Cargo Trailer Camping Converting

[UrbanElite]

Have you looked at the drawings I showed you? This is how it is done.

Yes, but I'm confused.. Do i look at the bottom one because I want to include a fuse block?

I see the fuse block is connected to the positive off the battery, but the inverter is going through the block? Don't you usually put the inverter straight to the batteries?

You keep mentioning an isolator? Im unfamiliar with these how do they work?

[UrbanElite]

300 AH is all you need for 1.2Kwh/day. If all you do is 2 days, no solar required. Your batteries would be recharged by the time you get home.At 450 AH you can go about 4 days without a recharge.

Great to know, so the s550 would be little overkill then... I could get the s290s for $215 each, would that be a better choice? I like that 2 day camping no worries, the system could be able to do 4 days no problem with good weather and the solar recharging the the 3rd and 4 day.

Does this mean a person can go back to a 40a traccer charge controller again?

[sensij]

So I was doing some looking around on Amazon, and my good old china sites. I found 2 60A MPPT charge controls, pretty beefy, looking the specs I need they seem to work? Take a look and see what you guys think of each and get back to me:

https://www.amazon.ca/SRNE-SOLAR-CHA...GMSVQSRJQ4SWZG
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/high...8-de3fd73b42c1

I was also linked this one on another forum, 50a with a display: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Y-SOLAR-150V-...oAAOSw5cNYQnX9

Of the three, I'd only consider the trying first one (from SRNE). The third one is clearly a Victron knock-off, which is already a mid-tier controller, while the first one appears to be modeled on the Morningstar. Only the first one seems to have the basic mppt functionality of recognizing when the rated current is reached and moving off the maximum power point to compensate. It isn't very likely that conditions will ever allow your 640 W array to exceed 60 charging amps, but the combination of snow, cloud reflections, and cold temps in winter can do some crazy things, and the 50 A limit of the third one is definitely within reach. I wouldn't buy a controller that can't protect itself.

[Sunking]

Yes, but I'm confused.. Do i look at the bottom one because I want to include a fuse block?

Yes the Bottom Drawing. The top drawing is with a Inverter only.

Where the Inverter gets connected depends on the Distribution Block current capabilities.

Here is an alternative drawing showing the BLUE SEA Distribution Block pictured above.

You keep mentioning an isolator? Im unfamiliar with these how do they work?

They are a device that gets installed in the engine compartment that allows your engine alternator to charge your house solar batteries. They have circuitry Isolates your Starter and House Solar Battery. They are sized per your RV Alternator size from 60 to 200 amps. So when you drive, your Hose batteries get a real nice Bulk Charge like they would using a large AC Powered Battery Charger at home. That is the redundancy I am speaking of. If you get cloudy spell and the batteries get drained, start your engine and recharge quickly. If you only park for say 2 days at one site, then drive to another site, the batteries will be recharged while you drive. Size the batteries correctly for say 5 days, and if you only park for 3 or 4 days, you do not need the solar as the battery charging is done by the Isolator. Your engine alternator can generate more energy in an hour than a solar system can generate in a day or two. Best $50 to $75 investment you can make, It wil do what a $1000 of solar will do. It is just smart money.


See the Isolator connection in all the drawings?

[UrbanElite]

Here is an alternative drawing showing the BLUE SEA Distribution Block pictured above.

There we go that one makes more sense to me, i like keeping the inverter wired straight to the batteries, as you can use any old fuse block then.

Yes, I do see it. That does sound like a smart device. I will look at installing one. I would see this on a Motorhome where the batteries are running the motorhome and the power for the rv motor home off of the alternator, but how does this work on a trailer?

[Sunking]

Great to know, so the s550 would be little overkill then... I could get the s290s for $215 each, would that be a better choice?

Quite possible yes, but we are putting the horse in front of the cart. Wait until you have made a good data base with th eKill_A-Watt meter and lets see what you really need.

Does this mean a person can go back to a 40a traccer charge controller again?

Yes smaller battery has less current demand. With an Isolator is a moot point. You could use a 200 watt panel and 15 amp controller.

[Sunking]

There we go that one makes more sense to me, i like keeping the inverter wired straight to the batteries, as you can use any old fuse block then.

No not a good idea. You want a Dual Battery Fuse Block like this. They are installed directly on the Battery Term post like you see in the drawing.

Yes i do see it. That does sound like a smart device. So I will for sure look at installing one, I would see this on an Motor home where the batteries are connected to the alternator, but how does this work on a trailer?

You would have to make a cable/connector assembly using Anderson Power Pole connectors.

[UrbanElite]

Quite possible yes, but we are putting the horse in front of the cart. Wait until you have made a good data base with th eKill_A-Watt meter and let's see what you really need.

Yes, I have done that too much already, I will wait a bit long for the kill-a-watt meter to get more time in on it.

No not a good idea. You want a Dual Battery Fuse Block like this. They are installed directly on the Battery Term post like you see in the drawing. You would have to make a cable/connector assembly using Anderson Power Pole connectors.

No for sure, I like how those work for mounting to the battery terminal and then the inverter would wire to that. This way if something did happen you wouldn't loose any wire or your inverter. Im talking about using a smaller fuse board to separate my outside, inside and other little gadgets from each other and having them fused. like this: https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co....0134_large.jpg

I will look into the isolator as that is cheap than a generator and one less thing to pack around.

