MultiPlus noise?

[FilmGuy]

I’ve been reading up on the Victron MultiPlus, and have come across some posts on a couple of different forums suggesting that the MultiPlus II makes quite a lot of fan noise. In one case someone reported it was noisy enough that they couldn’t charge batteries at night.

Those of you who have installed a MultiPlus, what is your experience with noise from the units? Is there significant difference in noise levels between the various models?

[dog_tired]

I have a multiplus-II in our new Trade Wind. When plugged into shore power for charging, it's super loud. I'm going to have the dealer check it out.

[jeffmc306]

Yes, the MultiPlus isn’t silent when charging. Ours makes two different noise, one is a hum from the transformer and the other is the fan that only comes on when the temperature rises. It only stays on until it cools down. The hum seems to reduce once the batteries are charged.

Our unit is in the front storage compartment of a 27’ twin so it’s somewhat insulated from the inside. So far I haven’t found it to be a problem that keeps us up at night.

If yours is inside like the Tradewind, you will hear it more. Nothing wrong with it, that’s what they do. YMMV

[FilmGuy]

Originally Posted by jeffmc306

Yes, the MultiPlus isn’t silent when charging. Ours makes two different noise, one is a hum from the transformer and the other is the fan that only comes on when the temperature rises. It only stays on until it cools down. The hum seems to reduce once the batteries are charged.

Our unit is in the front storage compartment of a 27’ twin so it’s somewhat insulated from the inside. So far I haven’t found it to be a problem that keeps us up at night.

If yours is inside like the Tradewind, you will hear it more. Nothing wrong with it, that’s what they do. YMMV

Jeff, is yours the boxier original design or the MultiPlus II?

[jeffmc306]

FilmGuy, I have the MultiPlus II 50A version, longer style. I mounted it on its back using Unistrut to get it off the floor for ventilation recommended by Ronnie Dennis.

It’s sturdy and I’ve had no issues with overheating. I will hear the fan kick in for a while when charging.

[FilmGuy]

Originally Posted by dog_tired

I have a multiplus-II in our new Trade Wind. When plugged into shore power for charging, it's super loud. I'm going to have the dealer check it out.

I’ve been told that there was a firmware update that helped the noise with the MultiPlus II, so it would be a good idea to check with your dealer.

[dog_tired]

Thanks - I’ve been trying to find out how to apply the update on my own. I checked and it’s not the most recent. We have a warranty item, but not scheduled yet. If I can’t do this on my own, I’ll have to rely on the dealer.

[jeffmc306]

I found a Victron blog post about the topic - Firmware V507 has the fix for loud fan noise and specifies the MultiPlus serial numbers affected. It states there’s no harm in applying it to any MultiPlus.

If you scroll down through the page one person commented they applied the fix and there was no change. Perhaps it’s their perception of what loud is.

[dog_tired]

Thanks, Jeff.
I did find this info. My SN starts with HQ2249, so it’s beyond what they have in this log. However, my firmware is v502. I’m going to work on updating and will let the group know if that makes a difference.