Critique my solar setup plan?

[dwh]

I'm thinking for everything between the charge controller, fuse block, battery and inverter, i'll use 4awg. I have a lot of it so it'd be nice if I could use it for all those. with the ground being larger, #2?

For each run of positive #4, you need an equivalent negative. So a #4 neg for inverter, another for fuse block, etc.

Since i'm going to need a fuse going from the battery to the inverter, and from the battery to the fuse block, and both those wires will be sized the same, can I just run a single fuse straight off the battery, then two wires from there?

There should be one for each positive wire. If each #4 circuit could pull say 80a, then combined that would be 160a load on a single 80a fuse.

 

[mrsa111]

For each run of positive #4, you need an equivalent negative. So a #4 neg for inverter, another for fuse block, etc.




There should be one for each positive wire. If each #4 circuit could pull say 80a, then combined that would be 160a load on a single 80a fuse.

sounds good, so would anything be wrong with mounting the two fuses straight to the battery terminal, basically on top of one another? then run wire to the switches from there?

 

[dwh]

sounds good, so would anything be wrong with mounting the two fuses straight to the battery terminal, basically on top of one another? then run wire to the switches from there?

Nah, that's fine, go for it.

 

[dwh]

then run wire to the switches from there?

That's not right. You would run from the battery fuse to the fusebox, then from the fusebox to the switches.

 

[mrsa111]

That's not right. You would run from the battery fuse to the fusebox, then from the fusebox to the switches.

I'm talking battery switches, where they're labeled in my drawing. not switches for the appliances.

 

[calicamper]

How big of a inverter? How big of a battery?
Your layout is exactly what my mini set up on my tent trailer is. Going on 4 yrs zero issues. Except I skipped the inverter. No need for that.

My only warning is inverters suck, as in suck allot of juice. Most solar controller outputs won’t survive the power pull from a heavy inverter. Typically they need a direct heavy gauge wire to the battery with a heavy fuse.

That’s why I ask about how big your talking here?
A small portable inverter to power/charge a laptop? Or a inverter to power the wife’s hair dryer while you watch the latest field and stream episode on the flatscreen?

 

[mrsa111]

How big of a inverter? How big of a battery?
Your layout is exactly what my mini set up on my tent trailer is. Going on 4 yrs zero issues. Except I skipped the inverter. No need for that.

My only warning is inverters suck, as in suck allot of juice. Most solar controller outputs won’t survive the power pull from a heavy inverter. Typically they need a direct heavy gauge wire to the battery with a heavy fuse.

That’s why I ask about how big your talking here?
A small portable inverter to power/charge a laptop? Or a inverter to power the wife’s hair dryer while you watch the latest field and stream episode on the flatscreen?

Its a 1000W inverter/charger, and a 100ah battery, the batterys a battle born LiFePO4. I have no experience with running an inverter like that so I'm not sure what to expect, I just wanted the option to power 120v electronics, and there will be a lot of times where I'll have the option to plug into shore power and charge the battery/run the inverter off that.

And now that you mention the inverter sucking a lot of power, I have this 120v 15W heating pad controlled by a thermostat I bought, basically when it gets to around freezing it kicks on, and turns back off once its above freezing. the idea being that id run it under the battery. thats actually its purpose. wasnt too expensive so just thought i'd try it out.
i'm a little worried about the battery in winter, it wont work and its BMS shuts it down at freezing. I've got a diesel heater so i'm not too worried about the battery when i'm in the van and using it a lot. but for times where say i'm gone for the day and come back, and its been 10 degrees all day.. thats where i think i'll run into trouble.
do you think running that pad purely off the battery/inverter has any chance of working/not draining the battery? I couldnt find a 12v option that was thermostat controlled.

 

[calicamper]

You can easily test the blanket draw.
Get one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1E1XA2/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?psc=1

Then you can run the numbers and know your run time vs capacity etc. Just read up on your inverter they arent very efficient so the power burn rate will be higher than the blanket draw.