[Wrybread]

If you have the money I'd highly recommend getting the ~450 ah system (whether that's the S-550 Rolls battery or 4 Trojan T-105's), since you'll probably start wanting to power more gizmos. It's nice to be able to have all the lights you need and music, charging laptops, watching whatever, etc. It's hard to anticipate your needs, and it's hard to upgrade your system later since you'd need a new charge controller.

So if you have the money and space get the S-550 batteries and the Victron 50 amp charge controller and then this whole insane 100+ topic will make a hilarious story as you're all sitting around the campfire outside your trailer that's all lit up with funky mood lighting, cranking the tunes, charging everyone's gizmos, and chilling the beer.

And you'll be able to stay on the road infinitely, especially in the summer, from just solar. Not that you necessarily would, but that's a nice feature!

[Wrybread]

@sunking:

Now you admit you have an Isolator. Who is the liar and pretender now?

You're having another Grandpa Abe moment. I never said I don't have a battery isolator.



And I should mention that even though I have an isolator (it came with my rv) I never use the thing, in fact I haven't even reconnected it after maintaining my batteries. I could in a minute, but simply haven't needed to. My RV drives all of a mile from storage to camping most of the time I use it, and I can think of no more smelly, noisy, inefficient and ridiculously dangerous way to recharge batteries than by running the engine without moving while people are in the thing.

If you're going to post about this stuff all the time and represent yourself as an expert, maybe you should buy an RV to gain some actual experience? Even just a year would give you quite the education and you can stop spreading so much dangerous misinformation. And who knows, maybe it will relax you and help you think more clearly.

[littleharbor]

You're having another Grandpa Abe moment. I never said I don't have a battery isolator.

And I should mention that even though I have an isolator (it came with my rv) I never use the thing, in fact I haven't even reconnected it after maintaining my batteries. I could in a minute, but simply haven't needed to. My RV drives all of a mile from storage to camping most of the time I use it, and I can think of no more smelly, noisy, inefficient and ridiculously dangerous way to recharge batteries than by running the engine without moving while people are in the RV.

If you're going to post about this stuff all the time and represent yourself as an expert, maybe you should buy an RV to gain some actual experience? Even just a year would give you quite the education and you can stop spreading so much dangerous misinformation. And who knows, maybe it will relax you and help you think more clearly.

This bickering is really getting old. Not sure if the OP got the answers he needed but I doubt there is much more new or useful info to be gleaned from this thread.

[SunEagle]

You're having another Grandpa Abe moment. I never said I don't have a battery isolator.

And I should mention that even though I have an isolator (it came with my rv) I never use the thing, in fact I haven't even reconnected it after maintaining my batteries. I could in a minute, but simply haven't needed to. My RV drives all of a mile from storage to camping most of the time I use it, and I can think of no more smelly, noisy, inefficient and ridiculously dangerous way to recharge batteries than by running the engine without moving while people are in the RV.

If you're going to post about this stuff all the time and represent yourself as an expert, maybe you should buy an RV to gain some actual experience? Even just a year would give you quite the education and you can stop spreading so much dangerous misinformation. And who knows, maybe it will relax you and help you think more clearly.

I wouldn't say SK is spreading any dangerous misinformation. More likely he is being very conservative with his designs and feels that anyone trying to take shortcuts or go cheap is going down the wrong path.

Sure you can install a pv system in an RV for as little as you can make it but that does not make it the right way or the safe way.

I really wish both you and SK get off this pissing match. I have asked you both to cut it out in another thread and will do the same here.

Please post useful information as opposed to name calling and threats. That is my last comment before I hit the ban button.

[Wrybread]

Fair enough, but when he says something like "aha! You have an isolator!" when I never said otherwise, I think it's fair enough to correct him. But I'll do so more respectfully in the future.

As far as safety, if anyone thinks any advice I've posted isn't safe, please cite specifics so I can correct it. I take safety extremely seriously.

And for the record, and to cite specifics, what I'm calling dangerous in SK's advice is carrying gas cans to power a generator, and idling an RV to charge the batteries from the engine without moving.

[SunEagle]

Fair enough, but when he says something like "aha! You have an isolator!" when I never said otherwise, I think it's fair enough to correct him. But I'll do so more respectfully in the future.

As far as safety, if anyone thinks any advice I've posted isn't safe, please cite specifics so I can correct it. I take safety extremely seriously.

And for the record, and to cite specifics, what I'm calling dangerous in SK's advice is carrying gas cans to power a generator, and idling an RV to charge the batteries from the engine without moving.

Both idling an engine or carrying gas cans can be safe or dangerous depending on the person. Heck I have seen people filling up gas cans or their car while they are smoking. STUPID.

I have run my RV engine as well as carried gas cans to fill a tank or generator. I just do not do it when there is no place for the engine exhaust to go or if the tank that is being filled is also connected to a running engine. My generator is off and cool before I refill it.

Even using a sharp knife has both sides of the story. It comes down to the person paying attention and following a safe procedure in what they are doing at the time. Not like texting and driving which IMO should be outlawed with server penalties.

So what is safe and what is dangerous can be a perspective of someone. But should not necessarily be condemned because "that is not something I would do".

[Wrybread]

Of course we've all carried gas cans, and idled an engine to charge a battery, both are certainly manageable risks. But both are more dangerous than anything in RV solar, short of walking around on the roof. And both are easily avoidable and shouldn't be recommended lightly as a primary source of camping power in my opinion.