Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those. NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one. So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders. I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
Great video! Two things to cover if you can: 1. Can you now prioritize solar over orion when driving? Reduces strain on the alternator when hitting max input current limits. 2. Can you use two of these together and set a maximum current based on your alternator's output limits? Say 80A from both combined. Thanks!
Thanks for the test. Our rig has (2) alternators putting out a theoretical maximum of 260amps. We would like to see how and installation of (2) Orion XS units would perform and a little about how they communicate while in operation.
I am building a new system so the choice is easy I am going to get the new 50 amp charger. In regard to your question, would it be worth the cost to upgrade from the old 30 amp? For me absolutely yes. After seeing your testing I would easily pay to upgrade primarily for the efficiency but the heat reduction is also a big positive factor. This is precisely the type of video I like to see from your channel. Nothing beats objective data on innovations. It makes it easy to justify spending the money. I can see the benefits and then know immediately if it justifies the cost. Thanks great video.
Thanks Nate. Excellent work on presentation. I would love to see the differences between the non-isolated and isolated version coming out in a truck/camper combo. Thanks for all of your team’s hard work.
More power is always preferred. I don’t ever hear anyone complaining about having too much power. I have 810ah of lithium and the Orion Smart 30 dc-dc charger which has a theoretical charge time of ~30 hours from 0, clearly inadequate at this scale even with the 50a charger. I recently purchased a 2nd alternator from Nations with a Wakespeed controller however I haven’t had the opportunity to install yet. This 270a configuration has a theoretical charge time of ~3 hours which made more sense to me but I’ll believe it when I see it. I will keep the Orion Smart in use for the additional amps and as a backup should the primary fail. I would consider upgrading to the XS too just for the additional amps. I mitigated the Smart heat issue with a thermostat controlled fan exactly per Nate’s design. Thank you @EXPLORISTlife you ROCK.
@@pk-bristol Hey Paul, I’ve responded to you twice with the link to the video but my replies are not showing up here. Perhaps I’m not authorized to post it and I’m getting deleted. Search for : $10 12v Thermostat for Van/RV Electrical System Cooling. Hope this stays posted.
I've had the Nations 2nd alternator installed for ~6 months and have driven ~10k miles. I've depleted my 810AH to as low as 30% overnight when running AC and Starlink. Charge time from 30% has been less than 3 hours of driving at highway speed. I see on average ~210 amps of current flowing in until 100% and switches to float. I kept my 30 amp Orion installed, and it is contributing some of those amps. I love this setup and couldn't imagine charging up any other way.
If I'm reading the manual right, it looks like the Orion XS 50A can set limits for either or both input/output current. Is that the case? This is a huge upgrade over the 12/12 30 unit! Adding one of these in a case where you don't have enough wiring or supply current, from 7-pin trailer wiring or a DC lead acid charger is a HUGE win. But nobody seems to mention it?
Definitely worth the extra cost. I have a Unity LTV with the dc-dc under the passenger seat so keeping it cool is a challenge. Also, the additional 20A is worth the cost. Getting both more power and lower temperature and improved communication is a win.
Get video as usual, thanks for helping to answer the questions everyone wants to know. Another point to consider for future testing. Simulating a true 700w input, and therefore full 50A output, may skew the temperature figures resulting in the unit getting hotter than in your table top test.
I would be curious about that too, but I also hypothesize that it may not matter because the Orion is having to work harder to boost the 11.8V up to 13.8V as opposed to a closer voltage difference. 🤷 Not sure or tested there. Just a hypothesis.
Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those. NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one. So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders. I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
Thank you Nate! These were great videos. Since smelling warm electronics coming off a fresh orion 30a I've been looking for an alternative. I'll be waiting for the isolated version but would like to see a longer test with the device mounted vertically and higher voltage input. Higher voltage input should mean higher wattage which in turn means more loss. I'd love to see where the temperature "tops out" and it'd be great if that was done in an ambient of 20 degree centigrade (this would be the typical internal temperature of a van on a long drive).
thanks for the speedy video👍👍 keen to know 1. If the output of the XS is variable between 0-50a? 2. At what temperature will the XS start to throttle the output? 3. How does the XS differ from the 50A buckboost?
I’m unsure why you didn’t mention how much hotter the wires were on the XS. In your test they are glowing brighter than the main unit. Seems like a lot of heat is being dissipated through them. Perhaps installing vertically would address this but it would need to be tested.
I was surprised to see see the size. From the released pics it looked bigger than the Orion smart. I will def swop my Orion smart for the XS. More amps to my bank is always welcome. Thanks Nate, for the testing and update
I may consider 50a or add another alternator in our MB. Not happy with the 30a orion: 1. brevity of data to the phone 2. 30 amp limit and very hot under passenger seat in our Navion. The only victron product not happy with. Everything I have is victron except for the 6 BB batteries.
Superb presentation. Extremely professional and scientifically credible. It couldn't be better, well done. As to the questions: 1) I would like to see parallel testing with another unit and what happens with combined charging rates of 100A. I suspect the results would be pretty predictable, but this is the key feature this model offers that I'm most desirous of. It would also be good to see if two of the units can be stacked on top of each other (either vertically or horizontally stacked and either directly stacked or with aluminum bases opposing one another) with a little airspace in between and not overheat. Some builds have smaller available mounting footprints (like mine). So this would be good to see if it's possible and advisable to do. 2) A 40 deg F delta is important. ~150 F is the temp of scalding water! I don't have an A/C and effectively having a small heater in the back during hot/muggy weather is unwanted. Also, it is somewhat of a burn hazard because I keep these units accessible in my build for serviceability reasons. Also, the bulk is unwanted in my Econoline build where space is more constrained than in a Transit or Sprinter. Streamlined is good, especially because I want to run two units. Lastly, the improved efficiency means my alternator and engine work less for the same charge, which of course is another benefit. So, there's a lot to like on these units - other than price, especially for two of them. I'm currently running a Renogy 40A DC/DC charger which is a fraction of the price of the Victron. I've had it a few years now and it's worked flawlessly so far. I definitely would not pay the premium for a single new Victron XS for only 10 more amps of charging capacity. The main feature that sells me is the ability to couple it to another unit and achieve 100A charge rates. The compact size and efficiency are very nice to haves as well, but 100A charging rates is the crown jewel for me.
