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Victron training
Victron training
Justin Tyers • 15 October 2026
Webinar Invitation: Putting Surplus Solar to Work
Join us on November 6th at 14:00 CET for the second joint webinar hosted by Shelly and Victron Energy to get a deeper understanding of smarter energy management. In the previous Shelly/Victron webinar we learned about energy measurement, surplus solar, and self-consumption. Episode Two builds on that to explore how Victron Energy data can be used to drive coordinated actions across Shelly control, sensing, visualisation, and protection solutions. Webinar hosts Lucian Popescu (Victron Energy) and Orlin Dimitrov (Shelly) will demonstrate how the two ecosystems work together to manage and prioritise GX Opportunity Loads while maintaining manual control and safe fallback behaviour. Discussion Programme The programme includes: Introduction to the Shelly and Victron Energy teams New Victron Venus OS v3.80 and GX capabilities, and support for more Shelly products Bluetooth improvements: using Shelly devices as a bluetooth range extender Opportunity Loads control with Victron Energy, Shelly, and other products Visualization and local control with Shelly Wall Display XL Circuit-level and environmental use cases with Shelly Pro CB and Shelly Weather Station Live demonstration Live Q&A What you will learn During the presentation you will learn: How Victron GX information can trigger Shelly devices; How to use Shelly devices as a bluetooth range extender; How different Shelly products support control, sensing, visualisation, and protection within an energy-management system; How to control and prioritize GX Opportunity Loads while preserving manual control and safe fallback behaviour; How the demonstrated Victron and Shelly system is structured, and How the partnership creates practical value for installers and customers. Who is it for? This information will be invaluable to PV installers using Victron devices, programmers, Electricians, Energy Consultants, Industry Professionals and DIYers interested in load automation. Registration You can register for the event right now. If you are unable to join us on the day, register anyway , and we’ll send you the recording so you can catch up later. Presenters: Lucian Popescu – Victron Energy Guy Stewart – Victron Energy Orlin Dimitrov – Shelly Shenay Okan – Shelly Privacy information This event will be recorded and shared publicly with Shelly/Victron customers, partners, employees and service providers. The recording may include your name and any questions you submit to Q&A session. By registering for the event you agree to the Privacy Policy. We look forward to seeing you!
Justin Tyers • 28 March 2025
Electricity comes to remote communities in N America
In countries as well-developed as the USA, there is an assumption that everyone in every location enjoys similar utilities and modern conveniences. Not so. Let’s meet the team behind a programme to bring electricity to remote dwellers of the Navajo Nation around Arizona and Colorado in North America. Navajo Nation tribe member Camille Keith is passionate about sustainable technology, and also in bringing the advantages of it to her tribe: Yáʼátʼééh Greetings, Hello Yeii Tachinii nishłí, Tábą́ąha báshíshchíín, Todichiinii dashicheii, Honaghaani dashinálí; I am a tribal member of the Navajo Nation. “I am a first-generation non-traditional graduate from Fort Lewis College (FLC) in Durango, Colorado holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering majoring in Energy and Certification in Geographic Information Systems. Camille with (l-r) Austin Betty and Harry Barlow “I co-lead the FLC’s Village Aid Solar Initiative – a student-led organisation which focuses on partnering with Native American communities to provide residential off-grid solar energy for families in need. Navajo Tradition “I grew up living a remote lifestyle on the Navajo Nation, in a small tribal community called Shą́ą́’tóhí which means “Sunshine Springs” – in English it is known as Shonto. It’s located in Northern Arizona. “We lacked access to basic needs and housing, electricity or running water. Each day we hauled or gathered our resources: water, firewood, food, essentials. We did not have access to fresh produce at times because we did not have a refrigerator. In the spring we planted corn, beans and squash in our fields in Shonto canyon. At harvest we made traditional foods to provide fresh, healthy meals for our families. We feared getting ill or being injured because the nearest hospital was more than an hour away.” As I grew older I began to question why so many Navajo families endure high rates of diabetes, heart disease, mental illness and substance disorders? I began to understand the contributing factors: living in poverty, lack of access to electricity, water, healthcare, food insecurity, poor housing infrastructure and other detrimental environmental factors all affect our health. These realisations sparked my interest and passion in bringing sustainable energy to my nation. Victron Ambassador Because of her passion and enthusiasm to learn about the advantages and convenience our products can bring to off-grid communities, Camille accepted an offer to join the Victron Ambassador team. Her work includes demonstrating how to build residential solar power installations to those for whom the technology is entirely new. Training Days In order to set high standards, and to maximise reliability and safety, a series of Training Days have been organised during which tribal members, as well as College Students – tomorrow’s engineers – get hands on learning. The training days are organised by Victron’s N. America Event Manager Saul Charlesworth who coordinates training programmes, trade shows, ‘vanlife’ gatherings, the annual Distributor Meeting – as well as these hands-on trainings. He says: Training and education is very important to Victron. Our products are feature-rich, and attendees learn about product-applications as well as the correct installation procedures. In the case of the training in Durango, Colorado, we had a number of engineering students – who are the future – as well as members of the Navajo Nation who have received a power system for their home. They were keen to learn how to operate, maintain and get the most out of the Victron components included in their system. This training aligned with an annual ‘Ambassador Weekend’ where our team of North American Ambassadors come together, along with some Victron staff, to share ideas and look ahead to plan the coming year. Consequently there was an immense amount of experience, knowledge and skill on hand! Victron team setting up. FLC Village Aid Solar Initiative hosted the Victron Ambassador weekend training for off-grid PV. It was an opportunity for FLC students, staff and community members to learn how to wire inverters; testing; configuration; commissioning and to discover the remote monitoring features of internet based platform Victron Remote Management . Electricity – for the first time Out of the 68,100 residential homes on the Navajo Nation, approximately 14,000 still do not have access to electricity – affecting about 45,000 Navajo (Diné) people. Camille says: I graduated in 2022 and the following year was given the opportunity to help establish the Village Aid Project – Solar Initiative which I now co-lead. Partnering with Native American communities we provide renewable energy access for families in need. These off-grid PV residential solar systems range from 1.5 – 2.3 kW. They provide power for refrigeration, lighting, charging appliances, boiling water, cooking with electric stoves, running medical equipment and internet access. Most families are beyond grateful to receive their off-grid solar systems. It’s such an impactful experience to hear and see the changes it makes for the families we’ve served. Speaking in Navajo, power recipient Mable Wardlaw says: Mable Wardlaw (l) Camille Keith (r) “ The grandmas long ago used to say to me, whenever you get help, with relation and respect, you thank everyone who has helped you. I express my relations to you all as my grandchildren and sincerely thank you for your efforts in helping me. I buy many batteries for my flashlight because they burn out quickly. I also buy food from the grocery store, but the fresh food goes bad quickly. I can now buy food, and it won’t go bad quickly and I can light up my home now. Thank