Victron Electrics For T6 Conversion.

[simonkirkland]

Hi all,


I’m planning out the conversion of our 2017 Gen 6 T6 caravelle and I’ve got on to what to do for electrics. I’ve read dozens of posts (mainly by @Dellmassive, thanks) and I’m favouring the victron equipment as I want reliability and a quality setup.


I’ve seen the victron energy ‘van’ setup which is obviously the extreme as it’s a demo vehicle but not found anything that just gives a circuit diagram of the victron system I’m after, which I thought would be reasonably standard for most people.


I require:


Mains hookup (under bonnet?)

Mains charger

Invertor (1500-2000W) - laptop, coffee maker, low power devices

240v sockets when on hookup - hairdryer, heater?

240v switching (between hookup and invertor?)

RCDs.

Thin Solar panels (x2 on roof?) and regulator/charger. Not sure what power yet.

Dc-dc charger (victron? Like the BT/apps)

Battery monitor and other gadgets (victron or other?)

Enough battery capacity (lithium!) to be off grid for approx 5 day’s+ powering the below:

Compressor fridge- 8.2A (50W) or 7.9A (70w) dbl

Led lights (dimmable, colour change(blue)) - cab, roof, outside, tailgate, cupboards,

Usb and 12v sockets - numerous throughout (at least 8 - kids iPads when driving, sleeping phone charging when sleeping (up and down), outside ability to plug things in)

A coffee a day from coffee machine and some laptop charging.


I’m thinking I need/like:


Victron Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC Charger 12 12 30 - to charge leisure battery from alternator/van battery.


Victron Multiplus - charger/inverter - probably 12 1600 70


Victron smartsolar charge controller mppt 100 30 (or 50.-work out what I need depending on solar panels used) - do I just need 1 or 1 per panel?


Victron bmv-712 smart battery monitor ( includes a Victron battery monitor shunt 500A).


Victron BMV 702/712 Temperature Sensor (Don’t want to knacker the £££ batteries if the inside of my van goes low)


Maybe: Victron colour control gx panel (price!)



I’d appreciate any help confirming if this all sounds correct and if I’m missing any big components or if I’ve gone completely over the top!


I’ve defined this list from the victron energy blogs and some other articles and videos (Jonos barge electrics being one)


I’m thinking I follow the victron van circuit (https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/SLD-Lucians-Victron-Van-Automotive-Full.pdf ) but without the transformer and not sure I need the battery protect as built in if I get victron batteries (I need to figure out which batteries!)


I’m tempted to do this myself as I should have the skills but also would consider outsourcing as some of the wiring and extra sensors gets a bit confusing if anyone can recommend anyone. I’m west midlands (nr Birmingham) but have van, will travel!


Thanks for any advice you can give...


Simon

 

[Pete C]

That all makes sense to me. I think your biggest challenge is 5 days off grid. That’s a long time to last unless you can guarantee sunny days. It could require a lot of battery capacity.

Pete

 

[Grim Reaper]

Victron Energy Shop | Victron Multiplus | SDMO Generators | Sterling Power | Renewable Solar
Use code JONOPROMO for 15% discount

 

[Dellmassive]

Awsome setup,

You could swap the GX panel for a RaspberryPI running Venus.... much cheaper is is basically the same.

I got the idea an copied it from the solar shed YT video....

 

[bullracing]

2x 110ah agm's with 300w solar had me off grid totally. That was with tv, lights, charging, heater on all night, dometic compressor 65litre fridge, awning lights etc. I done 10 days and was always at 13v+ minus in the morning before light came sometimes I noticed it was 12.8v. This was in sunny and cloudy conditions but not raining conditions.
Its doable but I specced it all on my usage and what wattage everything was.
Some tips would be
Run tv from usb rather then dvd. dvd player alone can be an extra 15-20w.
Try get decent lights, maybe go Dimatec. 1.2w touch down lights. Your be having the lights on and if they are cheap but bright that wont help with the battery voltage.
Do you have to have a laptop? can this not be changed to a tablet which wont require the inverter to charge it thus pulling more power then required.
I ran a Pi for retropi gaming with a 12v-5v converter.

To me it sounds like your massively over complicating the system and wow does it have to be Victron everything? A Ctek could do pretty much all those things in one unit.
What does the colour diplay do? just tell you voltage? Seriously! Will you be watching sky sports on it too at that price. A CBE Battery monitor will do just the same thing or get the ctek bluetooth module for £50 job done. All sounds far too complicated for what you need.

 

[bullracing]

Sorry also forgot you said about 240v. I run my kit on 12v as I go into wild places and wild camp but when I go camping at a site, I am usually off grid there too which makes it cheaper however if we do need 240v we use one of these bad boys. Sounds daft but its simple and works. Not much goes wrong either.

 

[t0mb0]

That all makes sense to me. I think your biggest challenge is 5 days off grid. That’s a long time to last unless you can guarantee sunny days. It could require a lot of battery capacity.

Pete

People (inc. me!) love to geek out on the electrical setup but it’s never our limiting factor for wild camping. We find water and toilet capacity a way more binding constraint than electricity. We’ve done five days (and more) on our 75ah battery and 250w solar panel. If you really run out of sun, you always have a backup option - just run the engine for a bit! Having said that, we don’t run mains stuff on an invertor - that would certainly increase the power draw.

 

[simonkirkland]

Thanks all. The 5 days is a stretch target as what I really want is 3 days without worrying about turning the fridge down to make it through! After 3 days on most trips we’ll have done some driving to boost it back up.
Likewise the inverter isn’t going to be a regular or for long use.
I’m hoping I can get away with 1x 100ah lifepo4 battery due to space as I want to get this under the two front seats due to a flexible rear layout (furniture on the caravelle rails).
I’m getting mixed opinions on going all out Victron. I’m sure I could do this for less using CTEK, CBE or Sargent so might look to mix and match.
Anyone know of any one previous Peoples dc-dc setup circuit diagrams with similar requirements? Thanks...

 

[Grim Reaper]

A 1600W inverter is a big piece of kit to get under a seat, plus the cables connecting it to the battery will have to be substantial to get the full capacity out of it.
I have managed to shoehorn a Victron Superpack 100Ah, Redarc BCDC1240D, a 10 way fuse box, BMS712 shunt and various isolation switches and fuses under the passenger seat with use of a 30mm spacer to the seat rails (to get the height of the battery in-they don't advocate mounting the batteries on their sides), and a Victron 800W inverter and NOCO mains charger under the driver's seat with room to spare.
The mains breakers, changeover relay and such like will be fitted at the rear of the van in the bottom of one of the units, keeping the mains feed in cable to the recommended 2m or less.

 

[simonkirkland]

A 1600W inverter is a big piece of kit to get under a seat, plus the cables connecting it to the battery will have to be substantial to get the full capacity out of it.
I have managed to shoehorn a Victron Superpack 100Ah, Redarc BCDC1240D, a 10 way fuse box, BMS712 shunt and various isolation switches and fuses under the passenger seat with use of a 30mm spacer to the seat rails (to get the height of the battery in-they don't advocate mounting the batteries on their sides), and a Victron 800W inverter and NOCO mains charger under the driver's seat with room to spare.
The mains breakers, changeover relay and such like will be fitted at the rear of the van in the bottom of one of the units, keeping the mains feed in cable to the recommended 2m or less.
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thanks for the information and pics.