I am looking at posible upgrades. Currently in my 5th wheel I have a Samlex evo-4024. I bought it not understanding it can't be used with the existing 50a panel, so had to install a sub panel and move over the circuits it could handle. The other issue was not being able to use the common ground to the frame. I now see the prices on 48v batteries are at a price I can justify upgrading. I am looking at the Victron Quattro 5000VA 48V. I do not need the generator transfer switch, but at $2200 it still seems practical. Can anybody that has gone this rout give me any other recomendations.
48V upgrage in a fifth wheel?
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justinm001
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I have this inverter and if you want 240v/50a shore you need 2 of them. I think they make a Quattro2 2x120 like the MP2 2x120 so you can get it and that'll use both legs of shore
Without 2 you can still get 120v 50a from shore just not using that 2nd hot leg. It's still 6000w and Victron does power assist so you get that 5kw on top of 6kw shore. Just depends on how much power you actually need from shore.
Without 2 you can still get 120v 50a from shore just not using that 2nd hot leg. It's still 6000w and Victron does power assist so you get that 5kw on top of 6kw shore. Just depends on how much power you actually need from shore.
Thanks, I should of looked closer at the specs. It looks like 2 of the Multiplus-2 48/3000 should work, but I would not expect to be able to get 50A Cont output on a summer day. I can live with that, when bondocking, 30 to 40A should be fine. The problem I have now, is only half of my cicuits are available to run off the batteries. I thought about tieing everthing back into the main panel, and just continue using the Samlex when bondocking and forget about utilizing the pass though power.
justinm001
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The main difference between the Quattro and the multiplus is the Quattro has 2 inputs so switches gen/shore.
All Victron inverters are 120v. Don't even look at the 230v ones those are euro. But they make a special 2x120 model like the one below. Not sure if they make 48v though or Quattro. RV shore cables are 30a/120v or 50a/240v. And these special 2x120 models allow you to use all of the shore 12kw. Otherwise you can only pull 50a/120v 6kw from shore. Doesn't matter much unless huge shore loads.
www.currentconnected.com
If you go with 2 inverters you can setup for split phase and they work together to give you 240v and pull all the power from shore.
The reality is 2 ACs are 3000w and even if you're cooking and such you should be under 6kw, but if you do go over like when cooking it just uses battery then recharges.
All Victron inverters are 120v. Don't even look at the 230v ones those are euro. But they make a special 2x120 model like the one below. Not sure if they make 48v though or Quattro. RV shore cables are 30a/120v or 50a/240v. And these special 2x120 models allow you to use all of the shore 12kw. Otherwise you can only pull 50a/120v 6kw from shore. Doesn't matter much unless huge shore loads.
Victron 12V MultiPlus-II 3kVA 2x120V Inverter/Charger | Current Connected
Power, adaptability, and efficiency combined - the MultiPlus-II 2x120V Inverter delivers unparalleled performance for your energy system needs.
www.currentconnected.com
If you go with 2 inverters you can setup for split phase and they work together to give you 240v and pull all the power from shore.
The reality is 2 ACs are 3000w and even if you're cooking and such you should be under 6kw, but if you do go over like when cooking it just uses battery then recharges.
justinm001
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You can still use the 50a cord and just 1 leg so you get 6000w instead of 30a 3600w.
MrThisIsME
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With only 4800w of battery, you are not going to be using any AC much for now. Good thinking on the upgrade.
Are you hard fast on Victron? Plenty of better solutions for split phase for an RV in my eyes.
Not sure the the RV you have, but cannot understand why you would need to bypass any subpanel for the new setup.
For boondocking, do you plan to stay in the heat, or move North for cooler weather?
justinm001
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Ignoring price, what is a better solution than Victron? My Quattro 5kws run around 40w idle but the MP3000s are like 9w.
They have a 2x120 for split phase 50a and you can parallel or split phase multiple inverters to build the system you want.
MrThisIsME
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My last boondock rig was 48V 200ah and 1920w solar. I move North during the Summer, but in the SW desert in Winter I could get about 2-3 hours runtime on a single AC. Not enough to keep it super cool, just enough to cool it off a little until night time. Dec and Jan I could hardly run them, but never really needed.
Remember, that 1800w of solar is really only good after you get to 100% SOC from your nighttime draw.
Cost being an issue, have you looked at the EG4 6000w split phase unit? Seems ideal to me for a 50 amp RV.
Remember, that 1800w of solar is really only good after you get to 100% SOC from your nighttime draw.
Cost being an issue, have you looked at the EG4 6000w split phase unit? Seems ideal to me for a 50 amp RV.