you all, my children, for traveling this far to help me. I am very thankful that now I can light up my home and have a refrigerator to store my food. ” Curtis Greyeyes says: “ Seeing electricity come alive for the first time in my home was really ecstatic to see. I’m very grateful. ” And Betty John, who is a Community Health Representative says: “ A lot of our people as you know are diabetic, and their medication must be kept refrigerated. They now get to buy fresh food and meat too because now they have refrigeration. They also get to charge their hearing aids and have outside lighting ”. Off-grid power systems The systems built during training were designed to be simple, easy to deploy, reliable and low maintenance for off-grid use. Along with all necessary cabling, fuses and accessories, each system included: MultiPlus 24/3000/70-50 120V VE.Bus VE Panel 3kVA 120/240 NA Primary 24/48VDC Among other versatile uses, the VE Panel simplifies wiring during assembly, includes input/output breakers, and makes for a really neat power installation when installed ‘on view’ in the home. SmartSolar MPPT 250/100-Tr VE.Can Ekrano GX SmartShunt 500A /50mV VE.Bus BMS V2 LiFePO4 Battery 25,6V/200Ah Smart-a A balanced and sustainable world Camille says: I joined the Victron Ambassador team because it aligns with my passion and vision of helping make the world ‘hozhó (balanced) through sustainable energy. The team also allows me to build relationships and partnerships with technical experts, installers & communities throughout the world. Ambassadors Jen Nummi (left) and Camille Keith (right) Being a Victron ambassador also shapes me to be a leader and provides professional growth; knowledge sharing, and expands my thinking skills. My grandparents, family and community elders prayed and visioned my path to be a leader for my people and it is such a great feeling to experience that their prayers are heard. I have been provided many great opportunities to help my people and the world overcome challenges.
Justin Tyers • 22 October 2024
Solar Training in Fiji
There are a lot of solar installers in Fiji. Across the country’s 300 hundred islands, spread over half a million square miles – of which 98% is water – demand for solar energy system in far flung habitations and enterprises has to be met by local installers. Victron distributor Solar Fiji wanted to improve the skill base of the country’s solar installers – allowing them to specify and build correctly-sized installations, professionally. Reducing errors results in happier customers and fewer warranty enquiries. Solar Fiji recognised that the solution was to host a two day training event which was provided by Australia based Ciaram Granger of MyEnergy Engineering. About 60 technicians from companies across the nation attended the event in which the training was structured in a two-way dialogue format – with attendees encouraged to ask questions at any time. The session focused on Victron Energy programming, functionality, the breadth of possible applications, and was held at Fiji Solar’s base in Nasinu, Fiji. Solar Fiji Business Manager Ayshna Radri says: “ The technicians who attended the training purchase Victron products from us but handle their own installations. The primary challenge they faced was in the configuration and wiring of the systems, particularly for 3-phase and parallel systems – but also single-phase setups. This training was aimed at improving their understanding of these aspects, and reducing potential issues during installation. The training also focused on remote monitoring access – a really important service in our location. Ciaram provided a detailed explanation of all the functionalities of Victron Remote Management ( VRM ).” Victron Remote Management allows engineers to access systems remotely. It allows detailed analysis of data – just as if you were on site – but even better than that it will notify engineers of problems – such as an alarm status – automatically …even before the customer is aware of it. Ayshna says: “ We had great feedback from the attendees who had undertaken journeys from Viti Levu (Central – Suva, Lami; Western – Lautoka, Nadi) and Vanua Levu – Labasa to get here. “It was a win-win, for us: the training session empowers technicians; informs them of the capabilities of Victron Energy devices, and will lead to increased sales – plus we were able to provide a great Fijian experience and develop closer ties with Ciaram Granger – our main distributor and service provider! We hope to do this on an annual basis. We plan to upload the training video to our YouTube channel after making a few necessary edits.” You can follow Solar Fiji on their Facebook page. The headline image is by Christian Haugen
Justin Tyers • 02 March 2021
Victron Training in a cabinet ESS / Off Grid / 3Phase
Victron Ambassador Markus Pauritsch has come up with a neat and portable way to carry out Victron training for 3-Phase ESS and Off-Grid systems. He’s built a stylish, fully operational cabinet for training sessions in his native Austria – beginning as soon as health restrictions allow. Markus’ 3Phase cabinet and Dr. Who’s Tardis share a common feature – they both pack a lot of futuristic technology into a small space. The cabinet looks so exciting – with its imaginative lighting, fronted by a GX Touch 50 on the glass door – that delegates will be itching to find out what’s happening inside! So what is happening on the inside? Packed into the case there’s a 9000VA 3-phase ESS system including 10kW/h battery storage: 3 MultiPlus-II 48/3000/35-32 1 SmartSolar MPPT 150/45-Tr A Cerbo GX A GX Touch 50 A Fronius Symo 3.0-3- M An Energy meter EM24 – 3 phase – max. 64A/phase 2 LiFePO4 Batteries 25,6V/200Ah smart. A VE.Bus BMS An Orion-Tr 48/12-9A (110W) A Smart BatteryProtect 48V-100A A Battery Monitor BMV-712 Smart together with all necessary Fuses, cables and Busbars. The fully functioning cabinet is designed to work like this: 5.1kWp solar modules feed both the Fronius Inverter and the SmartSolar MPPT. Four AC powered fans mounted in the cabinet-roof provide ventilation and control internal temperature. Excess PV power can be used for water heating using 48V DC immersion heaters. The 48V-100A Smart BatteryProtect will turn the water heating elements on/off, so there’s no risk of melting relay contacts. The cabinet is fitted with RGB LED downlighting. A Wi-Fi enabled controller operates the LED strips – and a neat enhancement is that it is possible to change lighting colours according to system conditions (State of Charge; warnings and alarms, etc.) via Node-RED. Markus Pauritsch became a Victron Ambassador a year ago. His enthusiasm for our products was spotted through his regular contributions to our Community pages – offering advice to others and showing great technical competence. As an ambassador he visits potential customers; trains installers on the job; he has supported Leo Yntema – Victron Sales Manager for Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg – with training carried out at the Fronius HQ; and he commissions systems for distributors. His extensive IT experience allows him to take on higher-level Modbus questions; and later this year, he will work with Leo conducting advanced training courses with this purpose-built cabinet in Austria and Switzerland. This second-level training will be offered to distributors and installers who already possess some knowledge of AC- and or DC-coupled solar systems – allowing them to become more familiar with the set-up and configuration of such systems. The default setup of the 3-Phase AC and DC coupled cabinet is as an ESS, but it can easily reconfigured to an Off-Grid system. The planned training includes sessions on: Power Calculation; System configuration; Tips and tricks regarding cable calculations; and Troubleshooting, etc. When not in use for training, Markus employs the cabinet installation in his own house! This ESS system cabinet is already built and operational, and will be available for Victron training as soon as the lifting of current health restrictions allows. Markus Pauritsch shows us the GX Touch 50 which provides at-a-glance system information and access to settings of his 3-phase training cabinet. If you live or work in Austria or Switzerland and you think you can benefit from this kind of training, keep an eye on our Training page – it is here you will find details of all face-to-face and webinar training as soon as it becomes available.
