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Outech Offgrid
Australia
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 14 ก.ย. 2021
Welcome to Outech OffGrid Power Systems.
We don’t just build off grid electrical power systems, we are camping enthusiasts ourselves, and we know what it takes to build a reliable electrical system in caravans and 4WDs. We combine our off grid camping experience, electrical qualifications, and 25 years of electrical installation experience to build a electrical setup to suit your needs.
We spend time listening and planning to understand our clients camping lifestyle. 240 volt appliances, camping in a caravan park or free camping off grid are all important factors that influence the desirable power solution.
1 ✅ We spend time planning & placing electrical components.
2 ✅ We build quality Caravan & 4WD Off Grid Power Solutions.
3 ✅ We are qualified to install 12 volt & 240 volt.
4 ✅ We install reputable components to quality standards.
5 ✅ We guarantee our work.
6 ✅ We are qualified licensed Electricians.
7 ✅ We stand behind our work.
8 ✅ We finish our work on budget.
We don’t just build off grid electrical power systems, we are camping enthusiasts ourselves, and we know what it takes to build a reliable electrical system in caravans and 4WDs. We combine our off grid camping experience, electrical qualifications, and 25 years of electrical installation experience to build a electrical setup to suit your needs.
We spend time listening and planning to understand our clients camping lifestyle. 240 volt appliances, camping in a caravan park or free camping off grid are all important factors that influence the desirable power solution.
1 ✅ We spend time planning & placing electrical components.
2 ✅ We build quality Caravan & 4WD Off Grid Power Solutions.
3 ✅ We are qualified to install 12 volt & 240 volt.
4 ✅ We install reputable components to quality standards.
5 ✅ We guarantee our work.
6 ✅ We are qualified licensed Electricians.
7 ✅ We stand behind our work.
8 ✅ We finish our work on budget.
A VERY EXPENSIVE USELESS CARAVAN POWER SYSTEM: Tips & Tricks To Avoid Getting Ripped Off!
In this eye-opening video, we take you behind the scenes of a very expensive and dodgy power system installation.
Our goal is to share our expertise and provide you with valuable tips and tricks to ensure you don't get ripped off!
Watch this video if you’re considering upgrading the power setup in your caravan.
Join us as we reveal the questions you should be asking your installer and the red flags to look out for:
✅What qualifications should your installer hold?
✅What should you ask your installer?
✅ How to identify installation red flags!
⚠️ Don't let unscrupulous installers take advantage of you and drain your hard-earned money!
⏯️ In this video, we outline the qualifications your installer should hold to ensure a reliable and trustworthy service. We also provide a comprehensive list of questions you should ask your installer to protect yourself from potential scams and subpar workmanship. Knowledge is power, and we want to empower you to make informed decisions when it comes to your power system installation.
Don't fall victim to shady practices and substandard installations! Watch this video to learn how to spot installer red flags and avoid getting ripped off.
🖊️Our tips and tricks will equip you with the necessary knowledge to navigate the power system industry confidently.
Join us on this journey to uncover the truth behind expensive and dodgy power systems. Together, let's ensure that you get the quality service you deserve without breaking the bank. Don't miss out on this valuable information - hit that play button now!
Remember to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for more insightful videos on caravan power systems.
Stay informed, stay empowered, and stay ahead of poor installers and installation practices!
Outech Offgrid - When MORE than standard matters:
✅Installation by Qualified Electrician with over 20 years’ off-grid power generation experience
240v fully integrated (power at all GPO’s) by Qualified Electrician
✅12v installation by Qualified Electrician the same guy that does the 240v
✅Free Lifetime Technical Support
✅Lifetime warranty on installation
✅5 Year Warranty on Electrical Components
✅5 year Warranty on RV Recommend Lithium Batteries
✅Compliant to AS/NZS3001.2:2022
✅Electrical Safety Certificate
✍️CARAVAN INSURANCE:
I am a Qualified and Licensed Electrician and own our Electrical Contractors Licence. It is recommended that 12v and 240v power systems are installed by a qualified electrician and that you notify your insurer of modifications to qualify for insurance .
Dan Blackford - Outech OffGrid Power Solutions
✍️Qualified Electrician
✍️EC14408 | MRB9303
✍️ Licensed Electrician | Qualified 12 volt and 240 Volt Electrician
✅Compliant to AS/NZS3001.2:2022
✅Electrical Safety Certificate issued by Outech and not an by an outsourced external contractor or third party!!
