12v to 48v RV conversion. Ultimate Off-grid RV Solar Power System Install
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มิ.ย. 2024
- *Shock hazard prevention for All-In-One systems*: • All-in-One Solar Syste...
How to DIY the ULTIMATE off-grid RV setup with a 48-volt battery for under $3000
After testing with the single battery, it actually only runs the AC at night for 2.5 - 3 hours. I didn't figure in the 12v blower fan that also needs to run. That's still pretty good. No complains.
* The Full Kit * ($50 Discount Code: RAY)
-Growatt 3000 48P inverter(recommended for most RVs): signaturesolar.com/growatt-48... ($50 Discount Code: RAY)
-Growatt 3000TL LVM-ES(recommended for RVs with more than 2K Watts of solar): : signaturesolar.com/growatt-48...
-48V Battery: signaturesolar.com/eg4-ll-lit...
-Combiner box: amzn.to/3OVpxdi
-48v to 12v step-down converter: amzn.to/3OV6FuV
-Extended Communication Cable: signaturesolar.com/3ft-rs485-...
-Extended Battery Cables: signaturesolar.com/72in-2-awg...
-Solar panels Cable wire: amzn.to/3KDgwmA
-MC4 connectors: (I ordered 6): signaturesolar.com/staubli-mc...
-MC4 connector crimpers: amzn.to/3QHpuTN
-New Solar Panels: signaturesolar.com/shop-all/s...
-Used Solar Panels(discount code: RAY): www.santansolar.com/product/u...
-Solar panel mounting brackets: amzn.to/3qy4c0o
-Double Sided 3M VHB Tape for mounting brackets: amzn.to/3OT8o47
-Solar Panel wire management clips: signaturesolar.com/pv-2-wire-...
-Insulated screwdriver: amzn.to/3QAGpHx
-Roof sealant tape: amzn.to/47vZVeo
-Solar Cable Entry Gland: amzn.to/3QElhAh
-Victron Energy SmartShunt 500 amp Battery Monitor: amzn.to/3DTqvk2
-30A RV Outlet: amzn.to/3VMBGW0
-30A RV Outlet Cover: amzn.to/3VPNAye
Recommended Solar Stores (Using these links will help support the channel)
Current Connected........ currentconnected.com/?ref=diy...
Signature Solar.............. signaturesolar.com/?ref=DiySo... ($50 Discount Code: RAY)
SanTan Solar................. www.santansolar.com/?ref=DiyS... (%5 Discount Code: RAY)
ShopSolarKits................ shopsolarkits.com/1302 ($100 Discount Code: RAY)
Ruixu Batteries.............. www.ruixubattery.com/?ref=fOK... (Discount Code: RAY)
PowerQueen Batteries.. ipowerqueen.com/?ref=DiySolar... (Discount Code: RAY)
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:43 What a 48v RV can do
2:54 12V battery removal
6:14 48v to 12v step down converter
8:32 Growatt All-in-one system explained
9:53 Connecting All-in-one system to 48v battery
16:05 RUNNING AC, ELECTRIC FRIDGE AND MICROWAVE AT THE SAME TIME!
21:15 Converter box explained
26:18 48v to 12v system test
29:34 Step-down converter efficiency test
31:04 Connecting to shore power(IF needed)
33:35 Letting friends plug into my RV and Emergency power backup explained
35:49 Alternator charging
36:34 Things I'm going to change
38:38 Selecting the right inverter
41:17 Selecting the right battery
43:13 How long can the inverter idle
Thanks!
Contact info
If you want to get a hold you me you can email me at: diysolarpowerfunRay@gmail.com
I am not available for personal consulting. Please reach out to me in the video comments where I and others can provide feedback to you
Disclaimer
I am not a licensed electrician. Working with electricity is dangerous and can lead to injury or death, even when following documentation and instructions. I can not be held liable for such damage or injury. I am not giving or seeking to give advice on how to work with electricity. You should consult with a licensed professional whenever possible and get all work reviewed by an inspector and follow any local regulations in your area. I'm documenting my projects for informational purposes only. Electricity can kill you! BE CAREFUL! - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
__ THE KIT ___
-Growatt 3000TL LVM-ES : signaturesolar.com/growatt-48...
-48V Battery: signaturesolar.com/eg4-ll-lit...
-Combiner box: amzn.to/40JvvR8
-48v to 12v step-down converter: amzn.to/3HfcAXu
-Extended Communication Cable: signaturesolar.com/3ft-rs485-...
-Extended Battery Cables: signaturesolar.com/72in-2-awg...
-Solar panels Cable wire: amzn.to/446Wlpl
-MC4 connectors: (I ordered 6): signaturesolar.com/staubli-mc...
-MC4 connector crimpers: amzn.to/3oPVl8P
-New Solar Panels: signaturesolar.com/shop-all/s...
-Used Solar Panels(discount code:"DiySolarFun5"): www.santansolar.com/product/u...
-Solar panel mounting brackets: amzn.to/3NnoqCT
-Double Sided 3M VHB Tape for mounting brackets: amzn.to/3LAzZ8n
-Solar Panel wire management clips: signaturesolar.com/pv-2-wire-...
-Insulated screwdriver: amzn.to/41WFPHf
-Roof sealant tape: amzn.to/41cHZB2
-Solar Cable Entry Gland: amzn.to/44Bg7td
Im going to guess that you figured out that battery is not nearly as big as you thought it was by now ;) If you had four of them on board and 4kw of solar spread around then you could power all your friends.
@davefroman4700 because it's a 48v 100ah battery, it has 4 times the capacity as the 12v 100ah battery. 2 weekends ago, I was able to supply power to 2 other RV'S for 3 days. It was cloud cover much of the time, so we didn't need to run our air conditioners.. it couldn't run 3 air conditioners even if it tried though :). I also was running low on power at night so I had two of us run our gas fridges. So it was pretty much just running the occasional microwave and TVs for the three of us. The led lights didn't use much power.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay I realize that. But its still only 5kwh of power. You are not going to run multiple Ac off it for any length of time in even the best case scenario of a clear day.
@@davefroman4700 You're correct. That would be tough running multiple RV AC units on that single Battery. For my RV it does fine though. I run it all day when the sun is out and it keeps up fine. (I use my RV as my office and at about 10am I kick it for the rest of the day).
Thank you for the simple explanation and not going into too much detail. Simple is the key for everything in my opinion. And you nailed it on this video.
Haha, loved when you tossed that SLA battery. I've wanted to chuck every SLA and AGM battery I've ever had in a solar system the same exact way.