Justin Tyers • 10 March 2020
Mobile energy Masterclass
Victron’s Technical Writer Margreet Leeftink teamed up with Sales Manager for Australia Craig Murray a few days ago to give a presentation aimed at demystifying DC-based energy storage and generation in a Mobile Home. They attended a Vanlife event on Australia’s Pacific Coast – where they demonstrated a compact installation and found the audience eager to hear practical advice on choosing, installing and managing mobile power systems. Margreet also gave away copies of her information-packed book Wiring Unlimited. If you haven’t had a chance to sit down with Margreet Leeftink’s book yet, you’re in for a treat. You can download a free digital copy here; or print versions of her book are available in five languages on E-Order, or from your Victron dealer. The 100-plus attendees at the meet-up, held at Waves Camping at Crescent Head , New South Wales, got the opportunity to talk through problems they were experiencing in their own set-ups; increase their understanding of correct system design; and get some valuable advice about planned improvements. Margreet and Craig then went from van to van troubleshooting ….multimeter-in-hand. What’s in the book? Wiring Unlimited is a book about installing power systems – of any size – which contain: Batteries, Inverters, Chargers, (or Inverter/Chargers); Solar Panels, Generators …and more. Generously provided with illustrations, tables, graphs and examples – in the clearest terms possible the book presents us with all the formulae we need to understand what is going on in our installation. Beginning with a simple analogy of how electricity behaves, she takes us through: choosing wiring guages and the correct fuses; making professional terminations; routing cabling; and designing system layout. the functions of each piece of equipment in a power installation are described, and how they behave under various conditions. It explains how to test and troubleshoot, ensuring correct operation. Data-communications cabling and its vulnerability to radio interference is explored. Three-phase grid supply is explained, and the distinctions between distribution networks topographies are drawn. Ground, Earth and safety devices such as the RCD are discussed …as are systems incorporating Electricity Generators, and for boat owners – the important topic of Galvanic Corrosion. Wiring Unlimited is a seminal work for DIY and professional systems installers alike. What we learn can’t be unlearned – lifting all our installations from ‘Workmanlike’ to ‘Advanced’. The Vanlife meeting was also a chance for Margreet and Craig to experience life on the road; hear directly from people living-the-life; and to keep up to date with the latest trends and demands. Most popular of all was a discussion of Lithium Batteries. Lithium offers great advantages to Van-lifers …they’re much lighter to transport than lead-acid; they take less room; they can withstand many more charge cycles …and additionally 80% of stored power can be routinely used per cycle whereas draining a lead acid battery below 50% state of charge will accelerate its decline. The biggest rig they found was 48/3000 MultiPlus fitted in a Mercedes Sprinter – which enjoyed the benefits of air-conditioning. But most van-lifers had chosen systems which although simpler often experienced charging problems – problems which the Cyrix battery combiner goes a long way to sorting out. The great thing about the Cyrix is that it’s automatic – not only does it ‘remember’ to combine the ‘house’ and ‘starter’ batteries when there is a charging current available (from the alternator, for example) but it remembers to isolate them again when there isn’t. That avoids a whole list of disasters, right there. Craig’s own set-up in his Isuzu 4×4 has a simple Tarpaulin for weekend trips, and includes a 115W Photovoltaic panel charging a Lithium SuperPack 60Ah controlled by an MPPT, BMV battery monitor and a Smart Battery Sense . He used it that weekend for running a 40L Engel fridge over 4 days and is happy to report that he always had cold beer. The campsite is situated in a little piece of paradise between Goolawah National Park and Limeburners Creek Nature Reserve. Forest gives way to sand dunes, and beyond the sand dunes the ocean rolls into a deserted bay. Even though the location is remote the site offers water by bore hole, hot showers, and – best of all – no phone signal. We’ve been hearing about the devastating forest fires in that part of the world. Margreet drove six hours to attend the event and says that although the fires had burned to within twenty kilometres of the camp site – the site itself was untouched. And where the fires had been ‘ the buds of new growth have already begun to appear ‘ she says. Vanlife is a popular lifestyle choice in Australia with many young and young-at-heart Australians preferring the freedom of the road to being ‘stuck at home’. Vehicles represented at the meet-up ranged from weekenders with cars and tents; ex-delivery vans with DIY accommodation fit-out, Camper Vans, Motorhomes-with-everything …and still going strong a 1970’s VW Combi. Activities at Waves Campground included awareness centred exercises and fire-side story telling – in acknowledgement of the indigenous land-ownership …an insight into how we all can benefit from having a yarn! There was music, of course, together with therapeutic breathing exercises, Yoga. Sounds like a great weekend was had by all.
