What do you do when you pay 💰 💰 for a solar and lithium system that doesn’t work?! You call Mike to troubleshoot it. Check out the video to see what not to do and what we had to do to fix it.
A good heavy gauge wire to use in larger systems is battery cable for semi's. It is extremely fine strand, it's engineered for high current 12 volt DC use rather than 120 volts AC (starters on large commercial diesel engines), it has insulation that can take punishment in an industrial setting for years and years, and you can buy the battery interconnects pre-made since semi's usually have four batteries. Keep up the good work!!! Way too many "experts" out there in the solar install field that don't know their a$$ from their elbow. "It's only twelve volts". It isn't the voltage, it's the current that starts fires and/or kills. And you and I both know the current on the 12 volt side is ten times that of the 120 volt AC side. Personally, I like to see circuit breakers and disconnects on the solar panel feeds prior to the controllers, the batteries to charge controllers, the batteries to inverters, batteries to circuit breaker panel (like a main in a house panel)... pretty much everywhere there might be an issue or a reason to eliminate the power source quickly.
is there a website that you report the installer to so that others interested in getting a system installed can check on their installer and make sure they don't have a similar issue or do you just not report it to anyone and wish their future customers the best of luck and hope it doesn't burn down their rig?
For those that wonder - the system you installed for us, with quality wiring, has recorded higher wattage than the panels are even rated for. Quality matters. Not just the wiring, but in your choice of installer 😁👍 Thanks Mike& Leanna!
Holy cow. Imagine how many installations there are like this out there. Job Security! As a newbie I used installation drawings and recommendations from a professional with all Victron for my RV system. I am now taking an ABYC Electrical Certification course because I enjoyed it so much.
Wow. Just.Wow. What a mess, and for $22k the previous installers call themselves professionals...? Nicely done video and excellent work! Appreciate the detailed explanations!
Wow - how frustrating that must have been for the client. I’m glad you were able to get it fixed for them. A good reminder that this stuff requires an install tech who knows what he is doing. Thanks for sharing!
shoot even I saw the battery issue. but when you drive semi. we deal with multiple batteries, oh my goodness. that's a mess and looks all wrong. I don't even know all the acronym he's using. but ive sat an watched with my head tilted sideway almost the whole time. lol. but holy moly. once again.intallation genius. man I im so glad we know you guys. im totally face timing you when I finish the install and do the wiring. lol. oh no. this sounds like alllllll bad. so glad you guys saved the day. sounds like it could have been a lot worse and cost the people their home. thank you for sharing. and we won't ever let anyone but you guys do ours for sure . love you guys.
Yes, glad that things worked out for the client, but hate they had to deal with that mess. There are so many people who think it's easy and want to get into the business doing it, but it really isn't "easy" and there's a lot of liability. It can definitely be scary. Thanks for watching and we definitely can't wait to do yours.
Hi guys. We really enjoyed Mayberry this weekend. Super thanks to Mike for showing Scot, Chloe, and Sophie around Mike and Theresa's install. Thank you for dumbing it down for Scot to understand:) He keeps telling folks that he doesn't really understand what you're talking about in your videos but it is a really cool process. He said it looked really neat inside and the pictures from the top were cool as well. It's neat to see in this video how you were able to correct the previous install. The fact that you put your work out there for all to see is a reference in itself. There's not doubting that you are professional at what you do and you don't take shortcuts. The proof is right there in the video. So glad to have joined you guys and looking forward to learning more about the awesome work you do!
I (Leanna) hate that I missed you guys!! I had no idea y'all were even there! Thanks for watching and stopping by! Mike enjoyed meeting you all and no problem! Glad y'all enjoyed the install tour. :) Safe travels!!
Great video! I don't have an rv but am researching for when I do. I applaud your not naming the previous contractor but hope that they receive some additional training
You were very diplomatic not to throw the incompetent clown that installed that system under the bus. Hope the owner sued them and publicized warning to others. Great video. Learning more about solar from you than any other YT channel, and there are many good channels. Thanks.
Thanks so much, Bob. We definitely want to help people understand. We've walked countless potential clients through via conference call so they can better understand their needs. We appreciate your support!
Thanks for the great video! I'm planning on adding one more BB battery to the existing two in my '22 Classic 33FB. That sure is tight squeeze working from the front locker, though.
Wow! I would’ve be crying if that was my AS!! I’m so glad y’all took time out of your busy schedule to help them out. Can’t wait for our install. I also wait patiently for all your new weekly videos!
Thank you. This is a great video. I spent a good part of my career fabricating, modifying and repairing laboratory instrumentation. That kept me busy and out of trouble. Thanks again.
This is scary! We are building out our bus now, and I was going to contract out someone to put in the wiring and solar, but geez. When I have no idea what it's supposed to look like, and I knew that the battery bank wasn't wired correctly just from watching RUclips videos...wow just bad. Great job getting the client fixed up again.
Watch Will Prowse on youtube, this guy obviously doesn't know what he is doing. To snip those cables because he didn't have the proper tools? Come on man!
Greg, Not really sure why you're trolling, but I cut those out in that way to send to the manufacturer of the batteries because they were being blamed for a manufacturer defect. All the cheap Chinese crap that was utilized in the original battery bank had to be replaced because it wasn't true 2/0 AWG, which is also discussed in this video... Feel free to watch any of my other videos as it seems you're new here. Also, feel free to call Battle Born and name drop me to anyone there and ask them if I know what I'm doing...
Traveling CODA, Thanks for watching and definitely make sure you get references whenever you do get someone to put in the wiring. Appreciate your understanding of what's supposed to be vs what's not supposed to be.
There ought to be some professional designation created that marks one as qualified to do this work on RVs. I’ve seen plenty of amateur diy videos where this type of work was done successfully by owners who educated themselves and carefully followed best practices. The dead giveaway that this guy had no business doing this job is all the unnecessary holes he put in the roof. Horrors. I’ve never owned an RVer but from watching all of you who do on RUclips I know you don’t cavalierly drill holes all over the roof. This guy didn’t know what he didn’t know which is the most dangerous situation. Thanks for showing us how a real expert does this work.
Question, when you mount roof panels on Airstream, what do you use? VHB alone, screws, or rivets? We are thinking of adding to our existing factory system. We have one open space on our rooftop factory wiring plug in housing and enough headroom on our Victron. Not too sure I want to drill or make holes. What do you use? Good videos!
Thank you! I wish all installers were as knowledgeable as you. I can't wait for an opening so I will have to have someone install mine. do you know anyone in the Oklahoma City area?? Thanks
I will be in PA early fall. We are going to be offering finance options as well starting in February. Please visit our website, we are looking forward to hearing from you. thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
First time seeing your video and channel. You impressed me a lot so I subscribed. I'm planning on adding lithium batteries on my Class B and I know I would love to hire you when the time comes. Can't do it now because RV is still under warranty and I don't trust the tech guys of the dealer. Sure do hope you are still around when I do make the transition to lithium.