Yeah. It was super satisfying :)
This was a fantastic build. I did a very similar install with the 24v system (growatt and EG4 battery) for my friends mobile massage bus. Im glad you did a 48v system which is what I should have done for her seeing as how all the costs were the same.
I installed 3 floor 120v outlets and a DC panel for her 12v accessories. She couldnt afford solar panels or anything additional but I did install the 30 amp inlet and wired it to the alternator so it’ll charge in between clients.
I think its amazing how much room you have for even more 48v batteries.
Thanks, That sounds like a system. She'll love it.
That is so cool, I’ve been thinking of doing this and it’s great seeing u covert it in an RV.
Wow.. so much great info in a single video. Thank you!
Outstanding explanation and demonstration.
great video, very clean setup.
Thank you, I've really like it so far.
You did great!!! I’ve been using lithium’s for over 15 years doing conversions. Mostly electric propulsion. You are thinking correctly to multi purpose the system and expansion while at home. Bravo 😊
Thanks a lot. Are you doing boat conversions?
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay no boats yet. 15 years ago…. 128v 50mph LiFePO4 electric mountain bicycle.
15hp craftsman lawn tractor converted to 1.8kw LiFePO4 pack and 11kw 22kw peak ME1004 motor. I’ve be researching and testing lithium for over 15 years. My lates fat bike build is 5500 watts. 44mph. Tesla 21700 cells. 25ah 74v nominal. I’m an early adapter if not the first to sandwich spot weld Copper Nickel. We’ve been looking at RV trailers…. Geopro 15TB or Hike100.
I already have a new MP solar 48v inverter I purchased 3 years ago and I have 15kw of Panasonic 21700 cells I can start building my pack. Since we want small trailer and can’t keep it at home HOA ….. I’m thinking of building it in the back of my 4Runner and making a foldout array on the roof of 4Runner. 15kw could run an auxiliary electric motor on my 4Runner engine serpentine belt to reduce fuel consumption and double as house backup. 😁
@TommyLuptak Wow, those sound like interesting builds. I'll have to check out your Channel!
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay th-cam.com/video/ygu8bV423wU/w-d-xo.html
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay please do. Not an organized channel at all. But you will find some of my projects here.
Excellent job!
Great video explaining your new system. I don’t know where you live, but I think I saw snow flurries at the beginning of your video. Keep in mind to not charge the battery below 32 degrees. I would also suggest that you put a fuse between the 48 volt battery and your 12 volt step down converter. I look forward to more great videos from you.
Awesome. Thanks for the comment. This battery is supposed to have low temp charging protection but I plan on disconnecting the solar during the winter just to be extra safe.
Good point with the fuse. I just did a test on step down converter and it looks like it shuts down( and restarts) if I try and draw more that 30 amps from it. I should however put one in just to be on the safe side. I know the 40 amp model comes with a in-line fuse. I'm not sure why this one doesn't have it....Maybe because it has that automatic shut down feature.
Nice video and this system you designed seems to be simple and effective without maybe breakingvthe bank.
Ive installed a 220 volt solit phase inovair minisplit 38 seer in my 30 foot holiday rambler. My solar power system runs it 24/7 off a 4000 watt sungold power split phase inverter and the rest the camper runs off my 3000 watt all in one unit. I have 2 seperate battery banks and its all 24 volt but its basically 2 seperate systems. One is 24 leaf modules at 24 volts and the other is lifepo4. I have 1800 watts of solar at the moment with tilt able ground mounts but im wanting another 2000 watts mounted on the roof soon as i can get the panels. One thing i learned the hard way is it takes a lot more solar than a person would think to actually live comfortably off grid. Thanks for the video its cool seei g other peoples stuff
I would definitely install soft star ASAP
Great video, I don't need that much but info is awesome. Thanks for the explanations 👍
Thank you!
Thank you for the video! You have just given me a temporary solution to the biggest problem I have in the solar upgrade of my 50 amp fifth wheel. I've been unable to figure out how to run the electrical cable (2 for a 50 amp RV) from the inverter to the distribution panel (a 30 ft run). The cover underneath the RV is riveted to the frame and there are several obstacles inside the cover (3 tanks and cross members i.e., I-beams) that make routing the wires under the cover difficult. Routing the cables inside the house does not seem to be feasible. I will just install a 50 amp plug to the inverter, mount it in the front compartment, and plug into the shore power plug when we boondock. Thank you!
Nice, later I wanted to have power when we drive down the road so I added this solution. Start at the 9 Minute mark. th-cam.com/video/cYJSFjFo4S8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=jpkp4bOnRvpQ5Yuh
What inverter did you end up going with?
This was very helpful to see. One thing I have heard and it seems reasonable is not to use those wire nuts. They aren't good for in motion because they can come loose. Apparently, you want to use the kind that clip/clamp.
Thank you! I didn't know that.
Would humbly suggest you protect your cables with fusing. So the 48V output from the battery, the input and output to your 48/12V converter. Melted wires make for nasty fires. Thank you for your video.
Great video overall.
I’d like to have seen how you chose the components (calculations) etc
Personally I’d use wire connectors ( like wago connectors ) instead of the screw cap connections. These will not come lose with vibrations.
Great project !!
Looks like a good budget system, i hope it works out well for you.
A few suggestions of things i would do differently if it were mine.
First is how the 120v power is run. I would run from the inverter direct to the panel and get rid of the shore power wire you are connecting externally. On the input side of the inverter i would wire the existing 30A shore power input connector to the inverter input so if you were to camp at a park you can plug in and operate normally/charge the batteries like you showed with your 20a plug. You could still connect to a 20a with a dogbone if you needed to. The inverter is designed to be a 30A passthru, why not use it. For the buddy/emergency output, a new 30A breaker off the panel and that 30A plug on the outside would be a much cleaner install and give you the ability to shut off that outside plug when not in use. You could use use the slot where the 12v converter was and replace that with a 30A for your output.
I would also use that second battery you have in parallel with the first. You have it already why not have 10kwh of battery storage on tap.....
Big yes to the soft start too, it will make a world of difference every time the compressor kicks on.
I would also highly suggest getting rid of the wire nuts. They don't work well anywhere there is vibration present, they will wiggle off leaving an exposed live connection. Crimp style butt connectors would be a much better choice.
Thank you. Good suggestions. I think I'm going to wire up that 30 amp pass through plug. I haven't needed it yet but it would be nice to have. I think the future owners of the RV would appreciate it. I didn't put a breaker on the emergency outside plug because the inverter technically isn't able to Output more than 30 amps. If it tries to pull more than 24 to 30 amps it just shuts off automatically. I'm not sure how it will act in pass-through mode though. I need to test that still.