I don't ever see a long term need for running more than one AC, so between the 48v 13kw battery upgrade, and 1800w of solar I think I am fine. I do have a good size freezer full of meat year round, so my bigger concern is being able to go multiple days without shore power when bondocking or outages, being in the mountains. What split phase inverts would you recomend? I don't really feel a strong need for pass through, because I'm usually bondocking, or connected to 50a service.
justinm001
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1 AC is under 1500w so 48v/200a/10kwh means you should get 6.6hrs runtime from batteries alone. This is where inverter efficiency and idle consumption matters. If you're running the EG4 6000 then it's a HF inverter with like 115w idle consumption.
1800w of solar should be enough to run 1 AC on sunny days without using battery. Nice part is you need AC most when it's sunny
I will check the EG4 out. I have a 4000w generator for backup when needed.
MrThisIsME
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Is the freezer residential or RV? If a RV fridge and plan on running it on AC might as well double your battery.
If boondocking and wanting to run fridge off AC, a residential is the way to go. 400% more efficient. Just lose the ability to run on propane. Check out the EG4 split phase 6000W unit for about $1500. What I am running in a 45' class A. I run two, but technically could run on one easily with two ACs running. I run two to take advantage of a large generator to charge, plus two allow me to weld thicker metal. Plus two make it somewhat redundant.
MrThisIsME
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The EG4s play well with a generator as well with the integrated transfer switch for a generator.
MrThisIsME
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Real world, I am doing about 48w idle. But it changes a lot, drives me crazy (temp maybe), but no more than 62 or so.
That is coming off the Victron shunt, not the unit itself.
This is a deep rabbit hole, understand the limitations is going to be HUGE.
I live full time in a 5th wheel, we went with dual 48/5000va Quattro's in split phase. 300ah bank. The system is AMAZING, we use a lot of power though, constantly hit overload alarm and dc ripple alarm. I question some of our choices, perhaps should have gone with dual 10kva units, or just a single 10kva, or wired up for parallel usage instead of split-phase.
Either way, I know a lot about the system and we are still expanding it and tweaking it. Feel free to msg me if you have any questions.
I did a stress test the other day, ran 3 A/C, a space heater, electric fireplace, electric water heater, lights and 2 computers!
My weakest link was the battery BMS. Turning on the microwave finally made it blow!
I live full time in a 5th wheel, we went with dual 48/5000va Quattro's in split phase. 300ah bank. The system is AMAZING, we use a lot of power though, constantly hit overload alarm and dc ripple alarm. I question some of our choices, perhaps should have gone with dual 10kva units, or just a single 10kva, or wired up for parallel usage instead of split-phase.
Either way, I know a lot about the system and we are still expanding it and tweaking it. Feel free to msg me if you have any questions.
I did a stress test the other day, ran 3 A/C, a space heater, electric fireplace, electric water heater, lights and 2 computers!
My weakest link was the battery BMS. Turning on the microwave finally made it blow!
Yes, I do have a big residential fridge, and also a 24v freezer, 44' 5er. The fridge averages 4 kw's a day. The EG4 looks great, It would be nice to be able to easily connect another few thousand watts of solar, If I purchace a off grid lot for a summer spot.Is the freezer residential or RV? If a RV fridge and plan on running it on AC might as well double your battery.
Check out the EG4 split phase 6000W unit for about $1500. What I am running in a 45' class A. I run two, but technically could run on one easily with two ACs running. I run two to take advantage of a large generator to charge, plus two allow me to weld thicker metal. Plus two make it somewhat redundant.
justinm001
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I have same setup as you with 2 SOK batteries 200ah and huge power hog of an RV. I added a 3rd 12v Quattro 5000 with its 10kwh battery and it pulls AC power from the 48V quattros. Not only does it give me all the 12V i could ever want and a huge charger but I can swap from charging to inverting on it so on those loads I can get the 5kw from the 12V inverter plus powerassist 5kw from 1 leg of the 48V quattro, while still powering the other leg 5000w. Just simply set the input limit on the 12V cerbo.
On top of this they now have a prioritize solar which basically uses battery for DC loads and pulls from 48V inverter for AC loads, leaving batteries around 70-80% so room for everything.
I have 6 ACs so 2 on each inverter and just select which ones I want to use based on power. At some point I plan on integrating node-red and automating when to switch the 12V from invert only to pull from 48V. Just waiting on finishing the roof solar and then ill have a better idea.
Can feed both hots with an external 50 amp transfer switch to power the entire panel and get by with less inverter.
This would lose some functions and consider a simpler dedicated inverter vs the multifunction.
Going to require a monster battery to run the A/C for any significant time. If you plan to do this and charge by generator... may as well run the generator from the get go. Most everything else can run on 3000 watts.
the existing Samlex 4024 would work perfectly.
This would lose some functions and consider a simpler dedicated inverter vs the multifunction.
Going to require a monster battery to run the A/C for any significant time. If you plan to do this and charge by generator... may as well run the generator from the get go. Most everything else can run on 3000 watts.
the existing Samlex 4024 would work perfectly.