I currently run a pair of 12/12-30s and I am 100% sold on the upgrade. Lower temperatures *AT A HIGHER OUTPUT* is a HUGE win. Only question now is 1 or 2 haha. My existing units are mounted vertically but inside a very tight compartment, so I've been very concerned about temperatures when I'm on long drives. Integration with my Cerbo is also a big bonus, so I'd love to see how that works when the new GX firmware comes out.
I have some questions/requests. 1) Do you know if there will there be other voltages such as 24/12-50a and a 12/24-50a and if so, when? 2) You showed the charging side, can these also be used as constant voltage power supplies as the current Orions can and can you run some tests of the the power supply capabilities?
The communications is what makes this most worthwhile to me. The efficiency/power is a second order benefit as I am going from LFP house bank to AGM starter battery. My use-case needs the future 24/12 version, and I will likely do the upgrade when I get an LFP capable of handling engine start CCA. 👍 Nice job explaining the power/voltage relationship(s) for those who will panic when they don’t see 50A or 700W charging in all cases, especially due to voltage drops (from front of vehicle to rear with possible poor crimps and connections.)
Can’t answer whether I’d upgrade (don’t have TV HO charging to trailer yet), I can clearly tell you I would NOT buy the Orion Smart (30a) due to the heat release, not to mention the wasted energy that never gets to my battery bank. Thanks for the direct look at how these compare!!
Can the XS use vehicle ground in the back of the van? Don’t want to run the ground cable back to the front. If you could explain the pros and cons of the 2 wiring scenarios. Thanks.
Great video. I have a 30a Smart waiting to be installed (replacing a 30a Renogy so all my components are Victron) I want to go with the 50a XS instead because…why not? :). I need to go back and watch your other video on the XS to understand the isolated/non-isolated configuration.
I have 7 Victron devices installed in my Van, love them all except the Orion 30/30 smart. The 30/30 is the only Victron unit that has ever failed me and was replaced under warranty eventually. It was mounted vertically, bolted to the metal chassis and cooled additionally via an extraction fan. I still worry about the heat it produces in the hot Aussie summers and therefore only rarely use it in winter in bad weather when solar output is low. My confidence in the design of the 30/30 is low, and expect it will fail again eventually. The XS sounds like what the 30/30 should have been ! Perhaps a free or subsidised upgrade on Victron's part to existing 30/30 owners would restore faith in this product and the "Victron Experience". 🙂
I would like to see two of theae devices delivering power; the best way to connect them - each with its own source wire or running a larger wire (and fuses); and especially how i can i add the 50amp Orion to my existing 30amp Orion. What would be the alternator requirements for the sprinter, promaster and transit for rinning two 50amp Orions? Keep up the excellent work and thank you for teaching us.
98% efficiency looks amazing... making 48v house bank (and alternator) for 12v or 24v consumers a nice system (once 48v-12v is available). Temp delta (room -> orion) when mounted vertically would be nice to see (added) to the video description.
The size of the unit and the adjustable A output is the biggest thing for me. I'm planning on putting one in the boat and the alternator is only 40A, that makes it possible to get the new features and not overpower the alternator of my boat.
Would be interesting to know what the unit temp would be when drawing outputting 700w. And, even more interesting to know, what the unit temp would be at, say, ambient temps of 50F & 90F for compare. But thank you for the information you delivered today!
Great video once again. I have 2 of the Orion 30’s and find the Bluetooth range is awful. The only time I can dial into the units with the Connect App is when I’m less than 2 metres away from it. As opposed to most other devices I can reach from the drivers seat (regulators, BMV’s, and the shore chargers). Devices are mounted in caravans typically so are up to 7-8m away from driver. Can you show us if the Bluetooth range has improved with the new model? Cheers
Our camper is a metal body design and really effects the bluetooth on all our victron stuff. The BMV has an advantage over the smartshunt in that the bluetooth is transmitted from the display, which can be mounted away from the battery. I regret not getting a BMV instead of the shunt. I realise this doesn't answer your question but wanted to add my experience.
I have been considering adding a dc to dc charger to the Victron system in our 5th wheel. I would go with the 50 amp charger just based on the actual size of the unit. I am looking forward to any future videos of integrating it with an existing setup.
It has to depend on the rated amperage of the alternator minus whatever 12V load the truck's electrical system is pulling. If it's a high-ish output alternator and you have stock electrical draw, then yes. Some other efficiency optimizations would be to replace your trucks bulbs with LEDs which draw much less current allowing more to be available to a DC to DC charger such as this one. If you don't know the amperage rating of your alternator then find a VIN decoder website for your vehicle and put the VIN number in, and it should report what size alternator you have.
Great Test! I'd be keen to know if there are any 24v variants being released soon? We do have an 24v battery in the caravan charged by the 12v alternator output of the car. The old unit is almost useless to charge a 7kw battery within a one day drive.
hi my twin victrons are only giving out 10amps max at moment.18a and 30amp parallel dc chargers.i have 10amps at starter battery my alternator was upgraded couple years ago 140amps i think.i still have my old 12amp charger running agm battery also separate circuit .the victrons supply 105ah lifepo4.have to top up lifepo4 with mains charger every few days but on weekends away need that extra power
This may take some more in-depth troubleshooting. If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂
Does the lack of traditional vertical finned heatsink and distance from mounting surface mean that it can be mounted at any orientation? Also, considering this, would both have registered a bit cooler if they weren’t flat on table, or is it negligible. I’m now considering the space beneath the Promaster driver seat as a viable option…. And you just answered my question about orientation! Should’ve watched to end. 😃
the temp difference wouldnt be worth the cost of upgrade, but that increase of amps going to batteries sure is!!! so cool, thanks for sharing this comparison!
Yes, it's worth planning an upgrade because the increased output with decreased temperature is better especially in considering higher ambient temperatures and decreased air flow and space limitations. I suspect the tech is probably state of the art high quality Fet's, triacs, rectifier diodes, and top notch processor like maybe Texas Instruments which is another win but I digress. Can the output voltage be set to any desired voltage?
