Seat Base Electric + EHU + Solar Install + Charger + DC-DC -- How We Done it --

[Dellmassive]

I keep trying to justify getting a 2kw inverter as that would complete the set!

I run the Renogy 2kw inverter in the van .... It's faultless and runs stuff others won't.

 

[Stay Frosty]

If it's the one that's currently at £239 that's what's adding to the pressure as it looks a bit of a bargain!

 

[Dellmassive]

Oops typo...

I ment Renogy 1kw that's in the van right now.

See here....

[Guide] 12v/240v Power Inverters -- How I Done It --

12v/240v Power Inverters -- How I Done It -- Place Holder - current work in progress. -- coming soon the other inverters i have that are worth looking into are: All @Dellmassive tested and approved. Victron 375w, 800w, 1200w COTEK 250w, 700w, 1000w, 1500w Renogy 100w,2000w Vict. 12/375...

www.t6forum.com

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[Dellmassive]

I've had the 2kw Renogy unit.

It was used for the massive battery box.

200Ah, 2000W, LifePo4 Leisure Battery Box -- How I Done It --

200Ah, 2000W, LifePo4 Leisure Battery Box -- How I Done It -- Its Spring 2022 and time to look ahead at the summer camping season. having a look over the new products that have come to market over the last 12mnths, especially the Lithium based battery boxes i was liking what i was seeing...

www.t6forum.com

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But was quickly made redundant after getting the 2kw Bluetti and EF Delta2.


..



So sold it to @Eli

(Who was planning to run it hot plugged into his T6 when camping)


...

 

[Stay Frosty]

Thanks for the input Lee I reckon I'll go for that Renogy 1000W as realistically we don't need masses of 230V power but this would give the option to power our tiny 230V kettle should we run out of gas on a bank holiday again!

 

[dinks66]

I've had the 2kw Renogy unit.

It was used for the massive battery box.

200Ah, 2000W, LifePo4 Leisure Battery Box -- How I Done It --

200Ah, 2000W, LifePo4 Leisure Battery Box -- How I Done It -- Its Spring 2022 and time to look ahead at the summer camping season. having a look over the new products that have come to market over the last 12mnths, especially the Lithium based battery boxes i was liking what i was seeing...

www.t6forum.com

.

View attachment 192652



.


But was quickly made redundant after getting the 2kw Bluetti and EF Delta2.


..



So sold it to @Eli

(Who was planning to run it hot plugged into his T6 when camping)


...

Hi Dell, Do you know if the Renogy 2000w inverter will fit in a single seat base. I have 2 single seats up front and was thinking of putting a 230 Roamer battery under the passenger seat and a Renogy 50 amp DC-DC charger and Renogy 2000w inverter under the drivers seat hopefully leaving enough room for a heater outlet at the back of the drivers seat base when i eventually get round to fitting an external Diesel night heater. If not, do you know of any 2000w inverter that will fit?? Thanks in advance for any advice

 

[Dellmassive]

im not sure it will fit?

you might need to fit it else where.

you will ned to measure up.


++++

this is my 1000W in a double base, its sitting on a box to raise it above the bulge in the seat base. .







Dimensions: 13.5*6.8*3.0in (342*173*76 mm)





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this is the 2000w



its a fair size larger . . .






Dimensions: 17.4 x 8.66x 3.62in (442 x 220x 92mm)




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this is the roamer sb230 in a seat base. . .














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[Dellmassive]

I've got through loads of inverters . . .

and come to the conclusion that 1000w was the rough limit for my seat base (without cutting it about)


out of the inverters I've tested.

[Guide] 12v/240v Power Inverters -- How I Done It --

12v/240v Power Inverters -- How I Done It -- Place Holder - current work in progress. -- coming soon the other inverters i have that are worth looking into are: All @Dellmassive tested and approved. Victron 375w, 800w, 1200w COTEK 250w, 700w, 1000w, 1500w Renogy 100w,2000w Vict. 12/375...

www.t6forum.com

 

[Stay Frosty]

I did get the 1000W Renogy single outlet inverter Lee and it works a treat even powering one of our 1100W fan heaters for a good 10 minutes before blowing the 80A ALU glass tube type fuse.
I've replaced that fuse with another 80A as realistically the shunt showed between 88A and 92A being drawn by the inverter before the fuse blew, it's worth noting the 4 guage wires (they are copper) got quite warm too at the time despite the longest run being a maximum of 600mm long.
Realistically trying to keep everything compact under and next to the drivers seat has meant setting our 230Vac power limit at a modest kilowatt from the battery/inverter combo, the jump to two kilowatt means the battery is pumping out getting on for 200A at 12Vdc and needs "0" guage wiring (try hiding that stuff!) possibly in parallel if the inverter is hidden a couple of metres from the battery.
Also managed to blow my 50A fuse after the DCC50S too during shakedown trials , again the shunt showing a shade under 52A so have replaced the fuse with a 60A bearing in mind the VW fuse from the starter battery input is a 75A job and the Renogy output is wired in 4 guage.
When the solar is glued to the roof I'll probably leave it feeding into the Renogy to take a more modest 25A from the alternator and leave a bit more electric available for the starter battery, don't want to starve that.

 

[TeeCeeJay]

Hello electric experts.

Can I have my MPPT at the back of the van where the factory cables off the solar panel will end and then run a cable to the LB under the driver seat or is it better to extend the factory solar cables to the controller under the seat base and then have a shorter run to the LB?

Planning a 200W photonic universe semi flexible panel with Victron Smart 75/15 to charge a 110Ah FLA battery which will run the usual fridge, lights, USB etc. Panel comes with 3m of factory 4mm cable.

