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  • Solar Install ncitro

    ncitro what solar setup do you have....I'm assuming you have something
    Allen

    2021 Momentum 21G

  • #2
    Originally posted by acoleman43 View Post
    ncitro what solar setup do you have....I'm assuming you have something
    I do indeed. My system has evolved in stages, but currently looks like this:

    6 200 Watt panels in Series-Parallel Combination
    100/150 Victron SmartSolar MPPT Controller
    6 Lion Energy Batteries (4 original 90ah and 2 Safari UT1300)
    Victron Multiplus 3000VA
    Renogy 40 Amp DC to DC Charger
    Victron BMV712 Battery Monitor
    I run a "poor mans Cerbo" for my monitoring and interface on a Raspberry Pi. Victron open sources their Venus OS for this, makes for a great interface.

    Since I bought the rig in 2017, we had four 6V Golf Cart batteries, and a Magnum 3000 watt inverter. Those got replaced, the batteries first (did a group buy in of four when Lion Energy was getting started) and later the Magnum, I wanted a single pane of glass interface, and hybrid/power assist.
    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


    • #3
      Originally posted by ncitro View Post

      I do indeed. My system has evolved in stages, but currently looks like this:

      6 200 Watt panels in Series-Parallel Combination
      100/150 Victron SmartSolar MPPT Controller
      6 Lion Energy Batteries (4 original 90ah and 2 Safari UT1300)
      Victron Multiplus 3000VA
      Renogy 40 Amp DC to DC Charger
      Victron BMV712 Battery Monitor
      I run a "poor mans Cerbo" for my monitoring and interface on a Raspberry Pi. Victron open sources their Venus OS for this, makes for a great interface.

      Since I bought the rig in 2017, we had four 6V Golf Cart batteries, and a Magnum 3000 watt inverter. Those got replaced, the batteries first (did a group buy in of four when Lion Energy was getting started) and later the Magnum, I wanted a single pane of glass interface, and hybrid/power assist.
      I'm currently slowly acquiring pieces to a major upgrade. In about 6 months I should have all the pieces for the install. It will be very similar to yours....so, what are some of the things you would have done different? What are some of the things you did right?
      Allen

      2021 Momentum 21G

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by acoleman43 View Post

        I'm currently slowly acquiring pieces to a major upgrade. In about 6 months I should have all the pieces for the install. It will be very similar to yours....so, what are some of the things you would have done different? What are some of the things you did right?
        A bit off track here, maybe one of the mods will split it off to a separate thread, but in the meantime,

        I love the power assist. I visit a lot of family and friends a lot of which are in the south, so its super handy to be able to run both my AC units off of 20 amp power when I first get there to cool the rig down. One thing I might change would be to go with the Type two Multiplus they came out with. It does 50 amp split phase passthrough, but early indications were that it only did power assist on phase one, and only showed power usage on the display for phase one. Some of those things were going to be improved with a software update, so I am not sure today what I would do there. As you suggested above, the best would be dual Multiplus units, but I am not quite there yet. Other than that no complaints. I switched my fridge to residential, and thats a large part of why I added two more batteries. The DC to DC charger is life changing. I gave a seminar at the national rally on solar, and my wife gave one on boondocking. I am to the point with my system that I recommend the DC charger to people ahead of solar, particular if they have a lot of drive days. It always seems like we get rain on our drive days, and the DC charger lets us do all the Walmarts and Cracker Barrels we want and be at full battery when we get to all of them, regardless of weather. A lot of times on these days we run the crock pot while driving, and again between the solar and DC charger we always arrive at full and can run whatever we need. AC for a bit to cool us down when we first get there? Sure. Space heater to take the chill out of my sons bunkroom? Sure. It is truly awesome.

