Cut the spacers with the Sawstop, that's what it's there for. Just get a featherboard and make a pushstick for the narrow pieces. Love your channel, thanks for this video, learned allot and so much more informative and practical than 99.9% of all the others.
Hi Sam, great electrical & time lapse videos on her to peruse. If you weren't so far away, I might even employ you to do the wiring in my van! A couple of questions spring to mind with regards to the electrical videos: 1). Why 2 * DC-DC Chargers? Isn't 1 enough for the voltage coming from the alternator?? 2). Is it better to use a smaller number of larger batteries (3 * 200aH) or a larger number of smaller batteries (6 * 100aH)? Although the larger batteries will cost around 10% more, the saving in cables & simplicity would probably cancel that out?? 3). What about using nyloc nuts for the connections or do these have a problem with current transfer?? Thanks for the help Sam! Keep the videos coming! :)
Howdy and thanks! 1) I used two DC-DC chargers just to get more alternator charging amperage as at the time the 30A was the biggest DC-DC Victron was making... BUT no Victron makes a 50A version of the Orion so that would be a great alternative to the dual 30A chargers. 2) I would say go for a smaller number of larger batteries if you can find a configuration that works for what you want. Less cabling/connections makes it easier to setup and will probably be a little more efficicent (probably less voltage drop as each connection adds some resistance). The only thing to watch out for using a lower number of larger batteries is that the max current output may be less (as each battery has a specific max) but in most cases it should still be sufficient for a setup like this. 3) Nyloc nuts should be fine. The nut is just to keep it fastened down and the current transfer should mainly be happening through the contact between the bottom of the lug and the mating surface underneath. A lot of these components come with provided hardware (the Victron lynx or the battery monitor shunt for example) and they come with just a normal nut and split lock washer.
Top guy 👍🏻 First a quick question? How much is the cost of the kit? And with using only the panels to change the batteries (With England wether 🙄 ) How long do you think it would last if you are off grid? I Really enjoyed your video and thanks for sharing? Thanks my mate x
Hi Sam, thank you for the informational video, I have an empty Sprinter 2500 that I am starting to engineer a plan to have ready for next summer. I really love this electrical controls set up and I have a question. Forgive me if this is covered in another video but I’ve just started learning this process. There seems to be a huge different in costs of the different brands of the Lithium ion batteries. Does this control system work well with any brand? And what makes one brand so much more expensive than another? Thanks again for the great video, and I plan to watch more!
Hi! For a system like this the kind of lithium battery you want is a LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate chemistry). Any of those with a builtin BMS (which is most (only certain ones require an external BMS)) will work swapped into this setup. As you’ve seen you’ll find battery that span the range of prices. For the most part you get what you pay for but there are some better values out there. SOK batteries are a good balance of price vs quality. Battle borns are really nice if you want top quality and warranty. If you want a good budget battery the quality can be hit or miss but this webpage has good recommendations for decent quality budget batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/lithium-batteries.html
It’s so frustrating how I’ve seen two of your van builds now and you always describe where both sides of a cable goes, except you repeatedly do not mention where the inverter/charger ground cable is connected to on the other end, and how you connect it. I understand you connect the entire DC negative side to the ground of the chassis, but where does the inverter/charger ground connect to?
Hi Sam, looks great, just a little concerned about ventilation. Those B2B's, charge controller and the inverter throw out a fair amount of heat, especially the B2B's.
Hey! I agree that ventilation could have been improved on this one. I actually installed it back in February, and it hasn't had any performance issues due to that. In addition to the vents above and below the Multiplus, there is another opening in the area behind the distribution panel that goes through to the window area and provides some additional ventilation in that direction.
@@MoserMakes Hey thanks for responding. It's a great video with tons of really good tips and best practice. All the VE components will self protect from excess heat so all is good, but worth some forced ventilation on really hot days or heavy use.
Because his input and output grounds are the same. As opposed to keeping the ground separate for some particular reason. If you’ll notice on non-isolated chargers, they will only have a single ground and then to positive leads, and isolated chargers will have two positive and two negative leads.
Not entirely sure of the exact maths behind it, but something to note is that copper bar will generally have a lower ampacity than stranded copper wire due to the skin effect. Stranded wire increases the surface area of a conductor which reduces resistance compared to a solid conductor of the same cross-sectional surface area. That being said, probably such a small consideration, and the bar was 10% bigger than the wire, so why am I writing? idk bye lol
I will unsubscribe, i cannot trust your instructions. You are getting gimmicky when there is no reason. Why you are uusing a solid bar subject to shock and vibration, very dumb thing wite would give flexibility
Glad you came back. You are doing such great work AND have the gift to explain it to novices. Really like the copper bar idea.
I appreciate that - thank you!
Cut the spacers with the Sawstop, that's what it's there for. Just get a featherboard and make a pushstick for the narrow pieces. Love your channel, thanks for this video, learned allot and so much more informative and practical than 99.9% of all the others.
Clearest tutorial I’ve seen yet! Nice one! From the other side of the pond.
Nice to see you back. Great work!
Lovely neat work, thanks for educating me!
Great videos, glad I’m getting back to your channel.
Good to see you giving advice on this. You always have top notch vids. Thx
Love your attention to detail
Thanks!!
Love your content brah. Glad to see you posting again.
Perfect job and very well done explanation.
Bookmarked!! Love these new videos!