Thank you for watching. We have installed lots of systems on brand new RVs. It does not void the warranty. Check out our website. thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
If you have two batteries you should have negative cable out off one and positive out off two! Why has no one in any of the wiring diagrams ever shown this? Is this the same for power from the charge control in as well? Thanks so much for pointing this out.
I'm doing my own and I've got experience in electronic and electrical engineering. I'm pretty confident in my system but had to make sure I didn't do anything listed in this video. And DAMN! No, I did not do ANY of these bad things and probably would have had to fail all my 101 classes to have done THAT!
Master electrician/Process control electrician for 33yrs. Great trouble shooting. Very difficult to walk up to somebodies mess and figure out what's going on. I don't think the installer was even an apprentice. At least reference a wiring diagram till you become familiar with installs. Nice job.
Thanks so much for stopping by. It is most definitely difficult to walk into a mess like this, but just glad we were able to get the client buttoned up properly. Appreciate it.
HOWdy T-D-C, You pointed out the SHUNT in this system ... What is the actual PURPOSE of the SHUNT ? what does it DO & what is the PURPOSE of a SHUNT in this SYSTEM ? Thanks COOP ...
Are there any certification necessary to do lithium and solar installations, so you get somebody that knows what their doing? With high cost of lithium and solar, how do you protect yourself from a poor/unsafe installation? If someone contacts you personally, can you give recommendations of installers you trust if we are too far from you? Thank you for doing all your videos and the extreme amount of care you put in your work for the installation and consumer.
Thanks so much, Ronald. This is a tough one. So, there are certifications that one can get; however, it doesn't necessarily make them a good installer, if you know what I mean. I'm a 25 year installation professional, so I think years of experience can really factor in as well. As far as protecting yourself, I would highly suggest getting the references as we mentioned, but also make sure they're an actual business with credentials, insurance and also check Facebook groups and forums to get suggestions of who others have used and experienced as well. We are completely mobile and go all over the country - we'll be headed west in 2021. Unfortunately, we have not yet found another installer that we 100% trust and would suggest. Including this installation we have 3 total systems so far that we are having to "fix". We've been told by vendors of some other gone-wrong installations, too. So, the more references and people vouching for the installer along with actual credentials cannot be reiterated enough here for sure.
@@TheDryCampers I think you broke the record for fastest replies I have ever seen. This speaks volumes about your concerns forthe end use consumers. If I had typed any slower you would have been answering my questions before I wrote them.
if i ever have an rv bus or wagon i will definetly call you folks. right now im 74 cant see cant walk and am broke but if god wants me to i ll hire a driver and ride along just like what god wants me too.
Pro tip , use wire Ferrell on those big conductors, it will save you from loose strands and if you’re really chasing that last percentage of efficiency solder the ends with some silver solder, clean with some 800 grit sandpaper and put some dielectric grease over your complete connections ( not between contacts, over the contacts)
I've been an electrician for 30 years. I've never done a solar instal but am trying to learn as much about it as I can. What would be my best source to gain knowledge in this field?
DIY solar power with will prowse channel on you tube has a lot of info on solar systems and how to install them and how to size your system I've used his channel and a few others to gain knowledge to do it my self.
Hi Don, we will be offering finance options, we should have it available in February if you are still interested in having a system installed by us. thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
Excellent video. Glad to know someone understands this option. We just acquired a Delano 24FB with only 100W solar, a1000W pure sine inverter and 1 12V wet battery. Would a person go wrong with just a 100 AH lithium battery ( or two) for their initial start to upgrade to 200W solar and 2000 W inverter eventually? Thanks!
Just a quick, maybe odd question. What is the smallest RV that you have done a battery (and or) solar installation on? What is the least number of lithium batteries have you installed in a rv? Thank you
When solar panels are located on the roof of an RV, are there any place to avoid screws the brackets down. When are the screws too long? Does it matter what mfg. trailer your working on?
I've seen dozens of $8-10,000 jobs that have major design flaws requiring serious repair. It never ceases to amaze me that people will spend that kind of money without getting references. It doesn't take long to look around on the internet. Nothing says "qualified installer" like dozens of happy customers. Just because someone knows some fancy words, and has watched a few dozen RUclips videos, does not make him a good installer.
Yeah, systems like these are typically over $20K. Unfortunately in this situation the client had no reason not to trust the source of this installation, until the system shut down after 15 minutes of use, of course.
Question: Why would you not put the solar panels in series vs parallel? The panels have bypass and blocking diodes so one panel being shaded will not affect the others and the voltage will be increased therefore reducing the need for huge wire. Personally i have 3, 300 watt 36Volt residential panels on our RV wired in series with an inline fuse on the roof and a DC breaker just before the MPPT controller. Please explain why you use lower dc voltage from the panels vs higher. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
What a mess! And dangerous also! Fine job on cleaning all of that up. That is a very expensive RV to have such a poorly installed system. Sad how good knowledgeable service is really lacking these days.
Currently in Queen City, Texas for the month of January. Where are you located? Check out our website and see if we will be coming near you. thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
wow, and just look at how much they already spent, 6 battle borns, a bunch of very nice victron devices, probably $5k, and crappy wiring. An unconnected shunt?! I don't do this for a living and 2 of the main problems i wouldn't have done - no fuse coming out of the battery and connecting pos and neg to the same battery of a multi battery bank. Good you actually had to rewire it all, since there was other things going on. The owner should now be able to enjoy their huge investment for several years. Great job!
Some people don’t realize. A 0.5 volt drop is huge in a low voltage system, and can rob your system of 10% through inverter efficiency and charging power loss
Sir, I think it's your job to call out the installer by name to save somebody the headache and more importantly their lives! Don't enable this joker to keep trying to kill people. Also, this should have been a 24 or 48-volt system. Great job on the retrofit.
You actually wouldn't want an "electrician" to do this kind of work, which is why this one didn't work to begin with. Electricians typically don't understand DC power, which is the main power system in an RV. But actually yes, I do hold low voltage licenses in multiple states across the US, along with 26 years of experience.
The Dry Campers, I know you have all the best intentions but you are not licensed to do what you are doing. A low voltage license of any kind would not cover the scope of would you are preforming. 26 years of experience is not a good thing if you are not licensed and not preforming work in accordance with the NEC. I’m a licensed electrician and the minority of work I preform is off grid property electrification. An electrician is exactly who you would want installing alternative energy equipment. We have a national electric code for a reason. If covers the full scope of alternative energy both AC and DC.