        One thing I might consider just to simplify the wiring would be two of the new Battleborn 300ah batteries instead. Again I grew mine over time, so it was not really an option, but if I was starting from scratch I might go that route to simplify the wiring if nothing else.
        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
          Originally posted by ncitro View Post

          A bit off track here, maybe one of the mods will split it off to a separate thread, but in the meantime,

          I love the power assist. I visit a lot of family and friends a lot of which are in the south, so its super handy to be able to run both my AC units off of 20 amp power when I first get there to cool the rig down. One thing I might change would be to go with the Type two Multiplus they came out with. It does 50 amp split phase passthrough, but early indications were that it only did power assist on phase one, and only showed power usage on the display for phase one. Some of those things were going to be improved with a software update, so I am not sure today what I would do there. As you suggested above, the best would be dual Multiplus units, but I am not quite there yet. Other than that no complaints. I switched my fridge to residential, and thats a large part of why I added two more batteries. The DC to DC charger is life changing. I gave a seminar at the national rally on solar, and my wife gave one on boondocking. I am to the point with my system that I recommend the DC charger to people ahead of solar, particular if they have a lot of drive days. It always seems like we get rain on our drive days, and the DC charger lets us do all the Walmarts and Cracker Barrels we want and be at full battery when we get to all of them, regardless of weather. A lot of times on these days we run the crock pot while driving, and again between the solar and DC charger we always arrive at full and can run whatever we need. AC for a bit to cool us down when we first get there? Sure. Space heater to take the chill out of my sons bunkroom? Sure. It is truly awesome.

          One thing I might consider just to simplify the wiring would be two of the new Battleborn 300ah batteries instead. Again I grew mine over time, so it was not really an option, but if I was starting from scratch I might go that route to simplify the wiring if nothing else.
          THat's great info!

          Hmmm...Does Dc to DC charger really make that much difference?

          Currently I have (not installed) Multiplus 24/3000/70, Victron 150-100 MPPT, Lynx Shunt, Lynx Distributor. Next purcahses will be the Orion 24-12-70, Cerbo GX, GX Touch, all wiring, fuses, switches, etc....then the panels and batteries. I'm giving myself until summer next year to get it finished.

          One thing I am considering is to add a second inverter for an external 30 amp connection. I'd like to allow other to hook up to my generator/battery bank if needed. I'm also thinking about a 30 amp sub panel for my house and wire "essential" loads to it (like fridge) for those times when power goes out.

          Any advice or warning from anybody would be much appreciated
          Allen

          2021 Momentum 21G

          Comment


          • #6
            acoleman43 Thats ambitious for sure. I have thought about a second Multiplus, but decided I do not need it in this rig. Before I did the system for my in laws I described above I used to have them plug into me via dog bone 15 amp adapter (they travel with us frequently). They ran their converter to charge their batteries, and would make coffee or run a hair dryer with no issues. Certainly a second inverter would have allowed me to supply them more power, but was beyond what they ever needed. I store my rig at my office, so I have not needed to power the house with it, but I have considered it. Ironically my neighborhood is all fed underground, so power outages are rare, but at work we do lose power on occasion. The last time was long enough that I connected my network rack to the rig to power our switches and phone system. Unfortunately the rig was inside so no solar to keep it charged up lol. As long as you do some kind of subpanel with an appropriate switch over then I do not see any issues. Should be no different than a backup generator. Standard disclaimers about permits and electricians and burning things down apply here <--------------

            As far as the DC to DC in my case it is huge. We are fairly power hungry. Between working full time and the residential fridge we consume a lot of the batteries, so being able to recharge while driving is the difference between stopping in a campground every second or third night to recharge while on the road vs not at all. With the DC to DC it means that on rainy drive days we can still continue to boondock on drive days, vs having to find a campground.
            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


            • #7
              ncitro

              Neil I have moved these posts out per your request. If you wish a title change let me know.

              Brian
              Brian & Michelle
              2018 Reflection 29RS
              2022 Chevy 3500HD

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks Brian!
                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


                • #9
                  Originally posted by acoleman43 View Post
                  ncitro what solar setup do you have....I'm assuming you have something
                  For how not to do some things take a look at my install. Might save you a bit of time and as I said learn not what to do before you get there. On tip is pre-plan the lugs and connection you will need. The price can add up - I have a lot of spares. Welding cable is great as its more flexible.