Thank you for your review. I know you want to be one of the first out with a review on this. I can appreciate that. That said, you need test these the way they are going to be used. The output test is really useless without your "alternator/input" being at 14+ volts. Also, in this case, at least adjust the output of the XS to be 30 amps so that we have an apples to apples comparison at 30 amps for both with the exact same input. And we really need to see what the XS will do with a stable 14.1-14.4 high amperage input. Is it really a 50 amp/700 watt charger or not? We really don't know at this point and we have no idea how hot it will get at full 700 watt capacity. I would like to see the amperage output adjustment tested to see how low it will go and how well it works as you slowly increase it. The manual says it can be adjusted from 1-50 amps in "tenth amp increments" but I am wondering if it can go lower than 1 amp, say for example a 1/2 or 3/4 amp output. It would be nice if you could put an accurate clamp on the input and output so that we can actually see what the loss is across the unit and then test the lost at different out levels. For example, what is the loss when you adjust the output to 5 amps, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50? Some people may want to replace their old 30amp charger (or even a 10amp or 20amp) with this and run it adjusted to 30amps as they cannot update the wiring size (I am actually planning to do this until I can change my wiring out). Hope this all makes sense. Again, thank you.
Thanks for doing the heat test, something I don’t have the equipment to do. I noted the ‘test rig’ was wired wrong when you were showing the table top test rig 😮 The new XS has the input/alternator on the left, the output/vehicle battery is on the right. Obviously corrected when doing the heat tests as it worked 😅(you can make out the correctly rearranged ‘in’ and ‘out’ cables on the infrared image). The graphics later in the video (15:28) are also misleading, would be better to show the Alternator on the left and the Battle Born batteries on the right - flow of power left to right thru the XS. I too have the early Smart Buckboost labelled version and was disappointed to find the VE.Smart network not functioning, no advance warning of this from my supplier in the UK. Needed your video! I’ve had to provide external cold charge protection until the firmware is available. To answer your “needing to know ..something..”😂 I’ll look forward to your follow-up video when the VE’s are functional, especially any Bluetooth linking to the BMV with temperature sensor. And, Yes, an upgrade is definitely worth it. The weight reduction is really significant at less than a 1/4 of the old unit. For example, those with 2x old smart Orion’s (i.e 2x360 watts), replacing with 1x new XS (700 watts) would be close to 90% lighter, and all that extra space for improved ventilation! Looking forward to your next video. Edit... Feb 22nd, just updated the XS to recently released firmware (1.03) to enable the V.E.Smart function to operate 😊, will test and then remove my temporary cold charge protection. Looking forward to the first EL Academy video…
Can we expect similar upgrades - smaller size, higher performance and less heating - for solar chargers in the near future? Is this just the first of many next-generation Victron devices?
I'd like to see a video on the Orion DC-DC Converters.. If I'm using one or the other to charge a power station while on the road.. and possibly a LIPO battery as an aside. Why would I choose one vs the other?
Good video! It answered almost all of my questions. I'll be using one to power a ham radio that is designed to operate at 13.8-VDC within tight tolerances. If voltage drops too low, it will start producing low-level signals away from the tuned frequency. The new Orion 50 looks perfect for maintaining voltage. Here is my one remaining question: can it be programmed to give an low-voltage alarm at a specified voltage, then automatically shut down, if a critically low input voltage is reached?
Great video Nate. As I understand it you can configure in the VictronConnect app the current drawn by the Orion XS ie. 50A / 40A / 30A etc. It would be interesting to see what impact changing the current settings has on the heat generated by the unit. Also have you considered what impact a 50A draw has on the vehicles alternator ? When compared with the older Orion 30A models. Would the higher amperage potentially be shortening the lifespan of your vans alternator ?
Hi Nate. Excellent videos, keep them coming. If you have a 70 - 80ah alternator as most boats near me have, and derate the XS accordingly, will it reduce the units heat output by much of a margin in your opinion. Thanks in advance.
Promising unit indeed. My existing set up has a 2 in 1 dcdc+solar charge controller. It would be interesting to see how compact the new Orion + solar charge controller from victron could be. Space is often a big hurdle for existing installations to upgrade to Victron.
The problem is that "worst case condition" doesn't fit with comparison testing. It's very well possible that the results be different (in terms of comparison) in vertical position, since one is equipped with a heat sink and the other hasn't. The XS might be 10% colder and the other one 30% colder.
Very informative, thank you! (1) I would be interested in knowing more about if/how the XS would integrate with a BMV-712 using VE Smart Networking. (2) I'm quite interested in purchasing an XS and this wouldn't be an upgrade for me. I stayed away from the previous unit due to size and heat... a big concern as I'm running a smaller platform (Jeep JT with an Alucab Canopy Camper).
I have a 6 month old van with parallel 30 amp smart units. Until one goes out I cant justify cost replacing with new unit, also have redundancy if a failure occurs, even if that is rare.
I am not a fan of this new model since it doesn't have an isolated ground connection, which won't work well in my style RV - a truck camper. Or will it? Should I just take the "input ground" off my Orion 30 and connect it to my shunt?, and delete the output wire from my Orion 30 that goes to the shunt?
We've made wiring kits that take the 'isolated' part of this out of the question. Check out todays video and the pinned comment for a tutorial/wiring kit: ruclips.net/video/MOtXT7Ld5xs/видео.html
You didn’t mention a price so I can’t answer your question whether it’s worth it. I doubt I’ll buy one since I need 24v charging. I’ll just put a 120v inverter in the truck and run 120v back to the trailer where I already have a Hybrid 120/24 v charger. I get a big double hit for my money since I gain 120v source on my truck.
The aluminum plate on the back *IS* the heat sink. It's just not the big bulky one from the old orion smart because it doesn't need it in order to function without derating.
Really looking forward to buying one of these from you! I have no idea if my current Orion even works. My truck has "smart" charging out the 7-pin so I can never see it charging when parked and the bluetooth on the old Orion can't penetrate the double wall aluminum of my Airstream plus the metal from the truck. I assume I'll be able to see this in the VRM portal. The adjustable charging current is another plus for me. I'd like to see how much current I can get out my factory wiring without running additional cable between the truck and trailer.
No doubt the 50A is more efficient than the 30A desgn and the VE Direct is worth the price of admission alone. What I would like to see is a test at elevated temperatures (your average installation will see 50C +) and at alternator voltages (At least 14v) so see if or when the DCDC starts to thermally throttle.