#caravantips #offgridcaravan #caravanelectrician
Our goal is to share our expertise and provide you with valuable tips and tricks to ensure you don't get ripped off!
Watch this video if you’re considering upgrading the power setup in your caravan.
Join us as we reveal the questions you should be asking your installer and the red flags to look out for:
✅What qualifications should your installer hold?
✅What should you ask your installer?
✅ How to identify installation red flags!
⚠️ Don't let unscrupulous installers take advantage of you and drain your hard-earned money!
⏯️ In this video, we outline the qualifications your installer should hold to ensure a reliable and trustworthy service. We also provide a comprehensive list of questions you should ask your installer to protect yourself from potential scams and subpar workmanship. Knowledge is power, and we want to empower you to make informed decisions when it comes to your power system installation.
Don't fall victim to shady practices and substandard installations! Watch this video to learn how to spot installer red flags and avoid getting ripped off.
🖊️Our tips and tricks will equip you with the necessary knowledge to navigate the power system industry confidently.
Join us on this journey to uncover the truth behind expensive and dodgy power systems. Together, let's ensure that you get the quality service you deserve without breaking the bank. Don't miss out on this valuable information - hit that play button now!
Remember to like, comment, and subscribe to our channel for more insightful videos on caravan power systems.
Stay informed, stay empowered, and stay ahead of poor installers and installation practices!
Outech Offgrid - When MORE than standard matters:
✅Installation by Qualified Electrician with over 20 years’ off-grid power generation experience
240v fully integrated (power at all GPO’s) by Qualified Electrician
✅12v installation by Qualified Electrician the same guy that does the 240v
✅Free Lifetime Technical Support
✅Lifetime warranty on installation
✅5 Year Warranty on Electrical Components
✅5 year Warranty on RV Recommend Lithium Batteries
✅Compliant to AS/NZS3001.2:2022
✅Electrical Safety Certificate
✍️CARAVAN INSURANCE:
I am a Qualified and Licensed Electrician and own our Electrical Contractors Licence. It is recommended that 12v and 240v power systems are installed by a qualified electrician and that you notify your insurer of modifications to qualify for insurance .
Dan Blackford - Outech OffGrid Power Solutions
✍️Qualified Electrician
✍️EC14408 | MRB9303
✍️ Licensed Electrician | Qualified 12 volt and 240 Volt Electrician
✅Compliant to AS/NZS3001.2:2022
✅Electrical Safety Certificate issued by Outech and not an by an outsourced external contractor or third party!!
#caravantips #offgridcaravan #caravanelectrician
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If an installer told me the plan you've come across I'd find someone else. The sign in the van about dementia obviously doesn't include common sense by the owner.
Sometimes the owner doesn’t know what to ask in the first place. Which is why we have released this video.
Can you do a video on the end result, explaining the changes and why?
👍 stay tuned. Part 2 coming soon.
Great video! Well said.
Thanks for watching.
most lithium can only have 2 in parallel and if your one of these woke morons that needs 3000w inverters and a gigawatt of lithium and a terawatt of solar---stay the hell home
Great advise.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
It is wiring like this that causes fires that then gets blamed on the Lithium batteries 🙄. I think a lot of confusion gets lost in the seperation of 12v DC and 240v AC requirements. You can do you're own 12v work if you want, Victron even offer free certification should you wish. 240v is expressly for licensed electricians, no matter how confident you feel after nailing the 12v DC side of things. When asking for an ESC I am guessing it is to cover just the 240v AC side given there are no restrictions (legally speaking) on the 12v DC side?
Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes, you’re absolutely right. If the van had in fact caught fire then the LFP would have been questioned. With respect to 12v. Just because you can as there are no legislative requirements around it, doesn’t mean you should. The size of systems being installed these days definitely requires experience. Plus the way the standard is written it means that the signing off electrician take ownership of the complete installation/modification. I for one know that I’m not keen on just doing the 240v side after someone else has done the DC side. Cheers.