John Rushworth • 21 January 2020
Victron Energy training in the Americas
Victron training isn’t something we report on regularly here, as there are simply too many events – which would tend to monopolise the Victron Energy blog pages. Regardless, here’s a photographic flavour from afar of recent events – just to show you training is worldwide and not simply in Europe. Chile Thanks to David Lopez, Victron Energy Sales Manager, South America & Caribbean , for the info and photos. Here’s what David had to say about their training events: “The objective of training is to deliver advanced knowledge, criteria and tools for selection, installation, configuration and commissioning of Victron Energy equipment. Training efficiently complements the theoretical with the practical, allowing future specialists to relate to the equipment and technologies, in addition to interacting with each other, exchanging experiences and generating synergies that enhance the development of the industry and the growth of renewable energies, in Chile as elsewhere in the world.” Victron Professionals in the classroom. SER-CAP Laboratory “Victron Energy and SER-CAP collaborate regularly in the dissemination and promotion of the photovoltaic industry, allowing this collaborator to convene and develop training for Chile.” David Lopez California Thanks to Justin Larrabee, Victron Energy Sales Manager, North America , for the info and photos. This recent training took place in San Diego and San Francisco. It was delivered by Victron Sales Manager Justin Larrabee, and Jim Dixon who is a Victron Energy Ambassador. Both installers and distributors were present at the events. More Victron Professionals Learning is hungry work Conclusion Having been to a training event in the Netherlands, I can certainly recommend it as fun and worthwhile. In my case it was to learn about the products I write about. Primarily though it’s for Victron Energy distributors, dealers and installers, so if you fall into those categories why not check out upcoming training events near you – at Victron Professional . John Rushworth
Justin Tyers • 13 September 2018
Thinking Big in Botswana
Botswana has a huge land area and is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. Remote communities, Industry, and also the wealthy tourists who are welcomed from all over the world to take part in wildlife safaris – need electricity in locations where there is no ‘grid’. The large installations and Mini Grids needed to provide electricity to these groups require special understanding: For that reason Victron’s André du Rand is conducting some Large Installation Training. Bringing together key suppliers in Botswana, such as Freedomwon ; Bluenova ; and the country’s Fronius distributor to explain the technology behind how their systems work; together with providing in-depth training on Victron system integration, André du Rand aims to build up an independent network of installers who are both professional in their approach, and have high levels of technical expertise. This commitment to Industry training is a recipe for success – owners of Safari Lodges; remote industries, or communities interested in having access to electric Mini Grids will find they can call on local technicians who understand their needs, and know how to design and install first class energy systems. Back in March this year we brought you news of the first such conference – which was partnered by the Solar Industries Association of Botswana – and it was the success of that event which spawned this, and will spawn future conferences. This event runs concurrently with Victron-hosted training – thereby providing a ‘one-stop shop’ where installers can learn, ask, touch, and see how the equipment works. They will meet others in their industry – friendships are formed, and information networks established. Under the spotlight – the integration of PV inverters into off-grid systems; and an explanation of Lithium Battery Technology. Both Bluenova and Freedomwon – have developed a range of Lithium Battery Storage modules for both static and mobile applications – and were in attendance to provide detailed analysis of how the technology works – particularly in hot-climate countries. Historically a poor country – today’s Botswana is ambitious and consequently has one of the fastest-developing economies in the world. In this atmosphere of excitement and optimism Victron is proud to invest in the country’s sustainable wisdom, and also to be installing energy everywhere! The event, which was held in Maun, Botswana, also provided an opportunity for industry experts to get to know each other – here they take a relaxing excursion down the Thamalakane River. Front row L to R James Verster Glenn Jame Back L to R Vic Hamaty Richard Smallman Antony English Justin Tyers
Justin Tyers • 01 March 2018
Spreading the Solar word in Southern Africa
A Solar Energy Seminar – the first of its kind – was held in Botswana in early February. Hosted by Victron’s Andre du Rand , some of it’s 36 delegates – engineers, installers and members of Solar Industries Association of Botswana – travelled hundreds of kilometres to learn how to program, configure, and install solar-energy systems. The continent has huge potential for us …under African skies where grid electricity is by no means widely available. Emphasising Off-Grid solutions, the seminar show-cased the new ‘Smart’ range of Victron products with a demonstration of how they can be controlled using VictronConnect . From left to right: Anesh Lahka; Andre du Rand; Gavin Hobson; James Frank; Mike Kirby; James Venter. Attendees received a well-rounded and informative presentation due to the efforts of speakers from several organisations: Age Technologies (combiner boxes/system balancing); Innomatic Solar (Fronius distributor); Bluenova (Energy Storage Manufacturer) and Freedomwon (Lithium storage for car/home)- together with Andre Harrison – who as a Victron Authorized Installer has plenty of experience from the coal face. With all that expertise on hand attendees gained a good understanding of the potential of remote power installations with Lithium(LiFePo4) battery integration (design and safety instruction); Surge protection; and AC/DC combiner boxes for large-scale arrays. On the second day the training was extended to include grid-tie self-consumption systems, and to demonstrate the neat features of the CCGX – such as Generator auto Start/Stop. Training workshops were then available to individuals or groups with specific queries. Present at the training, and taking a very keen interest in the proceeding was Karen Gifford an executive member of the Solar Industries Association of Botswana. She says: “The Association’s role is to enhance the solar sector through promotion of quality, standards, self regulation, dissemination of knowledge, capacity training and providing a voice to the private sector. This course has been valuable to the solar industry in Botswana enabling participants to directly interact with products through guidance from experts, bringing confidence for retailers and technicians in application as well as various component compatibility.” Following on from the success of the event Andre du Rand is planning a Large Systems seminar later this year. Justin Tyers
John Rushworth • 04 December 2017
Victron Energy technical training
Victron Energy technical training is primarily for Victron distributors, dealers and installers – these events having been started some 14 years ago by Ruurd ten Brink (now retired) and Johannes Boonstra . If you’ve not been to one of these events, which are held in a number of countries and delivered in various languages, then let me give you a flavour of what to expect. Recently I was flattered to be invited to an event in Almere, in the Netherlands close to Victron’s head office. The main purpose of my visit, after four years of blogging for the company, was to put names to faces and get a chance to actually meet real Victron folk – something my internet blogging work can’t match. Of course attending such an event, the primary focus for most, is all about gaining a deeper technical knowledge of Victron Energy products and although I don’t fall into the dealer category – this blogger certainly gained valuable insights across a range of products and subjects. For me personally though the highlight was meeting passionate Victron people. Location This event was held over three days at Hotel Almere , part of the Van der Valk group of hotels. A comfortable four star hotel with rooms, dining and conference facilities to match its rating, which I felt was perfect for the stature of a company like Victron Energy. It was a relaxed atmosphere with training taking up most of the days, but still allowing time for folk to arrive on the morning of the event