                  Neil helped me a lot too ncitro Also Brian and a bunch of others here including Howard, Rob, Joseph and Jim - and others that I am having a senior moment remembering off of the top of my bald head.
                  https://gdrvowners.com/forum/solar/5...-don-t-mess-up
                  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.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Yoda View Post

                    For how not to do some things take a look at my install. Might save you a bit of time and as I said learn not what to do before you get there. On tip is pre-plan the lugs and connection you will need. The price can add up - I have a lot of spares. Welding cable is great as its more flexible.

                    Neil helped me a lot too ncitro Also Brian and a bunch of others here including Howard, Rob, Joseph and Jim - and others that I am having a senior moment remembering off of the top of my bald head.
                    https://gdrvowners.com/forum/solar/5...-don-t-mess-up
                    Thanks. I have many months before I get started so I will spend time looking and lurking. I want to do this during the winter when it's not 95+ degrees with high humidity mosquitoes harassing my exposed skin.

                    I have a feeling this will be a larger project than I think it will be :(
                    Allen

                    2021 Momentum 21G

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      ncitro Do you have a AC to DC converter in your system?
                      Allen

                      2021 Momentum 21G

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by acoleman43 View Post
                        ncitro Do you have a AC to DC converter in your system?
                        I kept my factory converter but keep it turned off. I mainly use my Victron as my charger/converter, but last year did add a 100 amp converter as a backup when I added more batteries. This allows me to charge at up to 225 amps if I need to turn around from back to back boondocking sessions, but in practice hasn't really been needed. It also offers me a backup at a higher charge rate than the factory converter if I'm having an issue with the Victron, but again hasn't been an issue. In practice in most situations I keep it turned off and only use the Victron Multiplus.

                        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


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by ncitro View Post

                          I kept my factory converter but keep it turned off. I mainly use my Victron as my charger/converter, but last year did add a 100 amp converter as a backup when I added more batteries. This allows me to charge at up to 225 amps if I need to turn around from back to back boondocking sessions, but in practice hasn't really been needed. It also offers me a backup at a higher charge rate than the factory converter if I'm having an issue with the Victron, but again hasn't been an issue. In practice in most situations I keep it turned off and only use the Victron Multiplus.
                          How are you using the multiplus as a converter? Are you basically using the batteries through the multiplus as a "converter"?

                          I ask because I am converting to a 24v system and the factory converter won't work with 24v batteries. I'm thinking about installing a 24v converter with the multiplus but not sure where/how I would do that....
                          Allen

                          2021 Momentum 21G

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by acoleman43 View Post

                            How are you using the multiplus as a converter? Are you basically using the batteries through the multiplus as a "converter"?

                            I ask because I am converting to a 24v system and the factory converter won't work with 24v batteries. I'm thinking about installing a 24v converter with the multiplus but not sure where/how I would do that....
                            Yeah I use the Multiplus to charge my batteries, and it also provides power to my 12v loads when I have shore power. I think in practice those 12V loads end up actually running off the batteries, and the Multiplus recharges them, but in practice it ends up being the same thing. When on shore power I hardly ever see my batteries drop below 99%.

                            I considered 24V, but the voltage converter needed to power my 12V loads was one more thing that could fail, and I had a hard time finding one powerful enough to run the slide motors and leveling system (both are fused at 50 amps).
                            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


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by ncitro View Post

                              Yeah I use the Multiplus to charge my batteries, and it also provides power to my 12v loads when I have shore power. I think in practice those 12V loads end up actually running off the batteries, and the Multiplus recharges them, but in practice it ends up being the same thing. When on shore power I hardly ever see my batteries drop below 99%.

                              I considered 24V, but the voltage converter needed to power my 12V loads was one more thing that could fail, and I had a hard time finding one powerful enough to run the slide motors and leveling system (both are fused at 50 amps).
                              Thanks. I'm seeing the same issues. I found a Progressive Dynamics converter that is 40amp @ 24v (80amp at 12v) that I am looking at but was thinking along the same lines....the multiplus will just keep the batteries charged. DC consumption throughout the day is relatively low and will allow the multiplus to easily keep the batteries charged. With a good lithium battery I probably won't have to worry about charging cycle limits as much as I would an AGM style.
                              Allen

                              2021 Momentum 21G

                              Comment

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