Our Full Time Off Grid Power System

[TrailTestedMFG]

We have been using our electrical system for 6+ weeks of full time in the cold and I have been impressed! It was extremely easy to set up and just flat our works. We used Renogy components for the battery/charger/inverter side of things and Blue Sea for everything else.

This is the bench front and center behind the cab of the truck. It houses our fresh water (40 gal), diesel heater, inverter/charger, house batteries, DC DC charger, and all of the fuses/breakers. A huge benefit of housing the diesel heater in this cabinet is that we were able to route the return air through the "bike box" and then through this cabinet. That keeps all our plumbing, water tank, and batteries warm in sub zero temps. When the weather warms up we plan to add a fan to exhaust the hot air from the inverter out the bike box.

Here are the electrical components used:

(3x) Renogy 12V 100Ah Batteries: http://shrsl.com/2ubat
The batteries connect to each other with ethernet and then to the monitor screen. We can easily monitor charging, consumption, etc without needing to install separate monitoring equipment. The batteries also automatically equalize their charge/discharge.

Monitoring Screen: https://shrsl.com/2silt
The screen just plugs into the first battery in your bank and monitors the entire bank.

DC-DC Charger: https://shrsl.com/2silk
This unit combines a 50a DC DC charger with a 600w MPPT solar charge controller and isolates the truck batteries and house batteries when the truck is off. Great piece of hardware. It has multiple charge profiles depending on your battery chemistry. It is automatic voltage sensing so only one 6g wire is needed from the truck batteries. It also has an optional temperature sensor so it won't try to charge frozen LiFePO4 batteries.

3000W Inverter/Charger: https://shrsl.com/2sila
The inverter automatically starts charging the batteries when plugged into shore power. It also has a auto generator start for when batteries get too low. We plan to hook this feature into the remote start on the truck in the future.

(3x) 100W Eclipse Solar Panel : https://shrsl.com/2ubbg
I have been impressed in the output of these panels even in low light or low sun angle.

Use code AmbitionStrikes for 10% off at Renogy.com

We purchased all of these components outright. After installing, testing, and using them we were so impressed that we approached Renogy about a partnership. They gave us the 10% off code AmbitionStrikes to share, we get a small portion of each sale made using that code. I wouldn't recommend a product that I didn't fully believe in.

Blue Sea Stuff:

12v fuse block: Click Link to Amazon.com

12v Circuit Breaker/ Disconnect: Click Link to Amazon.com
This was used on the main power from truck batteries to DC DC charger to allow easy disconnect if needed.

12v Battery Fuse Terminal: Click Link to Amazon.com
One of my favorite discoveries of this entire system. Created an easy terminal block for heavy battery cables and provides circuit protection.

120VAC Circuit Breakers: Click link to Amazon.com
I used these for circuit protection after the inverter. With a 300w inverter and 12g wire for the AC side I needed to add 20a circuit breakers to make sure those circuits couldn't be overloaded. They also act as a switch so the water heater is wired to one to allow easy on/off of the electric element in the water heater.

Let me know if I can answer any other questions about our electrical system. There isn't much I would change about it on a future build.

 

[OllieChristopher]

Nice looking rig you have. And I would not be concerned at all with your parallel setup. As you stated those batteries have automatic equalization so moving the cable over will make no difference in the charging/load performance. If they were of a design without the BMS then you would want to parallel in a "looped configuration". Your install looks very clean and well thought out.

Good job!!

 

[Joe917]

Verkstad is correct, sorry Ollie.

 

[TrailTestedMFG]

Thanks for the feedback, the battery cable configuration is done in accordance to the Renogy instructions for the batteries. The BMS are able to communicate with the rj45 connectors and equalize.

 

[DiploStrat]

Interesting. The Renogy manual does say to " ... connect the positive and negative terminals of the first battery to the system." But it also limits you to four batteries, probably because the limitations of their balancing circuity.

Also interesting that the video shows the batteries connected diagonally, which is the way I would do it.

Not the way I would wire things, but they ain't my batteries.

 

[OllieChristopher]

Verkstad is correct, sorry Ollie.

Not a problem. Actually both ways of wiring that battery bank are correct. It makes no difference whatsoever with an auto balancing BMS.

Interesting. The Renogy manual does say to " ... connect the positive and negative terminals of the first battery to the system." But it also limits you to four batteries, probably because the limitations of their balancing circuity.

Thanks for the feedback, the battery cable configuration is done in accordance to the Renogy instructions for the batteries. The BMS are able to communicate with the rj45 connectors and equalize.

That's why I replied as I did. Between the BMS balancing and relatively small battery bank I can't see it as being an issue. Old habits that we acquired before all the BMS systems die hard. Heck I'm still using an old school magnetic latching battery relay instead of the preferred DC-DC technology that is popular and more efficient.

 

[DiploStrat]

... Heck I'm still using an old school magnetic latching battery relay instead of the preferred DC-DC technology that is popular and more efficient.

A relay is MUCH more efficient. The only reasons to use a DC-DC with lithium are:

-- The voltages on your truck are too high. (e.g., GM)
-- Your lithium bank is so large (e.g., larger than, say 200Ah) that it will overheat your alternator or cables.

A DC-DC charger is a simple, albeit expensive and inefficient way to solve those two problems.

 

[OllieChristopher]

A relay is MUCH more efficient. The only reasons to use a DC-DC with lithium are:

-- The voltages on your truck are too high. (e.g., GM)
-- Your lithium bank is so large (e.g., larger than, say 200Ah) that it will overheat your alternator or cables.

A DC-DC charger is a simple, albeit expensive and inefficient way to solve those two problems.

I was saying it somewhat tongue in cheek. I had to jump through some hoops to get my relay system to be "better" than the DC/DC setup. I have a GM RVC that regulates voltage via negative amps through the battery ground.

Let's face it the very most efficient way to charge house batteries and keep starter battery healthy is to go with an external regulator from alternator directly to house then a DC/DC from house to starter making it a three stage charging system. I am of the opinion of it not being worthwhile unless you have some large expensive house battery banks. That and the fact that external regulators are expensive and not easy to source.

Between my Mechman 250 amp alternator and gobs of 1/0 wire I was able to get my system working pretty darn good. I was able to achieve good charging voltage without an external voltage regulator by judicious use of my headlamp switch. And I'm using AGM combination start/deep cycle batteries for my dual battery setup. It's pretty darn simple.