and leave at a decent time for their return trip home, so minimising time away. Socialising in the evenings and at meal times allowed plenty of opportunities to meet like minded people, especially as there were areas reserved exclusively for Victron. It was also good to see Victron MD Matthijs Vader and company founder Reinout Vader, who came to lunch on two of the days and made every effort to meet as many of attendees as possible – 320 of whom attended over the three days of training. Attendees From my own point of view it was great to meet and learn from the sheer variety of people in attendance, from the small to large businesses that use Victron products in traditional and innovative ways, be that simply providing reliable AC power in a van to recharge hand tools for technicians on the go, light weight portable lithium power packs for the military or large grid tied renewable energy projects. Every market sector was represented as were many nationalities, French, Dutch, British, Irish, Belgian and more. Here’s a random sample of a few of the companies that attended: Dobbelaere Auto-Elecktriciteit Fischer Panda Buitendijk Energy Dare Technology Power Saving Solutions Training format In this instance the training was organised by Ruurd and and delivered by Johannes in English, both whom have extensive product and technical knowledge. All jokes though seemed to be in Dutch, so I’m still in the dark as to what I was laughing at! The training format at this event was a sequence of slides with plenty of opportunities for questions and answers. Links to the training slides are at the foot of this blog. Suitably spaced coffee and lunch breaks provided time for attendees to talk not only to fellow dealers but also Victron sales staff from a variety of countries. After a general introduction of personnel and a company progress report, various subjects were covered including batteries, chargers and charging, combined inverter/chargers and Energy Storage Systems (ESS), solar array sizing and so on. Training varies from country to country and indeed some events may be more hands on. To see what is on offer and where, simply check the events section in Victron Professional. A nice touch at this event was a Colour Control GX demo unit with MPPT solar chargers and a MultiPlus, where plenty of conversations at break times ensued about the sheer range of capabilities of this remote monitoring system. Sponsorship Being so close to Victron’s head office and a few of the sports teams that Victron sponsor, it was neat to able to see how Victron products can be integrated and of great value to such teams. For example Team LottoNL-Jumbo brought along their cycling support truck – and what’s all that without power for hand tools and a washing machine, powered by you know who… Checking out the truck, replete with washer and drier. Generator, Victron AGMs and Quattros integration. Blue AC power by you know who… Keeping the wheels turning… Conclusion I hope the above gives you a flavour of what’s on offer training wise and the kind of sponsorship Victron is involved with. In fact at the end of the training event there was even a presentation of – and offer to an expenses paid accommodation and meals (flights excluded) opportunity to attend the Speed Skating Olympic preparation event, in January 2018, of the Gewest Fryslân speed skaters. This might be a Dutch passion but attending I suggest will be a great way to learn more and have some fun the Dutch way, something that also shone through in the training event at Almere. Great people, products and passion. If you want to see the course material from this technical training event you can check out the slides in Dropbox (links below) – and if you have ideas or requirements for training in your region why not discuss it with your regional Victron Sales manager, who can be contacted here . John Rushworth Training slides links: Here are the links to the technical training from the above event held in Almere, November 2017: Automotive_Marine Nov Almere rev 2.pptx in Dropbox ESS Nov Almere .pptx in Dropbox Off grid Nov Almere .pptx in Dropbox
John Rushworth • 20 April 2017
Africa: Distributor meeting, solar show, training and dancing!
Cram it all in. At least that’s what Victron Energy staff, distributors and customers seemed to do recently. I’m not so sure about some of the dance moves though… On 27th March it was the Victron Energy African distributor meeting in Sandton at The Venue Green Park , the 28th-29th saw the Power & Electricity World Africa Exhibition (The Solar Show) at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, with an impressive Victron stand demonstrating many new products. Last but not least on the 30th it was a Victron Energy Training day at the Protea Hotel by Marriott® Johannesburg Balalaika Sandton. And then there were meals, socialising, awards and dancing too – all in all a very packed four days. Socialising – African distributor meeting Part of any good sequence of events is the socialising and this year the fun part of the African distributor meeting was held at The Venue Green Park, which describes itself as – ‘An upscale conference and events establishment nestled at the top of Johannesburg’s exclusive World Trade Centre. The unique location of The Venue Green Park offers breathtaking views over Johannesburg, which can be observed through the floor-to-ceiling windows as well as from the balcony, allowing you to have the Johannesburg skyline as the backdrop to your function’. Display at The Venue Green Park Dodgy Dance Moves – Was it the band? Dubious Dance Moves – Maybe it was these gentlemen? Getting warmer? This Victron Professional looks familiar! Work – The Solar Show Now that you’ve seen how much fun ‘work’ can be, let’s focus on the Solar Show aspect or to give it its full title – Power & Electricity World Africa , which celebrated its 20th anniversary at this year’s event. The event is the largest of its kind in Africa and with 640 delegates from 40 countries and 200 speakers in conference plus 6,714 attendees at the exhibition – it was a great success. Victron Energy exhibited in the Clean Energy Hall again this year for the 6th year running. Besides showcasing its product range for solar applications, Victron were also able to showcase some of their latest products for 2017. The exhibition stand at a glance There were products such as the Easysolar range, the Bluesolar MPPTs and the new VE.Direct Phoenix Inverters. The mention of Bluetooth configuration for such products brought great interest from visitors, as it is the first product range of its kind in the world with such features – including various levels of configuration – all demonstrating Victron Energy’s ongoing drive toward ever increasing flexibility and ease of operation. Different solar systems from DC coupled and AC coupled to larger 3 phase systems were also on display. Here third party battery brands were part of the display too, with Victron staff on hand to explain the added benefits of being able to configure Victron Energy products to work in a variety of systems. This was very well received. Systems Display – Much interest was shown in integrating 3rd party batteries with Victron Products Here are some of the new and innovative products that were on display: Venus GX Quattro 48/15000/200-100/100 MultiGrid SmartSolar MPPT 250/85 & 250/100 Multi(Plus) 500VA – 800VA New Products – Lots of questions about the latest products and their features Learning – Training Day Following this exhibition there was a technical training day held for customers and also visitors from the exhibition. The training was held in English and French in two sessions. Some of the topics covered were: The latest products from Victron Energy. System control panels. Victron Remote Management (VRM) website with a focus on remote control. Integrating with CanBus enabled 3rd party batteries. Hands on sessions. Training in English – Energy Storage Systems Hands on session – Easysolar Training in French – Firmware updates for a MultiPlus Coffee break discussions Awards – Distributor Meeting Kicking off this whole sequence of events was the Victron Energy African distributor meeting in Sandton and I started this blog with a headline image of one of the awards at that event – now I’d like to leave you with a few more smiles and awards. Conclusion Thanks to Andre du Rand , Victron’s area manager, Southern Africa, for the information and photos used in this blog – that’s all 642 one of them! It’s always difficult to choose from such a vast and welcome array of photographs from such events, but I hope at least the ones chosen have conveyed how valuable, rewarding and fun work can be. John Rushworth
John Rushworth • 22 February 2017
Victron Energy Training: West and Central Africa
