Orion-Tr Smart 12/12-30

[dudedogvan]

Looking at DC-DC chargers. Since I've settled on the Victron 100/30 smartsolar mppt for my SCC, I'm leaning towards one of the Victron Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC chargers for quality and ease of integration into the same BT app. I'm looking at the 12/12-30 non-isolated. Questions:

• Since starter battery is already grounded to chassis and I plan to ground my house battery to chassis, the non-isolated charger is what I need correct? Not the isolated?
• Does remote on/off also mean I can switch the unit off with my phone's BT app? (This relates to whether I will install a on/off switch for the DC-DC charger in my wiring. If I can turn it off with my phone I was thinking I might not need a manual switch.)
• Most importantly: I'm using a SOK 206ah LiFePO4 battery with a max charge current of 50A. The Victron 100/30 could potentially charge the battery with 30A. The combined charging amperage of the Victron 100/30 mppt and the Orion 12/12-30 DC-DC charger could be 60A, exceeding the 50A max charge current of the SOK battery. Can I program the Orion 12/12-30 to output less amperage? Any suggestions?

 

[FilterGuy]

I'm leaning towards one of the Victron Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC chargers for quality and ease of integration into the same BT app.

I assume you are planning on using this for charging from the Alternator.

Since starter battery is already grounded to chassis and I plan to ground my house battery to chassis, the non-isolated charger is what I need correct? Not the isolated?

Correct

Does remote on/off also mean I can switch the unit off with my phone's BT app?

Remote on/off means you can set up a hard wire a manual switch (or other controls) However, in the app settings there is a cintol to enable and disable the charger. When you disable the charger a pop-up comes up that says

"Charger will be disabled and battery will stop charging.
This is intended for maintenance purposes only"

I am not sure why they say it is intended for maintenance only.

If you download the Victron Connect app and launch it. There is a demo library that you can run and see the app without having the device.

Can I program the Orion 12/12-30 to output less amperage?

I don't see anything in the app that would allow you to reduce the charge current.

Any suggestions?

The Orion 12/12-18 would match up nicely, but it looks like it is only available in isolated so it may be pricy. (I am pretty sure you can use the isolated in a non-isolated application, but you should check on that)

 

[Rocketman]

For your concern of max current charging going over the 50 amps:

you can easily lower the mppt’s charging from 30 amps down to 20. That is easily changed in the app - then you can raise it back to 30 when you are done driving.

You also may find that your panels being flat on your vehicle cannot produce much over 20 amps and the Orion loses a couple of amps (wiring and such) - so you may be ok without constantly changing the mppt’s settings.

 

[MisterSandals]

Can I program the Orion 12/12-30 to output less amperage? Any suggestions?

There is an 18A model. It’s harder to find in searches for some reason.

Amazon.com: Victron Energy Orion-Tr Smart 12/12-Volt 18 amp 220-Watt DC-DC Charger, Isolated (Bluetooth) : Automotive

Buy Victron Energy Orion-Tr Smart 12/12-Volt 18 amp 220-Watt DC-DC Charger, Isolated (Bluetooth): Battery Chargers - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

 

[FilterGuy]

You also may find that your panels being flat on your vehicle cannot produce much over 20 amps and the Orion loses a couple of amps (wiring and such) - so you may be ok without constantly changing the mppt’s settings.

Good point

 

[dudedogvan]

Remote on/off means you can set up a hard wire a manual switch (or other controls) However, in the app settings there is a cintol to enable and disable the charger. When you disable the charger a pop-up comes up that says

"Charger will be disabled and battery will stop charging.
This is intended for maintenance purposes only"

I am not sure why they say it is intended for maintenance only.

If you download the Victron Connect app and launch it. There is a demo library that you can run and see the app without having the device.

Thanks now I can check the demo out.

For your concern of max current charging going over the 50 amps:

you can easily lower the mppt’s charging from 30 amps down to 20. That is easily changed in the app - then you can raise it back to 30 when you are done driving.

You also may find that your panels being flat on your vehicle cannot produce much over 20 amps and the Orion loses a couple of amps (wiring and such) - so you may be ok without constantly changing the mppt’s settings.

I thought about this as well. It's likely you're right about the flat mounted panels and the losses with the orion naturally producing less than 50A anyways. I just wanted to be sure I could regulate current output on either the mppt or the orion, just in case I get close to that 50A max charge current somehow. Thanks for clarifying I can indeed do that with the victron mppt.

 

[codfish]

I have both a Victron smart SCC and the Orion smart DC-DC feeding the same battery. I have found I can control the charging current of the Orion ( and hence the load on the alternator) by dialing down the target charging voltage of the Orion. The two chargers are perfectly happy to coexist with different target voltages when in bulk phase. I realize that the Orion is a CC/CV charger but in practice reducing the target CV voltage seems to moderate the charge current (and thus the drain on the starter battery / alternator). As I recall I sometime set the Orion to 13.6 volts and it pushes about 10-15 amps into an LFP sitting at 13.2v.