@@Biogasifier you are incorrect. A low voltage electrical license, depending on the state may be from 50V or less while as others are from 240V or less. Because an RV is mobile it does not fall under the same restrictions that a fixed structure does, which is why the RVIA has a set of guidelines that mirror the NEC. I've been licensed for 22 of my 26 years of experience. So, are you trying to say that the ELECTRICIAN that did the original install on this RV did everything in accordance to the NEC?? Were you the original installer on this setup?
@@Biogasifier I can tell you as a customer of The Dry Campers that they are the best in the business at what they do. I did tons of research before hiring them and have been more than happy with our install. Not sure what happened that made you come at them like this, but as a customer I stand behind his work. Can I ask you a question? Are you the person who maybe did the install on this rig, and that is why you are coming at them? You may not be, but I was just curious. They did ask this above and you did not answer. My guess is that you are. Good luck with your future endeavors as well my friend.
Can you replace two 6V batteries with lithium batteries while keeping your existing solar system? After looking at my system I would need to upgrade the controller to work with the lithium batteries. What else do I need to look into?
Sure you can - definitely upgrade the controller and also check your converter for lithium charging compatibility. You just have to make sure you can put the power back in the batteries.
My guess this was some individual that had some household electrical knowledge and not a legitimate company. Good thing that customer found you before things could’ve gone real bad.
@The Dry Campers, Hi Just a quick question, when you have 4 lithium batteries in parallel and say you have the pos of the cc on one end of the bank and the neg on the opposite end of the bank, and same with say an inverter, one cable on one end and the other at the other end, Do the 4 Batteries stay balanced doing it that way? I know thats a way to do it with lead acid but not sure with lithium as I am trying to find a balanced configuration, Thanks for any advise.
When you connect the batteries the way they were originally shown in the video, the battery at the main connection point does the lion's share of the work supplying the load. When connected with the positive at one end of the string and the negative at the opposite end of the string, the load gets distributed evenly across all the batteries. This extends the life of the batteries because all of them share the load equally.
Great info, there comes a point where you got a rat out the person that does a bad job. Perhaps it was done behind the scenes I sure hope so. Incompetent people that are confident are dangerous to others.
I'm intrigued how you wired 10 solar panels, 5 either side of a curved roof (where sun conditions could be really different each side). How many in series and parallel.
Unless it's unavoidable, I wire everything in parallel. As far as Airstream roofs, to keep the aesthetics the panels are flat mounted. This does cause a slight pitch, but to most Airstream owners the aesthetics are more important than the small loss due to the pitch. On our 1988 Airstream we did 2600W of a rail system, but it was quite the eyesore.
@@TheDryCampers Wouldn't it make more sense to wire the panels in series? You have an MPPT controller that will accept higher voltage, plus you wouldn't need the huge gauge wire leading down from the roof.
@@tgriebe the problem with a series configuration there would be shading. Those AC units look like they are shading parts of the panels since they are so close and would affect the entire system. A combination of series-parallel would be nice to reduce wire guage and hopefully mitigate the shading issue.
It evens out the load drawn from the battery bank. The system then treats the battery bank as one battery and the load is evenly distributed. Also the charge going back into the bank is done evenly. The way it was setup, the one battery with Pos & Neg attached bears the brunt of load and charging is uneven. If you were able to open the top of just one 12v battery, it is actually 6 x 2v cells connected in parallel with a Pos & Neg post at each end - same principle.
@@kimbostitch7034 Actually the individual internal cells are wired in series. That is why the positive goes to one end and the negative to the other. This is not necessary for parallel configuration. For a thought experiment pick the positive or negative and look at that. Call battery 1 closest to the load and battery 4 furthest from the load. If you pull 400 amps The cable from the load to to battery 1 will carry 400 amps. The cable between battery 1 & 2 will carry 300 amps. The cable between battery 2 & 3 will carry200 amps The cable between battery 3 & 4 will carry 100 amps. Now what you buy for each battery, such as fuses will be more expensive as you get closer to the load. They progressively have to handle more current. I would want a fuse as close to the battery as possible. I want a fuse between each battery. This way if a battery shorts, the fuse takes it out of the system. There is no way around the 400 amps between the battery bank and the load. I recommend that batteries in parallel be wired through a fuse to a terminal block. This configuration would have 100 amps through each cable and 400 amps from the terminal block to the load. This way the load from each battery to the terminal block would be 1/4th or 100 amps. Then you run a cable for the block to the load capable of 400 amps. I have 4 - 300 AH batteries in parallel. I contacted AmpereTime with my recommendation and they said I was correct and they would update their manual.
You didn’t show the new install…. So comments are based on what you were saying so forgive me if I am incorrect. Fuses need to go within 12” of the power source. So they should be right next to the battery. I have seen issues with insurance claims after fires because the investigation revealed that there were fuses 10’ from the battery and the power cable shorted where it passed through 2’ from the battery. Just an FYI for the viewers. Can you elaborate on my you say the (“first thing”) the power should com off the battery on opposite sides of the battery connections?. I have done hundreds of parallel battery bank installs on police mobile command posts and marine assets and while I typically use and see a solid copper buss bar across the batteries, I never see or install the power take off on opposite sides. As long as the buss (or cable) is of sufficient size and does not have a high resistance there is no reason to extend one cable over to the opposite side of the buss. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be but I done know the electrical reason why you would want to or a safety reason why you need to. But I am willing to learn.
When you have loads of 200 or more amps you would never connect both positive and negatives to the same end of the battery, the first battery in the line will discharge before the last battery by putting the pos and neg at opposing ends the batteries split the load amongst themselves. This will allow your batteries to last longer.
Electrician checking in. This is nightmare fuel. I'm curious how the connection is made between the 2/0 and the threads, under the heat shrink. Is it some kind of compression fitting? Never seen anything like it.
It was a very poorly made cable that was ordered from some foreign company (definitely not made in the US). The copper in the cables not true solid copper. The cable was much lighter than the cables that I replaced it with. This junction was the choke point from the seperate "banks" of batteries... There was not enough surface area in the connection to allow the amperage to flow from the batteries to the inverters. I have never seen anything like it before either. Once everything had been gone through and reinstalled with proper wiring and resealing, the system is still working flawlessly.
Yes it carries far more amperage. Regular 2/0 cable may have 20 strands and is rated 195 amps. 2/0 battery cable has 1330 strands and is rated up to 330 amps.
What y'all travel the country doing installs? I should hire you. lol Very neat that they had to call you back. Ok now I have to ask. Who did the install? Just Kidding. No response needed on that. Oh wow that is not a good setup on the batteries. Even I know better and that is saying something. This is wild. That is why I went right to the best. Did not want to pay twice. This is really bad and dangerous. This was insane. Glad they did call you or anyone else for that matter before someone really got hurt. This is what I was talking about that cheaper is not always better. You get what you pay for with this stuff. Look at that pup sitting there. awh. Holy crap. Yep that will cause leaks every time. Who ever did this have never had an RV. Some of this stuff is so simple. BINGO on doing your research. You know I did. That is the name of the game. As stated you get what you pay for. Great share y'all.
lol - yeah, maybe you should do that. Nah, we're so glad that you reached out and decided to go with us and entrust us as well and we appreciate our gained friendship. Thanks for watching and for the support. Appreciate you guys!