@@outechoffgrid thanks for the reply. I absolutely agree that tinkering with 12v stuff is not for everyone, which is why I think the Victron certification or similar is a good idea for enthusiasts to demonstrate a level of competence. I think it is completely crazy that a sparky whose trade is 240v AC would be held accountable for 12/24v DC work and circuitry they are unlikely to have touched. Like you said (and it has been my experience too) that sparkies have little interest in taking on DC jobs, which has left auto elecs and owners to do the DC upgrade/repair work themselves. I had my inverter and 240v AC wiring rerouting done by a sparky. I did all the 12v myself, including building my own batteries and installing solar. Has been great for the past 18 months, however I was wanting to reconfigure my system so the batteries were enclosed per the new spec. Not sure where that leaves me regarding ESC as I suspect any work I do voids my existing certificate?
There are a lot more requirements in the latest revision of the standard outside of the battery requirements. PV is listed, battery monitor is listed, battery isolator is listed etc etc etc. unfortunately this means that a competent sparky that understands the standard would be going over everything they were modifying or installing to. It would be up to the individual to determine how far they need to go but in our installations the dc side is considered.
Hi Dan, have been watching your content for a while and enjoying your builds. Have a couple of questions, I have a 2019 van with 4 x 170w panels on the roof, redarc revision system with 300w invertor to all power points including the Truma Aventa air con, 2 x 150a batteries. Looking to upgrade down the track but for now what size resettable circuit breaker would you suggest for the 680w of solar? Would the redarc 3000w inverter benefit by having a soft start installed in the air con? My manager 30 in reasonable sun max’s out at 32a so how many amps do you think I am missing out on from the 680w of solar? Thanks.
Hi mate. Thanks for watching along. Definitely sounds like you have a few deficiencies in your system. The manager 30 is a 600w max unit. So you’re missing out on 80w. Although possibly not missing out on that as your panels are flat mounted. But you’re definitely missing out of vehicle plus solar charge as the manager 30 only uses vehicle if it doesn’t have enough sun to a max of 30a. Yes your inverter would benefit from a soft starter. You really also don’t have enough battery to realistically be able to run your ac for very long. Cheers.
@@outechoffgrid thanks Dan, yes agree need a battery upgrade! forgot to mention i installed a redarc BCDC 1250D to catch extra charge when driving, currently getting aprox 35amps from that as well when on the move. 200 series landcruiser already running a 1225 BCDC to a second battery so alternator may be maxed out hence only getting 35amp instead of closer to 50a in the van. might head down from mandurah one day to see you for a consult/quote , regards Graeme
@GraemeHegney no worries. Easiest way is to send through an email and we will reply with a questionnaire. That way we can gather all of the relevant info and get a design done. We don’t normally need to see the van to offer you a quote. Looking forward to hearing from you. 👍
Hi Dan, do you use RVD’s on the 240v output of the inverters when they’re hardwired into the vans system ?
Hi thanks for watching and commenting. No we don’t use RVD’s in our installations. Cheers.
@@outechoffgrid no worries , what do you use instead ? ( curious to know ) cheers
Our installations are done in accordance with the requirement of both AS/NZS3000:2018 and AS/NZS3001:2:2022. Depending on the type of installation as determined by the standard will determine what type of earthing, installation requirement and protecting device are used. I know that’s a bit of an aloof but I hope that answers your question.
@@outechoffgrid hi , yes lm lost re the regs , but l was led to believe that unless you physically drive a stake into the ground and earth to that you risk electrocution if your plugged in devices fail as the standard rcd setups won’t trip like they’re supposed to….
It’s a tricky one to answer without understanding the complete installation. However, I will say that there is no requirement in either standard for a device called a residual voltage device. There is also only 2 manufacturers that make devices that act in that manner. None of the majors have either bought the tech or developed their own. It probably goes someway to answering if they are needed or necessary tbh.
US viewer, but IMO good methodology and proper installation shouldn't matter where you are. This (while a bit non-linear) hits on a lot of the issues seen in "construction" in general. I really wish the US had a set of general RV regs/guidelines like you guys do... But even then, who polices an aftermarket install/upgrade? Question for you on the under-bench heat issue (Victron components), do you vent it outside (pulling air from inside the cabin), do you allow it to circulate within the cabin, or do you circulate outside to outside.??? It's really a bag of snakes, sometimes you can use that heat (if its cold outside), and sometimes it just adds to the trailers heatloads (if its hot outside). IMO, almost all of that system is going under that bench (easy acces, its forward of the axles (weight/balance), its a good space for keeping cable runs short, and it should be easy to compartmentalize where needed w/o adding too much cable length).
