Victron Orion 48/12 converter problems

[Cardude]

I’m working on the electrical board on my son’s stepvan project. It has 2-48v Lifepower4 batteries hooked up to an EG4 3000 AIO inverter. I’m happy with the inverter, it works fine.

I bought a Victron Orion 48/12 volt DC converter so he can power some of his 12v items like the pressure water pump, some lights, his max air roof vent, etc. Nothing really big, just some light loads.

Anyway, I hooked the converter up to the battery from the bus bars, and put a breaker in before the converter. Got it all wired up, threw the breaker and was rewarded with a big spark at the converter (near where my input wires were inserted). It shut down the battery BMS and popped my breaker.

I didn’t have any 12v loads hooked up to the converter yet. Could that have been the problem? The wiring seemed to be stupid simple on this thing with the high voltage input and lower voltage output terminals. There was also a remote jumper that I didn’t connect. The installation instructions were not very descriptive, but again it seemed simple.

Did I fry the thing? I’m scared to hook it up again.

This is the unit:

Victron Energy | Orion-Tr 48/12-30A (360W) Isolated DC-DC Converter

Signature Solar provides solar panels, off-grid solar systems, grid-tie, and hybrid systems. Quality solar inverters, bifacial solar panels, complete solar kits, solar batteries. Featuring brands such as EG4 Electronics with their solar battery, LifePower4 and EG4 LLifePower4 and EG4 LL

signaturesolar.com

The install instructions:

 

[DIYrich]

I have a 48/12-9. It acts like it has a capacitor, like inverters do. You need a pre-charge resistor to avoid the spark. Once it sparked, it is good (capacitor charged) unless you wait too long and the capacitor discharges.

 

[Cardude]

Oh! Gotcha. Thanks.

Would have been nice for Victron to include that information in their worthless documentation.

 

[DIYrich]

Yes, I found out the hard way the first time, and was reminded when I wired up the permanent install.