48 Volt RV Solar Power System | REC, Victron, Discover | Episode 1: System Overview + Bonus Mistake!

Dive into the world of advanced RV solar power with NAZ Solar Electric's latest video! Our expert solar engineers unveil the secrets of setting up a high-performing, 48V solar power system specifically for RV applications. Discover how to harness the sun's energy more efficiently and safely with our detailed guide.
Highlighting a robust 48V 10kW split-phase Victron inverter configuration, we delve deep into the world of solar inverters, providing you with the best practices and essential tips. Our video showcases a powerful solar array featuring 6x420W REC Solar Modules totaling 2520W, coupled with Victron Smart Solar MPPT Charge Controllers, ensuring optimal energy capture and management.
At the heart of our system lies a massive 51.2V Lithium Iron Phosphate battery bank, composed of 3 48V Discover AES Rackmount batteries, at 5,120 kWh each. This setup not only offers unparalleled efficiency but also emphasizes safety and durability, crucial for RV solar power systems.
While a 48V system might seem unconventional for RV use, we break down the reasons why it could be your best choice. We cover everything from enhanced safety and efficiency to optimized wire management and access to superior equipment. Plus, we explore the common mistakes to avoid when designing your RV solar system and compare 12V, 24V, and 48V systems to help you make an informed decision.
NAZ Solar Electric, living up to our tagline 'Plugging you into solar', brings you this comprehensive guide featuring renowned brands like Victron, REC Solar, and Discover Lithium. Whether you're a seasoned solar enthusiast or new to the RV solar world, this video is packed with valuable insights and practical advice to power your adventures sustainably.
Ready to revolutionize your RV with solar power? Watch our video now and join the NAZ Solar Electric community in embracing a greener future! Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more solar power insights and tips.
Shop Victron here: www.solar-elec...
Shop REC here: www.solar-elec...
Shop Discover here: www.solar-elec...
#RVsolar #SolarPower #NAZSolarElectric #VictronEnergy #RECSolar #DiscoverLithium #SolarEnergy #GreenRV #SustainableTravel #OffGridLiving #SolarRV
When it comes to buying solar equipment, do you know who you are buying from and how they will support you before, during, and after your purchase? For over 40 years NAZ has been helping customers like you plug in to solar. Learn more: www.solar-electric.com/aboutus
We are NAZ Solar Electric, formerly known as Northern Arizona Wind and Sun (NAWS). We have updated our name and our look to reflect who we are in 2023.
What hasn't changed: Our ownership, our team, or our commitment to our customers.
NAZ Solar Electric, or NAZ, is a supplier and distributor of solar equipment based in Flagstaff, Arizona. For over 40 years, we’ve designed systems and provided technical support for residential and commercial customers across the U.S.
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Website: solar-electric...
Use the online load calculator to estimate your average energy usage: www.solar-elec...
NAZ Solar Electric would love to send you a price quotation on individual components or an estimate for a complete plug-and-play system. Let us know what you're looking for and we'll send you a quote within 24 hours (Monday - Friday).

[@terryl.6490]

Nice to see more of these 48V Vics getting used. I've been running one of these 48V/5KW Victrons with 20KWh (4 24V in a 2P/2S setup) battery bank and 2KW of solar for about 8 months now. As these units are single phase, I'm only using one side of the 50A input. I avoid tripping the shore breaker by limiting current input to 47A thru the Victron controls app. On the rare occasion that current exceeds that mark the inverter power shares the overage from the batteries. Also, these inverters use 2 AC outputs, one is battery backed and AC2 is only on when on shore or generator. Loads are split so that non-essential loads are disconnected (AC2out) when only on battery/solar. (Items like the fridge and water heater and one AC unit). So far working well. Even with all loads on, the analyzer shows a 67A pull and these inverters are rated for 95A. Total cost was right around $9K but added (ugh) about 400lbs to the front end. I originally tried a SunGold all in one inverter, but there was no seamless transition between battery and generator. The Victron has no problem with that.

