How To Build a DIY Busbar for a Camper Van Solar Install

[@coincidence4670]

Dudes legit! I just downloaded your knowledge into my head via the matrix.

[@KelzCasa]

I've researched electrical for my skoolie for hours on end, and this is honestly the best video I've found! Mind you, I'm 60V solar to 48V battery battery bank, and inverter input, so it's going to be just a tad different.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@chipmeister111]

It's not just practical, it's also aesthetically appealing. Thanks for the info.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@kevinbreaux6769]

Bus bar seems to come in handy alot of the time.

[@Danjul89]

Would love a "how to draw your own wiring diagram for your diy project" or something, your diagrams looks awesome!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks for the suggestion! Being fully honest though... that tutorial is pretty low on my list of videos to make. BUT... I use Microsoft Visio and there are TONS of tutorials already out there for learning how to use Microsoft Visio. My diagrams look the way they do because I've made well over 100 diagrams and 1,000's of graphics over the last few years with Microsoft Visio, so I think this really comes down to: I've practiced a LOT, and I don't know how I would teach that. I'll definitely consider it though.

[@Danjul89]

@@EXPLORISTlife True true :) They look really good! Thanks for taking your time to answer, i appreciate it :) Keep up the good work.

[@cgaif]

A superb video Nate. Now, if you'd have been my teacher way back when, I may have learned something about electrical work. Your teaching abilities are super easy to understand and the project in this case neat, tidy and simple. Thank you.

[@jonathanpeel381]

Thank you very making this video! I’m in a time crunch to renovate my RV because like Jon Snow the character in Game of Thrones said,”winter is coming”. Jonathan, Victoria, BC.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

No problem! We definitely get that. Getting cold here in Colorado too. All of our kits/components ship out in 1-3 days: shop.explorist.life

[@EXPLORISTlife]

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The fuses & fuse holders shown in the pictures and the video are NO LONGER RECOMMENDED. Quality control on these have gone DRASTICALLY downhill over the last few months and many have had issues with these not being able to flow their rated current, heating up, and melting the fuse holders. So... Moving forward... I HIGHLY recommend using the Busbar and fuse holder solution that is the Lynx Distributor (shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/distribution-panels/victron-lynx-distributor/). I have already place the Lynx Distributor in my most recent diagrams at www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams and will be phasing out the diagrams that do not use the Victron Lynx Distributor. If you REALLY want to use the DIY solution on this page, that's still fine; but I MUST recommend using Blue Sea Fuse Holders & Blue Sea ANL Fuses as they are tested and certified pieces of equipment. You will also need to do your due diligence on the copper bar hole spacing if you go this route. The links throughout the rest of this blog post SHOULD be updated with blue sea fuses and fuse holders; but if you stumble across non-name-brand fuses or holders, please do not use them and let me know where you see them. *End Update*

[@roach6791]

Thanks Nate! I was just about to grab parts to build this and saw your updates. One question if you don't mind. I noticed in your build video you connected the MPPT controller positive line to the left of the main cut-off switch (before the switch and directly connected to the battery), only I noticed that that same MPPT positive line goes directly into the Lynx Distributor in the new diagram (opposite side then before). Which side of the switch should I place this MPPT positive line on? Thx

[@roach6791]

Also, you mentioned to get 1/4"x1" copper bar here and 1/4"x1 1/2" in your blog post update. Just want to make sure I'm getting the right thing.

[@benlindner5285]

Hi Nate I have taken a little different direction on my boat build, I used Blue Sea MIDI fuse holders and fuses. Several reasons, you don’t have to worry about leveling the fuse because the fuse is separately secured, next they are more compact so easier to manage in confined spaces, last they come with covers that are tethered to the fuse block and they hold a spare replacement fuse right there! Your bus bars are a great solution but in an instance where you have to sacrifice a lock washer and a regular washer not so much, so I think a larger Blue Sea bus bar that is covered with your copper bar bridging parts is a good compromise. Of course a Lynx is a really nice item but too late for me and I would still have to use a bus bar for needed capacity. Thanks Ben S/V DAWN

[@allhailourmediaoverlords7824]

If your vehicle is 12 V not 24V, Can you still chassis ground a 24V or higher V system to it?