I have a question Dan. with the sealing off of the batteries from the habitable area and then venting out the underside of the van. How do you manage dust ingress when driving down an unsealed road. Do you cap it off for that part of the drive?
Hi Cath thanks for watching and commenting. With our batteries being a completely sealed unit with the ability to fit a vent hose, we install the battery into its location and take the vent outside through the floor. We then seal the floor penetration and so no dust can ingress the van. Cheers.
Very well put that is disappointing to see something like that in a van install and they paid for that 😱
Hi thanks for watching and commenting. Yes very disappointing from the owners perspective and frustrating that there are people out there ripping consumers off.
If the customer asks the installer upfront, do they issue and ESC (Electrical Safety Certificate) when the work is completed as you stated Dan, the answer should give a very good indication whether they should proceed with that installer or not, as my guess is that at least 90% of installers will respond with "no need" or "what is that"
Hi thanks for commenting and watching. Yes. 100%. It’s a very easy way to work that out and knock out a few dodgy ones for sure. Unfortunately though, there are a couple located near us that aren’t qualified trades but do the installs and then get a spark to sign off. That’s why seeking clarification of qualifications as well as seeking and ESC is so important.
Great content again Dan
Hi Tim. Thanks for watching. Hope you’re travelling well.
Your installation did well on our trek through Sandy Blight and Gary Junction road. I’ll be Adding 300w extra solar like you recommended to go to 825w total for our 300amp hour batteries to help out for lower sun conditions.
Not a downer at all bro teaching folks what to look for as far as installer qualifications and things to look for from how an installer might tell you all comes under the saying "buyer beware " i think whats also disturbing is that a large number of caravan manufacturers seem to have such limited knowledge in this emerging market !!! Same goes sales !! Thank you helping to educate consumers its an important service !!
Thanks for the feedback mate. This video has been a while coming. It’s very frustrating seeing the quality of installations in caravans in general. This one just tipped over the edge. There are too many companies out there taking the Mickey.
I am def gonna find a qualified person to do my system upgrade. Right now I am not happy with my AGMs under the bed with a 3000w inverter. Tiny wires, small Solar panel - BMPRO BatteryPlus35-II-HA at the other end of van, Telling me my batteries are full . I am not convinced. Thanks for highlighting these sorts of issues, as there must be 1000’s of vans out there like this.
Hi thanks for watching. Sounds like you already have a few red flags. Cheers.
RE monitoring.. Standards NSW regulator (Dept of Fair Trading) recently clarified monitoring clause to me. My take is that the monitor should not be a shunt monitor or app, but monitoring display / device which directly reads the data from the BMS. Interestingly this renders most of the batteries on the market non compliant, as there is no wired communication to the BMS, and according to the regulator an app does not cut it as the phone can be removed from the system / locked and that is useless in an emergency situation. Coms from fair trading copied below : "The requirements of the monitoring device fall under the overall requirements of Clause 5.4.12.3 “Battery management safety system” because it is a sub-clause of this section. Clause 5.4.12.3.2 “Location” requires that the battery management safety system is no greater than 600mm from the battery. As the monitoring device is a part of this system it is also required to be located no more than 600mm from the battery. Therefore it must located within the vehicle/transportable structure and can not be via a smartphone app."
It’s been interesting to see how many different interpretations there have been on that particular clause of the standard. I have heard a similar interpretation before but the other person with the similar interpretation agreed that an app does meet their interpretation as the app directly reads the informations from the bms. Fundamentally I don’t have an issue with either interpretation. I just don’t agree with them In this case and they would have a hard time arguing their case if they were inspecting our installations as I would ask them to outline how our interpretation didn’t meet the requirements of the standard. They couldn’t. The other issue I have with their interpretation is that the actual components used in a BMS to do tasks such as current measuring to establish the battery SOC are small and inaccurate when comparing to a specifically designed precision shunt built with high quality components. Some manufacturers such as Victron when using their complete systems use LFP cells with a separate BMS and shunt but also have the ability to read the information directly from these units by monitor or app. Cheers.
@@outechoffgrid I think there has been some major oversights from those writing the standard.. Perhaps this is one of them. It is interesting though when you have multiple batteries in parallel or series.. A shunt only tells you the grouped information, and you can't dig down into individual battery data in most cases. This is where wired communication such as CANBUS can be useful.
