high demands that drive our engineers to deliver solutions that keep performing, no matter what. 45 years of innovation and problem solving may have led us to become the global market leader in the power supply for ambulances, but it has never changed who we are. On the contrary, it is an inspiration for us to create ever better power solutions that are driven by know-how.
The daily energy consumption is calculated by adding up the sum of all consumers X how much time they will be used in a day. Add all the Watts of the simultaneously used consumers to calculate the required peak power.
Find below some of the main design considerations explained, click on the questions for our engineers recommendations
Victron Energy offers multiple options for the service battery, but the main choice is between lead-acid and lithium which mainly depends on the expectations of the performance, cost-per-cycle and physical aspects (size/weight). The choice in battery technology also leads to different consequences for the other system components that are directly attached to (or manage) the batteries.
In general, use lithium when the daily power demand is extremely intense, when superfast charging is essential or when there are weight or space limitations. Lithium also has a lower cost per cycle. Lead-acid has a lower up-front cost and is perfect for regular, less demanding power profiles and when weight and space are not an issue. The above probably cuts 45 years of battery development know-how a bit short, for more info check our deep dive.
Lithium 12,8V Smart 200Ah. This extremely compact and light box is packed with a staggering 2560 kWh of energy, more than enough to supply all the expected loads, while keeping 20% in reserve for life cycle reasons. Due to its limited shape and weight, all the space can be dedicated to helping those in need. Thanks to Lithium's fast charging characteristics, the battery can be fully charged by the engines alternator in just 2,5 hours (the 130 Amp alternator will safely charge with 65 Amps per hour, calculating with ±50% of the rated capacity). When shore power is needed, the Multiplus 80 Amps charger is able to provide a full charge within ±2 hours.
How do the system design considerations translate into a robust system?
Every ‘household’ appliance or ‘heavy duty tool’ you would expect at home or at work can also be found in independent energy systems. All these devices need an Alternating Current (230V or 110V) to run.
Some of these devices such as computers can be sensitive to the quality of the inverted power (bad shore- or generator AC-input power can influence this quality negatively). Motor driven or heat generating equipment may require a high start-up current. All our inverters produce a pure sine wave, even when the AC input quality is less good, ensuring that sensitive loads can be powered and enjoy a peak-power of generally 2x of the inverters rated capacity to power even the heaviest of loads, or basically any load, problem free.
Examples of AC-devices:
Vehicles and boats are equipped with engine(s) that generate the power to move, but also generate electrical energy through alternators. Alternators generate electrical energy with a direct current (DC) from mechanical energy, which is used to store the energy in the battery bank or power DC-equipment directly.
Small engines usually have small alternators, larger engines usually have larger alternators, sometimes they are even equipped with (extra) high-output alternators to increase the output. Vehicles, especially with Euro 4/5 engines, may come with smart (variable voltage) alternators, controlling the output based on vehicle operating conditions. This renders it unsuccessful at charging a secondary battery system to a usable level. Lithium service batteries may put a heavy load on the engine’s alternator, which probably needs to be protected from overheating or early wear.
Whatever your engine’s alternator, or service battery type, Victron Energy offers a wide range of solutions to safely connect any alternator to any battery bank, without damaging the smart alternator or batteries. Please check our datasheets for more information. Also, check your manufacturer's documentation to see what output your alternator can provide. With Lithium service banks and conventional or smart alternators we recommend to calculate with 50% the alternator output spec, to not overload the alternator.
See all our DC-DC chargers See all our Battery Combiners See all our (Smart) BMS options
Battery Combiners are used to safely connect the starter battery and service battery in parallel.
The Battery Combiner will allow the service battery to be charged when the engine is running (at a pre-set voltage). The service battery will be disconnected from the starter battery when the voltage decreases below a float level, preventing it from being drained by loads running off the service battery. Victron Energy offers multiple models and sizes of Battery Combiners, it depends on your type of system which is best to select.
Emergency start: in case of start battery failure, some battery combiners allow the engine to be started from the service battery, see datasheets for more info.
As an alternative to using Battery Combiners, other options may include more control and configuration options, especially to protect non-regulated alternators from overheating and Lithium batteries from excessive (dis)charging. For combining lead-acid batteries, DC-DC chargers can be considered. For Lithium service batteries options include DC-DC chargers, special Lithium Battery Combiners (which can be connected to a BMS) or all-in-one Smart BMS products.
See all our Battery Combiners See our DC-DC chargers See our (smart) BMS options
Battery management systems take excellent care of Lithium batteries, protecting the individual cells of LiFePO4 batteries against over voltage, under voltage and over temperature and will shut down or reduce charging (VE.Bus products only) or disconnect the loads when this occurs.
Victron Energy offers several BMS options, in general the VE.Bus BMS and smallBMS signal separate devices to disconnect the charging (Cyrix-Li, DC-DC chargers) or disconnect the loads (BatteryProtect), the other (Smart) BMS versions are designed for vehicles or boats and offer more ‘all-in one’ functionalities.