[@Mr_nah]

Just make sure, the solar charge controller stays powered on, even if you disconnect all other loads? Can it drain the battery if you have no solar for a long time?

[@curiousambitions9331]

Awesome video! My wife and are converting a school bus into a tiny home and our solar system is all Victron. It's convenient to find helpful videos that also have our setup.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@HuangXingQing]

Damn, I searched and searched your channel and others for a video like this last year. Ended up learning it all by myself and using Blue Sea, Ancor and Victron exclusively, including the Lynx. I like this minimal aspect since more contacts that can loosen reduce performance and increase fire risk.

[@HerveAttia]

Nate, Love your channel and website. this red busbar is a clean simple design. Beside this reason, why did you choose to design that way with only ANL fuse versus Circuit breaker ? I might be mistaken but if an ANL fuse blows up, you must replace it which requires more manual work than switching off/on a circuit breaker.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Indeed, but in either case, manual work is going to be involved trying to diagnose why the breaker/fuse blew in the first place. These fuses/breakers shouldn't be tripping/blowing.

[@alanpetersen4615]

This is one of the greatest electrical lay-out videos that I have seen. I loved it!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@montgomeryliteflyers]

I just received my Bus bar with Cut off switch from Nate and it is aewsome, Thank you Nate for your quality work!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Doug Montgomery, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@davfre8000]

Video request: How to install a a remote controlled switch relay to operate a 12v appliance, on/off toggle constant, on/off momentary (open/close). I'm trying to wrap my head around it but don't feel confident enough, and there isn't too much content on this topic. Thank you Nate!

[@spamattack123]

Really good info. Extremely organized presentation of information. I really learned a lot here thanks.

[@avlisk]

When sizing the fuses to protect the wires, is it just a matter of finding out how many amps the wires are capable of carrying, and going 1.25 X higher for the fuse? Or, is there another parameter we need to consider? Thanks. PS I think I will use a Victron Distributor instead of doing all this work. Thanks again for that tip.

[@DutchAussieProductions]

Thanks for the video. Very clear explanation and a job well done. Have a nice day.

[@stevennewton3729]

Great video! I've got a lot of back ground in wiring of auto and truck systems, so solar is new knowledge for me. I've got one suggestion for followers. Use caution if you decide to try drilling out a lug to a larger hole size. I've been in situations where I had to utilize what was available and have drilled out ends before. On occasion, usually when using a non-variable speed drill, I've had the bit snag before making it through and it twists the hole of the lug into a tight piece of waste, not to mention that the drill will try to twist your wrist off, as well. If you don't have a variable speed drill and know how to take your time with this, I would advise going to the local auto parts store and try finding the correct size lug. Since your using a 5/16 ring size, the next size up would be a 3/8.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Correctly sized wire lugs are ALWAYS recommended and are now included on every wiring diagram parts list at www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams as well as the kits at shop.explorist.life If drilling a lug is ABSOLUTELY necessary; putting it in a vice and using a step bit is by far the safest way I've found to do that. Step bits don't grab nearly as bad as normal drill bits.

[@Richbbieslifesadventures]

I have a multiplus 12/1600/70 I would like to mount it on a wall but horizontally rather than vertically (same way you have in your thumbnail )would this be an issue as I’ve been told they don’t like it . Is this true ??

[@MrPoppabear255]

Superb timing on this video! I read your blog a couple of weeks ago and decided to go for it. I’ve got all the bits and pieces gathered except for the copper bus bar which should be here Tuesday. Your blog was very concise, now with the addition of this video I will be up and running in no time. Thank you very much for all that you do.

[@davidpatrick1813]

Comment: Thanks for the video(s). Battle Born says to put all the connectors on the one same side of the battery post flag.. They said the post would become part of the circuit and can have problems. So I was thinking about this when you were putting the ground (black) cables on each side of the bar. Maybe it might be a tweak better to put them all on one side. I did try to look for a link to where you sell them made up but didn't find it... yet.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I no longer sell nor recommend this. I swapped this method out for the Lynx Distributor. Check out my most recent tutorial.