Good video explaining the setup and replacement aircon. Is any consideration given to the change in weight of the van. I understand things are taken out and new items put in but adding all that solar must make a difference to the ATM
Hi thanks for commenting. Yes. Definitely a consideration to additional weight is taken. We always discuss the added weight if that in fact is the case. This one definitely added additional weight with both a larger battery and more solar. But these guys have plenty of payload to play with so we’re comfortable with the additions.
Did you mention the cost to upgrade
Hi and thanks for watching. No we didn’t mention the cost. However, if you would like to get a quote feel free to get in contact via email and we will send you a questionnaire to start the process.
1 volt drop is a lot with lithium batteries 😂😂
Hi and thanks for commenting. Yes it is. Too much in fact.
Can you disabled the bm pro charger?
Hi and thanks for commenting. No it can’t be disabled. It can be bypassed though. Cheers.
@@outechoffgrid how do you bypass it ?
Can you make a video on it ?
By taking all charging functionality away from it 👍
Thanks for the tip was looking at crusader now will ask a lot of hard questions
You're welcome. It is best practice to thoroughly research the van before purchasing it, and as you say, ask loads of questions, and thoroughly check it over to ensure satisfaction of the quality.
Looks like many Crusader Caravans are not wired correctly & they knew all about the wiring problem and dealing with Crusader & their selling & maintenance company have no idea how to rectify this wiring problem..
Hi and thanks for commenting. Unfortunately the caravan industry is filled with inexperience. As we always say, take the bare bones from the caravan manufacturer and get a decent system out in post delivery.
sorry but electricity isn’t real
That battery setup is not compliant with current regulations
Correct. As mentioned in the video, the batteries were installed by the owner prior to us working on the system and prior to Nov 2023. We didn’t make any changes to the batteries in the system including the cabling so we did not ‘alter’ the system. As such we did not need to revise the battery installation in accordance with AS/NZS3001:2022. Cheers.
Are you able to help me understand what componentry i need for a system like this so i can make sure my van mob selects the right stuff?
Hi and thanks for the comment. We wouldn’t recommend getting anything other than a basic package from the manufacturer. Getting your system installed post delivery is the best way to go as the full system including components and installation practices are taken into consideration. Seek out a specialist rather than the van manufacturer and your system will be designed and installed appropriately.
Ok fair enough well its a bit late for that unfortunately
Would be worth investigating a take out cost. We are yet to find a quality build in a van from a van manufacturer.
My mobile home has 2750watts of solar panels, 400AH/24V lithium (equal to 800Ah @12v) connected to a Victron 3000-watt inverter....and the is not enough power to combat WA's cold and wet weather when you go south of Perth 🙂 The 3000-watt petrol generator is still a requirement. I am actually in the process of adding an additional 2750 watts of solar and another 1200 AH @12v (via 3 x inverters) into my Enclosed trailer to act as backup power sources for the mobile home...lol
It all comes down to load requirements. We go through the process with our customers to ensure what we are building will be suitable for their needs. Of course more solar would be ideal if possible but with the roof layout and space available on a 20ish ft caravan there are always compromises. Winter time is always the hardest months for solar recharge. If you have the capacity to tow around a purpose build battery and solar trailer, fantastic, you’ll always be able to treat your mobile home like a house with less compromise. But as always, more battery storage, more time to recharge.
A 12volt battery setup with a 3000-watt inverter (potentially 250amp draw??????) What happened to the rule of not drawing more than 100amps from a lithium battery (taking into account battery C ratings) You stated that it was a 200AH battery but the important criteria is the voltage, if it was a 24-volt battery then the setup would be closer to well installed (125amp max draw) A good visual installation is great and shows signs of good workmanship, but a technically correct installation is also critical. PS - I don't mean to be harsh as your installation workmanship is gold and says a lot about your pride of workmanship, but I have seen way too many installations that do not take into account the potential damage done to expensive batteries by the initial setup....keeping in mind that if you provide the capacity then customers will use it regardless of what you may have advised them to do. PPS - also a sparkie with 40+ years in the trade.
