Hi guys, would you be able to do an upgrad video on how to swap over from an Orion dc-dc isolated charger to a victron buckboost charger when the product becomes available?
Hi guys, I have a tricky question: is it possible to put under charge the start battery (during camping standstill) using an Orion DC-DC charger, taking energy from the RV battery bank? ciao :)
Hey I’ve got a question for you. I’m building a Squaredrop camper and I’m putting 3 100w panels on top. Here’s the question ( I’m wanting to put 2 power queen 100ah mini batteries) I do not plan on used an inverter hardly ever all though I will have a 1000w sine wave inverter as I have it. And the camper has roughly 6 led lights 12v that will be used for about 3-5 hrs a night at 2w each and a couple usb ports to charge my phone and 2 cameras . This is an overlanding camper and I do not ever want to hook up to shore power. Do you think this is going to be enough panels/ ah to do the job? Also I wanted to know what you would recommend for a charge controller. I was thinking the litime 30amp controller but wanted to see what your recommendation is. Thanks in advance brother.
What about shore power charging without an inverter? We know that many converters in popular trailers claim to have a lithium autodetection feature, but it is widely reported to not work well. And even if it does work, it’s unlikely shore power charging will reach the claimed 30 a on the factory wiring. I see Victron sells a 30 a stand alone charger, and so it probably makes a real 30 a especially if located close to the battery. Would you recommend that? I have no 120 V loads in my trailer nor do I anticipate any in the near future. A charger is something like 1/5 the cost of an inverter/charger.
I’ve got a 1999 chinook class b with a very old solar system and inverter setup and I really want to upgrade the electrical. I don’t need a ton of battery storage though. I’m ok with running the generator when power gets low. Although I would like to avoid ripping up walls to replace all the wiring lol
If your battery bank is big and hungry, it may suck full power from your alternator, causing the alternator to overheat and die. Not all alternators are smart enough to reduce their output, so they can cool down. That's another bit that's going to need more than 4 minutes to figure out.
Well here I go on an adventure. I have a Class A Motorhome that according to the manufacturer has about 3 miles of wiring throughout. And trust me, I believe them as I've been to their factory several times, and numerous pictures to help me with modifications, and lastly have their electrical prints, but unfortunately they are extremely small print. Anyways I'm starting off with 3 195 watt soar panels in series and a Victron Smart controller which I believe will be a 100/50 or 150/50. I plan to initially have them to assist in keeping the voltage up during the daytime while I'm dry camping. The batteries are Duracell ECG2 that I hope to replace in the spring of 2024 to finish off the conversion. Of course, my current 2000 watt inverter/charger is not compatible with Lithium batteries. I recently purchased your class A wiring diagram to assist me in this adventure.
For our class C Winnebago Navion, Increasing wiring size and routing was the most challenging upgrade for a 3000w, 600AH, and 1,000w solar system. This wiring requires fastidious attention to shielding, chafing points, and modification of OEM wiring.
Hello earlhunt2815, I just purchased a stock 2015 Winnebago Itasca Navion IQ 24V (View). could you please share with me all the products you used in your upgrades?
Happy to share. will post in a couple of days. However, in 2020, battleborn batteries were the best solution on the market. no longer true. Lithium prices down significantly and the space required has decreased significantly. But, Victron still the gold standard for systems engineering compatibility. As an engineer, I over engineer; therefore, I have 4 solar controllers to minimize shading. Most Navion /View systems use one solar controller for all the solar panels. 3000w inverter/charger the ideal... 2000w not ideal.
You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for sharing your vast knowledge and experience with all of us. My upgrades wouldn't have been possible without your videos. Thanks again.
What you are not telling people. There is another way to run air-conditioning without expensive battery systems. CHANGE THE NOISY, ENGERY WASTING A/C UNIT. mini split inverter a/c start up on very low power(watts).
I mean... thats pretty off topic for this video, which is why that wasnt covered. 🤣😂 But at any rate...Not really... any air conditioner will use a lot of power. Sure, some are more efficient than others, but if an air conditioner took very few watts to run, it wouldn't cool very well. Watts in = cooling power.
200Ah @ 24V for a Multiplus 3k 24V. The short answer is: Because that's what the user manual says. There are electrical reasons like DC Ripple and inrush current; but those discussions are too detailed for just a comment.
No you cannot fully discharge a lithium battery to 0% without it causing damage in the longevity of the battery bank. Most BMS do not allow this anyway.
Thanks for this video it has definitely been of help. Question: What would be a good rule of thumb about sizing wires? And what gauge do you suggest to use for a 12 volt system with 4) 100Ah batteries to connect to a Victron 3000W inverter? Thanks again!