The starting temp was 9 degrees Celsius. What was the room temperature at? Would be interesting to see if the ambient temperature was like 30+ degrees celcius.
I really appreciate the info on your videos. I'd love to see a set up with dual Orion XS's, dual factory 125A alternators and dual batteries (specifically a 2013 GMC diesel truck).
14:30 11.8v is crazy low voltage. This would be why it was getting so hot. Increase this to about 14v and do the test again so we can see a real world heat. Also should be done in ambient temperature around 30c
A lot of us watching already have the old style of Orion DC-DC Chargers as well as an MPPT. Can you do a test with both an old style and new XS working together? plus an MPPT? For those of us who have alternators big enough to handle this, it would be really nice to see how well they all work together, how hot they get in a realistic install
Hi, thanks for a great test! I would like to see how xs handling a short voltage drop, lets say a bowthruster is used on starter-battery. Will it stop charging the consumption batteries during that short period of time? Thanks!
Will victron make a 50 or 60 amp charger that can toggle to 30amp for idling the engine since damage occurs to the alternator while idling more than driving. That’s what I like about the 60amp renogy charger I currently have. The new 50a charger should allow for 2awg wires for longer vehicles like full size buses as the renogy 60a. I do like the compact size and hope to see more like that in upgrades for all Victron components
Do you happen to know the actual operating (ie test bench)specs for your Renogy 60A unit? I run the same one and would love to compare it to this Orion 50A. Cheers.
I will be upgrading for the lower heat / higher efficiency. I have 2 x Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Charger and get 52 AMPs from them if im lucky. Looks like I would get 90 AMPs from 2 x Orion XS. This would charge my 400 AMP batterys in just over half the time. Being in Northern Europe In the winter this will make a real difference and it may pay for it self in a year as I will not have to run the engine for as long or drive the slightly longer route to get a better charge.
We don't really deal with Renogy components, but it seems like you've got enough information on your end to draw a conclusion there. 😂 Would love to have you as a customer. shop.explorist.life
Assuming I can replace my _isolated_ Orion Tr-Smart for this Orion XS, I'm absolutely going to do it. There is no downside. It's smaller, cooler, more powerful, and communicates with the Cerbo GX. Even if it generated the same amount of heat as my current Orion Tr-Smart, I would do it. I see some other great questions in the comments that interest me. My specific questions are: 1. Whether or not this unit can be swapped with an isolated unit and, if so, how? 2. If I replace the wiring from my starter battery to this unit (~28 ft) with 4 ga. wire, but cannot replace the 10 ft of 6 ga. wiring from the Orion to my lithium battery system, what is the penalty in terms of output?
Thanks for the information Nate. Sounds like they have indeed fixed all my gripes about the Orion. Waiting impatiently for your email about stock, so I can place an order ;)
Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those. NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one. So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders. I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
Definitely worth the upgrade from what Ive seen so far. Except I dont want to run new wire behind my shower wall lol Will you be selling these with a wiring kit in your store?
Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those. NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one. So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders. I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
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Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/
Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those.
NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one.
So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders.
I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
Great video! Two things to cover if you can:
1. Can you now prioritize solar over orion when driving? Reduces strain on the alternator when hitting max input current limits.
2. Can you use two of these together and set a maximum current based on your alternator's output limits? Say 80A from both combined.
Thanks!
I would love to see you do a Dual Orion XS 50 amp video!
Thanks for the test. Our rig has (2) alternators putting out a theoretical maximum of 260amps. We would like to see how and installation of (2) Orion XS units would perform and a little about how they communicate while in operation.
I am building a new system so the choice is easy I am going to get the new 50 amp charger. In regard to your question, would it be worth the cost to upgrade from the old 30 amp? For me absolutely yes. After seeing your testing I would easily pay to upgrade primarily for the efficiency but the heat reduction is also a big positive factor. This is precisely the type of video I like to see from your channel. Nothing beats objective data on innovations. It makes it easy to justify spending the money. I can see the benefits and then know immediately if it justifies the cost. Thanks great video.
Thanks Nate. Excellent work on presentation. I would love to see the differences between the non-isolated and isolated version coming out in a truck/camper combo. Thanks for all of your team’s hard work.
More power is always preferred. I don’t ever hear anyone complaining about having too much power. I have 810ah of lithium and the Orion Smart 30 dc-dc charger which has a theoretical charge time of ~30 hours from 0, clearly inadequate at this scale even with the 50a charger. I recently purchased a 2nd alternator from Nations with a Wakespeed controller however I haven’t had the opportunity to install yet. This 270a configuration has a theoretical charge time of ~3 hours which made more sense to me but I’ll believe it when I see it. I will keep the Orion Smart in use for the additional amps and as a backup should the primary fail. I would consider upgrading to the XS too just for the additional amps. I mitigated the Smart heat issue with a thermostat controlled fan exactly per Nate’s design. Thank you @EXPLORISTlife you ROCK.
Is the fan design on a RUclips video ? If so can you post the link. Thanks.
@@pk-bristol Hey Paul, I’ve responded to you twice with the link to the video but my replies are not showing up here. Perhaps I’m not authorized to post it and I’m getting deleted. Search for : $10 12v Thermostat for Van/RV Electrical System Cooling. Hope this stays posted.
I've had the Nations 2nd alternator installed for ~6 months and have driven ~10k miles. I've depleted my 810AH to as low as 30% overnight when running AC and Starlink. Charge time from 30% has been less than 3 hours of driving at highway speed. I see on average ~210 amps of current flowing in until 100% and switches to float. I kept my 30 amp Orion installed, and it is contributing some of those amps. I love this setup and couldn't imagine charging up any other way.
It’s worth the money to upgrade. With most systems placed under a couch or in an enclosed area, just the temperature difference is a big plus.
Are there plans for an isolated version?
Now, if they could shrink the 100/50a mppt controller to the same size, that would be great.
If I'm reading the manual right, it looks like the Orion XS 50A can set limits for either or both input/output current. Is that the case? This is a huge upgrade over the 12/12 30 unit! Adding one of these in a case where you don't have enough wiring or supply current, from 7-pin trailer wiring or a DC lead acid charger is a HUGE win. But nobody seems to mention it?
