Balmar Alternator - Victron integration

[ksanders]

I have a Balmar alternator on one of my engines, as well as a pretty extensive Victron setup.

I'm curious??? Has anybody used one of the fairly new Wakespeed or Arco or other brand regulators with your Balmar Alternator?

Has anybody connected one of these or other brand regulators to your Victron Cerbo?

Or another idea... has anybody added a alternator shunt and integrated that into your Victron Cerbo GX?

 

[ksanders]

On the victron Community the suggestion was made to add a Victron Smart Shunt into the negative lead from my alternator.
Then you would configure the smart shunt as a "DC energy meter" instead of the default "battery monitor"

Here are some screen shots from my installed battery monitor. It seems possible..

Has anybody tried that?

 

[READY]

Kevin, I installed the wakespeed with a Balmar 170A alternator and connected it to the cerbogx. Still dialing it in but was easy to get it set up and reading the output and status. I do also have the victron shunt to monitor LFP status (SOC). Amazing how many parameters you can set on the Wakespeed.

 

[Greg QS]

I have installed a wakespeed 500 into the cerbo gx. You set the parameters in the wakspeed I added a Balmar alternator protector. It protects the alternator from a sudden Battery shutdown. A must with lithium batteries. I used the lynx smart shunt system to hook to the batteries and connects direct into the vecan network. That is what reads the power . You don't need the shunt on the negative.

 

[kabyak]

I have a Victron system including LiFePo house batteries, also a Wakespeed WS500 regulator on an externally regulated 160A alternator. The Victron BMS has an "enable" output that when connected to a WS500 input and properly programmed at the WS will drive the alternator field to 0% in the event of a battery fault. This protects against an open circuit to the alternator output. I also program the WS to limit alternator output to 130A to protect against overheating.