[@davidpatrick1813]

@@EXPLORISTlife thank you

[@monkeyssj1]

Your vids are so clean and informative. Thank you for what youre doing

[@jimsjacob]

Well, making my own buss bar is appealing to my “engineering” side, but yes, the Victron Lynx module is also very compact and clean. Thanks for creating this. I have so many questions as I’ve been planning my install, but I’ve found that no channels respond to this questions and I wish there was some consultation avail for items that come up. I understand it more and more as I watch more videos, but I’d still like to verify.

[@marvelousmarv-marvelousper4886]

I like the idea if the copper bars!

[@seanrhone5306]

So glad I found your channel!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Me too!! 🤣

[@oswiecimonline]

Thanks a lot, thats real healps to short the ways. Greatings from Poland

[@HenryOCarmichaelSmith]

Why is the charge controller before the battery isolator?

[@dwainejohnston2038]

Great video. I know you have done a video on programing Victron equipment, but for us old timers, could you do one on prep computer with the proper programs and updating the flash chips, etc. before programing the equipment? Thanks!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

At the risk of sounding like an asshole, if somebody cannot download programs or apps to their phone or computer, I must be fully transparent that building a DIY electrical system will be a bit too advanced and one must establish a base level of mechanical aptitude before tackling a project like this, which would include learning how to download apps and programs. There are LOADS of other channels that cover basics of how to download programs and apps.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Alternatively, we have installers on staff that are happy to install and program these systems for you: shop.explorist.life/shop/consultations-installations/installation-request-deposit/

[@lorcro2000]

A nice clean setup indeed, minimal connecting wires to plug everything in. Very nice. I might go with nyloc nuts to make sure they don't vibrate loose. And/or maybe some blue Loctite threadlocker in some spots. Applied with caution naturally, one might want a little bit in the threads, but nothing between the nut and the busbar...

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Great idea with the loctite!

[@chrislewis2262]

Another trick that you can tell when a fuse is blown is taking an LED with an appropriate resistor value and making sure the direction is correct on the fuse block and putting the LED across the fuse. The LED will not light as long as the fuse is good but as soon as the fuse is blown the LED will light because the LED is using the ground off of whatever circuit has caused the fuse to trip. Works great if you have multiple fuses in one area that you can get a quick read out, I know the links distributor has that same setup but this is a DIY version if you are familiar with electronic components to add to your fuse block.

[@davidgronek8931]

Great way to do this. I like the fact that it is compact and can be modified (if I need to) for more clearance. I was surprised how inexpensive the bus bar stock was. Great explanation.

[@maxharvell2507]

This is a CLEAN setup. I'm thinking of using this build, but I have one question: I'll be using a 2/0 wire from 250ah battery bank to this setup, do I still need a fuse between the batteries and where the wire connects to the charge controller fuse of the bus bar?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yes. See the diagrams here for additional fuse locations for a full system: www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams

[@richardlain9949]

You're a good teacher. Thanks for the great and easy to follow instructions.

[@shadowace03]

I used the pre-made bus bars you showed towards the beginning. Yes they are expensive, but do make a nice neat installation. I really like the plastic cover they come with. Your DYI busbars etc. would benefit from some kind of insulating cover. An errant screwdriver/wrench could make a nice big spark if one wasn't careful.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The way in this video is a much neater installation that will have less resistance/connection/parts. I agree about the cover. The ANL fuses come with covers that COULD be modified to fit. Alternatively, I'd like to 3d print some covers, but then I'd be getting REALLY close to the price of the Lynx... So yeah... Maybe eventually; but caution always needs to be taken when using tools around battery systems.

[@GivesNoFuxFPV]

Great idea, my man. I wasn’t about to pay $77 or better for bus bars. Thank you.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

No problem! You'll be pretty close to $70 by the time the copper, fuse holders, nuts, bolts, and master disconnect is all figured in; but it will all be in a smaller package.

[@robertmatos1176]

How do I get into the diagram that shows me how to wire up my 4 battery and 3000 watt inverter.

[@Richbbieslifesadventures]

Can I ask why you have your charge controller un-switched (ie the the left)?

[@bobcole3852]

Nice job. Tell me why you need this and a distribution system. This looks like a distribution system already, complete with main shutoff and fuses for "branches".