Definitely worth the extra cost. I have a Unity LTV with the dc-dc under the passenger seat so keeping it cool is a challenge. Also, the additional 20A is worth the cost. Getting both more power and lower temperature and improved communication is a win.
Get video as usual, thanks for helping to answer the questions everyone wants to know. Another point to consider for future testing. Simulating a true 700w input, and therefore full 50A output, may skew the temperature figures resulting in the unit getting hotter than in your table top test.
I would be curious about that too, but I also hypothesize that it may not matter because the Orion is having to work harder to boost the 11.8V up to 13.8V as opposed to a closer voltage difference. 🤷 Not sure or tested there. Just a hypothesis.
Yes, I believe it is worth the extra cost. Please send me one with the wiring kit as soon as you get them in stock.
Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/
Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those.
NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one.
So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders.
I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
The energy saved from the increased efficiency is definitely worth the upgrade
Excellent video. Would anyone else have preferred it to have 8mm studs instead of screw terminals?
Thank you Nate! These were great videos. Since smelling warm electronics coming off a fresh orion 30a I've been looking for an alternative.
I'll be waiting for the isolated version but would like to see a longer test with the device mounted vertically and higher voltage input.
Higher voltage input should mean higher wattage which in turn means more loss.
I'd love to see where the temperature "tops out" and it'd be great if that was done in an ambient of 20 degree centigrade (this would be the typical internal temperature of a van on a long drive).
thanks for the speedy video👍👍 keen to know 1. If the output of the XS is variable between 0-50a? 2. At what temperature will the XS start to throttle the output? 3. How does the XS differ from the 50A buckboost?
Affirm would love to see a Victron Buck boost vs Orion XS comparison. It would help many of us with 2020/2021 units the info to do the upgrade.
The output can be configured.
I’m unsure why you didn’t mention how much hotter the wires were on the XS. In your test they are glowing brighter than the main unit. Seems like a lot of heat is being dissipated through them. Perhaps installing vertically would address this but it would need to be tested.
The FLIR camera display is relative. So we never see the actual temp of the wires, only that they are hotter than whatever else is in the image.
Thank you. We use this on a Sailing voedsel kruising oceans. We use the engine for 12 hours of more in many occasions.
I was surprised to see see the size. From the released pics it looked bigger than the Orion smart. I will def swop my Orion smart for the XS. More amps to my bank is always welcome. Thanks Nate, for the testing and update
Was nice meeting you at the Vanfest on the weekend take care and safe travels - Lance
I may consider 50a or add another alternator in our MB. Not happy with the 30a orion: 1. brevity of data to the phone 2. 30 amp limit and very hot under passenger seat in our Navion. The only victron product not happy with. Everything I have is victron except for the 6 BB batteries.
I’d like to see mounted in an RV and how to ground it. Thanks for the great videos.
Superb presentation. Extremely professional and scientifically credible. It couldn't be better, well done. As to the questions: 1) I would like to see parallel testing with another unit and what happens with combined charging rates of 100A. I suspect the results would be pretty predictable, but this is the key feature this model offers that I'm most desirous of. It would also be good to see if two of the units can be stacked on top of each other (either vertically or horizontally stacked and either directly stacked or with aluminum bases opposing one another) with a little airspace in between and not overheat. Some builds have smaller available mounting footprints (like mine). So this would be good to see if it's possible and advisable to do.
2) A 40 deg F delta is important. ~150 F is the temp of scalding water! I don't have an A/C and effectively having a small heater in the back during hot/muggy weather is unwanted. Also, it is somewhat of a burn hazard because I keep these units accessible in my build for serviceability reasons. Also, the bulk is unwanted in my Econoline build where space is more constrained than in a Transit or Sprinter. Streamlined is good, especially because I want to run two units. Lastly, the improved efficiency means my alternator and engine work less for the same charge, which of course is another benefit. So, there's a lot to like on these units - other than price, especially for two of them.
I'm currently running a Renogy 40A DC/DC charger which is a fraction of the price of the Victron. I've had it a few years now and it's worked flawlessly so far. I definitely would not pay the premium for a single new Victron XS for only 10 more amps of charging capacity. The main feature that sells me is the ability to couple it to another unit and achieve 100A charge rates. The compact size and efficiency are very nice to haves as well, but 100A charging rates is the crown jewel for me.
Very clearly a better unit. Thanks for the review
I currently run a pair of 12/12-30s and I am 100% sold on the upgrade. Lower temperatures *AT A HIGHER OUTPUT* is a HUGE win. Only question now is 1 or 2 haha.
My existing units are mounted vertically but inside a very tight compartment, so I've been very concerned about temperatures when I'm on long drives. Integration with my Cerbo is also a big bonus, so I'd love to see how that works when the new GX firmware comes out.
I have some questions/requests.
1) Do you know if there will there be other voltages such as 24/12-50a and a 12/24-50a and if so, when?
2) You showed the charging side, can these also be used as constant voltage power supplies as the current Orions can and can you run some tests of the the power supply capabilities?
Worth the upgrade for sure.
The communications is what makes this most worthwhile to me. The efficiency/power is a second order benefit as I am going from LFP house bank to AGM starter battery. My use-case needs the future 24/12 version, and I will likely do the upgrade when I get an LFP capable of handling engine start CCA.
👍
Nice job explaining the power/voltage relationship(s) for those who will panic when they don’t see 50A or 700W charging in all cases, especially due to voltage drops (from front of vehicle to rear with possible poor crimps and connections.)
Well done mate! Love your work. Solid!!
Can’t answer whether I’d upgrade (don’t have TV HO charging to trailer yet), I can clearly tell you I would NOT buy the Orion Smart (30a) due to the heat release, not to mention the wasted energy that never gets to my battery bank. Thanks for the direct look at how these compare!!
The smaller physical size is the biggest factor for me. The cooler running is a big bonus though.
Can the XS use vehicle ground in the back of the van? Don’t want to run the ground cable back to the front. If you could explain the pros and cons of the 2 wiring scenarios. Thanks.
Great video. I have a 30a Smart waiting to be installed (replacing a 30a Renogy so all my components are Victron) I want to go with the 50a XS instead because…why not? :). I need to go back and watch your other video on the XS to understand the isolated/non-isolated configuration.
