50a Victron Orion-XS DC-DC Charger & Xantrex ECHO-Charger in a Leisure Travel Vans Unity

[@TimSlik]

Great video, working on doing this to a 2019 Unity, does the isolator relay still need to be utilized?

[@SSTraveler-Sandy]

@TimSlik You'll be removing the old mechanical isolator solenoid and isolator relay delay device and using 60a circuit breakers for the house and chassis battery cables that were connected to the old isolator solenoid. You must use the solid state isolator relay on the Victron Orion-XS chassis battery connection if you are using a chassis battery charger as well like I used in the video. I explain in the video this is required to keep the Victron Orion-XS isolated from the chassis battery when the ignition is off. Otherwise when the chassis battery begins charging the chassis battery from the house charging, the Victron Orion-XS will think the engine is running and begin a do loop of battery charging that runs both house and chassis battery down. The Victron Orion-XS never turns off, it's always sensing for the increased engine running voltage to begin charging. So an ignition controlled isolator relay is the only way to essentially shut it off when the engine is off.

[@TimSlik]

@@SSTraveler-Sandy it had the sterling 30a dc dc charger in it previously

[@SSTraveler-Sandy]

@TimSlik You still need the Isolator relay because LTV direct wired the Sterling chassis battery cable straight to the chassis battery, so it's a hot connection continuously. The chassis battery wire needs an ignition controlled isolator relay to break the chassis battery connection when the ignition is off, when you're also using a chassis battery charger. LTV didn't start using an ignition controlled isolator solenoid with their DC-DC charger chassis battery connection until 2021 Models. I also highly recommend using the 60a Circuit Breakers with your Victron Orion-XS replacement of the Sterling. Using Circuit Breakers will keeps the difficult to access fuses in the chassis and house battery boxes from having to blow in a short or Overcurrent situation. Plus Circuit Breakers can be used as on/off switches, so they are easy to use if you need to isolate the Orion-XS for any reason.

[@TimSlik]

@@SSTraveler-Sandy I have wired up the circuit breakers on both sides. I guess I was confused as the oem Sterling charger did not utilize an isolator relay. It did have a blue ignition sense wire as well as a temp sensor wired to the Sterling. I got one on order but I didn't realize it would be required as the oem installation didn't use one. I greatly appreciate your responses.

[@SSTraveler-Sandy]

@@TimSlik The Sterling ignition wire doesn't do what you think it does. The Sterling never turns off with it.

[@williamf8257]

Great video as usual; waiting on the arrival of my Victron 50 amp Orion-XS. Just curious why you installed a isolator solenoid? I'd planned on using the Green bridge block and running a 12 volt wire from the MB chassis to the D1 connection as recommended by Victron. It supposedly will perform the same function (detecting engine running) as you mentioned in your video.

[@SSTraveler-Sandy]

Because that doesn't turn the Orion-XS off. There's no way to completely turn it off unless you isolate the connection with the ignition controlled isolator relay.