Hillside Birchover

[Anakin]

I connected up the Victron MPPT solar controller today. I’m trying to get as much of the prewiring and installation done before fitting the solar panel. The MPPT now has an earth and “Battery” input is connected to the bottom terminal of the SPE unit. That seems to have worked and the MPPT controller is alive and I can see it on my phone in the Victron app. I can then just make the panel connections when it’s installed.

The Hillside battery meter shows as full, when I press the rocker switch, but is now illuminated constantly and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t doing that before. Is it normal to be lit up all the time?

 

[EAN]

I connected up the Victron MPPT solar controller today. I’m trying to get as much of the prewiring and installation done before fitting the solar panel. The MPPT now has an earth and “Battery” input is connected to the bottom terminal of the SPE unit. That seems to have worked and the MPPT controller is alive and I can see it on my phone in the Victron app. I can then just make the panel connections when it’s installed.

The Hillside battery meter shows as full, when I press the rocker switch, but is now illuminated constantly and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t doing that before. Is it normal to be lit up all the time?

Mine just displays the leisure battery voltage when the rocker switch is pressed, otherwise off: It's a momentary switch.

 

[Anakin]

Mine just displays the leisure battery voltage when the rocker switch is pressed, otherwise off: It's a momentary switch.

Yes, mine too. But the display was back-lit and stayed on, which I hadn’t ever noticed before. Happily when I looked 10 minutes later the backlight was off and has stayed off. It must have been triggered somehow by connecting the MPPT.

 

[Jamesie]

Just completed my leisure electrics install replacing the standard Birchover T6.1 setup. Fogstar 100Ah lithium. Victron XS 50A DC to DC, Victron Smartshunt and Victron IP67 AC charger. All seems to be working OK. Probably need to fully charge the battery and calibrate the Smartshunt.

 

[Anakin]

@Jamesie looking good there. Did you consider fitting an Ablemail for automatic topping up of the SN while you’re in there?

 

[Jamesie]

@Jamesie looking good there. Did you consider fitting an Ablemail for automatic topping up of the SN while you’re in there?

I considered it but to be honest I've never had a problem with the starter battery in over 3 years of ownership, and the van can quite regularly sit in the driveway untouched for 2 or 3 weeks and starts no problem every time. Hopefully that hasn't jinxed it. Our usage tends to be weekends away to big touring trips where we are driving most days so putting power back into the starter battery.

 

[Captain Quick]

I’m currently installing an Orion XS DC-DC charger, ABT12-2 and SmartShunt and want to swap the 200 Amp MIDI fuse on the +ve terminal module of the leisure battery for a 60Amp one for the feed to the Orion. However, it looks like all the fuses in the Fuseholder SG unit are riveted or pressed on to the terminal posts in some way. Anyone any idea on how to change the fuses? Are they just a push fit? I was hoping not to have to add a separate fuse block. All input welcome. Thanks.

 

[EAN]

I’m currently installing an Orion XS DC-DC charger, ABT12-2 and SmartShunt and want to swap the 200 Amp MIDI fuse on the +ve terminal module of the leisure battery for a 60Amp one for the feed to the Orion. However, it looks like all the fuses in the Fuseholder SG unit are riveted or pressed on to the terminal posts in some way. Anyone any idea on how to change the fuses? Are they just a push fit? I was hoping not to have to add a separate fuse block. All input welcome. Thanks.

View attachment 284513

Yep, riveted, as the whole fuse unit was incompatible with my Lithium and only one fuse was actually in use, I just discarded it. If you must use it then drill the rivet out and replace with nut and bolt.

 

[Captain Quick]

Yep, riveted, as the whole fuse unit was incompatible with my Lithium and only one fuse was actually in use, I just discarded it. If you must use it then drill the rivet out and replace with nut and bolt.

@EAN Many thanks for confirming that. I just drilled the rivet out but have discovered that the VW fuses are not the same dimensions as Midi types. The VW holes are 35mm apart whilst the Midis are smaller. VW must fit a non-standard fuse type.

A bit of filing and I managed to make it fit.

 

[EAN]

@EAN Many thanks for confirming that. I just drilled the rivet out but have discovered that the VW fuses are not the same dimensions as Midi types. The VW holes are 35mm apart whilst the Midis are smaller. Back to the drawing board.

I didn’t know that. New battery terminal and inline midi fuse. Throw the VW unit away.

 

[Jamesie]

Yes i swapped out my factory AGM battery for a Fogstar 100AH recently and I removed the VW fuse box and went with inline midi fuse holders and 60A midi fuses for the DC to DC charger and load output connections at the positive terminal.

 

[Captain Quick]

I’m pleased to say I finally finished my install of a Victron Orion XS, SmartShunt and Ablemail ABT12-2 into our Birchover. I managed to get all the units fixed to the passenger seat side with as little disruption to the underseat wiring as I could. I decided to postpone the installation of the Roamer LiFePO4 this time as I’m going to be busy for the next couple of months.

I’m still debating whether to keep or ditch the engine run signal that opens the relay in the rear to shut down the habitation electrics whilst the engine is running. Hillside and a lot of other converters seem to fit these things presumably to avoid any issues with RFI whilst the van is driving. I think it’s a an NCC requirement but I can’t see any point as it often shuts the habitation lighting down just when you need it. I’ll only need to remove the 5A fuse (the brown one fourth from left in bottom left fuse block) to disable it.