complete build, good setup? questions

[Mako_Kupo]

hey I have done lots of reading and phone calls, and decided to go with viltron Lifepo4 batteries if I can get a bulk deal on them. also, if the 15% off coupon I have is still valid.

if not, I will be going with this build and would love your thoughts, since its my first real complete build from scratch.

I have 850w 12v solar on the roof of my rv, and mixed and matched stuff to get a good setup. battle born sells 'kits' that save a few bucks, and I was able to actually pick out a great one so long as I buy a few more batteries with it. the kit itself comes with 5x 100ah lithium drop in batteries with built in BMS, a victron 150/85 mppt charge controller, and a victron battery monitoring system.

this is the 'kit' ill grab, plus 3 more individual batteries totaling 800ah 12v
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F2LCKHZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A3HLFI5H11M6WP&psc=1

3 more of these for full bank
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XX197GJ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A2VHGGOHXF24LJ&psc=1

this is the inverter, I looked at outback but my setup is tiny vs that, not worth it
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G6LROW4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=AWPBFTW0ZXVPR&psc=1

magnum router control
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A6XGU3C/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A31H76PZNDKUUJ&psc=1

what do yo guys think, good setup? one thing I need to know is what to use for a 12v hub. obviously the inverter will power 120v appliances and everything, but I'm not sure what to get for 12v stuff. thank you all! heck of a summer. just installed my report halo long range wifi booster, two fantastic fan vent covers, and 300w more solar just yesterday 🙂

[Mako_Kupo]

i figured it out i think, the left side of the lynx distributor is power in, and the right side is power out. this is pretty fun 🙂

edit: hmm thats what is says online in the manual, but this diagram kinda indicates otherwise. the alternator/solar input is on the right side of the lynx distributor... still dont know i guess. help please! lol

[Mako_Kupo]

hey everyone, im building it! here is a diagram i was given by the person who helped m at AM solar. ive finished installing the 120v breaker panel, but sadly, he forgot the 12v breaker panel and im not 100% sure where it goes. im not connecting batteries yet, so no power to the breaker panels. im doing that tomorrow, but right now im mounting everything in its spot and want to wire up the 12v breaker panel, but without physically knowing where it goes in this diagram, i am not sure where to put it. can ayone help figure it out? thank you so much! i might have to edit to get the picture right, imgur changed its format 😞

[Mako_Kupo]

pianotuna wrote:
For 3 12 volt jars make sure to use method #3 at the smart gauge site.

You can build your own box--but it needs to be vented to the great outdoors and sealed to prevent any vapors from entering the living space.

I chose to give up one of my compartments instead. If you go that route the compartment must be reinforced. Nothing sadder than dragging a battery down the road by the cables.

hey thanks, but with lithium there are no venting gases at all. i could simply leave them inside and never worry about it. i can build a bench seat legally as the passenger seat?

[pianotuna]

For 3 12 volt jars make sure to use method #3 at the smart gauge site.

You can build your own box--but it needs to be vented to the great outdoors and sealed to prevent any vapors from entering the living space.

I chose to give up one of my compartments instead. If you go that route the compartment must be reinforced. Nothing sadder than dragging a battery down the road by the cables.

[Mako_Kupo]

Itinerant1 wrote:
Mako I'm guessing you figured it out but right now you're running solar panels 800w @ 12v in some configuration. If you haven't series these you're looking at 16+v then adding amps, now going to a 24v battery system you're going to need to series the panels to double you voltage for charging. So something like 2 sets of 100w, 1 set 150w, 1 set 50w then parallel at combiner box. So the v doubles per panel set with the amps remaining the same. Amps total together after combiner. I forgot to look are you using an mppt controller?

hey thanks, i ended up reverting back to 12v. its saving me a lot of money, and is far easier to setup. its a 600ah lifeblue setup, with room for me to purchase 400ah more(2x batteries). i went with 3x 200ah over 2x 300ah because of the increased current rating. also, a 150/70 victron mppt controller, and 5000w 12v victron quattro. i have a youtube channel and will be putting up a video if the install, and more videos later of real world testing. thank you all for the help, i may be back here if i run into issues.