Hi there Andrea, if you head over to our website, thedrycampers.com, go to Contact Us, choose your time zone and best time to speak with Mike, complete the inquiry questions and we can begin conversations. :)
Seems a shame to have that much battery storage wired for 12v. Choosing 24v system design for 1/2 the current and 1/4 the losses in the wiring (or smaller wires) and a better operating inverter seems a no brainer these days. A DC:DC 24:12v converter isn't expensive, and neither is a 12:24 charger to charge from the chassis system if that is desired. Charging that way is also a lot safer for the alternator and that big bank of batteries.
The thing is that pretty much all RVs have 12 volt native wiring - the water pump, water heater, furnace, refrigerator, lighting, and most importantly the trailer brakes - all 12 volt. No doubt it could be done but it would introduce a great deal of complexity compared to just sticking with 12 volt.
This is a good explainer for issues presented but I can't help to comment about maintaining their 12 volt system to drive a 1500+ watt AC. For that matter, a lot of the expensive wiring, switches and junctions could have remained if instead of gutting it all the system was converted to a 24 volt plus system instead. Even with the best of installations, having 150 amps (AC plus smaller AC electronics) flowing through the wiring of a moving vehicle is potentially dangerous.
Good job cleaning up someone else's mess. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use bolts to terminate a cable before, how were they attached to the cable? As a side note, take it from someone that has worked in an industrial plant, take off your watch and anything else conductive like rings or necklaces. Seeing what a watch or ring does your skin when it decides to do some welding while you're wearing it is not pretty.
Thanks for watching. The crimp end had some sort of nut attachment and the bolt screwed into that. It was definitely interesting. I had never seen anything like that before either. Thanks for the tip. You're right, just can't go without my watch. :) Bad habits die hard.
You are confusing high frequency propagation with DC. DC current (and low frequency AC for that matter, 50-60Hz is low frequency) flows through all of the conducting material, not just the outside or surface of the conductor. The issue with using solid conductors in a road going vehicle is faster fatigue at flex points. The other issue, as mentioned in the video, is if the clamping force on the wire does not get enough conductive surface contact it creates a high resistance point in the circuit.
![Chino Pacas - Smith (ft. Junior H & Fuerza Regida) [Video Visualizador Oficial]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BVK6k56X30Y/mqdefault.jpg)
What do you do when you pay 💰 💰 for a solar and lithium system that doesn’t work?! You call Mike to troubleshoot it. Check out the video to see what not to do and what we had to do to fix it.
A good heavy gauge wire to use in larger systems is battery cable for semi's. It is extremely fine strand, it's engineered for high current 12 volt DC use rather than 120 volts AC (starters on large commercial diesel engines), it has insulation that can take punishment in an industrial setting for years and years, and you can buy the battery interconnects pre-made since semi's usually have four batteries. Keep up the good work!!! Way too many "experts" out there in the solar install field that don't know their a$$ from their elbow. "It's only twelve volts". It isn't the voltage, it's the current that starts fires and/or kills. And you and I both know the current on the 12 volt side is ten times that of the 120 volt AC side. Personally, I like to see circuit breakers and disconnects on the solar panel feeds prior to the controllers, the batteries to charge controllers, the batteries to inverters, batteries to circuit breaker panel (like a main in a house panel)... pretty much everywhere there might be an issue or a reason to eliminate the power source quickly.
..This is 12v top to bottom? They should have gone 24v in the first place. Did converting to a 24v system get discussed?
is there a website that you report the installer to so that others interested in getting a system installed can check on their installer and make sure they don't have a similar issue or do you just not report it to anyone and wish their future customers the best of luck and hope it doesn't burn down their rig?
A
The honk are
For those that wonder - the system you installed for us, with quality wiring, has recorded higher wattage than the panels are even rated for.
Quality matters. Not just the wiring, but in your choice of installer 😁👍
Thanks Mike& Leanna!
AWESOME!!! Pretty epic response and thanks for that! Appreciate you guys!
Nice to see a tradie not bagging out the previous tradesman. very informative
Thank you!
Holy cow.
Imagine how many installations there are like this out there.
Job Security!
As a newbie I used installation drawings and recommendations from a professional with all Victron for my RV system.
I am now taking an ABYC Electrical Certification course because I enjoyed it so much.
Wow. Just.Wow. What a mess, and for $22k the previous installers call themselves professionals...? Nicely done video and excellent work! Appreciate the detailed explanations!
Yes, it's most certainly difficult to see when these systems don't work or fail. We're just glad that we're able to get the clients up and running.
I'm sure those professionals had a lot of experience adding a battery and solar to popups!
Wow - how frustrating that must have been for the client. I’m glad you were able to get it fixed for them. A good reminder that this stuff requires an install tech who knows what he is doing. Thanks for sharing!
For sure. It was very disheartening and some definite frustration for the client. Thanks for watching, as always.
I cant believe they had the stuff all loose in the battery bay, the shunt wasn’t even screwed down, what! Great rescue mike. Larry
Yeah, it was downhill from there.
Would like to see the new install parts, combiners and junctions, fuses added, shutoff added. Let's see it all
shoot even I saw the battery issue. but when you drive semi. we deal with multiple batteries, oh my goodness. that's a mess and looks all wrong. I don't even know all the acronym he's using. but ive sat an watched with my head tilted sideway almost the whole time. lol. but holy moly. once again.intallation genius. man I im so glad we know you guys. im totally face timing you when I finish the install and do the wiring. lol. oh no. this sounds like alllllll bad. so glad you guys saved the day. sounds like it could have been a lot worse and cost the people their home. thank you for sharing. and we won't ever let anyone but you guys do ours for sure . love you guys.
Yes, glad that things worked out for the client, but hate they had to deal with that mess. There are so many people who think it's easy and want to get into the business doing it, but it really isn't "easy" and there's a lot of liability. It can definitely be scary. Thanks for watching and we definitely can't wait to do yours.
They have a term we use where I come from….half assed!…..that’s what this install was..nice you have the knowledge and ethic to properly correct.
lol. Thank you.
Hi guys. We really enjoyed Mayberry this weekend. Super thanks to Mike for showing Scot, Chloe, and Sophie around Mike and Theresa's install. Thank you for dumbing it down for Scot to understand:) He keeps telling folks that he doesn't really understand what you're talking about in your videos but it is a really cool process. He said it looked really neat inside and the pictures from the top were cool as well. It's neat to see in this video how you were able to correct the previous install. The fact that you put your work out there for all to see is a reference in itself. There's not doubting that you are professional at what you do and you don't take shortcuts. The proof is right there in the video. So glad to have joined you guys and looking forward to learning more about the awesome work you do!