I've really liked it so far, but I don't like my charge controller. If I have a single tree shading one of my panels, it kind of shuts the whole thing down. The other growatt 3000 would be better.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay I would definitely put a breaker on the output. Regardless of the current draw you still would want to protect your RV electrical system in case of a short or anything else that may be plugged into that plug. When it comes to breakers you size it for the wire not what the circuit may draw. If you are going to use a 30A plug you should wire it with 10ga and a 30a breaker. I would also put a fuse or a DC breaker on the pos of your 48/12 converter between it and the battery as well.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay Which other growatt are you referring to? The Growatt 3kW Stackable Off-Grid Inverter | SPF 3000TL LVM-ES?
@1992garyd I have links in the description of the different inverters I like.
that is an awsome set up
Thanks!
I have that same dometic thermostat in my camper van
With the step down converter you can get one thats adjustable from the 48 volt input to a adjustable 12 to 15 volt output. By raising the output voltage it will compensate for voltage loss over wire distance and save your waterpump and any other 12 volt stuff. If you run those motors with a low voltage it shortens their life by a lot. Learned that the hard way too lol.
Oh.. that's good point.. I didn't even think of that. I'll have to test the operating voltage...
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay the other thing I noticed about running my 12 volt stuff at 15 volts is the waterpump runs a lot smoother and lights look more normal. I'm getting about 14.3 to 14.5 volts at the various places I've stuck a tester around the camper. Higher voltage means less amps and is definitely easier on electrical stuff to a point. I'd not go over 15 tho cause that's about the limit on 12 volt stuff
That converter still needs to be tested under load.
When you hook your truck. The truck power plug into hour solar string #2. 12v dc and inverter will handle it and charge your 48vBatt. Use an amp resistor to limit amps.
Most 48v solar charge controllers require 60v to charg the battery. I believe I could however use a 12v to 48v boost converter on that plug ,with a limiter, and connect straight to the battery to charge but it wouldn't help that much. I've never needed it yet.
Great video Ray! I'm guessing you have a 15k btu HVAC unit? I would have thought the LifePower4 battery would have been just fine to start the AC unit. I was surprised that big fifth wheel only had a TT30 plug. Nice job bypassing the stock charge converter and the trailer plug 12v. Looking forward to a follow up video after the solar gets installed. Remember, the ES model really likes at least160v from your panels (even though start up voltage is 150v.
Thanks. Yeah I had someone comment earlier on the life power battery that had a similar startup problem. I like the battery a lot. It just may not be the best if you only have one battery.
I'm not sure what the BTU rating is. I should know :). When the air conditioner is running it is consuming around 900 Watts
We did an almost identical setup to yours back in 2020, only ours was only a 24 volt growatt system, ( all that was available back then, as all the 48 volt stuff was still way overpriced). I call ours a portable solar generator system. Just plugs into the rv plug on the side of the rv and fakes the rv into thinking it’s plugged into a campground pedestal 24/7.
We made ours portable so when not camping we just hang on the wall in the garage and use as an emergency whole house backup system, and also powers our auxillary hvac in our net zero house. We made mounts in the garage, and also temporary mounts in the rv. So if we want to boondock we just steal the whole works from the garage, throw in the back of our jeep toad, then just mount in the rv when needed.
Takes around 10 minutes to setup either at home or in the rv. This way when the camper is in storage, we get to use the system at home. So it’s in use 24 hrs a day 7 day a week 365 days a year.
The 12 volt battery system in the rv has 600ah battery bank that was new last year, so I couldn’t bring myself to throw away all those perfectly good batteries. So we left the motorhome 100% factory stock, and our growatt system just plugs into the plug on te side of the camper, ( similar to yours). We put an rv plug on the ac input side of the growatt so when we are at a regular campground, we can use shore power.
Ours has been working very well for us, and does everything we need it to do.
Congrats on a nice setup.
Nice. I like that setup a lot! I have taken mine out quite a few times for various reasons. Thanks! I'm leaning towards your setup for my next RV.
Great video want to do something similar. How loud is the inverter fans? My 5th wheel bedroom is right above that compartment. Thanks for the video.
Same. I'm glad I put the inverter outside. I definitely can't hear it running when it's outside but if it was inside it would be a bit bothersome.
This is the best video I've seen on this topic. Thank you so much! One question, though. If the RV has an on-board generator, how does that figure into the design? I imagine it's just another input, but not sure how it would be wired into the inverter?
What I would do is have the generator output go into the AC input of the Growatt inverter. You could have a 30 amp chord that feeds into the AC imput of the Growatt and then if you ever need a generator you could plug it into the generator output... Or if you have shore power available you could instead run the 30 chord over to shore power. Another option would be to purchase a separate Battery charger and have the generator output go into the battery charger. The Growatt has enough output that it's the main power supply for my RV. The only bad thing about the victron multiplus 3000 is that it only has 2400watts of usable power so you have to supplement.
You could use both you have them and they work well together
Yeah. I might do that. Definitely as a test.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay You have 10k of power you only have 5 now
@@roberrbush5446 I need a battery where I test other solar charge controllers and some other equipment. I think I'll throw in the extra battery for Lake Powell family trip though 😊
great video, how did you ground the Growatt 3000TL LVM-ES in you rv application?
One option is to carry a grounding rod and drive it in wherever you go camping... but I'm definitely not doing that. I do need to make a ground neutral Bond connection because I don't believe the all in one inverter has that Bond.
Thanks for sharing. Like 532!
The plug you put the blue extension cord into is a 15 amp outlet
Thanks, you're right it is 15 amps.
Why don’t you use your other battery with the eg4 v2? I have 3 on my set up and love it. I got a 120v .5amp rv water tank heater to use on my batteries in the winter but chickened out adhering it to the batteries. Thanks for the video.