Hi Sam, great electrical & time lapse videos on her to peruse. If you weren't so far away, I might even employ you to do the wiring in my van! A couple of questions spring to mind with regards to the electrical videos: 1). Why 2 * DC-DC Chargers? Isn't 1 enough for the voltage coming from the alternator?? 2). Is it better to use a smaller number of larger batteries (3 * 200aH) or a larger number of smaller batteries (6 * 100aH)? Although the larger batteries will cost around 10% more, the saving in cables & simplicity would probably cancel that out?? 3). What about using nyloc nuts for the connections or do these have a problem with current transfer?? Thanks for the help Sam! Keep the videos coming! :)
Howdy and thanks!
1) I used two DC-DC chargers just to get more alternator charging amperage as at the time the 30A was the biggest DC-DC Victron was making... BUT no Victron makes a 50A version of the Orion so that would be a great alternative to the dual 30A chargers.
2) I would say go for a smaller number of larger batteries if you can find a configuration that works for what you want. Less cabling/connections makes it easier to setup and will probably be a little more efficicent (probably less voltage drop as each connection adds some resistance). The only thing to watch out for using a lower number of larger batteries is that the max current output may be less (as each battery has a specific max) but in most cases it should still be sufficient for a setup like this.
3) Nyloc nuts should be fine. The nut is just to keep it fastened down and the current transfer should mainly be happening through the contact between the bottom of the lug and the mating surface underneath. A lot of these components come with provided hardware (the Victron lynx or the battery monitor shunt for example) and they come with just a normal nut and split lock washer.
Top guy 👍🏻 First a quick question? How much is the cost of the kit? And with using only the panels to change the batteries (With England wether 🙄 ) How long do you think it would last if you are off grid? I Really enjoyed your video and thanks for sharing? Thanks my mate x
Hi Sam, thank you for the informational video, I have an empty Sprinter 2500 that I am starting to engineer a plan to have ready for next summer. I really love this electrical controls set up and I have a question. Forgive me if this is covered in another video but I’ve just started learning this process. There seems to be a huge different in costs of the different brands of the Lithium ion batteries. Does this control system work well with any brand? And what makes one brand so much more expensive than another? Thanks again for the great video, and I plan to watch more!
Hi! For a system like this the kind of lithium battery you want is a LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate chemistry). Any of those with a builtin BMS (which is most (only certain ones require an external BMS)) will work swapped into this setup. As you’ve seen you’ll find battery that span the range of prices. For the most part you get what you pay for but there are some better values out there. SOK batteries are a good balance of price vs quality. Battle borns are really nice if you want top quality and warranty. If you want a good budget battery the quality can be hit or miss but this webpage has good recommendations for decent quality budget batteries: www.mobile-solarpower.com/lithium-batteries.html
That's a heavy duty setup!
Great video, very intuitive
3d printing would be a great way to make spacers.
That's a good idea! I don't have one, but have always been interested in tinkering more with one
You could just bend the copper bars to sit flush on each component instead of using spacers.
Isn’t 4/0 AWG 120mm2? Curious how you got to that 107.2.. :) cool tip!
What thickness of plywood did you use to support the weight of the 3000w inverter
Great explanation
Do you have a reason for having ypur battery cutoff switch on the positive side? Ive heard its actually better to put it on the negative side.
Great Video! Where can you get the copper bars?
Thanks! I usually order from onlinemetals:
www.onlinemetals.com/en/buy/copper/0-25-x-0-75-copper-rectangle-bar-110-h02/pid/4283
Very well done. Subbed.
It’s so frustrating how I’ve seen two of your van builds now and you always describe where both sides of a cable goes, except you repeatedly do not mention where the inverter/charger ground cable is connected to on the other end, and how you connect it. I understand you connect the entire DC negative side to the ground of the chassis, but where does the inverter/charger ground connect to?
Hi how is the draw and charge balance on each battery?
Very good tutorial!
Where did you get the copper bars from?
Thanks! I usually order them from onlinemetals.com
For the battery connections we always use a busBar, cells to bus, bus to power in. found we had better cell life.
Hi Sam, looks great, just a little concerned about ventilation. Those B2B's, charge controller and the inverter throw out a fair amount of heat, especially the B2B's.
Hey! I agree that ventilation could have been improved on this one. I actually installed it back in February, and it hasn't had any performance issues due to that. In addition to the vents above and below the Multiplus, there is another opening in the area behind the distribution panel that goes through to the window area and provides some additional ventilation in that direction.
@@MoserMakes Hey thanks for responding. It's a great video with tons of really good tips and best practice. All the VE components will self protect from excess heat so all is good, but worth some forced ventilation on really hot days or heavy use.
I could use help with my 24v system?
Why was a non-isolated charger used rather than an isolated charger? I'm learning ^^'
Because his input and output grounds are the same. As opposed to keeping the ground separate for some particular reason. If you’ll notice on non-isolated chargers, they will only have a single ground and then to positive leads, and isolated chargers will have two positive and two negative leads.
Any reason you did not wire the equipment ground on the Dc-DC charger ?
Hello, the Victron Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Charger does not have an equipment ground connection point.
Not entirely sure of the exact maths behind it, but something to note is that copper bar will generally have a lower ampacity than stranded copper wire due to the skin effect. Stranded wire increases the surface area of a conductor which reduces resistance compared to a solid conductor of the same cross-sectional surface area. That being said, probably such a small consideration, and the bar was 10% bigger than the wire, so why am I writing? idk bye lol
Hey! I believe the skin effect only applies to AC and not DC.
Uh when you tighten your bolts for the connections, I promise that all will become flush - no need to belabor spacers as described here.
Also, please don’t wire a 12v system with this much power. You should be 24v minimum and probably 48v
Why do you hide the curoff switch. In an emergency it should be evident and not put people in greater danger
I will unsubscribe, i cannot trust your instructions. You are getting gimmicky when there is no reason. Why you are uusing a solid bar subject to shock and vibration, very dumb thing wite would give flexibility