See all our Battery Management Systems
A battery monitor is like a "fuel gauge" for your battery. It records how much power is consumed and charged. The battery monitor calculates the state of charge, remaining capacity and time till empty. The battery voltage does not give an accurate indication of how full the battery is (especially not under load). A battery monitor does.
Victron Energy battery monitors keep track of historical data, like the number of charging cycles, deepest discharge, highest voltage, lowest voltage and so on. It will alert you to critical conditions such as low voltage or low charge and can even shut down the entire power supply to avoid expensive battery damage, or start a generator.
Victron offers battery monitors with or without display, Smart versions allow you to track the detailed data and adjust settings in our free VictronConnect app. See all our Battery Monitors
The BatteryProtect disconnects the battery from non-essential loads before it is below a pre-set level (a complete discharge would damage the battery) or before it has insufficient power left to crank an engine.
There is more to a Victron Energy BatteryProtect. Built-in shutdown delays ensure vital electronics aren’t disconnected in error, i.e. when starting an engine causes a short drop in voltage. It will also automatically reconnect everything when the battery is sufficiently recharged.
The BatteryProtect has a remote switch, so it can be turned on/off via a BMS or switch. The smart version is programmable via the VictronConnect app.
The Victron Energy Cerbo GX is the communication-centre of your systems installation, allowing you to always have perfect control from wherever you are and maximises its performance. The optional GX Touch 50 is a companion to the Cerbo GX, it’s five inch touch screen display gives an instant overview of your system and allows you to adjust settings in the blink of an eye.
Instantly monitor the battery state of charge, power consumption, power harvest from PV, generator, and mains, or check tank levels and temperature measurements. Easily control the shore power input current limit, (auto)start/stop generator(s) or even set quiet periods to avoid starting the generator in the middle of the night. Change any setting to optimise the system, follow up on alerts, perform diagnostic checks and resolve challenges remotely with the free Victron Remote Management (VRM) portal.
The Cerbo GX is an easy to use visual system and turns any power challenge into an effortless experience. Simply connect through our Victron Remote Management (VRM) portal, or access directly, using the optional GX Touch 50 screen, a Multi Functional Display or our VictronConnect app thanks to its added Bluetooth capability.
DC-DC converters, or battery-to-battery chargers (converters with built-in charge algorithms) are used in dual battery systems, where the (smart) alternator and the start battery are combined with the service battery (of equal or different voltages) to charge it. They can also be used to charge applications that have dedicated batteries (eg. bow thrusters), or to power applications that have a voltage different than the service battery bank.
Most DC-DC chargers can be used in 12V or 24V systems and all are suitable for both lead acid and lithium batteries. Some DC-DC charger models can be parallel connected to increase the output current. DC-DC chargers are a perfect and safe solution to charge Lithium battery banks from smart alternators (and lead-acid batteries for that matter).
Charging lithium batteries from the alternator
Most alternators cannot be directly connected to lithium batteries. A lithium battery will draw more current than the alternator can supply, which may result in permanent alternator damage. To not damage the alternator, current limiting is one of the options to stay within the safe zone of the alternator.
Victron offers multiple solutions to solve this problem, of which one of them are the DC-DC converters:
DC-equipment is designed to work directly with the power coming out of the battery bank (Direct Current). Especially vehicles and boats can have (a lot of) DC equipment on board (such as control panels, lights, navigation equipment, auto pilot, depth sounders, etc).
Some smaller off-grid systems can solely run on DC, with 12V lights, TV’s or fridges. Larger systems may combine AC and DC consumers.
In any case, it is important to protect the battery against excessive discharge, for this Victron offers the ‘BatteryProtect’.
The Victron Energy Cerbo GX is the communication-centre of your systems installation, allowing you to always have perfect control from wherever you are and maximises its performance. The optional GX Touch 50 is a companion to the Cerbo GX, it’s five inch touch screen display gives an instant overview of your system and allows you to adjust settings in the blink of an eye.
Instantly monitor the battery state of charge, power consumption, power harvest from PV, generator, and mains, or check tank levels and temperature measurements. Easily control the shore power input current limit, (auto)start/stop generator(s) or even set quiet periods to avoid starting the generator in the middle of the night. Change any setting to optimise the system, follow up on alerts, perform diagnostic checks and resolve challenges remotely with the free Victron Remote Management (VRM) portal.
The Cerbo GX is an easy to use visual system and turns any power challenge into an effortless experience. Simply connect through our Victron Remote Management (VRM) portal, or access directly, using the optional GX Touch 50 screen, a Multi Functional Display or our VictronConnect app thanks to its added Bluetooth capability.
Inverter/chargers convert DC power from the batteries to AC power, safely powering appliances or heavy duty tools with 230V (or 110V in other markets). Their built in charger uses grid, shore or generator power, using the best adaptive charge algorithms for your batteries of any kind.
All Victron Energy inverter/chargers are developed for professional duty, enjoy a reputation of extreme resilience and are built on decades of field experience in the most demanding conditions. Our extremely resilient inverter/chargers are the best choice when both inverting and charging from AC inputs (such as shore power or generators) are required. Their connectivity options and depth of configuration settings allow the most sophisticated of challenges to be mastered.
