This RV power couple is Alaska road-ready | Victron system upgrade in Brinkley Model Z

In preparing for a three-month trip to Alaska, Kathy and Gary wanted a power system that would allow them to camp for several days without having to plug in at a campground. Through a great deal of personal research - and partnering with an experienced installer - their new system gives them greater freedom and peace of mind as they embark on their next adventure.
00:00 The Alaska plan
00:35 Discovering Brinkley
01:34 Pre-wired for solar
02:07 Camping with a generator
03:01 Choosing Victron Energy
04:09 Brinkley pre-wiring
04:49 Finding the right installer
05:31 Designing a power system for their needs
06:41 The batteries
06:57 Installing a system in Montana
07:35 Components installed
08:13 Getting it right the first time
09:09 Setting expectations
10:21 Using both air conditioners
10:58 More flexibility, more freedom
To learn more about Adventure Van Systems, visit adventurevansy...
#victronenergy #brinkley #rvcamping #powersystems #solarsystem

[@grantheimbach]

Such a neat system! Victron, and experts to help guide, seem like the definite way to go. Awesome that Brinkley has made it so easy to add this option.

[@travelsitesandbites6184]

Great video. Hello from fellow Brinkley 3100-2300!

[@intelligentcontrols]

Whohoooo! We have been super impressed with the Brinkleys Ken has worked on. Really great interior design and build quality.

[@burlingtonbill4687]

Rosie and I just returned from Alaska with our Brinkley 392. Mostly good luck with our fifth wheel. I put 4 battleborn bat. and a 1000 w. inverter. I put a second panel up. About a month after the trip Furrion our charge controller went out on us. This probably will be our next up grade. All the way to and from Alaska we never had the generator out once and we stayed mostly for free and off grid. It was our third trip so we had knowledge of the roads and good places to stop. Good luck on your travels. Visit Burlington Bill for some music and a few videos from the Alaska trip.

[@intelligentcontrols]

Sounds like such a fun trip. We really appreciate how the Victron gear all communicates and works together as one system. @burlingtonbill4687, you might enjoy this article as you're researching Victron: icmontana.com/blogs/technical-articles/victron-s-dvcc-function-explained

[@SolarPowerMyRV]

Nice job

[@TomDobyns]

Thanks for a great video! We bought our Brinkley Z3100 about a month ago, and have been thinking about adding more solar. I didn't see in the video, or in the comments below and approximate cost that you paid for your setup. I realize that they are all custom made for our own use, but a ballpark number would be helpful. We live in So. CA, so unfortunately your friend in Montana probably isn't a resource for us! Thanks to you both, and Gary, praying for you, brother, for your health issues.

[@intelligentcontrols]

Hi Tom, I'm sure Gary would be willing to chat with you about approximate costs. If you'd like to email me via , I'd be happy to connect you. Ken's website will give you a ballpark on the equipment cost, but these 'kits' are meant to be a conversation starter to learn more about how you'll use your Brinkley: adventurevansystems.com/collections/electrical-system-kits.

[@tomkarren2473]

I have a Brinkley and love it too but this isn’t a win for them. A story about a neat couple that happened to find the one guy that could build this. Brinkley needs a Victron factory option.

[@tomkarren2473]

Dealers can’t do this.

[@intelligentcontrols]

Hi Tom. When comparing Brinkley to the general RV market, this was a major win for any aftermarket upgrades. Some RV power systems are perfectly adequate but can be a real mess to do an upgrade to - both by the dealer or by an owner after purchase. Brinkley has thankfully built a system that is organized and detailed and has a much higher level of quality in their execution than we see in most other options. While Ken is a very skilled installer, in his own words, ‘Brinkley made this process very easy,’ and it's something that a technician experienced in Victron equipment could manage but yes, you do have to go out and find them. We love the idea of some options from the factory, and have certainly started that conversation. For those who already have a Brinkley or are looking to purchase a new or used Brinkley now, we hope this can be an encouragement that doing something similar is possible. Ken even offers equipment and guidance if you want to do such an upgrade yourself.

[@Mudford63]

How big is the battery bank?

[@intelligentcontrols]

Hi @Mudford63, this battery bank is comprised of six 12v lithium batteries with 12000 AH of capacity. While this is certainly oversized for their loads, that is the advantage of lithium batteries. Unlike lead acid chemistries, Lithium is capable of charging at full current capacity all the way to full without needing a lengthy absorption period. This allows oversizing to comfortably handle loads for long periods of time without exponentially increasing your charge times.

[@intelligentcontrols]

It's also worth saying that with a system of this scale and the amount of power the owner needed, it could have been a good option to use a 24V inverter/charger or even a 48V system. In this case, the owner already had the battery bank, which consisted of a non-communicating bank of 12V lithium batteries. Ken decided that the system would likely maintain balance within the system better with a completely native 12V system rather than running the non-communicating batteries in series. A Quattro 24/5000 120V or a Multiplus 48/5000 120V would also have been valid options in a system like this with a different battery bank. The conveniently large electrical bay of this Brinkley camper allowed for a variety of installation options, in this case, the pair of Multiplus II 12/3000 Inverter/Chargers in parallel is a very potent power system built around the 12V battery bank.