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Boy! I am not very good at doing updates... I have been using the batteries for about 6 months now. No problems (other than my own stupid mistakes that I will list below). A few other updates first - Heating. Because my motorhome batteries (starting & lithium) are basically outside, I built...

Also, if you are going with a Victron system - go all Victron- the data you get and history is AWESOME! That may become more important if you play with your string configurations in the future- because you can see what each mppt is producing or not producing. Edit:sunshine is totally...

My understanding based on my setup. I have the temp sensor on the Smartshunt- I did not put the temp sensor from the Multiplus on (too difficult for my RV). Through the “VE smart network” the Smartshunt will pass current, voltage, and temperature data to the mppt’s. I don’t know if it passed...

#10 wire is rated for 30amps #8 wire is rated for 40amps #6 wire is rated for 50amps At noon with 650watts of solar power your solar charge controller will produce: 650w / 14.2v = 45amps If you try shoving more amps down a wire rated for fewer amps - it heats up and resistance increases. The...

My Motor Home has this Boost feature built in, so if the chassis battery is too low to start the big diesel engine, there is a boost switch. It activates a solenoid that closes a links between two batteries. When I was getting the Victron BMV-712 I researched it. Victron's shunt is a 500a - 50...

Here is one thought - since you have the Victron mppt - think about a Victron inverter. Having all major stuff Victron- let’s you use a GX and give you lots of info in the same place. Look up a Cerbo (you could use that or roll your own with a Pi).

It you want lots of power go 48v. The size of battery depends on how much you will use in a day, (will you use as much the next day too?), how much solar you have, and how much you want to run the generator. It just a math question…

You are mixing up your 120v amps with your 12v amps. That little generator can generate 20amps at 120v. 20amps *120v = 2400 watts converted back to 12v… 2400w/ 12v = 200amps. Your little generator (mathematical) could completely charge your 400ah battery in 2hrs (which is too fast for those...

Nope. If running at the same time they fight each other. You could setup a switch to send power to one - then power to the other.

In my MotorHome I went with a diy 544ah 12v battery - with Victron gear. I have a Multiplus 12/3000 inverter- it can run one large item (microwave, hair dryer, A/C) and all the small items at once - computers, etc. or two medium items at once - toaster,etc. Keeping everything at 12v is nice...

My day job is an accountant. If an IRS employee visits your home and asks about your system - or is your case compelling enough that a judge will agree. if the following questions are all YES - I don’t think there would be an issue: Is it on all the time? So you are using solar power every...

Also, you could put four 12v lights in series too. That may or may not be cheaper.

Here is maybe a better idea: Leave your current water heater alone - that way your wife always has hot showers. Add a second water heater in front on your water heater and this one runs off the solar dump load. It will always be cold water - and will heat the water up before going into your...

I looked at the video - you really need an insulated box around the batteries. You can just get a 4x8’ sheet of 1” insulation foam board- make a base - make sides and a lid - fasten together with duck tape. That will allow the heaters to retain the heat. how cold are the batteries? Have you...

Here is my OPINION on the Blue Sea switches. When they are on or off - no issues. The problem will be in switching states from on to off or off to on. If your system will not turning on or be shutting off with much current flow, then there will not be a problem. But if you shut off with a...

Here is another idea… Get a 12v heater (rv tank heater/ seed heater etc…) put it in the bottom of the insulated box under the batteries (with appropriate electrical insulation between them). Use a Victron BP-65 to cut power to the external heater if the batteries drop below ____v (you select...

Hello everyone, I figured I should finish posting about building the battery (about time... I have been using it for months now). Here is the photo of the eight cells. I used kevlar cord (from my rocket hobby). Its strong and doesn't stretch. This is so I can lift the cells when I need to...

If you will have a microwave on an inverter- go with 24v (or any other high load 120v items - hairdryers,etc). If no large inverter go with 12v. The difference between 6ga wire and 10ga will not be significant.

My guess is the input amp limit is too high - probably 50amp is the default- you need to drop that to 15amps (I would go to the minimum 7.5amps). You probably popped either the GFCI breaker or your circuit panel breaker.

What you need is a transfer switch. Because I love my Victron Multiplus I would HIGHLY recommend that - it has a built in transfer switch and charger. But you have said you don’t it. WFCO T30 30 Amp Transfer Switch https://a.co/d/iChe683 This is an automatic switch (there are others). It...

Yes you can but there will be a penalty. The way to figure it out is to remember that when you combine panels one factor adds and you use the lowest of the other one. (Use Vmp and Imp for these calculations). In series - voltage adds - amps use the lower one. In parallel- amps add - volts use...

Mine is the Gen2 so it points itself. I got a FlagPoleBuddy system and usually attach it to my ladder w/2 4’ poles (starts out at about 7’ - so it is about 15’ up there) - I have another 2 poles to get it much higher to help w/trees if needed. I have the base and have a 150’ cable- sometimes...

Nope! You will have a dead mppt. For the max voltage you look at the Voc (Voltage open circuit), With a Voc of 46.6 * 3 panels = 139.8v - you are already over the max range. Plus as solar panels get colder the Voc goes up. That number of 139.8v is at standard conditions 25C or 77F. As it gets...

Yes - it is a self- destruct button. ? it is NOT a Bussman 30a surface mount breaker. If you push the red button all the little electrons in the circuit suddenly quit doing the work we want them to and spontaneous self destruct - such horror! Luckily the ones in the battery don’t hear about...

In an RV (Schoolie), one of your biggest factors is your idle draw of the inverter. Because of limited solar you want as low of idle draw as possible - and best efficiency. One of the reasons I like Victron inverters. Good Luck

Lots of years ago, my first solar installation on my 5th wheel trailer. Hooked up the pwm controller to the battery, then hook up the solar panel- and smelled the magic smoke… I had flipped pos and neg when connecting the SCC, and the batteries burned it up (no fuses) the connection finally...

The copper(?) plate below that conducts the current looks rather small- at least compared to my Blue Sea ones.

They are totally lying… Want proof… https://signaturesolar.com/hyundai-390w-half-cell-monofacial-solar-panel-silver-hia-s390hi-full-pallet-27-pre-order/ There is a 390w panel. Only 39” x 79” Just a wee bit bigger…

Off grid is expensive, the larger the system the more costs rise. Conservation is vitally important! (Plan that in your build). There are three big factors- how many watts you will use in a day, and how many watts you will use at once and how much is needed to get you through the night - until...