DC - DC Charger Project

[Hogdrv]

Keith

Renogy 20Amp dc-dc
Here are some pictures, I ran negative wire from the battery to the Anderson plug and the positive from battery to the solenoid which I mounted on the driver side Because I only have one battery and there was some holes that matched up perfectly with the mounting holes on the solenoid.I’m using the number two upfitter to turn on the solenoid. I ran all the wires down the driver’s side, it keeps them from the exhaust and I just followed the wiring harness back. My goal was to not drill anything on the truck in case it didn’t work I could just pull everything off and try something else. So I had to find a hole in the bed to bring the wires in, I ran them up behind the tail light and came out the bottom hole on the vertical pillar in front of the tailgate. I used 6 awg with 30 amp fuse on the battery in the truck. I ran both wires behind the fiberglass cap but just before the positive wire went in I put a 30amp cb manual reset in the pin box. Mounted everything on passenger side of 5th wheel. The output negative wire to a bus bar then the shunt, the positive wire to a bus bar with a 30amp post mount fuse. I wired the d+ wire to the positive input wire I did fuse that wire with a 5amp fuse. I’ve used it a couple of times and have had no problems. In first picture you can see I zip tied the wires at the top of the firewall no drilling holes. The last picture is the back of pin box where I put the 30amp cb before going into the 5th wheel, maybe over kill but.
Hope this helps.

Jim

[Yoda]

I have that Cole Hersee on my truck, using it for my dc-dc charger and I use one of my upfitters switches to turn it on. So far been working great.

Jim
Thanks for the reply. By chance do you have any photos of where you mounted everything. I know the real estate is limited under the hood. MY 2022 should be close to your 2021 but you do have the Godzilla 7.3. How is it working out for you?. Also if I may ask how did you run your wiring to the back?

Thanks for anything you can share
Keith

[Hogdrv]

I have that Cole Hersee on my truck, using it for my dc-dc charger and I use one of my upfitters switches to turn it on. So far been working great.

[ncitro]

Neil I found another brand
https://www.amazon.com/Cole-Hersee-2...ct_top?ie=UTF8
Are you familiar with Cole Hersee

No but I would think it should work. It's a pretty simple device, it would be hard for anyone to screw up the manufacturing of one lol.

[TedS]

Cole Hersee is a well known brand.

[Yoda]

That looks like pretty much the same thing. If it was me I'd try it.

Neil I found another brand
https://www.amazon.com/Cole-Hersee-2...ct_top?ie=UTF8
Are you familiar with Cole Hersee

[Yoda]

This is what I used in the truck as a battery isolator in my charging system for the camper. You can enable/disable it using a very low amp connection to ground. I like that it's solid state (and will sense the battery voltage and turn off if my truck alternator is not running or the alternator has failed.

Thanks - Ill look into it

[Jimmer]

This is what I used in the truck as a battery isolator in my charging system for the camper. You can enable/disable it using a very low amp connection to ground. I like that it's solid state (and will sense the battery voltage and turn off if my truck alternator is not running or the alternator has failed.

[Yoda]

That looks like pretty much the same thing. If it was me I'd try it.

Well after reading the site reviews I am not buying from them. Also reviews on the unit are spotty - problems I don't need.
Read reviews
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...A3QWSZ44N8P3XH

PAC PAC even worse
https://www.amazon.com/product-revie...ews-filter-bar

Ill keep looking as I have time

Keith

[ncitro]

Thanks Neil
Will this relay work
https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item...iABEgL3xfD_BwE

There is a 15% off code listed too.

The reason I asked is a lot of sites show the one you listed as discontinued - makes me wonder, but I am probably over thinking this.
Keith

That looks like pretty much the same thing. If it was me I'd try it.

[Jimmer]

So is 50' of black and 50' of red enough? I don't want to end up short.

Keith

50' was perfect for my travel trailer.

[Yoda]

I'd think 50' should be enough. I think I started with 40 and was short. It's not too bad to come up a little short because you need a sister l separate piece for the trailer end anyway. I kept the scrap and used it later to make up a set of booster cables that plug into the Anderson connector.

I used a 100 amp breaker on the truck side, nothing on the trailer side. I started with a solid state relay but I didn't use a big enough heat sink and it overheated and failed in short order. I decided the power savings for solid state wasn't needed access went with a big Sonos like you linked. This one has power to spare and wasn't too bad in price:

PAC PAC-200 200 Amp Relay Battery Isolator, standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CEBXRS...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks Neil
Will this relay work
https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item...iABEgL3xfD_BwE

There is a 15% off code listed too.