[@EXPLORISTlife]

This is for 'high amperage' loads like inverters, charge controllers, DC DC chargers, etc... The distribution center is more for lower amperage loads with a max of 30ish amps per circuit like lights, fans, usb outlets, etc.

[@jackrussell4653]

Hi ... I have purchased the copper bus bar and going to do a similar application. Instead, I will be using a Renogy 60 amp DC to DC charger. For the DC to DC charger, I am going to place a 60 amp ANL fuse next to the starter battery which is recommended. My question to you is: When I connect the wire for the DC to DC charger to the bus bar, would I need to add an additional 60 amp ANL fuse at the bus bar or would I just connect the wire with out one since I have one located at the starter battery?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Fuse at the busbar as well. Example with the 60A Renogy DC DC Charger: www.explorist.life/2000w-520w-60a-budget-friendly-camper-wiring-diagram/

[@PrimalMiltos]

Nice extending the shunt into a negative buss bar using copper. As for another option on the fused positive side you can go with Blue Sea Systems 5196 fusible bus bar (accepts 30-300A Marine Rated Battery Fuses) approx. $45 versus $140 for the Victron Lynx.

[@michaelcoghlan9124]

Thanks very useful. You all have a great weekend. M

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks, you too!

[@leemobai762]

Good video. One thing I find challenging is to figure out what is the recommended order I should watch these. Is there some sort of albeit missing?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

This playlist is pretty 'in-order': kzbin.info/aero/PLmvhcyi4n0TUjVGA_O5aI5SQrS1kKLgEF

[@leemobai762]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thank you so much. I’ll re watch the whole series.

[@azhiker522]

Hi, Nate. This is by far the nicest-looking setup I've seen! Thanks! Can you help me with 2 items? (1) In your diagram I'll need to use the Sterling B2B instead of the bim, and I think it needs both a black and red wire. Your negative bus bar is already full. How would I connect the negative wire of the B2B? (2) On the 110v side, do I really need a breaker between the inverter/converter and the four electrical outlets in my van? Can't I wire directly? Thanks for your helpful information!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

1: For the negative busbar, you could either cut it a bit longer and drill an extra hole, or you could run the equipment ground of the charge controller to the equipment ground of the Inverter/Charger instead of all the way back to the neutral busbar. That would free up once space. 2: The Victron Multiplus Inverter/Chargers do not have any kind of breakers protecting the AC Out, so yes, you'd need a breaker protecting the electrical outlets. Here's a tutorial on that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5rYl3mDgNSfprs&lc=Ugz7bclyMKVcJ4odAiF4AaABAg

[@lckoolg622]

You make it easy to follow. Thank you

[@boscodog4358]

Awesome setup. Very professional and neat.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Bosco Dog, Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@jackrussell4653]

I am installing a DC to DC charger by Renogy. Do you think it is better to buy 1 roll of black 30 foot wire or combo of 15 ft red/15 ft black? What do you do? I was thinking it would be better with just 1 roll black because then I would have 1 remaining left over piece rather than 2 .

[@factsdontcarewhatyoubelieve]

Excellent tutorial. I'm so glad I found your channel.

[@jesse2990]

Is there any downside in using 4/0 AWG wire for everything other than it cost more? I just got 3 battleborn batteries, a victron 3000 charger/inverter and the battery monitor. Can't wait to put it all together.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

It costs more and it's just a little more difficult to work with being a bigger wire and all. You'll also have to verify that the wire will fit where you need it. For example: a 4/0 wire won't fit into the terminals of any of the MPPT charge controllers.

[@mrjceltic]

That was really informative and such a neat/tidy way to put it all together. I've been binging on KZbin tutorial & lots of yours as well around solar for our van. As well as for our house as would like to also to be able to take my house solar more off grid. Love all diagrams you have and just way you explain everything. I'm just starting out on my solar set up for small caravan we brought recently. I hope you don't mind me asking some really basic questions in future. Cheers

[@JP-rf7px]

About switches. The reason there is an in and out is that the "in" lug always connects to the fixed contact of the switch while the "out" lug connects to the moving contact. The circuit will work either way, but the goal is to have any moving parts disconnected from power in the off position. Should the switch parts break, it is more likely to happen in the moving part of the switch which will hopefully be de-energized when it fails.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Great explanation!