Victron Energy training is a global affair and I often hear of events around the world, but a recent report of one such event in Ngor, Dakar caught my eye. Such positive comments from the participants, not to mention the smiles. Maybe it had something to do with the apparently trendy Ngor beach area, that could easily be in Saint-Tropez according to the Guardian newspaper. Ngor is a suburb of the city of Dakar in Senegal and is where these first sessions (January 2017) for the West and Central Africa regions were held. Here is a brief report of how these two days of training went. Smiling Trainers Trainers Anco van Bergeijk (Victron senior engineer based in West Africa) and Yoann Le Fol (Victron sales engineer for West and Central Africa) carried out the training for 30 participants over the two day event. Who is it for and where? Such training events for the regions mentioned are open to engineers and technicians that already have some experience in solar. Training is quite technical but not too complex, and importantly it is free. That in part along with the quality of training is why companies often have to be limited to one participant per company, as demand is high. Indeed the event was fully booked as usual. To give you some idea of demand, last year more than 90 people wanted to join the Mali training event, with only 30 places available! To ensure Victron’s network of official dealers & distributors in the West and Central Africa regions get a chance to attend an event there are however multiple opportunities. Last year training events were held in Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Benin and Togo. Opportunities for 2017 include the Democratic Republic of the Congo (March), Mali (June), Ghana and Burkina Faso. To be certain of a place, interested parties can keep an eye on Victron Professional for pending updates giving confirmation of dates and event agendas. Forthcoming events are published two months prior to the event, to ensure people have ample time to plan and apply. Here’s a photo from the Ngor training with one of the lucky, and it seems totally engrossed, participants inspecting a Color Control GX. Training style & topics First and foremost, trainer Yoann Le Fol tells me their events are all about a friendly atmosphere where questions and interaction amongst trainers and participants are more than welcomed. That seems appealing in itself, not to mention the fact that any rigid ‘protocol’ styles of learning are avoided, which can only help participants feel comfortable to my mind. Yoann tells me: “We never come with ‘pre-made solutions’ nor ‘only solutions’ nor ‘a Victron is better than all position, rather we encourage the participants to understand the logic behind a choice. For instance, we ask participants to carry out sizing for a certain end-user load profile. Say five of the participants give us their results, then we ‘d compare them with our own to start a discussion about the choices involving differing sizing methods, the logic behind that and the results. Field experience, especially from Anco, is also helpful to provide workable solutions and tips arising from specific challenges encountered by installers in Africa. In such instances Anco highlights how Victron solutions can address such challenges”. At the Ngor training a number of topics were covered including component sizing, configuration and monitoring of solar energy systems with storage. A Quiz? To add a little competition and fun there is a quiz at the end of the training, where winners leave with gifts such as a small inverter, a small MPPT and of course the colourful Victron Energy polo shirts and caps. Training feedback To ensure Victron Energy deliver training that is appropriate and to garner ideas for future events an evaluation form is completed at the end of each event. Note it’s not just male participants at these training events; don’t forget to apply too ladies. The results of the evaluation forms allow Yoann and Anco to enhance and plan future events. Also there is a section on the form for straightforward feedback, be it positive or not. It seems positive is the order of the day. An excellent training to improve installers skills. A very interesting training where I learnt a lot about designing solar systems. These 2 days training were really full of information with many practical details. The training gave me a better understanding of Victron products. I was always thinking configuration of inverters was too complicated, while it is actually easy with Victron’s. Very interesting training, especially to learn how to use Victron products in our installations. I learnt about many technical innovations. Conclusion As one happy participant said at the end of the training: “Two days is too short – see you next year!” I guess that says it all. My thanks to Victron Energy trainers Yoann and Anco for the information used in this blog, also Ewien van Bergeijk-Kwant for the excellent photos. John Rushworth Tip for French language speakers If your native language is French and you wish to read this blog in French, then I find the Google Chrome web browser and its inline translation extension tool very useful.
John Rushworth • 17 October 2016
ProWatt: Victron Energy training event
Product training, in association with distributors, dealers and installers, forms an essential part of Victron Energy’s product knowledge strategy. Events are held all around the world, with forthcoming training events listed on Victron Professional. Although such events are limited to distributors, dealers and installers, joining Victron Professional is not; so even if you are an end user like me you can sign up and gain useful insights and information at: https://professional.victronenergy.com/ Victron Energy professional training Maybe you are wondering how professional product training is organised. Sometimes Victron Energy instigates the training when a need is realised. Other times the initiative comes direct from the distributor, dealer or installer – and so it was in the case of ProWatt in Romania. Lucian Popescu of ProWatt takes up the story: We first thought to organise a training event when we realised that some of our important partners hadn’t purchased an Interface MK2-USB. So we asked ourselves: How can they use Victron equipment to the fullest extent of its capabilities? The answer was simple: They cannot. We realised that could result in the loss of opportunities and even clients, whilst at the same time making the installation process more difficult and increasing ProWatt’s involvement in such installations. This is how and why the proactive training idea grew, culminating in us deciding to propose and organise a training event. Partner response We put out a few feelers, to some of our partners, with our training suggestion. They replied that such training would be a great help to them, a very helpful and beneficial event. This confirmed and validated our ideas, so we contacted and invited representatives from all our dealers, installers and larger clients, which resulted in around 25-30 people wishing to attend. We set the training date for 29 September 2016, planning a full and varied day. Training location and materials We chose a friendly location near Bucharest (the capital of Romania) which was not too formal, with green spaces so that we could socialise in the open air during the breaks. With thanks to Ruurd ten Brink (Victron Energy Sales Manager covering Romania and other countries), we were able to prepare the necessary Victron equipment for the training. Ruurd also provided us with written materials, from which we extracted our presentation material. Training in Romanian The training was delivered in Romanian and was structured into 3 sessions consisting of theoretical and practical training. Theoretical – presentation of equipment hardware, presentation of new products, advantages of Victron products, recommendations for correct system sizing , etc) Practical – upgrade of inverters firmware, the configuration of equipment to work in hub1, hub2 or entirely off-grid, the configuration for generator start-up, Color Control GX advantages, the configuration with remote assistance, use of VE power set-up application and main menus in VRM portal. Conclusion It seems clear to me that this event has proved valuable for all concerned, which ultimately can only be good for the end user too. Maybe your business and customers can benefit from such an event. Do get in touch with your regional sales manager if so: https://www.victronenergy.com/contact On a lighter note I wonder if Victron’s Ruurd ten Brink took his snake to the event, I’m sure that would have been most beneficial for trainee concentration! John Rushworth Credits & Links Thanks to Lucian Popescu of ProWatt for the information and images used on this blog.