I (Leanna) hate that I missed you guys!! I had no idea y'all were even there! Thanks for watching and stopping by! Mike enjoyed meeting you all and no problem! Glad y'all enjoyed the install tour. :) Safe travels!!
Great video! I don't have an rv but am researching for when I do. I applaud your not naming the previous contractor but hope that they receive some additional training
Thank you!
You were very diplomatic not to throw the incompetent clown that installed that system under the bus. Hope the owner sued them and publicized warning to others. Great video. Learning more about solar from you than any other YT channel, and there are many good channels. Thanks.
Thanks so much, Bob. We definitely want to help people understand. We've walked countless potential clients through via conference call so they can better understand their needs. We appreciate your support!
I am getting the feeling the owners did the install...good save on this system...looks like you save this beautiful airstream from going up in flames.
Thanks for the great video! I'm planning on adding one more BB battery to the existing two in my '22 Classic 33FB. That sure is tight squeeze working from the front locker, though.
Thank you. Airstream's are definitely short on space!
Wow! I would’ve be crying if that was my AS!! I’m so glad y’all took time out of your busy schedule to help them out. Can’t wait for our install. I also wait patiently for all your new weekly videos!
We look forward to working with you and thanks for always watching!!
Great job.glad the owners or the rv wasn't harmed.
OMG, I don't have solar though one day I will. I learned a lot from this video. Get a reliable person to do an install.
Yes, absolutely. When you are ready for a system, please reach out.
thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
Thank you. This is a great video.
I spent a good part of my career fabricating, modifying and repairing laboratory instrumentation. That kept me busy and out of trouble.
Thanks again.
Thank you.
Nice video. I am an electrician and I know enough to understand that DC is a really different . I am taking lots of advice
Thank you.
Has a roofer, all I can say is "Holey Crap". Very informative. New to the channel, can't wait to watch more videos 👍
Thank you for watching!
That is why we used you guys. You pay for what you get.
Thanks for entrusting us! :)
This is scary! We are building out our bus now, and I was going to contract out someone to put in the wiring and solar, but geez. When I have no idea what it's supposed to look like, and I knew that the battery bank wasn't wired correctly just from watching RUclips videos...wow just bad. Great job getting the client fixed up again.
Watch Will Prowse on youtube, this guy obviously doesn't know what he is doing. To snip those cables because he didn't have the proper tools? Come on man!
Greg, Not really sure why you're trolling, but I cut those out in that way to send to the manufacturer of the batteries because they were being blamed for a manufacturer defect. All the cheap Chinese crap that was utilized in the original battery bank had to be replaced because it wasn't true 2/0 AWG, which is also discussed in this video... Feel free to watch any of my other videos as it seems you're new here. Also, feel free to call Battle Born and name drop me to anyone there and ask them if I know what I'm doing...
Traveling CODA, Thanks for watching and definitely make sure you get references whenever you do get someone to put in the wiring. Appreciate your understanding of what's supposed to be vs what's not supposed to be.
There ought to be some professional designation created that marks one as qualified to do this work on RVs. I’ve seen plenty of amateur diy videos where this type of work was done successfully by owners who educated themselves and carefully followed best practices. The dead giveaway that this guy had no business doing this job is all the unnecessary holes he put in the roof. Horrors. I’ve never owned an RVer but from watching all of you who do on RUclips I know you don’t cavalierly drill holes all over the roof. This guy didn’t know what he didn’t know which is the most dangerous situation. Thanks for showing us how a real expert does this work.
Yes, it was disheartening to us as RVers for sure. The unfortunate part is sometimes you just never know what you're paying for until it's too late.
In seeing other crap jobs, it helps us all learn better! Even better than a standard training video.. thx
Thank you for watching.
Awesome video, love all the detail and explanations. Excellent job, keep it up!
Thanks so much!
Thanks for the interesting warnings!
Question, when you mount roof panels on Airstream, what do you use? VHB alone, screws, or rivets? We are thinking of adding to our existing factory system. We have one open space on our rooftop factory wiring plug in housing and enough headroom on our Victron. Not too sure I want to drill or make holes. What do you use? Good videos!
A lot of knowledge goes into a good system. It isn't trivial
💯
Thank you! I wish all installers were as knowledgeable as you. I can't wait for an opening so I will have to have someone install mine. do you know anyone in the Oklahoma City area?? Thanks
I do not know anyone in that area. Please check out our availability to see if any of pour locations would work for you.
thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
This is a great video - really appreciated.
Thank you for watching.
Great job guys!
Thanks Larry!
Agreed
Good job Guy's 👍
Thank you.
I'll be retiring and buying an Airstream in a few years. Guess I know who will be doing my solar!
Airstreams feel like a walk in coffin.
I wish you were closer to Pennsylvania.
I will be in PA early fall. We are going to be offering finance options as well starting in February. Please visit our website, we are looking forward to hearing from you. thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
Great Video, will you be coming to Colorado anytime?
Not this year but maybe one of our location's this year will work for you. Please visit our website. thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
First time seeing your video and channel. You impressed me a lot so I subscribed. I'm planning on adding lithium batteries on my Class B and I know I would love to hire you when the time comes. Can't do it now because RV is still under warranty and I don't trust the tech guys of the dealer. Sure do hope you are still around when I do make the transition to lithium.
Thank you for watching. We have installed lots of systems on brand new RVs. It does not void the warranty. Check out our website. thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
I am so glad you know your stuff.
If you have two batteries you should have negative cable out off one and positive out off two! Why has no one in any of the wiring diagrams ever shown this? Is this the same for power from the charge control in as well? Thanks so much for pointing this out.
In battle borns instructions manual it gives clear and precise instructions on how to wire a multiple battery bank.
I'm doing my own and I've got experience in electronic and electrical engineering. I'm pretty confident in my system but had to make sure I didn't do anything listed in this video. And DAMN! No, I did not do ANY of these bad things and probably would have had to fail all my 101 classes to have done THAT!
Master electrician/Process control electrician for 33yrs. Great trouble shooting. Very difficult to walk up to somebodies mess and figure out what's going on. I don't think the installer was even an apprentice. At least reference a wiring diagram till you become familiar with installs. Nice job.
Thanks so much for stopping by. It is most definitely difficult to walk into a mess like this, but just glad we were able to get the client buttoned up properly. Appreciate it.
HOWdy T-D-C,
You pointed out the SHUNT in this system ...
What is the actual PURPOSE of the SHUNT ?
what does it DO & what is the PURPOSE of a SHUNT in this SYSTEM ?