Nice. I think in gonna hook up the extra battery when we go to the desert. Yeah I have also been thinking about getting one of those heaters for my battery as well. I think will prowse mentioned them on his channel. I bet you it wouldn't take that much power. Did you end up using a 48 volt to 12 volt step down converter for your 12-volt system? I think that's what saved me a ton of power.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay My coach is 24v based, so I got the 24v batteries, 24v inverters, etc. I ended up using the Victron 24/12 70amp step down transformer for my 12v loads and it works great. It was set at 13.2v, which I think is perfect - so far so good! Looking forward to how you supplement/power your home from your RV - I was considering the same! Almost wonder if you run the house from your batteries in the evening, let them recharge during the day. Pending the weather, my coach will provide more power during the day than my home consumes, and I don't have anything set up with the power company to backfeed power - not sure they would allow it - but who knows. Looking at an EV too, pending your daily mileage, you could easily plug it in during the evening and recharge the RV during the day.
niCE setup
Thx
Nice setup. I'd be more comfortable with the higher capacity buck converter, or two of the 30A parallel. I imagine that part will be an iterative process for you 😅
Yes the 40 amp would have been better
Love your Video i got a few Questions. I’m making my fire department a command trailer to use on site with no shore power I’m scared 3000 watts is not going to be enough
With a mini split a/c, 4 TV, 2 computer, small refrigerator, ( coffee maker, microwave not all the time ) the light inside are all 12 volt Would love to do the same system you have also I’m going to put 2200 watt solar on the roof
Sorry for the slow reply. Are you converting a RV trailer or building from scratch? Is it a 50A RV conversation? The 3000W growatt MAY be a little small. My 3000 can run 2 large appliances (AC &Microwave) and my very inefficient 300 Watt electric fridge(which runs not stop)
My large house tv uses 75 watts. so it should be fine with 4 TV's and the Laptops. I'd bet your mini fridge used between 70 and 100 watts on average. I think your mini-split will be more efficient that my 15000 BTU AC unit. If you are making coffee and running the AC then you definitely won't be able to start the microwave.
I'd be tempted to get the eg4 6000EX just to be safe.(signaturesolar.com/eg4-6000xp-off-grid-inverter-split-phase/?ref=DiySolarPowerFun) I think that would be perfect if you have a 50a RV. I'll be reviewing it soon and can let you know how it goes.
I wonder why the 2nd battery behaved differently when starting the AC? I think inside they are the same, and both have a 100A BMS and they both have a max discharge rate of 100A, which I doubt you were pulling.
Also, you might want to add a couple fuses to the positive wires on that buck converter.
I didn't add a fuse going to the buck converter because the converter literally can't go over 30 amps. Imagine it's probably a good idea to add a fuse though just in case the buck converter has a short.
I think the BMS in the other battery isn't as good. Even though they stay they are the same on their specs they are definitely different. It's too bad you can't believe the specs. I had another viewer comment that he was experiencing the same thing with the lifepower4 battery. He thought it was the bms, which makes sense to me. Because it has stricter BMS settings, who knows, maybe the cells will last longer?
Thats interesting i know in canada we to install deadman switches for residential so if the power went out it doesn't push into the grid. Meaning you cant power the house. Is there a work around other than running a whole another junction box ?
in the United States they have something similar. They have grid tie inverters which have what is called anti islanding. It basically monitors the grid power and only feeds power into your house as long as the grid is up. If the grid ever goes down it will stop. I'm still working through the details with the power company and how to hook it up properly.
What gauge wire is on the output of that 48 to 12V converter? Should be stamped on the wire. Is it 10 Gauge? Thank you.
Great stuff rey . I have a question when i went into my rv all the lights were dim i plugged in my truck and they all were powered up so if i remove my converter charger how will this effect it ?
Also could i use a battery disconect switch so charger/converter wont be able to charge batterys but will still convert 120v to 12v ? My converter says 1000watt 60a is that whst it uses or produces ?
Hopefully you could help me out and if you ever make it to vegas ill buy you a steak .
No problem. For the first question the reason the lights went brighter is because your truck must have been running when you plugged in and the alternator was sending power to your RV 12 volt system at around 14 volts to charge the batteries. The lights responded to this higher voltage and got brighter. Converter box should have no effects on your truck being plugged in.
Regarding the second question. Sure you could put a disconnect on the battery to prevent charging however your converter box will still be working to power your existing 12 system.. mine rv works this way. Eg. lights, fans, blower motors Etc. So you're 48 volt battery won't quite last as long because it is taking the DC converting it to AC and then back to 12v dc. So there's a lot of power loss there... especially if you're camping in a cold area and your furnace blower is running all night long. It's much more efficient if you power the 12 volt system with a 48 volt drop down converter.
Hope this helps. I might take you up on that steak ;)
love your setup and want to do the same on my RV.
I really like my setup so far. Let me know if you have any questions
about the alternator charging... I'm assuming it was pin 4 that you disconnected from your 7 wire plug, correct? I've also seen charge controllers that will allow you to connect your alternator safely - they combine the alternator power with solar to bring up the voltage to the proper charge level, but I don't know if that's worth the hassle unless you already own all the parts.
Not worth the hassle in my opinion. I get more power from shaded panels then I would from the 12 volt alternator. On the other hand adding a 48 volt alternator I hear can produce up to 1,000 Watts. Which would be awesome. But then you have to add another alternator..
If that's a 48 volt 100 amp hour battery and you plan on running the AC in the summer months along with the fridgerator and a few other things you don't have much you'll have to double triple that size. I'm in North Florida I don't get much solar cuz it's cloudy continuously got to use the generator constantly to top my batteries off
It seems to do pretty well for utah. If the Sun is out I can continuously run the AC all day long. I definitely would not be able to do it if there were clouds overhead though. In Utah if we ever have shade it's good temperatures though it doesn't get too hot.. It is the equivalent of about eight deep cycle batteries.
Great setup nice prices for everything you get ! One thing I do not understand is the 3,000 inverter " Growatt " states off-grid inverter. Thinking this means that this inverter is not approved to be used while connected to the electrical company service .
I will have to check on this tomorrow if yes then kind of a bummer in that area . Please let me know if you know that question. I just trying to understand things myself . I'm not a know it all lol .
Basically you cannot use it to backfeed the grid. You will need a good time grid tie inverter for that. I am going to use this off-grid inverter to power my emergency panel on the house. So part of my house will be off grid
My 24VDC Growatt is Model # "SPF 3000TL LVM-24". In the battery setup menu, it indicates I am supposed to use a Growatt Li Battery (only) but allows for customizable settings for Li. It also has the communications cable yours does. Is the Signature Solar battery designed to be compatible with the Growatt systems like ours or is yours so much newer (I purchased mine 2.5 years ago) that it is "plug and play" with other Li batteries that have a communication port??
If your battery has a communication port I bet the Growatt will communicate with it. You just have to select the protocol from the menu. If you call Signature solar they can tell you the protocol to set.
Man Im trying to go off grid with the family by June but this amount of information is giving me paralysis.
You got this!
Ray, Question. If you had a 50amp system in your RV how would you wire your inverter charger to a 50 amp plug? Thanks
You'd basically need 2 of these inverters... One for each hot line on the 50 amp RV plug.