The reason I asked is a lot of sites show the one you listed as discontinued - makes me wonder, but I am probably over thinking this.
Keith

[ncitro]

gbkims Guest
Thanks Ted
I knew I was missing something. I agree 105C is a bit on the hot side. Ill go with the 2 awg. I need that to order the Anderson connectors 120 series and the pins which come separate for the wire size. The sales are wacky this year - need to be careful. Renogy changed thier web pricing back to full msrp with 15% at checkout. A few days ago It was showing the 15% discounted price on the web page, At lease the coupon ( RENOGYSOLAR10) I mentioned in the black Friday thread still worked on top (Entered at checkout) so 25% off all together.

I plan to use an up fitter switch to power the big solenoid that folks have used, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...WN6HRL8BC&th=1 Is this the correct one?

Then have the Renogy itself activated by trailer running lights. I was going to have 2 blue sea circuit breakers in the lines too (one truck side at battery 100A), and one 5th wheel side after the renogy (70A). Is my sizing and thinking correct?
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...T_BREAKER&th=1

Am I missing anything - yep terminal lugs - my Temco crimper comes in handy again

On last question - wire length

I dont have a truck to measure, but for my new F350 cc long bed I'm guessing it's about 23' tip to tail based on my old one, but running from the passenger side where the up fitter switcher are , down and crossing over to the plug location makes that about 30' of cable needed. Then to the trailer, including umbilical is another 12' - 15'. I plan to try and follow the current cable run. That's how I fished my reverse light wire.

So is 50' of black and 50' of red enough? I don't want to end up short.

Thanks everyone for the help

Happy Thanksgiving
Keith

I'd think 50' should be enough. I think I started with 40 and was short. It's not too bad to come up a little short because you need a sister l separate piece for the trailer end anyway. I kept the scrap and used it later to make up a set of booster cables that plug into the Anderson connector.

I used a 100 amp breaker on the truck side, nothing on the trailer side. I started with a solid state relay but I didn't use a big enough heat sink and it overheated and failed in short order. I decided the power savings for solid state wasn't needed access went with a big Sonos like you linked. This one has power to spare and wasn't too bad in price:

PAC PAC-200 200 Amp Relay Battery Isolator, standard https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CEBXRS...ing=UTF8&psc=1

[Yoda]

Yoda capacity to carry and safe to carry are different animals.

AMPACITY: Welding cable ampacity (also known as current-carrying capacity or current rating) refers to the maximum amount of current (in amperes) that a cable conductor can continuously and safely carry without exceeding the operating temperature rating.

Max temp rating on the welding cable from the sire you referenced is 105 C. That's mighty hot. Go to the larger size so as not to overheat the cables. Go by the voltage drop charts.

gbkims Guest
Thanks Ted
I knew I was missing something. I agree 105C is a bit on the hot side. Ill go with the 2 awg. I need that to order the Anderson connectors 120 series and the pins which come separate for the wire size. The sales are wacky this year - need to be careful. Renogy changed thier web pricing back to full msrp with 15% at checkout. A few days ago It was showing the 15% discounted price on the web page, At lease the coupon ( RENOGYSOLAR10) I mentioned in the black Friday thread still worked on top (Entered at checkout) so 25% off all together.

I plan to use an up fitter switch to power the big solenoid that folks have used, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...WN6HRL8BC&th=1 Is this the correct one?

Then have the Renogy itself activated by trailer running lights. I was going to have 2 blue sea circuit breakers in the lines too (one truck side at battery 100A), and one 5th wheel side after the renogy (70A). Is my sizing and thinking correct?
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...T_BREAKER&th=1

Am I missing anything - yep terminal lugs - my Temco crimper comes in handy again

On last question - wire length

I dont have a truck to measure, but for my new F350 cc long bed I'm guessing it's about 23' tip to tail based on my old one, but running from the passenger side where the up fitter switcher are , down and crossing over to the plug location makes that about 30' of cable needed. Then to the trailer, including umbilical is another 12' - 15'. I plan to try and follow the current cable run. That's how I fished my reverse light wire.

So is 50' of black and 50' of red enough? I don't want to end up short.

Thanks everyone for the help

Happy Thanksgiving
Keith

[gbkims]

I have 2 Awg Red & Black running back to the truck bed SB120. If I installed a DC-DC in the rig, I'd then run 4 Awg back to the rig since it'd be easier run from the pin box into the rig.