Victron Battery Charger Naming Convention Explained

Victron engineers took everything they knew about building the best inverter/chargers and scaled that down to an excellent line of about 10 different battery chargers, each designed for specific applications and needs. 

And there are quite a few of them; the Blue Smart IP22 Charger alone comes in 10 different versions for the U.S. market. 

As you look at the variant name for each product on our website, here's the naming convention you'll see used and what it means:

Smart or non-smart

As described in our article about Victron's Blue Smart IP65 charger, 'Smart' in any Victron Energy product name indicates that it is Bluetooth enabled. It can be accessed and programmed through a mobile device, laptop, or tablet. Victron's free VictronConnect app allows you to view a great deal of information about your battery, including where it is currently in the charge cycle. You can also adjust the charge profile for different battery sizes and chemistries, including LiFePo4 batteries.  

Protection rating

Victron’s battery chargers all have a certain Ingress Protection (IP) rating. IP ratings indicate how well a device is protected from both solid objects and liquids. Chargers come in IP22, IP43 IP65 and IP67. The Blue Smart IP67 Charger, which comes in a cast aluminum casing, is protected from immersion in water between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth. The Blue Smart IP65, on the other hand, has an enclosure that is fully protected from dust and is relatively waterproof but should not be submerged. 

Voltage, amps, and number of outputs 

The first number is the battery voltage; Victron battery chargers come in 12 Volt, 24 Volt, or 48 Volt options.

The number following the dash is the charge rate in amps.

The number in parentheses indicates how many outputs the charger has. For example, the Blue Smart IP22 Charger comes in a three-output version (3) that can supply the full rated output current to three separate batteries. However, the total of the 3 outputs combined can never exceed the current rating of the charger. This would be ideal if you have three of the same batteries you want to charge at once. 

If a battery charger is labeled with (1+1), like a few versions of the Phoenix Smart IP43 Charger are, it means there is 1 full rated output + an isolated 3A or 4A trickle charge output. 

The final number in the Victron naming convention is input voltage: 120 volts, 240 volts etc. Some chargers will only take 120V, some will only take 240V and some have a wide input voltage range. The Skyla-IP65 has a voltage range of 90-265 Volts, so regardless of your shore power source you will have a reliable battery charger in the Skylla.

Anytime you see NEMA in a product name, it comes with a 15 amp extension cord with a standard three prong plug for a house outlet.

Battery charger or Inverter-charger? 

Victron battery chargers range from automotive style battery chargers like the Blue Smart IP65 Charger which comes in a 1.1A to 15A in the 12 Volt version and 5 Amp to 8 Amp in the 24v version and get bigger from there. For example, the Skyla-IP65 can charge up to 70 amps.

If you need to convert DC-AC from your battery bank as well, the inverter-charger line is an attractive option because they will also charge batteries at a high rate. The MultiPlus 12/3000/120 inverter/charger provides 3000 Volt Amps of continuous power and will charge the house battery at up to 120 amps. The ‘Charge only mode’ essentially turns off the inverting functionality and will take the AC input and blast the batteries for a good charge. The consideration here is that at the cost of a high quality battery charger, you might be able to have the best of both worlds in an inverter charger.

This video from Victron Energy highlights the charge-only mode and how it works: Protect Batteries with MultiPlus Charge Only Mode

Which Victron charger is right for me? 

Whether you're charging a 25,000 battery bank in an off-grid retreat center or your motorcycle battery during a snowstorm, it is nice to know that you have the best charger on hand. 

The significant advantage with all Victron chargers is that they are highly programmable and set up for use with lithium batteries if desired, allowing you to set the exact parameters for your battery type. 

Shoot us a quick message describing what you need and how you're planning to use a Victron charger, and we’re happy to help you find the right one.