2023 GD Transcend-Wiring? Adding Solar, DC/DC? Advice/Suggestions

[cc4digital]

Hello all,


Current Setup-

1. Upgrading 2 lead acid 100AH TO 2- Chins or Ampere Time Lithium LiFEPO4 200AH batteries.
2. 1 WACO WF8955 (not 100% sure, but the converter, I think, is WF-9835) Continuous Power 475 watt-Rated DC current 35A
3. 1 Furion 165 Watt Solar Panel

Current Usage

1. Our usage is between 100-150AH per 24 hours.

With that out of the way, my current stock setup on the 2023 Grand Design 200MK does not meet the daily requirements.

So here is what I want to do, and I would like to hear any comments, suggestions, or experiences you may have.

Upgrade--Solar-

1. Add 1 more 165 Furion Solar Panel to the Roof. $500--That is just so WRONG(but I am not going to rant)
   This is pretty straightforward as the cheap Furion controller, I assume, will handle 330 watts, and I also assume Grand Design used the correct wiring for this.😏
2. I will also add 4-100 Watt Renogy Flexible Solar Panels for 400 watts. Due to the fact I do not want to figure out the Grand Design Wiring, I will run the solar panels to Renogy 40A 12V/24V Auto MPPT Solar Charge Controller and then directly to the batteries using 6AWG wire. Inline-I will use a Blue Sea Systems 285-40 amp breaker between the controller and battery to protect the circuit.
   
   Upgrade-DC/DC
3. We tend to move a lot, and sometimes solar does not cut it in winter. So-- I will be adding a Victron Energy Orion 18amp DC/DC charger. Again I will wire directly from Truck batteries to Lithium trailer batteries. On the Truck-2003 Chevy 3500 Silverado, I will add 4AWG wire to the rear bumper with a Blue Sea Systems 285-30 amp breaker to protect the circuit on the truck side. I will use 175Amp Orion Plugs at the bumper to continue the circuit to the trailer.
   On the trailer side-I will have the Victron Energy Orion 18amp DC/DC charger on the trailer side, which I will then connect to the trailer batteries.
   
   Final Safety Device
4. The last safety device will be a Bay Marine MRBF Terminal Fuse 50amp on the battery to protect the Lithium LiFEPO4 batteries

I have added an image of the wiring diagram, as pictures make much more sense than words.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to any suggestions you may have, as I am new to 12-volt circuits.

😀

[Country Campers]

Being as you are running a new 4 ga wire group back to the DC-DC charger why are you staying with the 18 amp charger? You could move up a size or 2 and get more charge while traveling.

You can also find other brand solar panels that are pretty close to the Furrion specs and less money.

Brian

[epearce]

That is pretty close to the upgrade I just completed on my 200MK (three solar panels, Victron MPPT controller, Victron 12/12/18 DC-DC controller...

• The stock Furrion controller will handle 2 panels, but no more. Watch both the voltage and the current ratings as you add more panels. Since 2-4 panel setups are usually in series, you should not have to upgrade the wiring. My Victron controller will handle 4 panels in series, but the 30 Amp will not output max power. But remember that you panels rarely are up there generating power at the maximum rating. The Furrion controller basically gives no feedback about what is going on with the panels and output, it really is a black box. That is why I upgraded it to the Victron. Between the portable and fixed PV, that is a lot of panel, and the stock Furrion will not handle that.
• The GD PV wiring is pretty simple, they are in series, and two 10 AWG wires (red/red-white pair) run to the controller. The PV 12- is isolated, as it should be. The two output wires run to the battery
• I used the 18 Amp DC controller. You still have solar while cruising down the road, and I doubt my F150 provides more than 18 Amp to the 7-pin. Its only 10 AWG wire on the 7-pin harness, and fused at 30 Amp on the TV (I think). It's frustratingly hard to figure out how much current the F150 actually will give to the trailer via the 7-pin, and I have not towed with the Orion Tr DC-DC yet, but I will know if it is really topped out at 18 Amp or not. I bet it will only be a few amps as most days, the solar will have the batteries topped of.
• I used a 250 A BlueSea Class-T for the safety breaker. That is driven by my 2kW inverter. Class-T is the gold standard for a safety breaker in a DC systems, but they are pricey. In your system, it should be sized by the maximum charge load from the WFCO (55 Amp), and your DC load (15). If you run the Lithium batteries low, and plug into shore power, the WF8955 will put out near maximum current, and pop that fuse (or the stock 30 Amp two-post thing that comes stock). I'd think you need at least 60 Amp.
• I love oversized wire, but that 4 AWG from the DC-DC is probably overkill. I think I used an old piece of 8 AWG. The 7-pin is only 10 AWG after all.

[howson]

cc4digital -- with a 400aH battery bank (2ea 200aH in parallel) I agree with Brian that you'll want a more capable charger than the WFCO. Mount the new charger close to the batteries to minimize the length of DC wiring. TucsonJim has had good success with a Progressive Industries converter. Check out this thread--lots of links: https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...ter-and-wiring

For the DC-DC Charger setup, that's a lot of work (and $$) to get 18A from an Orion. I'm a huge fan of Victron equipment, but in this instance I went with a 40A Renogy and it's worked flawlessly. The initial process I went through to determine the configuration and final result is documented here: https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...e-battle-borns

Howard

[ncitro]

cc4digital I agree with Brian and Howard. With that much battery and given you're running 4awg anyway move up to the Renogy 40A DC to DC. You'll appreciate the added power when driving on cloudy days, I know I do. For a charger, I like the Powermac and Progressive Industries. As suggested move them closer to the batteries (it's easy to run 120V wiring to the battery area for the charger), and upgrade the size. Check with your battery manufacturer, but usually max charging is total capacity2/. If so your 400ah battery bank could take up to 200 amps of charge, I'd be looking at an 80-100 amp converter. That will give you shorter generator run times to get them charged if you need to use it.

One other thing, I don't have any first have knowledge but when I did my project (admittedly three years ago) flexible panels were a bad idea. They were less efficient, had heat issues, and if you're looking at adhesive ones pretty much ruined your roof if you had to remove one

[KSC_Travels]

cc4digital

Just a thought - you might want to check on your vehicle's alternator capacity and make sure it can handle whatever amperage is being demanded by the DC-DC charger. You MAY need to consider an upgrade on that component if you're going to be drawing another ~50amps for the DC-DC.