An idiot’s guide to DIY solar electric system for our Unimog camper
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2023
- Chad builds Ver1 of the electric system for the Unimog. This includes some horrible carpentry, battery, inverter, 48V-12V converter, AC and DC distribution/fuse panels, AC/DC outlets, and lights. He does not get to the actual solar yet because mounting the panels is a later step. Everything is subject to change and this is most definitely a work in progress.
Channels you must follow:
@EXPLORISTlife
@WillProwse
Videos that inspired or informed:
Will Prowse 48V solar cart: • Build a Mobile 48V Sol...
Explorist LIfe AC outlets: • 120V Outlets, Switches...
Explorist LIfe DC 12V outlets: • Wiring 12V Outlets In ...
Major components:
Battery and Inverter: signaturesolar.com/
Fues panels, Shore power kit, and some other stuff: shop.explorist.life/
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Metric hardware and parts: belmetric.com
Unimog parts and service in USA: expedition-imports.com/SBUParts
Where to get a Unimog: unimogcenter.com
Unimog community: benzworld.org/forums/unimog.39/
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Make sure to turn the inverter on first then the battery. That way you don’t have an in rush of current to the inverter that could possibly damage it.
The manual states the opposite: "Once the unit has been properly installed and the batteries are connected properly, close (turn on) external battery breakers, power on the batteries and then simply press the On/Off switch (located on the button of
the case) to turn on the unit."
Definitely do what you think is best for you but the whole point of a quality server rack battery having a pre-charge resister in them is to ramp up the current so you don't have a inrush of current to the inverter. @@MogsAndDogs
@@joshhartin78 Thanks for the help, I do not know enough to argue one way or the other. I usually try to follow manuals but I know sometimes they are incorrect which may be the case here.
Wow, nice job and congrats!
Thanks! See you soon.
Few comments from an industrial electrician. Yes you can screw down on the ferrules like you have. Also the breakers snapping in like that is actually pretty secure and it's positively clamping on. The case of the breaker box presses down onto it when you close the box and prevents them from being able to come forward by design. You can buy normal square d snap in covers that size is standardized to cover those holes in the breaker box.
Also be aware you've wired your switch panel with a single ground only. ALL. The current from all the switches will go through that ground wire so I would either oversize it or run individual grounds to each switch
Thank you very much. You are the only one who addressed any of my questions.
The 12V switch lights can be/are super annoying at night when you want to sleep. It you can wire the switches such that they do not illuminate I would advise you do so. Otherwise you will soon be looking for a cover or curtain. The fridge will draw much less than 20 Amps at 12V. For bedside interior lighting consider individually switchable (on the light or within easy reachable in-bed distance) for ea light. Neat setup.
Thanks! I will disable them.
I would never use a lightweight, high frequency, transformerless inverter charger for any of my residential off grid applications. You would have had a much higher surge capacity for starting difficult to start inductive loads and a longer life expectancy if you had instead chosen a low frequency, transformer based inverter charger. You'd be lucky to get even 3 to 4 years of service from a high frequency inverter, especially when powering high inductance loads like full sized refrigerators, large power tools, portable AC units or large microwave ovens. The reason for this is that all of these lightweight, high frequency inverters lack a very critical component. That critical component is an iron core, copper wound output transformer.
Without an output transformer to act as a buffer to absorb electrical surges provided by the “Flywheel Effect” inherent in the physical amount of a transformer’s iron, these surges and damaging reverse voltage spikes must be handled directly by the inverter’s MOSFET transistors, essential shortening their life.
You might be able to start and run some high surge loads when a high frequency inverter is new, but every time you fire up one of those inductive loads, you're shortening the life of the MOSFETs in these inverters.
I assume your main goal is to use shore power to charge and in future the panels in phase 2? Just curious on why your choice for systems and voltage/AH of battery you went with. Sometimes I guess it depends on load types you plan to have and needs to convert from 48V since converting can be pricey and create losses. (I am new to researching solar/storage too and looking for option that works for house until we go camping and can take with).
Howdy. Yeah, solar panels are phase 2 - I have to make some space on the roof first. It took me forever to finally go with what I did. I think the main decision for me was Will Prowse's video where he made a mobile 48V system. The simplicity, size, and cost seemed to come together there.
Nice job Chad. We think you’re too tough on yourself though !!
Is it worth wiring the 12v isolator before the 48-12v voltage regulator though so it’s not live when not in use?
Thanks Dan! You are right, I would have done that but that switch is rated for a max of 48V and the battery technically puts out 51.2V. There are higher rated switches but they are much more $$$.
@@MogsAndDogs I really wouldn’t worry about the rating being 48v vs 51v……. Really won’t matter 👍
Not crimping those ferrules could cause some heat, if you have a heat camera make sure it's not getting crazy hot...Nice job, might have to take a loan out to fill the gas tank in that thing..
Thank you and good to know. I will get a heat camera on it and also start looking for a crimping solution. That will be an easy fix. Yeah, our new tank will be 70 gallons so yes a loan might be needed.
@@MogsAndDogs Me and my wife do it the opposite way, we travel in the Toyota Prius, with a pop up camper, with fabricated solid walls that slide into place, if we are in bear or crazy human country, or if it's cold and we have a tiny house in one forest, a camper in a different forest and built several tiny houses (bedrooms in the forest) to rent out on AIRBNB in both..We did travel in a van for a few years, those were the lead acid days..I have 4 of those EG4 3000 watt all in one inverters running different things, and one EG4 6500, but built big batteries out of 280Ah/304Ah EVE cells with the famous JK BMS..More bang for thee buck..
29 miles to the gallon towing the pop up with the Prius...LOL Although we don't do it very often...⛽😁
That is impressive!
He's correct on the heating issue with some types of terminal blocks. But I've seen many dc sub systems punching out a few kw and their terminals are designed to crimp down on their own I don't know about that model eg4 though. I know there is a "plus" shaped crimper for larger ferrules that doesn't disturb the roundness of it but is a good impact crimp
"Promo sm" ☹️
Sorry, I am not sure what that means