I installed same Growatt, 1800 watts of solar and 150 amp hours of batteries almost 2 years ago in my RV. Has worked flawlessly. Your comments about running 2 AC units and powering your friends RVs is not realistic as I am sure that you have found out. Or running an AC unit overnight, unless it is a tiny window unit maybe 5,000 btu's. Good video
Yeah, It will only run my single AC for about 3 hours with Zero sun out. With the sun out I can continusly run it though... but can't charge the batteries at the same time. I like that it provideds enought power to run large 2 appliances at the same time. I usually go camping a cool areas so i never run into too much trouble having others use my power.... unless we need to run the AC's :). Turning off my converter box has helped a lot also...
@diySolarPowerFunWithRay FYI I am able to run a 10k AC unit for 4 to 5 hours straight off the solar, but like you understand, no charging then. Last summer I was using a 2200 watt generator and was able to run a second AC unit off of that. As you have a 30 amp trailer I don't think this would work for you as the second AC unit is on the other side of my 50 amp service. And the generator does an amazing job recharging the batteries in the evening for a couple of hours. Wish you the best!
Great Vid...I have watched about 5 times...LOL. I am about to do this same thing to my 5th wheel and I love that its non-intrusive and very portable to another unit with very little effort. I have a couple quick-is questions. You can still connect to "shore power" if you turn off the inverter...correct? Also, where did you get the 30 amp plug to wire into the Growatt inverter? I was going to use a 110/30 amp pig tail and just cut the 110 side off and wire that into the inverter...would that work?
I got my 30 amp plug by cutting a pigtail in half similar to what you're thinking. Regarding Shore power, how were you planning on powering your trailer from the growatt? Were you planning on plugging your Shore power into the 30 amp plug?
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay AC side MOST of the time from the Growatt. There might be a rare occasion to use a campground pedestal...at least have that ability. Of course DC is batteries...now Charging...I plan to use a direct charge to the batteries via a 48V AC charger...not sure if I would charge via the Growatt yet. I have a Honda EU 2000 gas generator I plan on using to do my charging....at least for now.. Solar in the future when I can afford the purchase...have to build this out over time. :)
Nice. Yeah there are 3 options for connecting to shore power in the way I have it set up in the video here. 1) Unplug my shore power chord from the growatt, not the growatt won't be supplying power to my RV, and plug the shore power directly into shore power. or 2) the other option would be to plug shore power into the growatt ac input and continue having the growatt provide your RV power. The 3rd option would be to get a 48v batter charger and have shore power charge your batteries while the Growatt powers your RV.
By chance did you happen to take the ground neutral bonding screw from this unit..?
To be honest I can't remember. Good call though. I should have a GN bond. I'm not sure why I missed that. I'll mention that in a pinned comment. I've has mixed experiences with the bonding screw. I think I'll use a bonding plug.
Do you still have the shore power cable? I take it, you don't use the shore power cable anymore? What happens if and when using shore power cable, will it damage the inverter?
I plug the shore power cable into the growatt ac output. So I still have the shore power cable. If I wanted to plug into actuall shore power I can just unplug that plug and plug into shore power(No transfer switch... very simple). and because my 120v ac to 12v dc converter box is turned off using the breaker, the "all in one inverter/power system" is totally isolated... the 120v shore power won't try supply power to the 12v dc system. I hope that makes sense. You might be interested in the upgrade video I also made:
studio.th-cam.com/users/videocYJSFjFo4S8/edit Hope this helps
Is the solar panels connecting into the inverter? If so, does that mean the inverter can directly use the power from them without pulling from the battery? I thought you would have to have a charge controller to the batteries, and it would always use the battery power.
Yes it's connecting straight to the inverter. It can pull power straight from the panels and not go through the battery.
Is that GroWAtt all in one unit designed for use in a high-vibration environment (like rolling down the road)? I have one that I will install in my home for critical loads in an emergency
Signature solar said it wouldn't void any warrenty. I've currently taken this setup on about 6000 miles so far... No issues. after 800 miles on a bumpy road the only issue is one of my wire nuts came off.
Just curious,,is the ground bar and neutral bar in the RV breaker panel bonded or unbonded?
That is a very good question. I'll check. I don't think it is. I'll let you know. I need to make sure my unit has a GN Bond.
You really should set a subpanel and come out of there with all your loads. That way all your circuits have their own breaker sized accordingly to the wire and load.
Because I am using my RV Shore power plug, it is using all of the existing 120 volt breakers. The 12 volt system is also using the existing 12 volt Fuze box. The thin wire coming out of the 48 volt to 12 volt converter is also rated for 30 amps so I'm good there because it can't output more than 30 amps on the 12v side. I could probably use a fuse there though just in case
What size dolar panels are you running. And what charge do you receive from them
I have five 315 watt panels up top. It can run the inefficient air conditioner all day. When the Sun down obviously the battery can only keep up for a few hours. I think I've seen 1400 Watts coming from them on a good day.
Hi Any chance you would have a link to purchase the 40amp converter box?
If you search 48 volt to 12 volt 40 amp step down converter on Amazon there should be plenty of options. Good luck 👍
You're going to want to provide active cooling to that buck converter, if you have much in the way of 12v draws, which most camper/RV units will. There are much more robust options for that solution and I would encourage you to investigate those, if you're drawing even 10 amps, continuous. Notice the big difference in wire size from the 12v cable to your old battery and the much smaller wire going into the buck converter? The unit you installed will get quite warm (~200f) and that's enough to worry about. If you can't do active cooling (temperature activated fan) then at least put standoffs under the mounting screws that secure the buck converter to the bulkhead, so air can get under it as well as to the cooling fins.
Also, that negative connection from the buck converter to the battery did not look solid. Hopefully that was just the camera telling lies. Otherwise, very cool conversion.
Thank, I double-checked the wire size. I should have mentioned it in the video. The wires coming out of the 12v side of the stepdown converter looks small but are actually 12 awg. My Biggest 12v draws will come from my furnace blower(around 5 amps) and my electric jacks and RV Slideouts(19 amps each). So if I have my fan running and I run my electric jacks at the same time I'll be pulling 25 amps from my 12 system. Using this wire guage chart(www.bluesea.com/resources/1437) I should be safe using a 12 awg wire but just need to make sure the wire is no longer that 6 feet... Because this wire is only 6 inches I'm not concerned.
I think this step-down converter will work great for my use. I just did a test and ran the jacks up and down for 10 minutes straight(which I will never do) and it I could barely decern any heat coming from the box and cooling fins. I really like this unit and am happy with it.... So far :). Thanks for the comment.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay - Yeah, if your loads for that 12v bus are small and/or intermittent, you'll be fine. I'm surprised the jacks didn't create much heat, running them for that long.
@@jasonbroom7147 Me too. Thanks.
Is the growatt and 100ah EG4 battery rated for the vibration expected in an RV trailer?
I doubt that Signature Solar warranties them for RV use.