John Rushworth • 06 May 2016
Victron Energy training in the Republic of Benin
Education and training are key to understanding and installing Victron Energy products. Usually this involves training Victron Energy distributors and dealers, but in the Republic of Benin they have taken this one step further by providing education and training within the general populous. This is particularly relevant in Benin where solar systems play a key role in the country’s energy needs. Teaching the teachers What better place to start then – than with teachers themselves. In fact Axel Mathieu Foadey and Jules Yao Gnagbolou of NGCom Services , based in Cotonou , have done just this. Whilst NGCom Services is primarily an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company, the ICT sector is also a driving force in both economic development and wider social change. The headline image above shows Axel & Jules training teachers at a technical vocational school and the image below shows them carrying out hands-on solar system training for secondary school physics teachers. Once you’ve trained the teachers it is not long before classes full of students understand off-grid solar/battery/inverter systems. Beyond training As more people are trained, the level of understanding and the ability to install and manage a system improves. In the first place it might be something as simple as safely handling and transporting Victron OPzS Batteries as shown below. Other key skills are battery maintenance. Below technicians demonstrate refilling OPzS batteries with distilled water. Once trained a professional Victron installer can carry out system commissioning. Conclusion No matter where and how Victron Energy products are used in the world, it is clear that education and training are key to professionally installed and managed systems. In the Republic of Benin, Axel Mathieu Foadey and Jules Yao Gnagbolou of NGCom Services are instrumental in doing just that, right at a grass roots level – long may they continue to provide this valuable service. We applaud them for this initiative. John Rushworth
John Rushworth • 07 April 2016
On top of the world down under: Dealer meetings & training
Surfers Paradise on Australia’s beautiful Gold Coast was the location for Victron’s Australian dealers and installers to meet and train recently. When not doing so there were also social opportunities, which gave folk a chance to digest and discuss the two days of events – and all with fabulous panoramic views as you can see. Victron Energy – Austrailia Victron Energy have been present in the Australian market for 12 of its 40 year history but this was the first event of its type, bringing together attendees from all parts of the continent. Margreet Leeftink and Phil Crotty were instrumental in delivering the event, with support from Jan Klumpenaar. It must have been a good event – just look at those smiles! Here then, in Phil’s own words, is how things panned out at this inaugural Australian event. Day 1 – Dealer meeting The dealer meeting was held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel’s aptly named Phoenix Room. Maybe that’s a trend, Quattro or Multiplus Room has a certain ring to it too! In the Phoenix Room dealers were presented with a range of information covering new products, policies, procedures and Victron’s vision for the future. Victron has seen very strong growth in Australia, so it was also a chance to say “thank you” to the dealers and to hold a positive, open discussion on areas of mutual interest. Margreet presented the new configuration and monitoring app: VictronConnect Day 2 – Training With more than 80 attendees, the training sessions were split between two rooms. Supported by Jan Klumpenaar, Margreet and Phil covered a range of basic and advanced topics in parallel streams. Although a long day it was very productive, with a mix of on-screen presentations and live demonstrations. Phil – Training topics were split into parallel streams in two rooms. Margreet – Advanced programming, system design and batteries. Phil – Product range, solar design, programming and installation. Conclusion Work is fun, especially on the Gold Coast – here’s Jan event planning by the pool in the sunshine! Not only was the weather good but this Australian dealer meeting and training was a great success too – so we intend to follow this with similar annual events in future. In addition, Margreet and Phil will continue to hold state-based training sessions throughout the year. Thanks to all who attended! Jan Klumpenaar, Margreet Leeftink and Phil Crotty.
John Rushworth • 24 November 2015
Victron Energy training days: 3rd & 4th December 2015
Important message for Victron Energy distributors and dealers To all persons wishing to attend the Victron Energy training days in Almere, The Netherlands, on 3rd & 4th December 2015. As we now have 170 people registered for this event, we have had to stop further registrations on the registration website. This is because we cannot take any more people in the meeting room. We are delighted for the exceptional interest shown in this training event and apologise to those that will miss out in this instance, however there will obviously be other events in the future. Maybe next time we need a bigger training room! Best regards, Johannes Boonstra & Ruurd ten Brink
John Rushworth • 18 August 2015
Victron Energy: Advanced training workshops in South Africa
As customers and distributors in South Africa will be aware there have been a number of very successful training workshops held across this 1,221,037 km 2 area. These general training workshops started in May and June of this year and have continued to date. During this time Peter de Wit and Andre du Rand have trained around 500 people, across a diverse range of places. They include Namibia , Kimberly , Nelspruit , Empangeni , Cape Town and Kokstad – to name but a few! The headline photograph above is one taken of the training group in Empangeni. This was a two day training session hosted by the Battery Power Hub team and Victron Energy. Andre, who is the Area Manager for Southern Africa, wishes to thank you all for attending, and the abundance of enquiries for these workshops. Due to demand, an additional and advanced training phase will commence in September. Focussed & Advanced Training This next training phase is for the more technically advanced amongst you. To participate in this training you must be experienced with Victron Energy products and also have had some formal training with PV systems by a recognised training institute. It is also a requirement that personnel work for a Victron Energy Distributor or are a partner of a Victron Energy Distributor. The training, starting in September, will focus on specific solutions using Victron Energy products, the technical aspects associated with such installations and the standards that have to be complied with, plus the regulations that need to be adhered to. More comprehensive training workshop details will be supplied upon receipt of your application. Applying for the Training If you are already experienced as described above, please indicate that in your application. Andre suggests that for companies and persons new to using Victron Energy products, that they first attend a formal PV Training course which covers Off Grid Systems thoroughly. Solarcon or PQRS are two of the recommended institutes that can provide training. There are a few more around South Africa so please request more information from Andre for your area. To ensure that the training content is matched with appropriately experienced and eligible persons, it is important that accurate and complete information is received from all applicants. To be considered for inclusion in these training workshops please cut and paste the bulleted points below into your email application and insert the appropriate answers. We appreciate this information is more than requested for previous training events – but as previously stated this is advanced training and accurate information ensures a quality outcome for all. Company name: Company registration number and Vat No: Company website: Company contact details: Company Address: Company Region in SA: Candidate’s full name and surname: Cell Number: Email Address: Occupation: Candidate’s Experience: Experience with Battery based installations (indicating which products you have worked with): PV Training course or courses attended: Wiremans License: Technical Qualification – Tertiary: Your requirements from your Victron Energy Training: Previous Victron Energy Training attended (include dates): This information will be used for registration purposes only for Victron Energy Training days. All requested information must be completed to be considered for the training. On completion of the above please send your email to trainingsa@victronenergy.com If you have any questions Andre and Peter will be happy to answer them via the email address above. Conclusion As an ex Royal Navy engineer myself, it is my personal belief that you can never have too much training. To my mind that is what sets quality businesses (and Navies) apart from the mediocre ones. Victron Energy welcomes your application for this advanced training. First come, first served – Good luck! John Rushworth