Hi and thanks for the comment. This battery is 620ah battery with a 300a constant discharge BMS (not 200ah as you mentioned). The battery construction is paralleled 314ah cells with a rating of much higher than 1C so even at peak the load doesnt reach 1C of the battery. 100a max? Is that a rule of thumb? It’s definitely not in any standard. Maybe it was a battery manufacturer stating that’s their battery could only handle 100a. If your system is designed appropriately, as this one is, the you should be able to manage a higher currents. I agree that a higher battery voltage would overall keep the current lower but in this instance a consideration to overall design and installation was taken. All of our installations take into consideration the battery as the starting point. Peak discharge of the battery is the first and most important consideration. Cheers.
@@outechoffgrid fair comment mate and as I stated previously your installations appear gold standard so great work, you would be amongst the small 5% of solar installers that do van builds correctly......the first time. And you are 100% correct as the 100A max drain is a rule of thumb and not a standard.
In all of these systems installed in caravans why do they not have cooling fans installed in a closed box containing all of these components, judging by the amount of heatsinks it looks like they need to have some sort of cooling ?
Thanks for the comment and question. Basically a lot of the products are actively cooled. So we add ventilation into the enclosures that the equipment is mounted into and the active cooling looks after the rest.
Hes trying soooo damned hard not to say what evrryone else is thinking. BMPRO IS SHIT GEAR, STOP USING IT!.😂
Unfortunately there are a lot of vans that come built from the manufacturer with that particular product installed. We can work around it. All good.
Good system made even greater ❤ do you do windows 😂😂😂😂😂
Thanks Dave. Looking forward to hearing about all of your next adventures.
i have a very similar system in my van. I haven't had a problem with living off grid with 1200 watt of panels and 340 amp/hour lithium 12 volt batteries which are now about 7 years old. My van is all 240 volts
That’s right. A good amount of solar on the roof makes a huge difference to the recharge capability.
You from down under, mate?
Just wondering what the rough cost of the system ended up at as its pretty much exactly what I am looking at doing.
Feel free to hit us up directly and we can go through the scenarios
@@outechoffgrid Done (email sent).
Is this the boss lady ? Better looking than old mate who's normally on.
I totally agree 😍
Lol😂 38 amps to charge itself! Hahaaa thats too funny. Can see olmate biting his tongue hard. He would have loved to unleash on the fools that did the install
Wouldn’t you just increase the cable size to minimise the volt drop though?
Thanks for the comment. These units have a very small terminal size built in and as such the unit can really only take a 6mm2 or 8b&s cable. They really are designed to be mounted as closely as possible to the battery.
At last a little bit more transparency from a caravan system installer!. 🤙. I see you use blade fuses for solar fusing. Can we shed more light on what's allowed and why. Some still use MC 4 Connector fusing up on the roof and is there clarification on wether the solar disconnect needs to be MCB Circuit breaker of a certain size or a 2 or 4 pole solar isolator switch is sufficient to the new standard? Would be great to hear also some more info on RCD/RVD AND RCD DUO protection for inverter chargers such as Victron vs renogy (centre tapped ) for compliance for a sparky to comply and able to give a certification of compliance which I presume every customer should receive?
Thanks for the comment. Yes there is a lot of misinterpretation (or just general making things up) out there from lots of content creators in particular. Hopefully we kept it simple enough for the lay to understand an overall requirement. As with every standard there are a lot of intricacies that are tied into not only this standard but others which are referenced such as the Wiring Rules AS/NZS3000:2018. The standard doesn’t specify fuse type. It specifies circuit protection and under what circumstances. It’s up to the electrician to determine the type that’s required. In this case the blade fuse is fine as the panels used have a VOC of 24V DC which is well within the specifications of the blade fuses used. There is also no specific requirement within the standard for isolator type. Again however, the installer should choose the most appropriate for the installation. If the PV voltage was higher, say 48v dc or above, then the types of circuit protection and isolation used in this particular installation would no longer be appropriate. With regards to RCD/RVD protection, the standard is quite clear in its requirement. There is no requirement in the standard for an RVD (in either 3001 or 3000) however, if the installer deemed it appropriate then they would be able to install the type of RVD that allowed for an MEN connection as that is definitely specified in the standard. To answer your last question, as we are electrical contractors, all of our installations come with an electrical safety certificate which is relevant for the installation that has take place. In our opinion, all installations of this nature should be also supplied with the same. However, as we know, this is not always the case as a lot of installations are undertaken by installers that are not licenced electricians/contractors. Cheers.
How much does it cost??
How much weight did you add. Chinese vans can’t carry much, did you compromise water for power?