[@AskRemy]

I ran into a problem. Think I fried my victron mppt. Could you please check your app battery voltage on the mppt with the mppt disconnected from the multiplus inverter and tell me if it says 0 or something other than 0? Mine shows 14 volts. When I disable the mppt it shows 9 volts so I am thinking it is bleeding from the PV input. Would greatly appreciate your help.

[@jayangusmusic8886]

We are following your build! Should I build a protective case around this busbar? I know if I need to protect myself from accidentally getting a shock by coming in contact with the system fully set up. Thanks!

[@ericmoore88]

Question...Why don't you put the disconnect where it will disconnect the battery from everything? They way you do it still has the solar controller connected. Will the solar controller be damaged if you disconnect it from the battery?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Doing it like this makes it nice and easy to disconnect all loads while allowing the solar panels to keep the batteries topped off. If the solar controller needs to be turned off you can do that through the VictronConnect app or by pulling the fuse but there is rarely a reason to disconnect the charge controller.

[@ericmoore88]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thanks for the reply!

[@sailrockpaperscissors8261]

great video would you still recommend this over the Victron Lynx?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I no longer recommend this. The Victron Lynx Distribitor is far superior. I've removed this busbar from all of my wiring diagrams in favor of the Lynx Distributor: www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams

[@garyferguson1552]

Hello Nate I have learned a lot from your video's keep them coming my Friend !? I have a question about the load side of a bmv 712 shunt I have 6 negative wires of different sizes so they will not all fit. I have a junction post I purchased from AM Solar that I could utilize for some or all the 6 wires. My main question is what SIze cable would be appropriate to connect the load shunt terminal to the junction post. Thanks for time I greatly appreciate it.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Wire size is determined by the manufacturer recommendation of the component OR if not given... the maximum amount of current you expect to be flowing through it at any given time.

[@MyGoogleYoutube]

Wow, I really really like this method. My build ended up with some short runs and creative work to make it fit. But this would help save a ton of space and lower the resistance.

[@samoandude6838]

Great stuff man!! dumbing it down for people like myself!! lol. Thank you!!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Samoan Dude, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@onesimusiii]

So I got 72 12v agms from my work for free as they were replacing thier fire system battery backups. They all have the flat tabs for terminals. I would like to hook these into 3 100amp hr battery banks if possible and use the rest for ham radio. Any idea how I can go about this?

[@0tterpup]

Hey Nate. This is a very helpful DIY instructional for building my own bus bar. I’m trying to decide if I should go that route or purchase the Victron Lynx. Do I need to get a battery monitor if I only plan on using my smartphone to monitor my battery life? Or does the Lynx eliminate the need for a battery monitor?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The Lynx is a great off-the-shelf product for high-amperage power distribution which is why I now include it in my diagrams. You will still need a battery monitor though. Please see this diagram for an example: www.explorist.life/3000w-inverter-400-600ah-400-to-1200w-solar-camper-solar-kit

[@JohnBaker3000]

Beautiful! Thank your for the time and effort that you put into this clear tutorial! Thank-you so much!

[@sspence65]

By drilling out those lugs, it seems you are severely derating their current capability. Would it not make sense to use a longer copper bar (extra holes), and keep them as meaty as possible?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Ultimately, I recommend buying to proper sized wire lugs for your project. 3/8" lugs fit on the Shunt. Now... For what it's worth, I have never seen ampacity ratings on a lug before. I have both 4/0 x 5/16" wire lugs and 4/0 x 3/8" wire lugs here in my shop and when measured with a digital caliper; the ONLY difference is the size of the hole. All other dimensions and thicknesses are the exact same and they weigh within a couple of grams of each other. So... do with that information what you will, but I don't think drilling a 3/8" hole vs buying a lug with a 3/8 hole is going to "severely derating their current capability". That said... buying the correct sized wire lug is always preferable over drilling and I have all of the proper sized lugs in my wiring diagrams and parts lists here: www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams.

[@REVNUMANEWBERN]

Thanks for the detail, looks like something I could actually do !