John Rushworth • 03 August 2015
Victron Energy: Product training in France
If you are a French dealer or distributor and you, or your staff, would like to know more about Victron Energy products, how they work and how to get the best from your systems – then Victron Energy is offering training in the French language. Product training in France The next French language training held in France will be on the 1st and 2nd of September 2015. The first training day will focus on stationary systems including photovoltaic modules and/or wind power as well as the self-consumption of a system. The following topics will be discussed: Storage in lead batteries and lithium Energy efficiency energy conversion Configuring MultiPlus and Quattro according to the specifications of the installation; HUB 1-HUB-2 assistants and HUB-4 Communication between product installation and remote communication as well as basic dimensioning of a PV installation and self-consumption The second day (2nd September) will concentrateon mobile applications with lithium batteries and hybrid power solutions. The following topics will be discussed: Storage in lead batteries and lithium Configuring Multis and Quattros with generating groups, alternators for vehicles/boats Communication between product installation and remote communication as well as sizing minimum base load power and autonomy The training address is: Westotel Nantes Atlantique , 34 rue de la Vrière, 44240 La Chapelle sur Erdre Email: contact@westotel.com The agenda for both days is: 0830 – Reception 0900 – 1215 – Technical Overview 1215-1315 – Lunch 1330 – Detailed follow-up discussion on technical matters, continuing technical presentation We advise you to download the configuration software from: http://www.victronenergy.fr/support-and-downloads/software -> VE Configuration tools. You can start practicing with VEConfigure 3 in demo-mode and download and read the guide to VEConfigure. Please bring your laptop with the software to do exercises onsite. This training is free. It includes lunch which is provided free of charge also by Victron Energy. Any hotel costs are to be borne by the customer. Please contact one of our sales managers in France if you wish to attend the training. John Rushworth.
John Rushworth • 03 June 2015
Victron Energy: Product training in the German language
If you are a German dealer or distributor and you, or your staff, would like to know more about Victron Energy products, how they work and how to get the best from your systems – then Bob Hopman, one of our German Sales Managers is now offering training in German, as well as English if required. The next available German language dates this month are on Wednesday 17 th and Thursday 18 th of June. The location is Schweinfurt, Germany. Places are limited to 18, so it would be best to get in touch with Bob as soon as possible. To cater for any extra numbers, further dates in September (16 th /17 th ) and December (02 nd / 03 rd ) this year are also planned. Here is the German language site about the workshops, where you can also register online: www.victronenergy.de/schulungen You may also contact Bob Hopman directly at bhopman@victronenergy.com to learn more. The training is split into two days. The first day is the theoretical side of technical sales and covers Victron Energy’s complete product range. The second day is more practical, where you can gain hands on experience by using your laptop to configure for example; an ECOmulti, 3-phase system and an EasySolar. Training notes To go on the second training day, the first one also needs to be attended Attendees will use their own laptop and configure products using VEConfigure Demonstrations of MPPT sizing and the use of mpptprefs All training is free of charge and includes lunch and drinks Any hotels required should be booked by the attendees themselves, but Bob will always send you his best recommendation to assist you. If my German was better than merely saying please and thank you and ordering a beer, I know I’d certainly attend one of Bob’s workshops – as his knowledge on all matters solar is second to none. As good as having your own personal solar consultant I’d say, plus of course Bob has excellent knowledge on all things Victron. We hope you find the German language workshops useful. John Rushworth
John Rushworth • 03 June 2015
Victron Energy: South African training workshops
As you may already be aware, there are currently comprehensive Victron Energy training workshops going on across South Africa, run by Andre du Rand. If you are a dealer or distributor in South Africa and would like you or your staff to know more about Victron Energy products, how they work and how to get the best from your systems – then this might just be the perfect opportunity. These workshops are two day events, the first day is for people with limited experience with Victron Energy products. The second day is for more experienced people who have a track record of systems and completed installations, with Victron Energy products. In May alone nearly 200 people have already received Victron Energy training at these well attended events. There are now only 3 weeks remaining of the region wide program left to run (including Namibia) and some places are still available. The workshops comprise: Battery theory discussions Battery balancing Battery charging and monitoring Victron Energy products overview and features for the solar systems market Additional technical information on how to use Victron’s unique features in different types of solar systems Software programs are explained along with advanced options Software and the ideal settings for differing markets Hands on experience of products The present ‘Load Shedding’ situation in South Africa is also discussed and which systems are ideal for dealing with this Of course life is not all work, so don’t forget this is also a good opportunity to socialize with like minded persons. Further workshops including even more focused technical training Here is an update from Andre about the next phase of training. “The next phase after this will be smaller more focused technical workshops on certain types of Solar Systems. There will be a general sales training program for people new to our product range also. The estimated start dates will be in mid July. Over the course of the training I also hope to produce some training videos from these events.” If you want to know more about the upcoming workshops and the more focused technical workshops please get in touch with Andre: Andre du Rand Area Manager Southern Africa Victron Energy BV Contact: trainingsa@victronenergy.com for more information In the meantime here are a few photos from a recent event to whet your appetite. Andre (the tall one) having a chat with an attendee during a workshop break Plenty of products on hand to check out Hands on Meet others and discuss The best selling Victron Energy Battery Monitor We hope the above gives you a flavour of the events on offer and trust you may find a workshop that suits. John Rushworth
John Rushworth • 18 May 2015
Victron Energy: Training workshops in South Africa
Are you a dealer or distributor in South Africa, would you or your staff like to know more about Victron Energy products, how they work and how to get the best from your systems? If so, then extensive training workshops are now being run in all major South African cities. Last week Andre du Rand and his team trained 113 people over a period of 5 days. Next week there will be a 2 day event in Cape Town. If you want to know more about the upcoming workshops please get in touch with Andre: Andre du Rand Area Manager Southern Africa Victron Energy BV Contact: trainingsa@victronenergy.com for more information Setting up a workshop The workshops comprise: Battery theory discussions Battery balancing Battery charging and monitoring Victron Energy products overview and features for the solar systems market Additional technical information on how to use Victron’s unique features in different types of solar systems Software programs are explained along with advanced options Software and the ideal settings for differing markets Hands on experience of products The present ‘Load Shedding’ situation in South Africa is also discussed and which systems are ideal for dealing with this A typical training day And don’t forget the social aspect, after all that hard training… We hope you find a workshop that suits. John Rushworth