[@SuperSushidog]

Sweet. I'll bet a primo system like that is expensive though. Five years ago, we retired, sold everything and hit the road. It was the best decision we ever made. We discovered we love boondocking and it really helps stretch our budget, as we're living this FT lifestyle on a limited retiree income. Once we started boondocking, we quickly learned the advantages of solar. We decided to build our solar/battery system in 2 phases, a 12v system for our basic 12v DC needs and a 48v system for our 110v A/C needs.
We started by building a 620-watt liftable solar array on the side of our motorhome. We purchased 2, 310w Canadian Solar Panels from NAZ in 2020 (when you went by your old name). We dropped by your warehouse, picked up the panels, designed and built the system while boondocking just outside of Flagstaff. We lift it to the optimal angle to boost its output 20-30% vs flat mounted panels, especially in the winter. It makes a nice bedroom window awning too, practically lifting itself with a couple gas struts, and it's easy to clean, standing safely on the ground.
We finished the 12v part of our build last January, with the addition of a 560ah LiFePo-4 battery that we built with 8, 280ah "A" grade prismatic cells. We use a Heltec 330amp (1,200a surge) BMS with a 5a active balancer to keep the cells synched up. It cost us less than $1,500 to build this 560ah 12v, 7.1Kwh battery, including the high amp BMS. We chose these cells rather than a pre-built battery because they fit perfectly under the steps of our MH where our old pair of GC-2 golf cart batteries used to reside. We insulated the battery compartment, cut a 1" hole in our step risers and installed a tiny computer CPU fan to keep this space at close to room temperature, so we don't have to worry about the BMS shutting down charging if they get too cold - or their life reduced from getting too hot. We use an 80A Progressive Dynamics LFP converter/charger, a 1,000w Renogy inverter, an Epever 50a MPPT charge controller and a Lnex battery monitor. This entire 12v system cost us under $3,500 to build and takes care of all of our basic off-grid needs except for air conditioning and microwave use.
By mounting our solar array on the side of our coach, we left the roof free to rack 8, 550w solar panels (4,400 watts) down the length of our 35ft Class A, 15" off our roof, above our AC, fan shrouds, etc. We're in the middle of this build now. The front two panels angle down to where they meet the roof at a 9.5-degree angle to prevent air getting under them, causing lift. The rack, made of heavily cross braced 2" aluminum angle is finished, and I just coated the roof with Henry's Tropicool to encapsulate all the mounting brackets, ensuring its watertight again. This huge array will cover our entire roof, providing some nice shade with plenty of cooling air underneath, further increasing solar output and reducing the heat load on the air conditioners too. Our solar panels, wiring, breakers, etc. arrived a few weeks ago, but we're taking our time to install everything over the winter, as at 67 yrs. old, we're moving much slower these days. We mounted our Sungold Power all-in-one 48V, 5,000W Inverter/100A charge controller/battery charger on the wall in our bedroom as it's close to our under-bed 48v batteries and we're tight on space. Our 48v battery bank uses 16, 320ah prismatic cells. These cells only cost us $1,726 from EEL batteries, including shipping. We use a 200amp Heltec 16s smart BMS. Together with our 560ah 12v bank, we will have a total of 23.5 kwh of batteries onboard - kept charged by over 5,000 watts of solar. We removed the 13.5k btu rooftop Dometic AC we had in the bedroom and are replacing it with an EG4 28.5 seer-2, 12k btu mini-split heat pump on the upper rear of our motorhome, similar to the MH pictured, but with only one unit. We already received the mounting brackets, but the heat pump won't arrive till Monday. This second phase will provide 24/7 off-grid air conditioning, supplemental heat from the heat pump and allow occasional usage of our rooftop mounted, soft-start equipped Furrion AC in the front of our MH during peak afternoon hours. We'll have a total of 6,000 watts of 120v ac power on hand, which is more than enough for our needs. We'll soon have total off-grid electrical independence for a total budget of around $11,500, (including the $1,450 high-efficiency heat pump) reserving our onboard 5,500w generator for back-up use only.

[@NAZSolarElectric]

Wow! That sounds amazing! Well done!

[@backfortyliving1248]

Hey NAZ, could you explain what "up to 300A confluence current in parallel" means for the Pytes V5? Thanks

[@doodlesthegoose7085]

How many watts does that Discover battery need to keep itself running safely?

[@Capt-Kirk]

What's the total cost for that system?

[@NAZSolarElectric]

This system is roughly $15-20K, depending on how you handle shipping and installation.

[@Capt-Kirk]

Follow up question.
How much does it all weigh. It will take away from the cargo carrying capacity of the RV

[@SuperSushidog]

@@Capt-Kirk Our very large solar/battery system (with over 5,000 watts of solar and 23.5 kwh of batteries) weighs around 1,100lbs. But to be fair, most solar builds are less than half the size as ours. Yes, these systems can be heavy, and this must be taken into account when deciding how big of a system you can afford weight wise as well as dollar wise. We knew we wanted a large heavy solar system for boondocking, so purchased a tag axle equipped motorhome with sufficient carrying capacity with this in mind. We also made some changes that reduced the weight of our motorhome about 600lbs so we could afford this extra weight.

[@NAZSolarElectric]

@@Capt-Kirk this system is right around 700 lbs.