[@SharingTheWild]

Great Video Nate, Just wondering how and if you put the ANL fuse block covers back on?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

You could cut a notch out of the ANL fuse holders to make them fit back on. You'll just have to get a bit crafty with it. I hope to release a 3d printed mount and cover for these in Jan/Feb 2020 to cover everything up nice and neat; but that'll be a 'me selling the thing' more than it will be a DIY option.

[@surfreadjumpsleep]

What sort of loads are you planning on? THREE massive thick positive wires? Seems like overkill for a van. And what voltage are you running at? Must be at least 24V, right? So do you really need thick wires like that?

[@ReversePeople]

Hi Nate. Another awesome vid. Thanks. Yes - I’d definitely be interested in a vid from you on the Victron Lynx. I own several Victron products and am thoroughly impressed.

[@thompson4620]

Thanks for the great video! I heard that the Blue Sea System switches are just terrible. How are yours holding up?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Blue Sea components are very high quality; so the switches are indeed holding up wonderfully.

[@nosaltiesandrooshere7488]

👍 Danke fürs Hochladen! 👍 Thanks for uploading!

[@user-wu8os5fn2j]

I have a 2019 Lance truck camper model 855S two batteries , one one hundred watt solar panel,like to see more on small solar systems, we would like to add on or replace the entire system Thanks Charlie

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Here are several examples on how I recommend adding to an OEM RV: www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams

[@stevenhepting8013]

Thx Nate. Explained well. I am building out a ctc and have purchased a 400w Renogy system. I also bought a progressive dynamics 5k AC/DC panel. Trying to learn how to wire it all.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Nice! Sounds like a fun project!

[@winginitwithjohn8451]

Great detailed video. Fyi, Your Amazon link to the Victron Lynx shows unavailable, however, I believe the same item number is available as an alternative, just need an updated link in your videos.

[@tdeeez09]

In this busbar, why is the connection for the MPPT controller on the left side of the switch with the battery connection? Shouldn't the switch isolate the battery from everything else? With this setup, you can't break the positive MPPT and battery connection no?

[@robinbrown4526]

it allows you to disconnect everything else but allow the solar to continue to charge the batteries,

[@Jerrys871]

Yes, you don't want to disconnect the battery from the scc as it could damage it if solar is still connected

[@jackdeangelis6585]

Well done, thanks for the detailed walk-through. One question - how did you size the copper bars? Is there a formula that relates cross-sectional area to amps or something similar. I ask because if you could use 1/8" (or even 1/16") bar the washers, etc would fit better.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yes. There is a formula. Look up "Copper Bar Ampacity Tables" to cross-reference the circular mils of wire to bar.

[@jackdeangelis6585]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for.

[@Alaska1969]

Nate, How do I know what size of fuse to use? I have 10 battle born batteries, set up in a 24V / parallel / series set up? Using in 4/0 wire. Which direction am I measuring? coming from the batteries to the inverter or other direction?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

If you are using 4/0 Wire from the battery bank to the Lynx Distributor, I'd say the chances are super high that you would need a 400A fuse inline. Here is a system we have designed that utilizes 4/0 wire from a 24V Battery Bank to feed a 5000VA Victron Quattro Inverter/Charger: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/camper-wiring-kits/complete-wiring-kits/wiring-diagram-kits/400-1400ah-battery-bank-quattro-5k-24v-orion-12-12-30-wiring-diagram-kit/

[@JoeAndolina]

Great video! What do you use to make your wiring diagrams?

[@cswhiteleytx]

Hello Nate....what would be example causes why a battery shunt would overheat from 150F to 190F? Even at those temps, the shunt continues to operate and transmit battery information; using 4/0 cables to and from the battery and multiplus'. Battery bank is 6 X Lion UT 1300 Batteries.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I would guess a poor crimp (suggest re-crimpong) or a loose connection (suggest tightening the connection to manufacturers recommendation) or dirty wire lug to shunt connection (sand with sandpaper to remove burrs or oxidation and clean with alcohol).

[@cswhiteleytx]

@@EXPLORISTlife could it possibly a defective shunt? all cables / lugs / equipment is new and a hydraulic crimp was used on all cables....all connections are tightened to spec...this is issue is a bit troublesome.

[@rickterry1027]

Hi Nate, Can you explain exactly what the high voltage DC switch does that houses your two positive bus bars?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The big disconnect disconnects all loads from the battery while still allowing power from the solar panel array to keep the batteries topped off during storage.