Victron Energy inverter/chargers come with a handful of outstanding features:
Our wide range of models makes it easy to efficiently match the right inverter/charger to the requirements. Compact models are available when space restrictions apply. Larger models can power industrial appliances and virtually unlimited power can be provided by Parallel or 3-phase operation. See all our inverter/chargers
The service battery stores power for the system's consumers, providing autonomous power especially for moments when input power sources aren’t (fully) available.
Victron Energy offers several battery technologies, all designed for professional performance, reliability and long service life in the most demanding environments. They come with a 2 year worldwide warranty and our datasheets offer a fair picture of the performance and expected life cycles, meaning no investment surprises along the way.
While there are multiple technologies to choose between, the main choice is between lead-acid and lithium which mainly depends on the expectations of the performance, cost-per-cycle and physical aspects (size/weight).
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The service battery stores power for the system's consumers, providing autonomous power especially for moments when input power sources aren’t (fully) available.
Victron Energy offers several battery technologies, all designed for professional performance, reliability and long service life in the most demanding environments. They come with a 2 year worldwide warranty and our datasheets offer a fair picture of the performance and expected life cycles, meaning no investment surprises along the way.
While there are multiple technologies to choose between, the main choice is between lead-acid and lithium which mainly depends on the expectations of the performance, cost-per-cycle and physical aspects (size/weight).
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Shore power is used to recharge the batteries and/or run large AC equipment.
Sometimes shore power is less than perfect. You might run into voltage drops, or there could also be power surges, which could harm sensitive equipment on board. Victron Energy inverters smooth out these problems and turn bad power into perfect power.
Often shore power is limited in how much power you can draw, i.e. just 10 Amps, without any higher rated points available. Victron Energy inverter/chargers allow you to set a maximum shore power current and still turn on higher rated equipment without blowing a fuse: thanks to Victron Energy PowerAssist, power from the batteries is added seamlessly to the AC input, automatically bridging the gap between supply and demand.
Starter batteries are needed to start your engine(s). These batteries are engineered to deal with a large discharge current and enjoy a different technology compared to service batteries. To avoid accidental draining of the starter battery, it should always be isolated from the service batteries. Victron Energy offers multiple solutions for different system types.
Victron Energy offers several Battery Combiners. More comprehensive ways to safely connect the starter- and service battery are also available, including connecting a Battery Combiner to a BMS, all-in-one Smart BMS products or DC-DC chargers. These options may offer more control and configuration options, especially to protect non-regulated alternators from overheating and Lithium batteries from excessive (dis)charging.
See all our Battery Combiners See all our DC-DC chargers See all our (Smart) BMS options
All Victron Energy smart products can be monitored and controlled from the palm of your hand. Just connect the VictronConnect App via Bluetooth and you’ll have direct access to the performance data of your system. You can also easily change settings, turn devices on or off and much more.
Non-smart devices with a VE.Direct port can also become smart, through the use of the VE.Direct Bluetooth Smart dongle
It is also possible to monitor and control your system remotely. VictronConnect-Remote functionality enables Victron products with a VE.Direct interface to be accessed remotely through a GX product, via the VRM online portal. This powerful feature allows full product configuration and monitoring from practically anywhere in the world using the VictronConnect app. The user interface experience is just like the products were connected locally using Bluetooth or a wired VE.Direct to USB interface.
See what the VictronConnect app can do See our GX-devicesAs you are always on the road, you’ll want reliable but cost-effective solutions that power you through the years ahead. It’s important that you can select power supplies that match your exact needs and live up to their spec so they won’t let you down. Victron Energy has a wide range of modular connected products that stay true to their promise. They are Powered by know-how, thanks to 45 years of mastering power challenges with innovation.
Our robust systems have been proven to deliver unequalled reliability time and time again. This is marked by our worldwide market leadership in power supply equipment for Ambulances, this is illustrated by countless stories of 40+ year old Victron Energy inverters still doing what they were built to do.
When making power supply investment decisions, calculations purely based on price can be deceptive. Their true performance and expected service life cycle are equally important. Good thing Victron Energy equipment lives up to their specifications, both in terms of performance and expected life cycle (when used as designed). Our 5 year warranty and fair and fast repair policies mean your investments are protected and under most circumstances, won’t let you down.
Whatever powers your vehicles’ electronics, or toolset you are bringing for the job, Victron Energy has one the widest ranges of power supply equipment in the market to power your works of genius. The advantage of working with just one brand that covers it all means having just one contact for upgrades or resolving any rare issues that may occur. Our global network of Victron Energy Professionals are trained with 45 years of problem solving experience. They can translate your challenges into robust solutions that will keep you satisfied and your investments secure for years to come.
Our well established global network of local Victron Professionals is dedicated to help find an optimal solution for your challenge.
At Victron we find it essential that customers are serviced and supported quickly and competently. This is why our global network of Victron Professionals pack the highest level of technical know-how and are committed to deliver repairs as fast as possible.
So you can start or continue your journey, wherever you're headed.
