Plan S

[SBDuller]

Alteration in ideas and changes to plan S with group B setup. Tacoma with tent-camper, The ARB refrigerator is the load, not 24/7, used intermittently.
plan is 100W PV mounted and sloped on cab roof rack. VE 75/15MPPT SBP100x2 BMV712. This to power ARB refrig, and possibly smallest inverter
I've been looking at this forum for a couple months and studying products, and gaining info and ideas from others. Thanks for input and ideas.
LFP 100Ah VE to be placed in insulated cabinet in bed, potential for heat element. Alternator charge source when available.11.12.19

 

[dreadlocks]

If thats what yer set on, then you sound like you'll be happy..

• nix the inverter for charging an ipad, just get a DC usb charger
• battery protect saved my ass last weekend, id suggest it.. get the BT one you can customize voltage, set it up w/BMV so it disconnects on low voltage OR low SOC.
• put a master disconnect on it, store the LFP at 40-60% SOC with no charge/loads.. leaving a charge on it wont prolong life if your not using/cycling it.
• Get a Temp Probe for the BMV so you can stop the solar charging if battery is too cold.
• You cant really go wrong w/BlueSea for fuses and distribution systems
• Put as much solar on as you can physically fit, especially since its your primary source.
• Id still highly consider a hardwired secondary charge source, either onboard DC (preferred) or AC, the sun is a fickle mistress and having an easy to use backup really helps prevent abuse more than people think.. you'll already have quite a bit invested, with quite a bit of overkill.. why stop now?

 

[SBDuller]

Intent now to use Orion Tr Smart DC/DC converter. Off topic foto of vehicle with PV panel

View attachment 550175

 

[dreadlocks]

it could just be a manual switch really since you have monitoring and it'd be a backup/emergency charge source.. so if you hit low SOC and sun's not charging, you can start engine, hookup LFP to your alternator and let it soak up a bunch of amps while you keep an eye on the voltage/current/temps and do it only as necessary.

Look at this post: https://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/victron-energy-wiring-unlimited-ebook.208638/

 

[SBDuller]

Fortunately I'm in no hurry, and I've given myself several cool-down periods, and glad I did not already place an order that I might regret. Re-reading threads, rethinking, even giving up on LFP. Have checked in on the draw.io, and here is my second attempt at 'drawing' just needs more work/reiterations. Following threads on drawings and components. missing details..

 

[SBDuller]

This post is edited edited on October 20 2019 at 1223.....11/14/19
Items Victron ...tools for terminating cables. pipe cutter makes easy work of cable stripping. grinder with cut-off wheel cuts cable sweetly. hammer crimper is functional, for minimal dollars relatively.
View attachment 550502

 

[SBDuller]

. post edited out. study for circuit. pencil and paper. pencil and paper drawing edited out.11/14/19. could work, otherwise separate ANL holders. the use of a 'power post' as POS bus eliminated to reduce excess connection resistence. POS cable from switch 6006 to 5196 terminal fuse holder as branch and AWG reduction. two cables out to SBPx2.

View attachment 550498

alternate connection below

 

[SBDuller]

study for BMS and SBP edited and erased. foto of fun cable work

View attachment 550521





View attachment 550523

 

[shade]

I don't need the water protection, but I like the different capacities offered by the SafetyHubs.

 

[SBDuller]

looking at 2/0 cable from 100Ah battery terminal, with a terminal fuse 250-300A, main switch, then branch with change in cable gage to 2awg, fused for wire between 100-200A. branched to load and charge battery protects. earlier was thinking I'd be fusing for the device. 200A is maximum discharge for the battery, thinking I'd want to down fuse to 80% of that max discharge value. the branched devices rated at 100A, but cable is 2awg, so per conductor charts I'd want between 100-200A. maybe 2awg cable is too large for the branches, but will be used.

 

[rayra]

I would strongly encourage the addition of alternator charging to your setup. A great deal more power / amps available than via solar. Consider solar a sustainment / prolonging of your aux power, but your drive somewhere as the primary / full charging source. The difference being the alternator a ~~100A+ power source, the solar 5-10A
I'm basically using the '$50 setup' outlined in the huge topic, 1/0 cabling as my main runs and a 200A solenoid switched on via a keyed circuit. Key on, batteries combined, both charged by the alternator as I go down the road. Key off, parked, my rooftop solar is feeding my Aux and most of my added loads are running off the Aux. I still want to move most of my interior factory 'power ports' over to the Aux as well. I left a small '6-pack' peltier cooler plugged in once over a 3day run and the primary battery was dead as a doornail. Not even enough juice to energize the solenoid. Had to self-jump with jumper cables, both batteries being under the hood.

Pro-Tip don't try and bridge the terminal screw on the solenoid to the positive on the aux. with a small wire alligator clip test lead. You'll burn both that wire AND the vehicle fuse you had the solenoid wired to. Seemed like a bright idea at the time. Failed to consider that I was grounding the battery thru a too-thin wire.

As an aside, I also ran 1/0 to my rear cargo area with the intent of adding a hitch carrier mounted winch and a front hitch, so I could move the winch and plug it in at either end of the vehicle. But in the meantime, that heavy cable run is the backbone / bus for all the other added power adapters, inverters etc. And the rooftop solar. The Renogy PWC controller is in my cargo area power box, along with everything else.
Even flat, my rooftop solar is keeping my Aux topped off all the time. Here in mostly sunny SoCal.

1/0 is massive overkill for a charging circuit. I used that heavy a cable as a discharging circuit, for winching operations. Which might draw a lot more juice than my 140A alternator can put out at a high idle. Intending to combine both (identical) batteries during winching.
Maybe I need to upgrade to a 'smart' combiner like Blue Sea, something I can switch over to isolate and protect the starting battery while still connecting alternator power to the aux during winching. That way I can burn the aux battery without damaging the starting battery. If I understand to capabilities of some of those Blue Sea devices. I haven't looked at them very hard. Their price makes my eyes bleed, like a Nazi looking at the Ark of the Covenant.

 

[rayra]

oh and ask the solar gurus if you can get away with using a y-connector at the charge controller input, basically putting your panels in parallel. That way if the fixed panel on the vehicle is obscured and doesn't generate properly, it shouldn't impact your other panel delivering power to the controller. I don't think you have to have a separate charge controller for each panel. If I understand things correctly.

 

[Rbertalotto]

My understanding is if the two or more solar panels are not identical or nearly identical, then it is advised to use multiple charge controllers.

 

[SBDuller]

ideas different since op 9/3. PV's to be nearly identical. one SC for two PV. fuse/conductor OK is ok. last draw of plan. battery delivery 11/6, other components unclear when.

 

[SBDuller]

foto should be of modular cabinet made for shunt and neg post.