[@meisbepat]

@@EXPLORISTlife Do you have a separate disconnect to completely disconnect the battery and solar panels if needed?

[@willchui7998]

Super awesome video. I’ve been following your posts and it’s nice to see a video that accompanied it now. Can’t wait to see more content you produce. I’m gonna order these bars from you thanks!

[@IvieGreenwood]

I have a 1080 watt solar system with two 50 amp charge controllers. Is each charge controller given its own buss bar post? Thanks for the video, this was the exact thing I was looking for.

[@pirateroberts4411]

Do you have any links to your latest version, 2022, of this? Wanting to upgrade my RV to this set up. TIA!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Check the pinned comment.

[@piccolo6214]

Could you just add an additional nut underneath the fuse in the fuse holder to act as a spacer?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I don't see why not.

[@chachi5975]

@@EXPLORISTlife I think it's important to fill that space with either another nut or some washers. It looks like if that nut was to vibrate loose you could have an issue with a loose connection and generate some dangerous heat. Just my 2 cents😁

[@mrbranchatl]

Great instructions, will be using it. Thanks

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Steven Branch, No problem! Glad it helped! :)

[@davidnewman2274]

Hi Nate, love your videos have a question,can i run a bus bar from a 24volt system to run any 12volts appliances. Cheers David

[@EXPLORISTlife]

So... if you fed 24V to 12V device... what do you think would happen? Walk me through that.

[@davidnewman2274]

Hi Nate thanks for getting back to me your to my question gave doubt so my answer is i probably blow a fuse or something worst so I'll keep my batteries at 12volts I'm running 2x250w panels in series and was going to run batteries in series also run 12v cig plug and usb plugs though fuse box Ps. Love your videos well explained@@EXPLORISTlife

[@brassmonkey001]

Nice work Nate, but I think perhaps you ought to explain a little clearer why at 8.12 the nuts need to be spun up i.e. it's to bring them up to take into account the thickness of the copper bar so that when you tighten it all up it doesn't distort and damage the fuses, so 1/4" thick bar needs the nuts moving up 1/4" to suit. Also, can you explain the reason behind using 1/4" thick bar instead of 1/8" or 3/16"?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I'm not sure I understand your question re: the size of the bar. As long as you use a copper bar that meets the proper ampacity rating, it can be whatever dimension you like. If I used a thinner bar, it would have to be wider. 1/4" was just the size I felt worked best.

[@brassmonkey001]

@@EXPLORISTlife that's kind of the point I'm making, you didn't explain the reasoning behind choosing that size. Hence someone might use a bit of flattened copper pipe for example...

[@EXPLORISTlife]

@@brassmonkey001 I'm hoping the parts list and links I provided will alleviate that situation.

[@Kevin_Aus]

@@brassmonkey001 haha, please tell me this is a dig at 'freely roaming'

[@TxRiverElf]

Love your videos, Nate!, especially this one! I have received my copper bar and and still 'gathering components'. I have three questions. Number 1. Why do you have four positive leads and six negative? Secondly, since my MPPT is a 40a Tracer, I would use a 40a fuse instead of the 80a, right? Thirdly, I do not plan to use the vehicle alternator to charge my house bank... at least not until I can determine that the '89 Minibird bus alternator could handle do so... ... BUT.... I have a Moe's Dual ATS, to automatically switch between battery and shore power, according to battery SOC. How would I factor that into this bus bar system, just add the negatives to the negative bus bar? The Moe's dual ats has INPUT for shore.... OUTPUT for Shore... OUTPUT to Inverter. On the shore power side, there would be two ground wires to account for... (shore in and shore out) .... three if including the inverter's connection.... so is it okay to connect them to that negative bus bar? Frankly, as an old retiree, there is just no way that I can afford Victron... LOL

[@tex959]