i do have one question though, and i might make a separate post for it. this setup is going to take a lot of space. in the front, there are 2 seats - driver and passenger. im struggling to figure out where i will set this whole thing up, and two things make me want to do it up front. the closer the alternator to the batteries, the better. and, all of my circuits run right behind the passenger seat anyway. so, i was wondering - can i build my own bench seat for the passenger seat? take my real seat out, and build my own? id do this for the battery storage and to vastly simplify the install. i just dont know if its legal to have people sit on a homemade bench seat. please, does anyone know if ic an build my own passenger seat?

[Itinerant1]

Mako I'm guessing you figured it out but right now you're running solar panels 800w @ 12v in some configuration. If you haven't series these you're looking at 16+v then adding amps, now going to a 24v battery system you're going to need to series the panels to double you voltage for charging. So something like 2 sets of 100w, 1 set 150w, 1 set 50w then parallel at combiner box. So the v doubles per panel set with the amps remaining the same. Amps total together after combiner. I forgot to look are you using an mppt controller?

[pianotuna]

If you haven't seen it, BattleBorn just changed their warranty for a full 10 years on all their LiFePo batteries. This includes batteries that were already sold.

[Mako_Kupo]

DavenKim wrote:
Yeah electrically (I'm no expert!) any difference between 1x24v and 2x12v solar panels surely can't be so significant to matter, any more than you'd get from cloudy vs sunny days!

thank you so much, that saves me a ton of trouble and frustration with the google search engine! im ordering all of this today or monday, and i am very excited to finally have a decent amount of power.

[DavenKim]

Yeah electrically (I'm no expert!) any difference between 1x24v and 2x12v solar panels surely can't be so significant to matter, any more than you'd get from cloudy vs sunny days!

[Mako_Kupo]

DavenKim wrote:
Mako forgive my 'intrusion' and I hope I have understood your problem correctly that you have 12v solar panels but are 'under pressure' to have 24v? I wonder if you can simply wire your 12v solar panels in 'two-series pairs' (assuming you have an even number of them) to make them '24v'. This is what I did. My Outback Solar Controller (and I'd assume most others) can accept 'any' input voltage, to output the '12v' needed to charge the lithiums. (My story at http://kimartanddesign.com/Daves/JourneyToLithium.htm)

yes this is what i planned to do! i will end up with 1x extra 50w panel, but i can remove that and put my antenna there so no big loss. the thing is people keep insisting i purchase actual 24v panels which is out of the question unless i find similarly sized(physical dimensions) to my current panels, which seems impossible looking online. thank you for the encouragement that this will work, i was sure it would but when i keep being told to scrap them its concerning.

[Mako_Kupo]

pianotuna wrote:
Sorry you have a weight problem. What do you have for batteries right now?

currently i only have the goal zero lithium 1400 unit. its 144 AH lithium with built in charge controllers(both pwm and mppt), and pure sine wave inverter 1500w. i sell very heavy product online, so sadly i do not have the capacity for anything other than lithium.

[DavenKim]

Mako forgive my 'intrusion' and I hope I have understood your problem correctly that you have 12v solar panels but are 'under pressure' to have 24v? I wonder if you can simply wire your 12v solar panels in 'two-series pairs' (assuming you have an even number of them) to make them '24v'. This is what I did. My Outback Solar Controller (and I'd assume most others) can accept 'any' input voltage, to output the '12v' needed to charge the lithiums. (My story at http://kimartanddesign.com/Daves/JourneyToLithium.htm)

[pianotuna]

Sorry you have a weight problem. What do you have for batteries right now?

[Mako_Kupo]

no matter how i search google or how many people i ask, the onyl ones ic an find are these OR other companies with the EXACT same size. i do not have the physical room for them. period. and i cant find anything smaller than 300w, except for thse baby 30w panels. which is why im asking for sources. telling me to drop lithium is no help whatsoever.
https://www.renogy.com/renogy-300-watt-24-volt-monocrystalline-solar-panel-back-order/