I seen a bunch installed in them and they are well made. Should be fine
@@roberrbush5446 That's good to know..... thx
I think they are covered for rv use, but I'll double-check for ya...
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay I think many would welcome that info. TIA
So how do you charge that 48 volt battery now at a campground on 30 amp shore power?
The growatt power system will accept 30 amp Shore power and in turn chart 48 volt battery. 👍
I know a bidirectional converter 48 to 12V, buck mode: 2500w, boost mode: 2000w, maybe this help you better in RV system
Cool. Do you have a link?
Just say you have a 12 volt A/C. How would you hook it up?
Do you know how many amps the 12 volt DC air conditioner uses?
Can I get that 12 v victron charge controller I live in my van and really need a better one the renogy one I got is junk
I also don't like the renogy charge controllers.
With only 18Amps of PV input allowed/specified, how can you add another string of in-series panels without going over 18amps? My Renogy 320watt panels are about 9.8Amps (Isc) each so I could only run one string of in-series panels on my RV roof as plugging in another string (as you suggest with your combiner box) would be within the VOC limit but outside of the maximum current input. I'm confused.
Where are you seeing 18amps max? My growatt spec might be different that yours.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay I think you already figured it out that my information came from the sticker on the side of your Growatt.
Nice set up.. would it make sense to leave the existing 12v system and add your exact system? I Would think that the redundancy would make sense.
I am doing that and having small solar setup just for those batteries and a 48v battery and 48v inverter for all the 120v stuff
Sorry for the delay replying. I've very glad I removed the 12v battery for a couple reason.
1)One way to keep the 12v battery charged I would be to have a separate solar, separate charge controller, separate battery monitor etc(Kind of a pain to maintain 2 solar systems). I already have redundancy because my truck or motor home engine battery can be used with some jumper cables if needed, I also believe I'd be fine plugging into my truck tow plug but I haven't need to do that because the solar always keeps things charged.
2) (The main reason to remove it) Having the separate 12v battery is a constant draw on the 48v system: An electrician mentioned this to me when he did his conversion. He kept his 12v battery in place initially and then ended up removing it because when the heater would run at night, the fan would pull from the 12v system all night and his 48v battery was constantly trying to keep it charged. This was super inefficient because of the converter box and the charging loop I mention in the video( 48V dc -> 120v AC => 12v). I haven't measured the power loss in the 120v to 12v converter box but I imaging it's pretty high because of the large aluminum fins to keep it cool.
My 48v to 12v converter box is super inexpensive and it's been great for me so far. It also it saving me from buying extra batteries. Hope this help.
@diySolarPowerFunWithRay I like your idea, however I'm just wondering to keep 12v battery in place, switch off the 120v-12v converter and only turn it on when 12 v bank needs charged by 120v. I have currently 2x 100ah 12v Lithium battery for my rig in parallel. I'm thinking this because not sure how buck converter would communicate with my trucks trailer brake controller??
I'm doing this as well. We're retired FT RVers who boondock most of the time, so we decided to build our solar system in 2 phases, a 12v basic phase to run all our 12v appliances and a 48v system for our AC high power needs. We completed the first phase last January, with the addition of a custom built 560ah of LiFePo-4 battery, made with 8, 280ah prismatic cells. We used a Heltec 330amp BMS and a 5a active balancer, to start our generator. It only cost us $1,500 to build this 560ah LiFePo-4 battery, including the high amp BMS. The main reason we chose these cells is that they fit perfectly under the steps of our motorhome where our old pair of GC-2 golf cart batteries used to reside. We insulated the battery compartment, cut a small 1" hole in our step risers and installed a tiny computer CPU fan to keep this space at close to room temperature.
We started our build 4 years ago with a 620-watt liftable array mounted on the side of our motorhome that practically lifts itself to the correct angle with a couple gas struts. Lifting an array to the correct angle produces 25-30% more than a flat mounted array, especially in the winter when the sun is low on the horizon. This first phase, including the liftable array, wiring, breakers, a new Progressive Dynamics 80a Li compatible converter/charger, 1,000w Renogy PSW inverter (to run our TV and PC), an Epever 50a MPPT controller, battery monitor/shunt, and a Renogy battery to battery charger (to protect the alternator) cost us around $3,600.
We'll be starting our 48v phase soon. Mounting our current solar array on the side of our MH left the roof free to rack 8 Sunpower Gold 550w solar panels 13" off the roof of our 35ft Class A, to clear our front AC shroud and vents. It will give us a good bit of shade too, reducing the heat load on our air conditioners. Our MH is only 11' 9" tall, so we will be able to keep the RV height to 12'. Will be using an all-in-one 48V, 5,000W, 120V PSW Inverter, 100a MPPT 500V controller and 40a ac battery charger by Sungold Power for the bulk of our 120v needs. The reason we chose this all-in-one is because the idle power consumption is only 25 watts - and it's only $850. Our 48v battery bank will use 16, 305ah prismatic cells (15.6Kwh.) So together with our 560ah (7.1 Kwh)12v bank, we will have a total of 22.7Kwh of batteries onboard. We will be replacing our old rear 13.5k btu rooftop Dometic AC with a high-efficiency 48v DC mini-split heat pump that only draws 750 watts at peak air conditioner output and less than 500 watts when it's cooling normally. Both phases together will cost around $13,600, including the $2,100 mini-split. Our 2nd phase will provide 24/7 off-grid air conditioning and supplemental heat from the heat pump and allow occasional usage of our 14.5k Btu Furrion front rooftop AC to cool things down for peak afternoon demand, as well as give us whole house 120v ac power. It will allow us to keep our generator in reserve for emergency use only.
@@SuperSushidog that is perfect idea its what I will be doing
put it on some hi density foam cuts down vib on ruff roads
That's a really good idea. Thanks. I think I'll do that.
I took my converter box out of the wfco box and chopped the box in half too so only the breakers and fuses remain
When you plug into shore power without any solar system your stock converter box converts the 120v down to 12v correct, so why even use a external stepdown converter. The one that comes with the RV should be sufficient, that's the way they are designed. So when you connect a solar system that has an output voltage of 120v and plug into the shore power plug of the RV it should and will work properly. In this video, the solar system is a separate power source totally just like shore power. And what do you do at camp sites, you plug into shore power. You should try to keep these systems as two different power sources to be on the safe side. I know it will be convenient to be able to charge your 48v battery from the shore power but I think you might run into some problems down the road. I know the growatt inverters pretty well and you have to be very careful about too much voltage input, so running solar and shore power you might over volt the mppt controller of the unit. Maybe worth looking into. The growatt 3000 ES is an off grid unit, I know that it has an input for grid power but I don't think it is recommended. I could be wrong though. I just like to play it safe myself. I'm doing the same set-up for my brothers camper but the solar system is going to be a stand alone power source but capable of connecting to the main shore power plug of the RV. The solar system has its own controller and inverter then from the inverter to a 30 amp square D breaker box down to a 120v electric plug of it's own. Like you did in your video, we plug the shore power cord from the camper straight into the electric plug of the square D breaker box. That way the original wiring of the camper isn't altered at all, so if you decide to sell it or change the solar system out then it's simple, just unplug and remove. And yes the solar system should have all of the safety things in place as well, breakers fuses and battery quick disconnects. Maybe it's just me but I like to be able to change something quick in a setup like this instead of having to go back and rewire the original 120v to 12v converter that came stock in the camper. Keep the camper as original as possible but add the extras to it.
