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  • New Victron Multiplus Installation - What to do with converter?

    I have a 2022 303RLS and recently installed a new Victron Multiplus inverter/converter in the front compartment with 4 lithium batteries. I thought I needed to disconnect the old converter at the AC panel to prevent it from trying to charge the batteries along with the Multiplus, but when I unplugged it the whole DC panel lost power. Plugging it back in restored 12v power.

    Should I just leave the converter plugged in, or is there another way to disconnect it without losing all 12v power?

    Thanks in advance for any help!

    Patrick
    2022 Reflection 303RLS
    2020 Ram 2500

  • #2
    If your 2022 is like my 2021, the converter is buried behind the wall under the steps in the basement. Most likely you disconnected the 12V supply from the battery. You can try pulling the rear wall on the cub side (door side) and finding the converter there. I think it might be hard wired into the AC power grid on the unit, so be careful, disconnect all power (AC and DC) and do not forget to disconnect the batteries as they are not usually routed through the disconnect to everything.
    Joseph
    Tow
    Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
    Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
    South of Houston Texas

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks Joseph. You're right that the converter is beneath the stairs, accessible behind the wall in the pass-through storage. It actually plugs into the back of the AC panel using a regular 3-pronged plug This is what I unplugged that killed all 12v power. I couldn't tell from your message what you're suggesting I do with it to maintain 12v power?
      2022 Reflection 303RLS
      2020 Ram 2500

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by babyrocket View Post
        Thanks Joseph. You're right that the converter is beneath the stairs, accessible behind the wall in the pass-through storage. It actually plugs into the back of the AC panel using a regular 3-pronged plug This is what I unplugged that killed all 12v power. I couldn't tell from your message what you're suggesting I do with it to maintain 12v power?
        Not sure how you have your system wired but you should be able to unplug the factory converter and have 12v power supplied by either your batteries or the charger in the Multiplus. If you don't I'd trace my wiring back and find the issue.

        Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

        Neil Citro
        2018 Reflection 28BH Pepwave
        2019 F350 6.7L Long Bed Crew Cab

        Comment


        • #5
          babyrocket check the disconnect switch to see that they key is not removable. After that, you need to check the wiring setup as something must not be correct.
          Joseph
          Tow
          Vehicle: 2024 GMC K3500 Denali Ultimate Diesel
          Coach: 303RLS Delivered March 5, 2021
          South of Houston Texas

          Comment


          • #6

            Many thanks for this. I'm attaching my wiring diagram to avoid any confusion. I think the problem is where I rerouted the positive and negative connections from the factory busbars near the old battery to the Lynx Distributor, effectively connecting them to the new battery bank. I now think that this only connected the "always on" circuits to the battery. I didn't change anything about how the converter is wired to the DC panel, and didn't realize that removing AC power to the converter would remove the power route from the batteries to the DC panel.

            So in summary, I need to either remove and connect the incoming and outgoing DC power cables at the converter (thereby bypassing it), or run a new power cable from my battery bank (actually the Lynx Distributor) to the DC panel and disconnect the incoming DC power from the converter, correct? Is either way preferable?
            Attached Files
            2022 Reflection 303RLS
            2020 Ram 2500

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by babyrocket View Post
              Many thanks for this. I'm attaching my wiring diagram to avoid any confusion. I think the problem is where I rerouted the positive and negative connections from the factory busbars near the old battery to the Lynx Distributor, effectively connecting them to the new battery bank. I now think that this only connected the "always on" circuits to the battery. I didn't change anything about how the converter is wired to the DC panel, and didn't realize that removing AC power to the converter would remove the power route from the batteries to the DC panel.