Thanks
COOP
...
Good education with this video.
Thanks, Mike.
Are there any certification necessary to do lithium and solar installations, so you get somebody that knows what their doing? With high cost of lithium and solar, how do you protect yourself from a poor/unsafe installation? If someone contacts you personally, can you give recommendations of installers you trust if we are too far from you? Thank you for doing all your videos and the extreme amount of care you put in your work for the installation and consumer.
Thanks so much, Ronald. This is a tough one. So, there are certifications that one can get; however, it doesn't necessarily make them a good installer, if you know what I mean. I'm a 25 year installation professional, so I think years of experience can really factor in as well. As far as protecting yourself, I would highly suggest getting the references as we mentioned, but also make sure they're an actual business with credentials, insurance and also check Facebook groups and forums to get suggestions of who others have used and experienced as well. We are completely mobile and go all over the country - we'll be headed west in 2021. Unfortunately, we have not yet found another installer that we 100% trust and would suggest. Including this installation we have 3 total systems so far that we are having to "fix". We've been told by vendors of some other gone-wrong installations, too. So, the more references and people vouching for the installer along with actual credentials cannot be reiterated enough here for sure.
@@TheDryCampers I think you broke the record for fastest replies I have ever seen. This speaks volumes about your concerns forthe end use consumers. If I had typed any slower you would have been answering my questions before I wrote them.
@@ronaldw.2923 lol! Well, we just happen to be traveling right now, so it's a great time for replies. :) Thanks for the questions!
12 volt lithium has the same wiring as 12 volt lead acid. No differences, it's the same electricity.
@@gregpeterman1102 personally i think lithium electricity is a little juicier and lead acid has more citrus notes.
if i ever have an rv bus or wagon i will definetly call you folks. right now im 74 cant see cant walk and am broke but if god wants me to i ll hire a driver and ride along just like what god wants me too.
Pro tip , use wire Ferrell on those big conductors, it will save you from loose strands and if you’re really chasing that last percentage of efficiency solder the ends with some silver solder, clean with some 800 grit sandpaper and put some dielectric grease over your complete connections ( not between contacts, over the contacts)
noted.
I've been an electrician for 30 years. I've never done a solar instal but am trying to learn as much about it as I can. What would be my best source to gain knowledge in this field?
DIY solar power with will prowse channel on you tube has a lot of info on solar systems and how to install them and how to size your system I've used his channel and a few others to gain knowledge to do it my self.
will prowse and hobotech,
@@danielroy5987 I spent the $8 and bought Will's book. Lots of helpful info on sizing everything.
Nobody puttin a hole in my Airstream. 😂
lol
Wishing I could afford to have you guys come do my install
Hi Don, we will be offering finance options, we should have it available in February if you are still interested in having a system installed by us.
thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
Excellent video. Glad to know someone understands this option. We just acquired a Delano 24FB with only 100W solar, a1000W pure sine inverter and 1 12V wet battery. Would a person go wrong with just a 100 AH lithium battery ( or two) for their initial start to upgrade to 200W solar and 2000 W inverter eventually? Thanks!
Thanks for watching. Solar to battery ratio should be 2:1. For example, 200W of solar to 100Ah of battery.
@@TheDryCampers Thank you so much! As usual I would have had it done backwards! I have subscribed and will always watch. Thanks again .
Wow what a complete comedy of errors. This is the worst setup I've seen in a very long time. You probably saved their lives, seriously!
Thank you!
Good for you not saying who installed them. That way he can keep doing crap work, maybe even one of your viewers can get screwed over by him. 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿
It is not in my nature to someone on blast.
Just a quick, maybe odd question. What is the smallest RV that you have done a battery (and or) solar installation on? What is the least number of lithium batteries have you installed in a rv? Thank you
Smallest RV is the Leisure Travel Van Unity and 2 lithium batteries, same install.
When solar panels are located on the roof of an RV, are there any place to avoid screws the brackets down. When are the screws too long? Does it matter what mfg. trailer your working on?
I've seen dozens of $8-10,000 jobs that have major design flaws requiring serious repair. It never ceases to amaze me that people will spend that kind of money without getting references. It doesn't take long to look around on the internet. Nothing says "qualified installer" like dozens of happy customers. Just because someone knows some fancy words, and has watched a few dozen RUclips videos, does not make him a good installer.
Yeah, systems like these are typically over $20K. Unfortunately in this situation the client had no reason not to trust the source of this installation, until the system shut down after 15 minutes of use, of course.
Question: Why would you not put the solar panels in series vs parallel? The panels have bypass and blocking diodes so one panel being shaded will not affect the others and the voltage will be increased therefore reducing the need for huge wire. Personally i have 3, 300 watt 36Volt residential panels on our RV wired in series with an inline fuse on the roof and a DC breaker just before the MPPT controller. Please explain why you use lower dc voltage from the panels vs higher. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
as soon as i saw the postiive and negative lines coming off of the same battery in the bank i outloud said "OOF"
Isn't there any kind of regulation/licensing requirements for this type of work? How did that install pass an inspection?
There are a few a regulations but nothing is ever policed.
Thank you
Very well done, but I do have one question. Why do the leads off the battery bank have to have the positive from one battery and the neg from another?
Equalizes the load
What a mess! And dangerous also! Fine job on cleaning all of that up. That is a very expensive RV to have such a poorly installed system. Sad how good knowledgeable service is really lacking these days.
Thank you!
It's 2 year old video but also one mistake to avoid is adding to many batteries just by 2- 300A batteries to avoid to much space .
how did that shunt on the negative wire work out, if you switched it, has the trailer burned to the ground yet?
the system is still performing just as good as when I finished it.
Where are you located now? Do you have time for a battery and solar install?
Hi Joe, currently I am in Queen City Texas for the month of January. Where are you located?
@@TheDryCampers That is unfortunate, I just left Texas. I was there for 2 months.
brilliant
Thank you.
Looks as you are doing quality work. Where are you guys located?
We're completely mobile. Our 2022 route is on our website. :)
Will you be coming through northern Colorado anytime this summer/fall
I have a 25ft class c would like to upgrade to battle born batteries
Summer/Fall of 2021? We may be in the area. We're currently booking in August of 2021.
How many 200w panels will a 30a controller handle?
I am in Queen City, Texas. I am here for the month of January and then heading to AZ in February. Are you still interested?
How about more video of your finished work??
noted.
Where are you right now? Looking for someone to install mine.
Currently in Queen City, Texas for the month of January. Where are you located?
Check out our website and see if we will be coming near you.
thedrycampers.com/contact-us/
Wow! So our batteries are wired parallel and pos and neg come off one side! So wrong correct? Is it as easy as unhooking neg and relocating?
Hey Paul & Magen, yes, that is accurate and yes, it is as easy as unhooking negative and relocating.