I meant to put this on the main reply page. Sorry
I meant to put this on the main reply page. Sorry
How many BTUs is the air-conditioning? And how long can you run the air conditioning?
15000 BTU unit I believe. After climbing up there I think it came with a start assist. If the sun is our I can run all day. Night for only a couple hours.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay what kind of battery storage do you think you would need to reach an equilibrium for an eight-hour overnight
@@bluewaterplumbingsolutions4774 1500wh x 8 = 12000wh. So i'd need 3 of these batteries to go overnight... no needed in utah but it a hotter place would be nice.
What awg are the converter wires?
I don't have them right in front of me. They are either the same size as what came with the converter itself or larger.
Not sure you'll be able to use that combiner box..You can only push so many amps into that Growatts MPPT...Being in parallel will double, triple the amps..But, maybe I'm wrong ..
He also can't remember offhand how many amps it will accept but it will be useful in Cloudy conditions when I have extra panels out
what make/model of the 30a external power ports did you use (the grey lidded thing)?
This is the one I used. I hope it will hold up. It has mixed reviews on Amazon. Thanks for pointing this out, I need to add it to the kit. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FCER3E?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay thanks!
@theLegion Within no prob. Are you gonna add a similar system to your rv?
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay yeah that's the plan - I'm DIYing a 1987 Ford Grumman Kabmaster into an RV. it's in the shop getting an LS swap (the 4bt died) right now but when I get it back then I can start installing stuff - really like your electrical setup, it's very clean.
keep up the good work! ;)
@@thelegion_within That's awesome! If you end up getting only one battery I'd get the Eg4 LL V2 battery. 1 lifepower batter had a hard time starting my AC unit. You'll need at 2 for it to reliabley start... but a single eg4 LL V2 battery starts it not problem. I'm doing a review on it now.
Do you have issues with the 48v system panels in shade/partial shade?
Yes, although I would blame it on the inverter I have installed. I should have purchased this inverter instead (signaturesolar.com/growatt-48v-3kw-150vdc-stackable-off-grid-inverter/?ref=DiySolarPowerFun)... That way I could 2 strings. If you can fit 3 large panels(240 or greater) on your RV I'd stick with a 48v system. Other wise I'd down size to a 24v system. My step down convert has been great powering my 12v system though.
Thanks. It's mostly the mppt input voltage as the issue, right? Would the renogy panel with 60v input be similar to that growatt? I'm in Canada, so more limited options.
RENOGY 48V 3500W Pure Sine Wave Inverter, All-in-One \w MPPT Charge Controller, Power-Saving Mode DC 48V
@ShaneLeedham does signature solar ship up there? haven't tested the renogy.
@@ShaneLeedham yes. Mainly the mppt input voltage.
I haven't done it. But rather than a TOBSUN made in China step down converter. People are using Victron MPPT Solar charge controllers to convert 48V to 12V. And they can monitor it via their phone via Bluetooth. The pv input on the mppt controller is actually just positive and negative off of 48v battery. It converts it to 12v to charge a 12v battery. Then your rv trailer receives the necessary 12v. I've also heard this works without a 12v battery and only a 48v battery. You can get higher amperage (or wattage) victron mppt's if your 12v appliance draw is higher. I'm going to use a 100/30 victron mppt. Id say tobsun will fail after time if it gets hot.
Thanks. That's good stuff. Depending on the setting, it will output around 14 volts, which will also make all your lights a little brighter just as if you were plugged in to shore power. I think I'm gonna do this on my next build.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay you can adjust it down from 14.4v in the bluetooth phone app.
Where is your rig's ac power control unit; switches between shore and genset.
I don't have a special switch that automatically switches between generator and Shore power. I just use my Shore power cord to plug in to my inverter output.
@diySolarPowerFunWithRay I'm skeptical of that silver 48v to 12v converter arrangement, why not a 48v inverter with 120v outputs ?
@@VideoByPatrick I do have a 48 volt inverter with 120 volt AC output. But not everything in my RV runs on 120 volts ac. Where are items that only run on 12 volts DC.
@diySolarPowerFunWithRay do you have a converter to power 12v loads ? Converter is powered by 120v.
@VideoByPatrick I use my 48 volts 12 volt step down converter to power my 12 volt loads in order to save power. I explained it in the video in more detail.. It is a really efficient converter
Why wouldn’t you use a ship to shore switch or an auto transfer switch for your trailer and hard wire it in? It would be more efficient.
I wanted to just keep it simple. I like the Simplicity of just plugging my Shore power plug into the inverter. I don't have any problems unplugging and manueling moving the plug to shore power if I am camping near a Shore power outlet.
I also like simple. My inverter is isolated if I need my generator when I’m out hunting and I don’t have to touch anything besides my start switch.
Check them out. Consider it. It makes it simpler than plugging and unplugging everything.
@Slingshot277 thanks, I might have to install that on my next one. I could see that being nice if you have a onboard generator.
Not bad overall, but ditch those wire nuts for a mobile application.... And consider a large capacitor at least on that 48V->12V converter output. With so many of the inductive loads being 12V, you will burn out that converter (Motor based stuff, slide outs/jacks).
How much solar? Man that is asking alot from a single battery as well.
Yeah the LL v2 premium battery handles it like a champ. The lifepower4 battery couldn't do it.
I would never come out of the terminal block with cutoff cord ends. That's going to get yanked on constantly creating a hazard
In my upgrade video I was able to install some Conduit on the AC output of the grow lot that made things a lot better. Thanks for comment
Meh... should have an internal cable between the Inverter and the distribution box. I'd remove the 120V-->12V charger unit completely. You want a switch (and fuse) on the 48V to 12V converter - on the 48V side. I also think you want a second 5KWH battery. Personally - I would have put in a split-phase Victron Multiplus 48/3000 unit. Costs more. Need separate MPPT controller(s) and a Cerbo-GX controller - but then the screen can be inside your RV (much more convenient). However - you'd have a lot more power... when plugging in - etc.