I have 7 Victron devices installed in my Van, love them all except the Orion 30/30 smart. The 30/30 is the only Victron unit that has ever failed me and was replaced under warranty eventually. It was mounted vertically, bolted to the metal chassis and cooled additionally via an extraction fan. I still worry about the heat it produces in the hot Aussie summers and therefore only rarely use it in winter in bad weather when solar output is low. My confidence in the design of the 30/30 is low, and expect it will fail again eventually. The XS sounds like what the 30/30 should have been ! Perhaps a free or subsidised upgrade on Victron's part to existing 30/30 owners would restore faith in this product and the "Victron Experience". 🙂
I just can’t get over how much smaller the XS is! 😮😮😮
I would like to see two of theae devices delivering power; the best way to connect them - each with its own source wire or running a larger wire (and fuses); and especially how i can i add the 50amp Orion to my existing 30amp Orion. What would be the alternator requirements for the sprinter, promaster and transit for rinning two 50amp Orions? Keep up the excellent work and thank you for teaching us.
98% efficiency looks amazing... making 48v house bank (and alternator) for 12v or 24v consumers a nice system (once 48v-12v is available). Temp delta (room -> orion) when mounted vertically would be nice to see (added) to the video description.
Would you use ferrule’s on the wire connections or would it make the 4ga too big
The manual says ferrules are not needed. Your mileage may vary of course.
...and these holes are round this time.
As opposed to the 30A older version which accepted what seems to be square ferules.
The size of the unit and the adjustable A output is the biggest thing for me. I'm planning on putting one in the boat and the alternator is only 40A, that makes it possible to get the new features and not overpower the alternator of my boat.
Great test! Super excited about this. I hope they plan on using the same tech to decrease the footprint of their solar controllers.
Would be interesting to know what the unit temp would be when drawing outputting 700w. And, even more interesting to know, what the unit temp would be at, say, ambient temps of 50F & 90F for compare. But thank you for the information you delivered today!
I agree test it to it's limits! Try and break it!😂
@chachi5975 Wr don't have enough paying channel members to intentionally break things... yet. 🤣😂🤣
@@EXPLORISTlife lol 🤣 I understand, maybe I can dare Will Prowse to do it for us! He seems to enjoy the destruction!
Great video once again.
I have 2 of the Orion 30’s and find the Bluetooth range is awful. The only time I can dial into the units with the Connect App is when I’m less than 2 metres away from it. As opposed to most other devices I can reach from the drivers seat (regulators, BMV’s, and the shore chargers). Devices are mounted in caravans typically so are up to 7-8m away from driver.
Can you show us if the Bluetooth range has improved with the new model?
Cheers
Our camper is a metal body design and really effects the bluetooth on all our victron stuff. The BMV has an advantage over the smartshunt in that the bluetooth is transmitted from the display, which can be mounted away from the battery. I regret not getting a BMV instead of the shunt.
I realise this doesn't answer your question but wanted to add my experience.
I have a smart 30A can advise on a fan setup for it and the XS 50 (will purchase soon) ....the cooler the better
I have been considering adding a dc to dc charger to the Victron system in our 5th wheel. I would go with the 50 amp charger just based on the actual size of the unit.
I am looking forward to any future videos of integrating it with an existing setup.
I have a question, do you think the average truck alternator running at an idle, would still put out 50 amps? If not, how many amps?
It has to depend on the rated amperage of the alternator minus whatever 12V load the truck's electrical system is pulling. If it's a high-ish output alternator and you have stock electrical draw, then yes. Some other efficiency optimizations would be to replace your trucks bulbs with LEDs which draw much less current allowing more to be available to a DC to DC charger such as this one. If you don't know the amperage rating of your alternator then find a VIN decoder website for your vehicle and put the VIN number in, and it should report what size alternator you have.
You really should be pushing for installation of all conductors, including 4 AWG, with ferrules. That way they fit for sure and no errant strands.
Our wiring kit we release for this product will include/omit ferrules as we see appropriate.
Great Test! I'd be keen to know if there are any 24v variants being released soon? We do have an 24v battery in the caravan charged by the 12v alternator output of the car. The old unit is almost useless to charge a 7kw battery within a one day drive.
hi my twin victrons are only giving out 10amps max at moment.18a and 30amp parallel dc chargers.i have 10amps at starter battery my alternator was upgraded couple years ago 140amps i think.i still have my old 12amp charger running agm battery also separate circuit .the victrons supply 105ah lifepo4.have to top up lifepo4 with mains charger every few days but on weekends away need that extra power
This may take some more in-depth troubleshooting. If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support
If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂
Thanks for this great test.🎉
Our pleasure!
Does the lack of traditional vertical finned heatsink and distance from mounting surface mean that it can be mounted at any orientation? Also, considering this, would both have registered a bit cooler if they weren’t flat on table, or is it negligible. I’m now considering the space beneath the Promaster driver seat as a viable option…. And you just answered my question about orientation! Should’ve watched to end. 😃
Thank you so much for such a comprehensive video. Really helpful
the temp difference wouldnt be worth the cost of upgrade, but that increase of amps going to batteries sure is!!! so cool, thanks for sharing this comparison!
Big time! We've got these in stock at shop.explorist.life
Nate, the XS stands for Extra Smart.
Yes, it's worth planning an upgrade because the increased output with decreased temperature is better especially in considering higher ambient temperatures and decreased air flow and space limitations.
I suspect the tech is probably state of the art high quality Fet's, triacs, rectifier diodes, and top notch processor like maybe Texas Instruments which is another win but I digress.
Can the output voltage be set to any desired voltage?