Although - how many batteries do you guys have? Mike says if you have two it's not nearly as bad.
wow, and just look at how much they already spent, 6 battle borns, a bunch of very nice victron devices, probably $5k, and crappy wiring. An unconnected shunt?! I don't do this for a living and 2 of the main problems i wouldn't have done - no fuse coming out of the battery and connecting pos and neg to the same battery of a multi battery bank. Good you actually had to rewire it all, since there was other things going on. The owner should now be able to enjoy their huge investment for several years. Great job!
$23k before me.
Do you install around the Central WA area by chance? Thanks.
Yes, we will be in the area in a few months. Are you still interested in having a system installed?
@@TheDryCampers Thanks for getting back to me. I have a different plan in the works now, so I will not need your services. Again, thank you anyway!
Some people don’t realize. A 0.5 volt drop is huge in a low voltage system, and can rob your system of 10% through inverter efficiency and charging power loss
Sir, I think it's your job to call out the installer by name to save somebody the headache and more importantly their lives! Don't enable this joker to keep trying to kill people. Also, this should have been a 24 or 48-volt system. Great job on the retrofit.
Are you a licensed electrician? If you are what license do you have and in what state? Just curious.
You actually wouldn't want an "electrician" to do this kind of work, which is why this one didn't work to begin with. Electricians typically don't understand DC power, which is the main power system in an RV. But actually yes, I do hold low voltage licenses in multiple states across the US, along with 26 years of experience.
The Dry Campers, I know you have all the best intentions but you are not licensed to do what you are doing. A low voltage license of any kind would not cover the scope of would you are preforming. 26 years of experience is not a good thing if you are not licensed and not preforming work in accordance with the NEC. I’m a licensed electrician and the minority of work I preform is off grid property electrification. An electrician is exactly who you would want installing alternative energy equipment. We have a national electric code for a reason. If covers the full scope of alternative energy both AC and DC.
@@Biogasifier you are incorrect. A low voltage electrical license, depending on the state may be from 50V or less while as others are from 240V or less. Because an RV is mobile it does not fall under the same restrictions that a fixed structure does, which is why the RVIA has a set of guidelines that mirror the NEC. I've been licensed for 22 of my 26 years of experience. So, are you trying to say that the ELECTRICIAN that did the original install on this RV did everything in accordance to the NEC?? Were you the original installer on this setup?
The Dry Campers, Sounds like someone that is unqualified trying to explain how they are qualified. Good luck in your future endeavors.
@@Biogasifier I can tell you as a customer of The Dry Campers that they are the best in the business at what they do. I did tons of research before hiring them and have been more than happy with our install. Not sure what happened that made you come at them like this, but as a customer I stand behind his work. Can I ask you a question? Are you the person who maybe did the install on this rig, and that is why you are coming at them? You may not be, but I was just curious. They did ask this above and you did not answer. My guess is that you are. Good luck with your future endeavors as well my friend.
Hey who was the installer?
It is not in my nature to discuss who the original installer was.
Can you replace two 6V batteries with lithium batteries while keeping your existing solar system? After looking at my system I would need to upgrade the controller to work with the lithium batteries. What else do I need to look into?
Sure you can - definitely upgrade the controller and also check your converter for lithium charging compatibility. You just have to make sure you can put the power back in the batteries.
@@TheDryCampers Where would I look for the RV converter upgrade? Any recommendations?
@@troynoall793 if you contact Battle Born they have a list of recommended compatible converters.
@@troynoall793 here is what I got Progressive Dynamics PD9160ALV
My guess this was some individual that had some household electrical knowledge and not a legitimate company. Good thing that customer found you before things could’ve gone real bad.
Thank you for the kind words.
@The Dry Campers, Hi Just a quick question, when you have 4 lithium batteries in parallel and say you have the pos of the cc on one end of the bank and the neg on the opposite end of the bank, and same with say an inverter, one cable on one end and the other at the other end, Do the 4 Batteries stay balanced doing it that way? I know thats a way to do it with lead acid but not sure with lithium as I am trying to find a balanced configuration, Thanks for any advise.
Yes, it allows you to draw from the entire bank, instead of from battery to battery.
Yes, it allows you to draw from the entire bank, instead of from battery to battery.
When you connect the batteries the way they were originally shown in the video, the battery at the main connection point does the lion's share of the work supplying the load. When connected with the positive at one end of the string and the negative at the opposite end of the string, the load gets distributed evenly across all the batteries. This extends the life of the batteries because all of them share the load equally.
@@davidnelson7407 Thankyou for your reply.
Great info, there comes a point where you got a rat out the person that does a bad job. Perhaps it was done behind the scenes I sure hope so.
Incompetent people that are confident are dangerous to others.
I am just glad I was able to correct this system!
I'm intrigued how you wired 10 solar panels, 5 either side of a curved roof (where sun conditions could be really different each side). How many in series and parallel.
Unless it's unavoidable, I wire everything in parallel. As far as Airstream roofs, to keep the aesthetics the panels are flat mounted. This does cause a slight pitch, but to most Airstream owners the aesthetics are more important than the small loss due to the pitch. On our 1988 Airstream we did 2600W of a rail system, but it was quite the eyesore.
@@TheDryCampers Wouldn't it make more sense to wire the panels in series? You have an MPPT controller that will accept higher voltage, plus you wouldn't need the huge gauge wire leading down from the roof.
@@tgriebe the problem with a series configuration there would be shading. Those AC units look like they are shading parts of the panels since they are so close and would affect the entire system. A combination of series-parallel would be nice to reduce wire guage and hopefully mitigate the shading issue.
Please explain the purpose of connecting the positive at one end of the bank and the negative at the other.
It evens out the load drawn from the battery bank. The system then treats the battery bank as one battery and the load is evenly distributed. Also the charge going back into the bank is done evenly. The way it was setup, the one battery with Pos & Neg attached bears the brunt of load and charging is uneven.
If you were able to open the top of just one 12v battery, it is actually 6 x 2v cells connected in parallel with a Pos & Neg post at each end - same principle.
@@kimbostitch7034 Actually the individual internal cells are wired in series. That is why the positive goes to one end and the negative to the other. This is not necessary for parallel configuration.
For a thought experiment pick the positive or negative and look at that. Call battery 1 closest to the load and battery 4 furthest from the load.
If you pull 400 amps
The cable from the load to to battery 1 will carry 400 amps.
The cable between battery 1 & 2 will carry 300 amps.
The cable between battery 2 & 3 will carry200 amps
The cable between battery 3 & 4 will carry 100 amps.