Where are you located?
Looks like a Love -Job 🤪 , ya Loved Doing it 😎 very tidy install easy to get to everything that’s needed to be gotten to. 👍
Right of the bat, it’s not enough solar. 1800 watt is likely all you can fit on the roof but you want more. You won’t have perfect conditions all day every day. Your system needs to produce on the bad days too. For my property in northern Maine, my solar input is designed for the worst of winter. When I need it the most. It’s easy to generate power during summer. And I’m way overpaneled during summer. Cost efficient? Nope. Self reliant? Absolutely.
Hi and thanks for watching and commenting. We totally agree. More solar the better. But there are always restrictions with RV’s in terms of roof layout and weight that we also need to take into consideration. Plus our winters in Australia are nothing like your winters in North America. We still get solar production through albeit a significantly reduced amount. Cheers.
Great vid, easy to understand and full of knowledgeable information. Thank you!
Thanks for the great feedback
Hi Dan would love to have your input and possible work. Can you change out a redarc 2000 watt inverter to a 3000 watt inverter and make it an automatic system turning on only when needed, ie using a microwave or airfryer, without having to change any of the wiring thank you Lorelle.
Hi Lorelle thanks for watching and commenting. Generally, to change from a 2000w to a 3000w inverter you would definitely as a minimum need to change out the DC cabling as the larger inverter draws more current so larger cable is required. To answer the ac side would need a bit more information about how it’s all currently installed.
Another great vid, you mentioned you installed water tank monitoring. In your upgrade 'menu' do you also install additional water tanks?
Thanks @cathbp4089 . Yes, we can do.
i would be talking to the OTR about who signed off on the gas as they obviously didnt check it. this is how people take the long sleep! scary.
Fortunately nobody was hurt and the issue has now been rectified.
The charger will still charge to full voltage even with long leads. As the battery charge level increases, the charge current drops and so does the volt drop. So it make take longer but will charge battery to full charger voltage.
Thanks for the comment. That’s actually not correct. The charger will think the battery is full before the battery is actually full and go to float sooner than it should. Leaving the battery less full than it should be. Having a charger many meters away from the battery is a poor design and all charger equipment manufacturers advise against long lengths of cable. Cheers.
That was just a dogs dinner.
Yeah wasn’t great.
Outreach: I believed any upgrade (retro fit additional battery etc) made to an existing factory fit system after 18th Nov 2023 must comply with AS/NZS3001.2:2022 The new regulations stipulate that a lithium battery cannot be installed in a habitable living area, such as inside a caravan or camper trailer, unless it is placed in a sealed enclosure, or the installation location is sealed off from the habitable area and the sealed off area is vented to the exterior environment. I am wondering if this upgrade is legal and fully compliant (Especially for insurance) as I am considering something similar.
Hi and thanks for the comment. As the second battery was fitted by the owner prior to the 18/11/2023 we didn’t need to modify the battery area to have the battery enclosed. However, all of the modifications conducted by us which included additional solar panels etc did need to comply. If you are looking to upgrade your existing installation of you battery by adding another battery you will need to bring the installation up to the standard by enclosing and venting the batteries in accordance with the battery manufacturers recommendations.
@@outechoffgrid Thank you for the clarification cheers :)
Very well presented, I imagine there will be some minor misinterpretation by people with limited electrical knowledge and experience, however you will never be able to compensate for that in any video shorter than the time it takes to obtain a trade qualification. I would have liked to have seen a further explanation as to why having batteries in boxes attached to the chassis, or in a similar location, is not a good idea. I have a fair idea on this, but many people out there who would be the target audience for this presentation will not appreciate this topic. Many qualified A/C electricians do not appreciate the issues around this aspect, and some of those with their own TH-cam channel have proven their lack of understanding. Unfortunately there will be people who watch that and follow what has been shown elsewhere, therefore a further explanation would have been of significant benefit. Thanks for clarifying the recent amendments of the standards.
Hi and thanks for the comments. Yes I agree further information around specific items such as chassis mounted batteries would have been good to cover however, they aren’t specifically relating to the standard so we felt it was important to ‘stick to topic’ on that. We do cover reasons why it isn’t ideal to mount batteries outside on the chassis in other videos and we could in future do a tech talk on that topic also. Thanks for following along.
Looks like I need to go back over some earlier videos.