Thank you for your review. I know you want to be one of the first out with a review on this. I can appreciate that. That said, you need test these the way they are going to be used. The output test is really useless without your "alternator/input" being at 14+ volts. Also, in this case, at least adjust the output of the XS to be 30 amps so that we have an apples to apples comparison at 30 amps for both with the exact same input. And we really need to see what the XS will do with a stable 14.1-14.4 high amperage input. Is it really a 50 amp/700 watt charger or not? We really don't know at this point and we have no idea how hot it will get at full 700 watt capacity. I would like to see the amperage output adjustment tested to see how low it will go and how well it works as you slowly increase it. The manual says it can be adjusted from 1-50 amps in "tenth amp increments" but I am wondering if it can go lower than 1 amp, say for example a 1/2 or 3/4 amp output. It would be nice if you could put an accurate clamp on the input and output so that we can actually see what the loss is across the unit and then test the lost at different out levels. For example, what is the loss when you adjust the output to 5 amps, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50? Some people may want to replace their old 30amp charger (or even a 10amp or 20amp) with this and run it adjusted to 30amps as they cannot update the wiring size (I am actually planning to do this until I can change my wiring out). Hope this all makes sense. Again, thank you.
Thanks for doing the heat test, something I don’t have the equipment to do. I noted the ‘test rig’ was wired wrong when you were showing the table top test rig 😮 The new XS has the input/alternator on the left, the output/vehicle battery is on the right. Obviously corrected when doing the heat tests as it worked 😅(you can make out the correctly rearranged ‘in’ and ‘out’ cables on the infrared image). The graphics later in the video (15:28) are also misleading, would be better to show the Alternator on the left and the Battle Born batteries on the right - flow of power left to right thru the XS.
I too have the early Smart Buckboost labelled version and was disappointed to find the VE.Smart network not functioning, no advance warning of this from my supplier in the UK. Needed your video! I’ve had to provide external cold charge protection until the firmware is available.
To answer your “needing to know ..something..”😂 I’ll look forward to your follow-up video when the VE’s are functional, especially any Bluetooth linking to the BMV with temperature sensor. And, Yes, an upgrade is definitely worth it. The weight reduction is really significant at less than a 1/4 of the old unit. For example, those with 2x old smart Orion’s (i.e 2x360 watts), replacing with 1x new XS (700 watts) would be close to 90% lighter, and all that extra space for improved ventilation!
Looking forward to your next video.
Edit... Feb 22nd, just updated the XS to recently released firmware (1.03) to enable the V.E.Smart function to operate 😊, will test and then remove my temporary cold charge protection. Looking forward to the first EL Academy video…
Do you know about another units being released in reasonable future? I am interested in 12V to 24V.
Can we expect similar upgrades - smaller size, higher performance and less heating - for solar chargers in the near future?
Is this just the first of many next-generation Victron devices?
Hello! If you connect the 12v alternator and charge a 240 amp 24 amp lithium battery. I can load
I'd like to see a video on the Orion DC-DC Converters.. If I'm using one or the other to charge a power station while on the road.. and possibly a LIPO battery as an aside. Why would I choose one vs the other?
Good video! It answered almost all of my questions. I'll be using one to power a ham radio that is designed to operate at 13.8-VDC within tight tolerances. If voltage drops too low, it will start producing low-level signals away from the tuned frequency. The new Orion 50 looks perfect for maintaining voltage. Here is my one remaining question: can it be programmed to give an low-voltage alarm at a specified voltage, then automatically shut down, if a critically low input voltage is reached?
Even if not supported internally, you can use the remote switch input to do that. There are "voltage sensing relay" modules available.
@@Sylvan_dB ; I just looked at a few, from what I see, they may work with the Orion XS. Thanks!
Back feed charging the start battery is a feature I would like to see Victron adopt. If you have a way that you do that already, please share, thanks.
Great video Nate.
As I understand it you can configure in the VictronConnect app the current drawn by the Orion XS ie. 50A / 40A / 30A etc.
It would be interesting to see what impact changing the current settings has on the heat generated by the unit.
Also have you considered what impact a 50A draw has on the vehicles alternator ? When compared with the older Orion 30A models. Would the higher amperage potentially be shortening the lifespan of your vans alternator ?
Hi Nate. Excellent videos, keep them coming. If you have a 70 - 80ah alternator as most boats near me have, and derate the XS accordingly, will it reduce the units heat output by much of a margin in your opinion. Thanks in advance.
Promising unit indeed. My existing set up has a 2 in 1 dcdc+solar charge controller. It would be interesting to see how compact the new Orion + solar charge controller from victron could be. Space is often a big hurdle for existing installations to upgrade to Victron.
The problem is that "worst case condition" doesn't fit with comparison testing. It's very well possible that the results be different (in terms of comparison) in vertical position, since one is equipped with a heat sink and the other hasn't. The XS might be 10% colder and the other one 30% colder.
Test them vertically and compare notes many , thanks
Good stuff 👍
Very informative, thank you! (1) I would be interested in knowing more about if/how the XS would integrate with a BMV-712 using VE Smart Networking. (2) I'm quite interested in purchasing an XS and this wouldn't be an upgrade for me. I stayed away from the previous unit due to size and heat... a big concern as I'm running a smaller platform (Jeep JT with an Alucab Canopy Camper).
I have a 6 month old van with parallel 30 amp smart units. Until one goes out I cant justify cost replacing with new unit, also have redundancy if a failure occurs, even if that is rare.
I am not a fan of this new model since it doesn't have an isolated ground connection, which won't work well in my style RV - a truck camper.
Or will it? Should I just take the "input ground" off my Orion 30 and connect it to my shunt?, and delete the output wire from my Orion 30 that goes to the shunt?
We've made wiring kits that take the 'isolated' part of this out of the question. Check out todays video and the pinned comment for a tutorial/wiring kit: ruclips.net/video/MOtXT7Ld5xs/видео.html
Yes worth it to upgrade.
You didn’t mention a price so I can’t answer your question whether it’s worth it. I doubt I’ll buy one since I need 24v charging. I’ll just put a 120v inverter in the truck and run 120v back to the trailer where I already have a Hybrid 120/24 v charger. I get a big double hit for my money since I gain 120v source on my truck.
Still think a heat sync would be a good idea, or at least raise the new unit on standoffs.
The aluminum plate on the back *IS* the heat sink. It's just not the big bulky one from the old orion smart because it doesn't need it in order to function without derating.
@@EXPLORISTlife That's fine, but what harm would there have been to make the back side with some fins for more surface area.
@@andrewford80 It would Increase the price. Also you could always buy an aftermarket heat sink and stick it on if you were that way inclined.
Really looking forward to buying one of these from you!