              So in summary, I need to either remove and connect the incoming and outgoing DC power cables at the converter (thereby bypassing it), or run a new power cable from my battery bank (actually the Lynx Distributor) to the DC panel and disconnect the incoming DC power from the converter, correct? Is either way preferable?
              Something does not sound right, disconnecting the factory converter should not affect the battery feed to the fuse panel. This is essentially how I have mine connected, I just turn off the breaker for the factory converter (same as unplugging it) and my 12V works fine unchanged. I would check your path from the Lynx to the factory panel and make sure its still there and intact. As suggested above double check your factory disconnect. If it is disconnected (key can come out) then the factory converter would supply your 12v power but when you unplug it the batteries would be disconnected from the system.
              Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

              Neil Citro
              2018 Reflection 28BH Pepwave
              2019 F350 6.7L Long Bed Crew Cab

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks Neil. I removed the factory battery and assumed the battery disconnect was taken out of the loop so I removed the disconnect key. Now I think that by doing so I removed the path from the battery bank to the DC panel. Easy enough to replace the key to see if this fixes everything before going to the trouble to change the wiring to the converter.
                2022 Reflection 303RLS
                2020 Ram 2500

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by babyrocket View Post
                  Thanks Neil. I removed the factory battery and assumed the battery disconnect was taken out of the loop so I removed the disconnect key. Now I think that by doing so I removed the path from the battery bank to the DC panel. Easy enough to replace the key to see if this fixes everything before going to the trouble to change the wiring to the converter.
                  No problem. I removed mine completely, so I understand. The factory path would have been from the batteries to the buss bars, and there there would have been a 6awg wire going from the buss bars to the factory disconnect and then from that to the distribution panel and converter. I removed the factory disconnect (in favor of my own set of disconnects in the front bay) and was able to get the wire they ran from the distribution panel to the switch to reach my front bay.
                  Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                  Neil Citro
                  2018 Reflection 28BH Pepwave
                  2019 F350 6.7L Long Bed Crew Cab

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    That did it Neil. Now I'm going to remove it and either stretch the wire as you did or worst case splice the disconnect out using a split bolt connector. Dumb oversight on my part - thanks for the help.
                    2022 Reflection 303RLS
                    2020 Ram 2500

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by babyrocket View Post
                      That did it Neil. Now I'm going to remove it and either stretch the wire as you did or worst case splice the disconnect out using a split bolt connector. Dumb oversight on my part - thanks for the help.
                      No problem at all. Glad you got it. I keep the breaker for the converter off, but still keep it plugged in so if I have an issue with the MultiPlus I just need to turn the breaker on to get at least some charge going.

                      I am a fan of these insulated splices. I actually carry a few in the rig for if I need to bypass the Multiplus for some reason.

                      https://www.amazon.com/Polaris-Insul...566554&sr=8-11
                      Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                      Neil Citro
                      2018 Reflection 28BH Pepwave
                      2019 F350 6.7L Long Bed Crew Cab

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by babyrocket View Post
                        Many thanks for this. I'm attaching my wiring diagram to avoid any confusion. I think the problem is where I rerouted the positive and negative connections from the factory busbars near the old battery to the Lynx Distributor, effectively connecting them to the new battery bank. I now think that this only connected the "always on" circuits to the battery. I didn't change anything about how the converter is wired to the DC panel, and didn't realize that removing AC power to the converter would remove the power route from the batteries to the DC panel.

                        So in summary, I need to either remove and connect the incoming and outgoing DC power cables at the converter (thereby bypassing it), or run a new power cable from my battery bank (actually the Lynx Distributor) to the DC panel and disconnect the incoming DC power from the converter, correct? Is either way preferable?
                        From your diagram you no longer have a direct battery feed to you distribution panel. It looks like you took the factory battery feed and disconnect switch connection to your distribution panel out of service, If you tie that back into the factory buss bar and have it switched on all should be good. Just unplug the factory converter.

                        Click image for larger version

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ID:	65788 On my unit on the lower right side of the distribution panel (12V) there are tw 6awg power feed lines. One is from the battery through the disconnect switch, the other red one is from the converter. You need to make sure the battery feed is still attached to the batterys.

                        Hope this helps
                        Keith

                        PS post 145 of this thread is how I disconnected my factory converter. https://gdrvowners.com/forum/solar/5...mess-up/page10
                        2018 Reflection 150 Series 220RK 5th whee, Star White 2022 F350 King Ranch CC Long bed (HAL) (CCC 4062lbs), B&W 25K OEM Companion,. SteadyFast system, Trailer reverse lights, rear receiver spare tire holder, storage tube, sumo springs, Victron MultiPlus 12/120/3000, Solar, Custom 6K axles upgrade, and other modifications.

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