Victron Energy: Alternator/Solar Charging - LFP Battery System
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shade
Well-known member
No charge or load disconnects?
hour
Observer
Yeah man, batteryprotects would be gucci burberry in an exposed SEMA van. Not even kidding. Some nice cable with plastic split loom jacketing would only add to the look- and functionality.
It all makes perfect sense to me. I've been in the weeds since my first mobile solar setup in 2014. Feel like I've gone overboard (or at least, piddled away countless hours 'researching') the entire time. It's like I scale everything for doomsday without accepting that I'll be making compromises if SHTF and probably starving at the same time.
Say you get your LG 300some-w panel and your 160ah Victron battery from page 1. Under what circumstances are going to necessitate a giant 120a Sterling? SHTF? Yellowstone? I'll be compromising hard by that point and under normal outings have either driven enough or sat in the sun enough to negate anything larger.
I'm absolutely going this route the second the new Orion Smart drops. If I had no other Victron gear perhaps not. But it sounds like a no brainer and what we've all wanted for a long time. If the specs are underwhelming, consider what it is that you're planning for. Are you over-engineering and putting on clown shoes?
1leglance
2007 Expedition Trophy Champion, Overland Certifie
So I was told the circuit breakers can be the disconnects since they have that switch arm built in....big marine units.
On the issue of load disconnects.....It seems like a few things already have that built in unless I am misreading.
The BMS will disconnect right? And the Buck Boost has 2 input things I am still trying to understand.
I do notice that many of the drawings on the Victron website have a disconnect but not sure which one I should get....and then I assume it would go between the battery and the aux fuse block????
Tomorrow I am driving up to Northern Az Wind & Solar in Flagstaff to pickup the panel, wire and other bits, I will ask about the load disconnects.
hour
Observer
If you want to control LVD get a single batteryprotect rated for whatever your max load is. Or two batteryprotects if wanting to control both low and high end, the high switching off your charge input (and rated for whatever your max charge source is)
BMS may disconnect at 3.75v on high end and 2.5 or something on the low. I'm missing a BMS from your diagram above. It'd be better to have control.
I've heard a lot of brains on here saying not to rely on BMS, that's your last resort, and its parameters probably aren't ideal for keeping a healthy system.
Diagrams I look at depict a fuse between PV and SC, unless your PV array is big, then a breaker. wire gauge off the PV is prob 10g, and your SC choice has screw terms accepting 8g in and out. If you have more than one PV, you'll want a combiner box, then into SC. I'm reading a BP for charge circuit prior to battery. a 'thick'(2/0 ?) cable off battery negative to shunt, then all negatives branch from there...partial thoughts...i'm consumer level, consuming ideas...i've seen 3/8ths inch pos and neg freestanding terminal posts so that only one attachment to your pos battery terminal.
hour
Observer
Amazon.com : Renogy 15 15A MC4 Waterproof in-Line Holder w/Fuse, Black : Garden & Outdoor
Amazon.com : Renogy 15 15A MC4 Waterproof in-Line Holder w/Fuse, Black : Garden & Outdoor
www.amazon.com
this might be the easy way out for what you mention. offered up to 30 amps and connects to your existing MC4 at the cost of three starbucks and an extra 4" in the wire run. I just received mine @ 15a today for a 2x100w series system)
shade
Well-known member
I don't want a 120A Sterling charger, but there are a few reasons I'd prefer more than 30A available from the alternator. I only have room for one +300W solar panel, which may not always be enough power under sub-optimal conditions and high power usage.
With a 130A alternator, I'm leaving quite a bit of power on the table that could be used to charge the 160Ah LFP battery faster. I use my truck for a mix of trips where solar charging may not be sufficient, from multi-day backpacking away from the truck, to base camping for days, cold weather camping, shaded forest sites, etc. If I'm going to run the engine just to charge, having 50A or more on tap just makes sense.
I also may experiment with using heavier loads than I'd considered before, like a microwave oven, hot plate, or a small water heater. I may decide to idle the engine while using those high, short duration loads, and having more power from the alternator than 30A would make sense under those conditions.
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I hope to hear back from Victron about the voltage limiting feature of the BMS 12/200. If it'll choke any spikes over 15V or so, that seems like the best route for me, since I can find the sweet spot for alternator charging by changing out the fuse, and it offers other features I need in one device. I'm also interested in the Orion-Tr 12/12-30, since I could run two in parallel if I decided 30A wasn't enough current. Otoh, if I'm going to spend $500 on two Orions, why not buy the 50A Buck-Boost for $150 more?
With LFP batteries gaining popularity, I hope Victron releases a 50-60A Orion and a 100-120A model. I think the Orion power features are all most people want for LFP charging.
hour
Observer
Idunno, 10a more and complete control and monitoring, plus $150 less?
And in the $hi7, a redundancy should one fail - even if it results in a lower rate of charge?
I do wonder about Victron increasing their charge rates for the units. I don't know how long the SmartCharger line has been out but they certainly didn't increase there.
I suppose it all ties in to efficiency vs complexity weighed by use case and others... when cost isn't an issue things matter less. If I found my 300+w solar panel couldn't cut it on day 6 of an 8 day, I'd be more inclined to buy a $150 1000w sportsman inverter generator and battery charger I may already own versus upgrade. Or go ground deploy secondary system, adding redundancy and solving the problem at hand. Either would only have to be in operation long enough to get you home with a working setup to then replenish, and in SHTF compromise.
Whenever the Orion smart becomes available, even for pre-order (drop links if you know!) I'll get one and report findings
shade
Well-known member
I'm not worried about SHTF EOTWAWKI Skynet scenarios.
The Buck-Boost models are configurable. I just don't think I really need all that it offers.
I have a Honda EU2000i generator, but I really don't want to drag another thing along. I'd rather just double up on 300W panels, but I don't have roof space for two; I do have a 100W panel that I can deploy.
My hope is that Victron has identified a need for a relatively simple DC-DC charger with basic voltage regulation and higher output than what they currently offer. That's what they seem to lack.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
I dont have alternator power with my setup. I'm shooting to get shore charging at 0.4C, already have the genset for AirCon and backup power, cant rely on solar exclusively if your going looking on indefinite boon-docking.. sooner or later the environment will beat you, in the middle of winter, with snow or whatever.
My last setup I tried charging in the trailer from alternator, and then I moved battery into the vehicle and hooked up heavy gauge wires.. and then I was still loosing because I'd usually camp for a few days, then drive a few hours.. a few, not 500m/8h+.. so if I were going to rely on alternator as a secondary source, I'd want it to get fully recharged within a few hours of driving max.. so I'd still be shooting for ~0.4C or as close as I could get for the least money.
My last setup I tried charging in the trailer from alternator, and then I moved battery into the vehicle and hooked up heavy gauge wires.. and then I was still loosing because I'd usually camp for a few days, then drive a few hours.. a few, not 500m/8h+.. so if I were going to rely on alternator as a secondary source, I'd want it to get fully recharged within a few hours of driving max.. so I'd still be shooting for ~0.4C or as close as I could get for the least money.
shade
Well-known member
That's my thinking. Shore power isn't going to be an option for me, so I want to make the most of what I can get from the engine bay.
Hillbilly Heaven
Explorer
Diagram is still screwed up. Your shunt should be the only item connected directly to the battery negative post. All negatives including a chassis ground should be connected on the load side. Your solar. alternator,shore charges need to be connected on load side of the shunt not directly to the battery. You are monitoring use and replenishment of energy.