I am in the process of converting to lithium. I am going with a 48V system and am doing it in phases. I am starting with either Eg4 All In One 3000W inverter/charger or a Growatt 3000W inverter/Charge. For the batteries, 2 EG4 WP 48v 100Ah batteries (a 10.24kWh battery bank!)...of course when converted to 12v that is 800Ah. For now, that is all I am doing...due to budget constraints. I am doing some very minor wiring bypasses to accommodate phase 1 of my install. For now, off grid charging is via my Honda EU 2000 gas generator (either via the inverter charger or direct AC battery charger (depending on loads). DC to DC charging and solar panels are for phases 2 and 3. Thanks guys for your vids!
Question? Great comprehensive technical information as always. I'm migrating from lead acid to lithium along with DC to DC charger for my 5th wheel while auditing and taking time to design/install proper wire management. Question: should I install larger cables before smaller cables or reverse to make cables look professional along with future troubleshooting? I'd like install to look as clean as possible.
Great info. Thank you. I am confused on one thing and hope you can clarify for me. You said 400w for my 200 ah batteries, but then said it can be 1400w for 200 ah. Also, what is the max size solar charge controller for 200 ah? Because I want to increase to 400 ah and hope I can keep the same charge controller when I do. Thanks again for these great videos. I’m always learning something from you guys.
With a tow vehicle that has built in inverter with a outlet at the rear of the vehicle, such as a new F150, what about powering a MultiPlus (for the purpose of charging batteries while driving) with AC when instead of purchasing/installing a DC/DC? I believe my 2021 F150 with the 2Kw inverter already has a dedicated 24v alternator to power it.
@@EXPLORISTlife yeah I wondered about that too. My shore power is at the rear of the trailer, so would still need to wire a front shore power and transfer switch (or manual way to switch from back to front) if I did this.
Maybe it’s time to start using watt-hours instead of amp-hours since not everyone is using 12 V. I find these simplifying factors like AH end up being more confusing in the end. Watt-hours has units of energy so is the more logical choice.
Weight distribution considerations with batt relocation. I am not able to get my AES to work tough data retrieved and sent (updated too). Still looking into it. Happened when updated to ver. 506
Nate Can you comment on charging a heavily discharged lithium battery from the tow vehicles 7 pin plug. Some people say you can damage the tow vehicles alternator and other people say that it will just charge very slow. I want to do my trailers electrical work in stages by just adding 2 x 100 amp lithium batteries first and then going with around 400 watts of solar. I’ll add dc-dc charging and a small inverter as well. I just don’t want to kill my alternator or melt any wires. 2022 F-150 with 3.5 ecoboost. Alternator is either 200 or 240 amps. Thanks
Hey Nate, another question, or actually an idea for a video or two. Can you talk about batteries a bit. What's the difference between 3 x 100 amp lithium battteries vs 1 x 300 amp lithium battery. What's the difference between say a 50, 100 and 200 amp BMS. Charging requirements etc. Thanks
Thanks , perfect timing as this is currently where I am at trying to decide how to upgrade my 7:14 system ! That livestream was lit! So much amazing info!
Nate, you recommended setting your victron for 30amp shore power at 9.8 amps. Why when I’m not utilizing the full 30a. Or I’m just protecting the overload by 9.8a?
Nah; you'll just set your shore power input current limit a few amps under the rating of the shore power. 28ish for 30A shore power. 8-13 for 15A outlets (on the lower side if the outlet is sharing loads with other things).
Thank you - This is great info which I've been looking for...I'm been 'thinking' of doing more 'boondocking' in the near future and I've been researching 'how' to upgrade my electrical system starting with my batteries, then adding solar. This gives me an idea on 'how' to start. Thanks..
Thank you for the information, but I would like to go with a 24V system on a 30 amp Travel trailer, so do the same rules apply? You two are the best and i really enjoy watching your videos.
Hi guys, would you be able to do an upgrad video on how to swap over from an Orion dc-dc isolated charger to a victron buckboost charger when the product becomes available?
Definitely!
Hi guys, I have a tricky question:
is it possible to put under charge the start battery (during camping standstill) using an Orion DC-DC charger, taking energy from the RV battery bank?
ciao :)
not sure why you don't use the LiTime 460ah and forget about re-locating - you are wasting space
Hey I’ve got a question for you. I’m building a Squaredrop camper and I’m putting 3 100w panels on top. Here’s the question ( I’m wanting to put 2 power queen 100ah mini batteries) I do not plan on used an inverter hardly ever all though I will have a 1000w sine wave inverter as I have it. And the camper has roughly 6 led lights 12v that will be used for about 3-5 hrs a night at 2w each and a couple usb ports to charge my phone and 2 cameras . This is an overlanding camper and I do not ever want to hook up to shore power. Do you think this is going to be enough panels/ ah to do the job? Also I wanted to know what you would recommend for a charge controller. I was thinking the litime 30amp controller but wanted to see what your recommendation is. Thanks in advance brother.