Panel is being fitted by the guys doing our pop top roof next month so I'd like to run cables before they carpet the roof rails. Would more 4mm cable be okay or should it be 6mm to allow for voltage drop on the way to front of van?

Thanks.

 

[Feaksy]

Plenty of head scratching and fettling to get everything in. Just need to upgrade the battery so I can charge my eMTB without EHU. If heat becomes an issue then the DC-DC and Solar will be replaced with Renogy or something similar.

Fuse/distribution box.
Negative busbar.
Blade fuse box and negative post.
Heater controller.
Victron DC-DC charger.
Victron solar controller.
Victron inverter.
Mains socket on seat base rear panel.

AGM (currently) battery, Victron smart shunt and main fuse under passenger seat.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Hello electric experts.

Can I have my MPPT at the back of the van where the factory cables off the solar panel will end and then run a cable to the LB under the driver seat or is it better to extend the factory solar cables to the controller under the seat base and then have a shorter run to the LB?

Planning a 200W photonic universe semi flexible panel with Victron Smart 75/15 to charge a 110Ah FLA battery which will run the usual fridge, lights, USB etc. Panel comes with 3m of factory 4mm cable.

Panel is being fitted by the guys doing our pop top roof next month so I'd like to run cables before they carpet the roof rails. Would more 4mm cable be okay or should it be 6mm to allow for voltage drop on the way to front of van?

Thanks.

Extend the panel leads with 6.00mm2 and put the MPPT charger near to the leisure battery, I've got an isolator in the wardrobe where my solar tails come through.
Not sure if your panels are the same but typically they seem to come with a short lead and a long lead with the short lead being too short to actually get inside the van without being extended.

 

[TeeCeeJay]

Extend the panel leads with 6.00mm2 and put the MPPT charger near to the leisure battery, I've got an isolator in the wardrobe where my solar tails come through.
Not sure if your panels are the same but typically they seem to come with a short lead and a long lead with the short lead being too short to actually get inside the van without being extended.

Thanks @Stay Frosty. This is the panel we'll be fitting.

12V solar panels charging kits for caravans, motorhomes, boats, yachts, marine

Have been looking at this problem over the weekend and have discovered the Renogy DC-DC with built in MPPT and now fancy the idea of having the solar to trickle charge back to the starter battery as well. We currently have a Sterling 1230 under the bonnet with a 6mm2 cable through to the LB so the Renogy could replace that and do both jobs. Will look to do all the feed cables with 6mm.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Got the Renogy DCC50S here and does a good job of combining the alternator and solar feeds although both inputs at the same time does limit the current to 25A from each source at the same time meaning the solar rarely getting near 25A will leave the output short of 50A.
Putting an isolator onto the solar pair coming into the van and turning the solar off will allow you to draw a full 50A from the alternator when driving though.

 

[R300JSG]

There's some excellent builds there.
After removing my system from my T4, Durite VSR, I'm wondering if all i need to replace is the VSR, replacing with a DC-DC?

After several years of use, i found no requirements for Solar or EHU, would the old system still be suitable for a T6? I am only ever using 12v LED lighting, USB Ports and a 12v Cigar style socket every now and again?! *May add diesel heater or propex heater into build.

Starter Batt > (under seat) DC-DC > Leisure Batt > Blade Fuse Box > Switches > Devices? (with relevant inline fuses in place along the way)

Any advice greatly received.
J

 

[Stay Frosty]

A euro 6 T6 will have the smart alternator and the nonsense that goes with that meaning a battery to battery charger rather than the earlier Durite VSR setup.

 

[R300JSG]

A euro 6 T6 will have the smart alternator and the nonsense that goes with that meaning a battery to battery charger rather than the earlier Durite VSR setup.

Yes, never simple, but after looking at builds and requirments, will it just be a case of putting the DC-DC where the VSR was?

 

[DaveCrampton]

There's some excellent builds there.
After removing my system from my T4, Durite VSR, I'm wondering if all i need to replace is the VSR, replacing with a DC-DC?

After several years of use, i found no requirements for Solar or EHU, would the old system still be suitable for a T6? I am only ever using 12v LED lighting, USB Ports and a 12v Cigar style socket every now and again?! *May add diesel heater or propex heater into build.

Starter Batt > (under seat) DC-DC > Leisure Batt > Blade Fuse Box > Switches > Devices? (with relevant inline fuses in place along the way)

Any advice greatly received.
J

Aye, any DC to DC will do the job. I have the Renogy DCC50S but the DCC30S is actually sufficient for my current needs.
You get a nice App for your phone,which shows the charge state and history.


Have a look at the How I Did It, on the other thread for lots of advice and helpful hints.

 

[R300JSG]

Aye, any DC to DC will do the job. I have the Renogy DCC50S but the DCC30S is actually sufficient for my current needs.
You get a nice App for your phone,which shows the charge state and history.
View attachment 195319

Have a look at the How I Did It, on the other thread for lots of advice and helpful hints.

Thanks,
Looks like the ideal bit of kit! Will take a look at that now. I've had a good look through the How I Did Its, super help, i just had to check as my plan is a bit more simple, i may regret going too simple, but we have never required those other bits, surviving long weekends with USB and Gas

EDIT#
9.00% off each item-£17.10 with code VC9OFF ar Renogy.com

DCC30s Purchased

 

[Adscan]

I am looking for a little advice please.

I want to fit an Ablemail AMT12-2 so my solar and leisure battery can keep my starter battery topped up.

Can anyone offer any advice on wiring one in to my CTEK D250SE? What guage wire should I be using?

Thanks