I have no idea if my current Orion even works. My truck has "smart" charging out the 7-pin so I can never see it charging when parked and the bluetooth on the old Orion can't penetrate the double wall aluminum of my Airstream plus the metal from the truck. I assume I'll be able to see this in the VRM portal.
The adjustable charging current is another plus for me. I'd like to see how much current I can get out my factory wiring without running additional cable between the truck and trailer.
"peak efficiency" is a marketing number. Do they publish any efficiency curves (efficiency vs amps or efficiency vs watts) ?
How does this compare to the Victron 50 A Buck Boost in terms of heat? App controls are much nicer for sure.
No doubt the 50A is more efficient than the 30A desgn and the VE Direct is worth the price of admission alone.
What I would like to see is a test at elevated temperatures (your average installation will see 50C +) and at alternator voltages (At least 14v) so see if or when the DCDC starts to thermally throttle.
Well done, You will, probably get a call soon for role in “Top Gun 3”😊
I sure hope so.
The starting temp was 9 degrees Celsius. What was the room temperature at? Would be interesting to see if the ambient temperature was like 30+ degrees celcius.
The room temp was also 9 degrees C.
I really appreciate the info on your videos. I'd love to see a set up with dual Orion XS's, dual factory 125A alternators and dual batteries (specifically a 2013 GMC diesel truck).
Great info. Being non isolated, is this unit appropriate for tow vehicle/trailer application?
14:30 11.8v is crazy low voltage. This would be why it was getting so hot. Increase this to about 14v and do the test again so we can see a real world heat. Also should be done in ambient temperature around 30c
Will you update your existing electrical plans to include the new Orion XS?
If you ran 2 Orion 50A would you need 2 separate wires from alternator? (Assuming a Sprinter with electrical in the back for distance)
No, just a single wire rated to deliver 100A to the chargers. A splitter would then be used to divide the inputs to the two units.
@@drott150 Agreed, although some overhead beyond 100A is always nice.
@@Fastmack "Rated" means with the appropriate overhead/oversizing built in.
Really curious how these work on the inside that generates so much heat
A lot of us watching already have the old style of Orion DC-DC Chargers as well as an MPPT. Can you do a test with both an old style and new XS working together? plus an MPPT? For those of us who have alternators big enough to handle this, it would be really nice to see how well they all work together, how hot they get in a realistic install
Hi, thanks for a great test! I would like to see how xs handling a short voltage drop, lets say a bowthruster is used on starter-battery. Will it stop charging the consumption batteries during that short period of time? Thanks!
Will victron make a 50 or 60 amp charger that can toggle to 30amp for idling the engine since damage occurs to the alternator while idling more than driving.
That’s what I like about the 60amp renogy charger I currently have.
The new 50a charger should allow for 2awg wires for longer vehicles like full size buses as the renogy 60a.
I do like the compact size and hope to see more like that in upgrades for all Victron components
Do you happen to know the actual operating (ie test bench)specs for your Renogy 60A unit? I run the same one and would love to compare it to this Orion 50A. Cheers.
I will be upgrading for the lower heat / higher efficiency. I have 2 x Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Charger and get 52 AMPs from them if im lucky. Looks like I would get 90 AMPs from 2 x Orion XS. This would charge my 400 AMP batterys in just over half the time. Being in Northern Europe In the winter this will make a real difference and it may pay for it self in a year as I will not have to run the engine for as long or drive the slightly longer route to get a better charge.
Have you done heat tests on Renogy dc to dc? I’ve bought 3 which all failed due to heat. I think I’m going victron next
We don't really deal with Renogy components, but it seems like you've got enough information on your end to draw a conclusion there. 😂 Would love to have you as a customer. shop.explorist.life
Can u test, show the Power Supply mode on this new unit?
Please show it working together with a Mppt. It’s the biggest disadvantage of the old one for me.
Hi nate
Great video again. At what point is it better to just get an alternator that can charge lithium price wise?
Assuming I can replace my _isolated_ Orion Tr-Smart for this Orion XS, I'm absolutely going to do it. There is no downside. It's smaller, cooler, more powerful, and communicates with the Cerbo GX. Even if it generated the same amount of heat as my current Orion Tr-Smart, I would do it. I see some other great questions in the comments that interest me. My specific questions are:
1. Whether or not this unit can be swapped with an isolated unit and, if so, how?
2. If I replace the wiring from my starter battery to this unit (~28 ft) with 4 ga. wire, but cannot replace the 10 ft of 6 ga. wiring from the Orion to my lithium battery system, what is the penalty in terms of output?
Thanks for the information Nate. Sounds like they have indeed fixed all my gripes about the Orion. Waiting impatiently for your email about stock, so I can place an order ;)
Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/
Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those.
NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one.
So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders.
I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
Definitely worth the upgrade from what Ive seen so far. Except I dont want to run new wire behind my shower wall lol
Will you be selling these with a wiring kit in your store?
Hey! Just a heads up but we got our first shipment in for the new Victron Orion XS 50A DC DC Chargers: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
And here is the wiring kit for it: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-12-12-50-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/
Dual Orion XS wiring kit coming soon. Orion 30A to Orion 50A retrofit coming soon. Stay tuned to our social media for the announcement for those.
NOTE: I'm sending this everybody on the waiting list at the same time as well as a social media blast; and there are a lot more on the waiting list than I have available as of today and these WILL SELL OUT, But... since we have gotten our first shipment, that gives me confidence that we will have more in a timely manner; which means that we will be taking backorders. This means that if we sell out, you can pre-purchase for our next shipment and we will fulfil those IN THE ORDER THEY ARE RECEIVED, so time is still of the essence if you want one.
So, when will the next shipment of these arrive? Our current best estimate is April 26th for the next small shipment, and then by early June, we anticipate having enough to fulfill ALL orders.
I will not be sending out waiting list emails for these. If you want to get 'on the list'; purchase one (or two) on backorder and we will send them out as we get them in: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-xs-1212-50-dc-dc-charger-non-isolated
So then if you do get the 14+ volts from your alternator, the heat will also increase. The question is what would that be?
Or would it be less because it doesn't have to convert a lower voltage to a higher voltage.
Thanks Nate, will this be available in a 24/24 version. I'd definitely pay the extra. Cheers Mark
Eventually, yes. Not ETA, though.