What about shore power charging without an inverter? We know that many converters in popular trailers claim to have a lithium autodetection feature, but it is widely reported to not work well. And even if it does work, it’s unlikely shore power charging will reach the claimed 30 a on the factory wiring. I see Victron sells a 30 a stand alone charger, and so it probably makes a real 30 a especially if located close to the battery. Would you recommend that? I have no 120 V loads in my trailer nor do I anticipate any in the near future. A charger is something like 1/5 the cost of an inverter/charger.
I’ve got a 1999 chinook class b with a very old solar system and inverter setup and I really want to upgrade the electrical. I don’t need a ton of battery storage though. I’m ok with running the generator when power gets low. Although I would like to avoid ripping up walls to replace all the wiring lol
If your battery bank is big and hungry, it may suck full power from your alternator, causing the alternator to overheat and die. Not all alternators are smart enough to reduce their output, so they can cool down.
That's another bit that's going to need more than 4 minutes to figure out.
Well here I go on an adventure. I have a Class A Motorhome that according to the manufacturer has about 3 miles of wiring throughout. And trust me, I believe them as I've been to their factory several times, and numerous pictures to help me with modifications, and lastly have their electrical prints, but unfortunately they are extremely small print. Anyways I'm starting off with 3 195 watt soar panels in series and a Victron Smart controller which I believe will be a 100/50 or 150/50. I plan to initially have them to assist in keeping the voltage up during the daytime while I'm dry camping. The batteries are Duracell ECG2 that I hope to replace in the spring of 2024 to finish off the conversion. Of course, my current 2000 watt inverter/charger is not compatible with Lithium batteries. I recently purchased your class A wiring diagram to assist me in this adventure.
For our class C Winnebago Navion, Increasing wiring size and routing was the most challenging upgrade for a 3000w, 600AH, and 1,000w solar system. This wiring requires fastidious attention to shielding, chafing points, and modification of OEM wiring.
Hello earlhunt2815, I just purchased a stock 2015 Winnebago Itasca Navion IQ 24V (View). could you please share with me all the products you used in your upgrades?
Happy to share. will post in a couple of days. However, in 2020, battleborn batteries were the best solution on the market. no longer true. Lithium prices down significantly and the space required has decreased significantly. But, Victron still the gold standard for systems engineering compatibility. As an engineer, I over engineer; therefore, I have 4 solar controllers to minimize shading. Most Navion /View systems use one solar controller for all the solar panels. 3000w inverter/charger the ideal... 2000w not ideal.
You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for sharing your vast knowledge and experience with all of us. My upgrades wouldn't have been possible without your videos. Thanks again.
Our pleasure! Cheers!
You two are a hoot thanks for the great info. 😊
What you are not telling people. There is another way to run air-conditioning without expensive battery systems. CHANGE THE NOISY, ENGERY WASTING A/C UNIT. mini split inverter a/c start up on very low power(watts).
I mean... thats pretty off topic for this video, which is why that wasnt covered. 🤣😂
But at any rate...Not really... any air conditioner will use a lot of power. Sure, some are more efficient than others, but if an air conditioner took very few watts to run, it wouldn't cool very well. Watts in = cooling power.
Hi. Whit a multiplus2 3000 on 24v. Whats the reason for needing 400ah battery. Not sure what you meant.
200Ah @ 24V for a Multiplus 3k 24V. The short answer is: Because that's what the user manual says.
There are electrical reasons like DC Ripple and inrush current; but those discussions are too detailed for just a comment.
No you cannot fully discharge a lithium battery to 0% without it causing damage in the longevity of the battery bank. Most BMS do not allow this anyway.
0% of the max allowable discharge of the BMS. I wasn't referring to a 'true' 3 volts situation or something.
Good tips.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this video it has definitely been of help.
Question:
What would be a good rule of thumb about sizing wires? And what gauge do you suggest to use for a 12 volt system with 4) 100Ah batteries to connect to a Victron 3000W inverter?
Thanks again!