Now what you buy for each battery, such as fuses will be more expensive as you get closer to the load. They progressively have to handle more current. I would want a fuse as close to the battery as possible. I want a fuse between each battery. This way if a battery shorts, the fuse takes it out of the system. There is no way around the 400 amps between the battery bank and the load. I recommend that batteries in parallel be wired through a fuse to a terminal block. This configuration would have 100 amps through each cable and 400 amps from the terminal block to the load. This way the load from each battery to the terminal block would be 1/4th or 100 amps. Then you run a cable for the block to the load capable of 400 amps.
I have 4 - 300 AH batteries in parallel. I contacted AmpereTime with my recommendation and they said I was correct and they would update their manual.
@@ny1t argh hahha sorry in Series is what I meant not parallel. Not concentrating...
You didn’t show the new install…. So comments are based on what you were saying so forgive me if I am incorrect.
Fuses need to go within 12” of the power source. So they should be right next to the battery. I have seen issues with insurance claims after fires because the investigation revealed that there were fuses 10’ from the battery and the power cable shorted where it passed through 2’ from the battery. Just an FYI for the viewers.
Can you elaborate on my you say the (“first thing”) the power should com off the battery on opposite sides of the battery connections?. I have done hundreds of parallel battery bank installs on police mobile command posts and marine assets and while I typically use and see a solid copper buss bar across the batteries, I never see or install the power take off on opposite sides. As long as the buss (or cable) is of sufficient size and does not have a high resistance there is no reason to extend one cable over to the opposite side of the buss. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be but I done know the electrical reason why you would want to or a safety reason why you need to. But I am willing to learn.
When you have loads of 200 or more amps you would never connect both positive and negatives to the same end of the battery, the first battery in the line will discharge before the last battery by putting the pos and neg at opposing ends the batteries split the load amongst themselves. This will allow your batteries to last longer.
Since we use solid buss bars tapped at the center it’s not an issue but that theory makes sense I guess. Thanks.
Electrician checking in. This is nightmare fuel. I'm curious how the connection is made between the 2/0 and the threads, under the heat shrink. Is it some kind of compression fitting? Never seen anything like it.
It was a very poorly made cable that was ordered from some foreign company (definitely not made in the US). The copper in the cables not true solid copper. The cable was much lighter than the cables that I replaced it with. This junction was the choke point from the seperate "banks" of batteries... There was not enough surface area in the connection to allow the amperage to flow from the batteries to the inverters. I have never seen anything like it before either. Once everything had been gone through and reinstalled with proper wiring and resealing, the system is still working flawlessly.
I’d be sick over that roof
Stranded wire is for flexibility!
It doesn't carry more current!
Yes it carries far more amperage. Regular 2/0 cable may have 20 strands and is rated 195 amps. 2/0 battery cable has 1330 strands and is rated up to 330 amps.
What y'all travel the country doing installs? I should hire you. lol Very neat that they had to call you back. Ok now I have to ask. Who did the install? Just Kidding. No response needed on that. Oh wow that is not a good setup on the batteries. Even I know better and that is saying something. This is wild. That is why I went right to the best. Did not want to pay twice. This is really bad and dangerous. This was insane. Glad they did call you or anyone else for that matter before someone really got hurt. This is what I was talking about that cheaper is not always better. You get what you pay for with this stuff. Look at that pup sitting there. awh. Holy crap. Yep that will cause leaks every time. Who ever did this have never had an RV. Some of this stuff is so simple. BINGO on doing your research. You know I did. That is the name of the game. As stated you get what you pay for. Great share y'all.
lol - yeah, maybe you should do that. Nah, we're so glad that you reached out and decided to go with us and entrust us as well and we appreciate our gained friendship. Thanks for watching and for the support. Appreciate you guys!
How do we get you to install on our rig
Hi there Andrea, if you head over to our website, thedrycampers.com, go to Contact Us, choose your time zone and best time to speak with Mike, complete the inquiry questions and we can begin conversations. :)
Scary use of a non-insulated spanner on battery terminals.
It doesn't matter.. As any Licensed Electrician would know you need a "Service Disconnect" at them batteries..It's in the code book...
who ever did that original install should be put out of business and be subject to legal action.
Seems a shame to have that much battery storage wired for 12v. Choosing 24v system design for 1/2 the current and 1/4 the losses in the wiring (or smaller wires) and a better operating inverter seems a no brainer these days. A DC:DC 24:12v converter isn't expensive, and neither is a 12:24 charger to charge from the chassis system if that is desired. Charging that way is also a lot safer for the alternator and that big bank of batteries.
The thing is that pretty much all RVs have 12 volt native wiring - the water pump, water heater, furnace, refrigerator, lighting, and most importantly the trailer brakes - all 12 volt. No doubt it could be done but it would introduce a great deal of complexity compared to just sticking with 12 volt.
@@DavidLaFerney It is trivially simple. 24v trucks have been using 12v converters for years. One and done. Cheap and easy.
All I can say is what a mess. Good they called you .
Thanks for being one of those who entrusted in us. :)
This is a good explainer for issues presented but I can't help to comment about maintaining their 12 volt system to drive a 1500+ watt AC. For that matter, a lot of the expensive wiring, switches and junctions could have remained if instead of gutting it all the system was converted to a 24 volt plus system instead. Even with the best of installations, having 150 amps (AC plus smaller AC electronics) flowing through the wiring of a moving vehicle is potentially dangerous.
Thank you!
Not having a battery shutoff switch is just a disaster waiting to happen.
That crappy wire looks to be copper clad aluminum wire. Very common wire to get from Amazon and eBay. Cheap stuff.
Would have been nice had he shown the finished results.
22:50
It's hard to not want to know who did this lol
Good job cleaning up someone else's mess. I don't think I've ever seen anyone use bolts to terminate a cable before, how were they attached to the cable? As a side note, take it from someone that has worked in an industrial plant, take off your watch and anything else conductive like rings or necklaces. Seeing what a watch or ring does your skin when it decides to do some welding while you're wearing it is not pretty.
Thanks for watching. The crimp end had some sort of nut attachment and the bolt screwed into that. It was definitely interesting. I had never seen anything like that before either. Thanks for the tip. You're right, just can't go without my watch. :) Bad habits die hard.
Lot of people don't know the current flows on the exterior of the conductors, so more strands means less heat and more current carrying ability .
Yep, you're on point.
Nope strands carry as much as thick solid.
You are confusing high frequency propagation with DC. DC current (and low frequency AC for that matter, 50-60Hz is low frequency) flows through all of the conducting material, not just the outside or surface of the conductor. The issue with using solid conductors in a road going vehicle is faster fatigue at flex points. The other issue, as mentioned in the video, is if the clamping force on the wire does not get enough conductive surface contact it creates a high resistance point in the circuit.
I have never seen thick solid 2/0 copper. Where can I buy some, he he.
@@gregpeterman1102
I have never seen thick solid 2/0 copper. Where can I buy some, he he. Robert gregory