I live in South Africa - where the rest of the world uses 240Volts. Much easier.
I generally like victron stuff but the multiplus 3000 units only support 2400 watts (according to their Manuel). With only 2400 watts, it would only allow me to run one of my 1500 watts appliances at a time. ( eg Ac, electric water heater, microwave). Having the servo GX display would be nice, but I'm using the victron Smart shunt and that's giving me all the information I care about. I think I would probably agree with you with the 240 volts the rest of the world uses. America is weird. I have a couple friends from South Africa. Also ian, who started and runs watts247, is from there.
I just unhooked my agm batteries and installed lithium on my rv.Should I undo my 12v power from truck?
Yes, I would. The lithium batteries, if low, can draw a ton of current from the alternator and ruin it. Also the wiring may not be sufficient for the current the lithium battery would accept and could melt your wires or blow a fuse if you have one. You'll want to install the piece of Hardware that is mentioned in the van conversion video I have. He explains it there. One other thing to be aware of is that sometimes the standard converter box in your RV, depending on the year, will have a switch so it can either charge lithium batteries or lead acid batteries. Battleborn also mentioned that when I called them. Hope that makes sense
Dang I just now seen this comment,thanks.
I have 2 alternators and made a 20 hour trip and all seems well.I’ll check on your other suggestions.Thanks ! Did a screen shot so I don’t forget lol
I want to put my lifepo4 battery in my 5th wheel, but haven't done it due to the alternator issue, how do you make it so 7 way plug isn't even trying to charge lithium battery when driving? Is it even possible? Using a dc to dc charger seems complicated.
@aznick102 you can just disconnect the charging wire on your trailer side easy enough like I did. I haven't missed it... because of the solar up top.
why did you get growatt instead of EG4 top make a complete system with same brand?
Yeah. This one does horrible in the shade. I'd get the SPF 3000TL LVM-48P model insead of this one. That one does better in the shade. I'm definitely glad I didn't do the victron multiplus 3,000 though.. that one has 2400 watts and I could only run one large appliance.
If I read the specs right on the EV4 version, its minimum PV input is 120v, 10x as much as the other Growatt. That would make an RV-mounted solar array pretty tough
@@erichodges6559 Yeah, that will have the same issues I'm seeing with my Growatt 48 es. It's tough to get that many volts around shady trees. I should have stuck with the growatt 48 p. or 24p if you have a 24v system(good if you can't fit many panels on your roof) Here's a link. if you end up purchasing something from signature solar could you use my affiliate link. not many people use them and it helps out the channel a lot. I wish I would have stayed with this unit: signaturesolar.com/growatt-48v-3kw-150vdc-stackable-off-grid-inverter?ref=DiySolarPowerFun.
I believe it's horrible in the shade because of the 48v system and higher voltage requirements for the panels themselves
@@erichodges6559 Yeah, I'd avoid that one for an RV. I'd get that I'd get the SPF 3000TL LVM-48P model.
Watts are watts.
With one 48v server rack battery.
You'll not be able to share with your buddy. You barely have enough for yourself. I have 5kw system at my house. Its just not enough. Im adding additional 5kwh battery with 1000w of additional panels.
I've used it multiple times with friends already.
@diySolarPowerFunWithRay
Yes, very small share.
All you have to do is add up all wattage and divide into (5000wh) 3800wh.
AC, microwave, electric cooking devices will drain the batteries in few hours.
If you add others. The hours will turn into hour or less.
@wt9653 most RVs I have seen have gas cooktops. My microwave will run for almost 3 hours on this battery. That's a lot of popcorn between us. If it is hot the AC will kill everything though and will definitely only work for one RV.
Gonna run all your stuff AND run a cord for your neighbor's camper... off a single hundred amp 48v battery, have fun with that.
Already did
Hate to see people mount them directly to the roof when theres a better way of doing it you can get mounts that taiss them higher and do the full kength of thr hnit
Thanks, I didn't get those because the ones I was looking at were simply using a adhesive or glued down. I like the idea of using adhesive and also screws for extra protection over time.
If u think u r gonna run 2 ac overnite and your home on a 100 amp hour battery u in fer a rude awakening
How much power in avg kwh does the ac pull? At 48v lifepo4, 100ah will give you about 5kwh of useable power on a full charge.
@MichaelSchwabTX my travel trailer has a 15000 btu ceiling air conditioner and it pulls 16 amps at 120vac.
@MichaelSchwabTX exactly. I have a app on my ac. And one uses about 3 to 5 amps for the whole day.
Instead of bragging how great your system will be, explain why a 48 volt system is better and why it is better than how to turn nuts.
This is a ten minute video that takes 45 minutes. Way too much extra and unnecessary information. Really nice guy just chop off the extra fat.
i don't care about the theory. just do it. 45 minutes. zzzzzzz
After having this for one year. When the sun is out I can run the air conditioner all day. Although the battery is not able to top itself off so I can't do it for two full days in a row. Without the sun, at night, I can run the air conditioner for just over 2 hours
Trying to see what the advantage is vs just switching to a 400Ah 12v lithium?
The main difference is cost. The 12 volt system that can do the equivalent but will cost quite a bit more. Specifically referring to wire size and the wire size in the specific individual components. With that battery you will have the energy storage capacity however you can send four times the amount of power over a 48 volt conductor versus the same 12 volt conductor... saving costs not only in the conductors but also in the components in the conductors. This is a similar reason why the weaker power tools have lower battery voltage, but if you want a power tool that can produce more power they usually have a larger volt battery that you connect. Hope that makes sense.
@@diySolarPowerFunWithRay
Yeah I see your point now.
I am not a massive energy user so that's probably why I didn't really see the need.
I have got by on 2x group 31 wet lead acid batteries and a single 180w solar panel and have never felt the need for more. I rarely use my microwave or A/C when camping, if I have to I crank my generator for a few minutes but that's a very very rare event. The power I have is enough to boondock indefinitely, with no generator usage, presuming I get less than 2 cloudy days in a row.
When my lead batteries die I am pondering a switch to a single LiFePO4 but not even sure if it's worth the hassle to deal with a DC/DC charger from the alternator/starting battery, limitations to charging when it's cold, and upgrade to the converter. I could probably skip the converter as I have never plugged in, in the 11 years since I bought my current Class C.
Seems like it's only worth it if you want to try to run a bunch of AC appliances which I don't, but in that case you run into limited roof space for solar. I suppose you could throw a bunch of solar panels out on the ground but I go camping to live simply and get away from hassle not create problems to solve.
Enjoy your adventure.