I am in the process of converting to lithium. I am going with a 48V system and am doing it in phases. I am starting with either Eg4 All In One 3000W inverter/charger or a Growatt 3000W inverter/Charge. For the batteries, 2 EG4 WP 48v 100Ah batteries (a 10.24kWh battery bank!)...of course when converted to 12v that is 800Ah. For now, that is all I am doing...due to budget constraints. I am doing some very minor wiring bypasses to accommodate phase 1 of my install. For now, off grid charging is via my Honda EU 2000 gas generator (either via the inverter charger or direct AC battery charger (depending on loads). DC to DC charging and solar panels are for phases 2 and 3. Thanks guys for your vids!
Question? Great comprehensive technical information as always. I'm migrating from lead acid to lithium along with DC to DC charger for my 5th wheel while auditing and taking time to design/install proper wire management. Question: should I install larger cables before smaller cables or reverse to make cables look professional along with future troubleshooting?
I'd like install to look as clean as possible.
Great info. Thank you. I am confused on one thing and hope you can clarify for me. You said 400w for my 200 ah batteries, but then said it can be 1400w for 200 ah. Also, what is the max size solar charge controller for 200 ah? Because I want to increase to 400 ah and hope I can keep the same charge controller when I do.
Thanks again for these great videos. I’m always learning something from you guys.
:) No fair yawning !!!
With a tow vehicle that has built in inverter with a outlet at the rear of the vehicle, such as a new F150, what about powering a MultiPlus (for the purpose of charging batteries while driving) with AC when instead of purchasing/installing a DC/DC? I believe my 2021 F150 with the 2Kw inverter already has a dedicated 24v alternator to power it.
Theoretically, that would probably work, but having 120V strung from the truck to RV while driving makes me nervous from a safety standpoint.
@@EXPLORISTlife yeah I wondered about that too. My shore power is at the rear of the trailer, so would still need to wire a front shore power and transfer switch (or manual way to switch from back to front) if I did this.
Maybe it’s time to start using watt-hours instead of amp-hours since not everyone is using 12 V. I find these simplifying factors like AH end up being more confusing in the end. Watt-hours has units of energy so is the more logical choice.
Weight distribution considerations with batt relocation. I am not able to get my AES to work tough data retrieved and sent (updated too). Still looking into it. Happened when updated to ver. 506
Nate
Can you comment on charging a heavily discharged lithium battery from the tow vehicles 7 pin plug. Some people say you can damage the tow vehicles alternator and other people say that it will just charge very slow. I want to do my trailers electrical work in stages by just adding 2 x 100 amp lithium batteries first and then going with around 400 watts of solar. I’ll add dc-dc charging and a small inverter as well. I just don’t want to kill my alternator or melt any wires. 2022 F-150 with 3.5 ecoboost. Alternator is either 200 or 240 amps.
Thanks
It will generally just charge slowly. I've never seen it melt anything. It won't damage the alternator
@@EXPLORISTlife Thank you.
Hey Nate, another question, or actually an idea for a video or two. Can you talk about batteries a bit. What's the difference between 3 x 100 amp lithium battteries vs 1 x 300 amp lithium battery. What's the difference between say a 50, 100 and 200 amp BMS. Charging requirements etc. Thanks
Very informative, thank you. I will look your company up when I am ready to build a system next year.
Thanks , perfect timing as this is currently where I am at trying to decide how to upgrade my 7:14 system !
That livestream was lit! So much amazing info!
Nate, you recommended setting your victron for 30amp shore power at 9.8 amps. Why when I’m not utilizing the full 30a. Or I’m just protecting the overload by 9.8a?
Nah; you'll just set your shore power input current limit a few amps under the rating of the shore power. 28ish for 30A shore power. 8-13 for 15A outlets (on the lower side if the outlet is sharing loads with other things).
Would love to see you all do a video on the Victron 50 amp smart buckboost
Yep! Will for sure be doing videos over that once we get one.
Thank you - This is great info which I've been looking for...I'm been 'thinking' of doing more 'boondocking' in the near future and I've been researching 'how' to upgrade my electrical system starting with my batteries, then adding solar. This gives me an idea on 'how' to start. Thanks..
Hey @victorlopez2143, No problem! Glad it helped! :)
How does the 2:1 ratio change for 24v systems? Should we actually be looking at watt-hours?
Either way. A bit of algebra gets us to watt hours / 6.3 = solar wattage.
Nicely explained. You make it easy to understand
Awesome! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the information, but I would like to go with a 24V system on a 30 amp Travel trailer, so do the same rules apply? You two are the best and i really enjoy watching your videos.
Pretty much the same; yeah. These are more of 'guidelines' than rules as you don't 'have' to upgrade in stages if you don't like.