In Nate's wiring diagrams, you can see two Negative connections from the MPPT and from the inverter/charger. This means that both of these components have two seperate Negative connections and only one positive connection. This gives you two extra negative leads.. Also, the negative bus is grounded to the chassis, which adds one more. Just check out the wiring diagrams on Explorist.Life for more info. If your MPPT is producing 40 amps at peak sun, you will continue to blow a 40 amp fuse because the fuse Max. amps is 40 before it blows. But that depends on how much solar you have. if your solar could produce 40 amps, I'd look at a 50 amp charge controller because that would give you some headroom in case your panels produce more, which they do in cold weather. Also, the fuse is primarily sized for the wire used. Nate has a video on this. If you're using 10 awg copper wire, your main concern is the wire, hence the larger amp fuse. I'm not sure about moe's dual ats. Does it say in the manual? Anything that connects to the batteries will go through the bus bars. However, the AC power from Shore power doesn't connect to the batteries.

[@supergcrash]

Hey just an FYI your blog post says to let you know if the links send to anything other than a bluesea fuse holder. The amazon link goes to InstallGear 0/2/4 Gauge Ga ANL Fuse Holder + 150 Amp ANL Fuses (2 Pack)

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks for the heads up! Description updated.

[@dcraigslist5243]

Hi Nate, New subscriber, but making it through your posts and blogs pretty fast. One of your comments suggested using breakers instead of fuses. I found some 250amp breakers.... nothing larger so far. If you go through your fuse sizing video, you mention that you usually go closer to the load rating instead of the wire max rating. But you diagrams you use 400amp and some other big fuses. If my math is right, I see no reason to go any bigger than a 250amp breaker. Am I missing something? Thanks in advance.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Don't forget rule #1 of sizing fuses... If the manufacturer of a component makes a fuse size recommendation... follow the manufacturers suggested fuse sizes. This is the case with the 400A fuses in my diagrams.

[@codyjohnson637]

Do you need a shunt if you are using the Renogy smart lithium iron batteries?

[@northernprod]

love the setup, but with the anl fuse holders so close together, can you actually get the anl fuse on/off the holder, without completely removing the nut from each post (especially that middle fuse holder)?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

With them mounted this close together, removing the nut is required. If you are DIYing this, you could space the fuse holders apart further if this completely removing the nut from the bolt is a major inconvenience.

[@northernprod]

cool, that's what i thought. i prefer my cables to stay attached so i don't have electrical flopping around while working on stuff like that :-)

[@seasoning8318]

Awesome works. Thanks for sharing.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad it was helpful. Cheers!

[@nudavinci64]

I was looking into the Lynx prior but for various reason went with RedArc setup which works better for my use case and space. Can the Lynx still be used or would this DYI suffice? It is a clean setup. I was considering using blue Sea anyway.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I don't recommend this busbar system anymore. See the pinned comment.

[@nudavinci64]

@@EXPLORISTlife thanks I saw your comment. exploring options besides the Lynx for a bus bar. No sure there will be benefit if I am not running a Victron setup.

[@indegoadult]

Question: why use a negative shunt and bus bar instead of the chassis as a ground?

[@punxnotdead3873]

How are enhanced flooded batteries ? Marine deep cycle. Have renogy wanderer solar charger going to it setting is on flooded. Shore power is agm setting not 12v setting. This ok?

[@slptravel3189]

What thickness and width bus bar did you use? I'm been looking online they reckon 3mm thick by 12.5mm wide is only good for 47 amps

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Check the pinned comment.

[@jackrussell4653]

Hi Nate, Is it ok to connect the end of the positive cable of the solar charge controller to the busbar instead of the end of the positive battery cable? ... And then attach the positive cable of the battery to the other end of the ANL fuse?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I don't completely follow, but here is how I recommend wiring the charge controller into a system: www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams and www.explorist.life/how-to-wire-a-solar-charge-controller-for-a-diy-camper-electrical-system/

[@jackrussell4653]

@@EXPLORISTlife I have since chatted with Blue Sea Systems, and the way you have it connected is the only way and is correct... thanks. I was trying something different due to space constraints, and it was not correct. So I will make do, and follow as you presented it. Thanks by the way for everything.

[@avlisk]

I don't understand why the one ANL fuse holder is on the opposite side of the switch. Thanks.

[@FlyingCameraGuy]

Nate, when I go to your wiring diagrams they aren't displaying on my Macbook using a Chrome browser. I just see a grayish large box and when I move my mouse around I just see a blue green box with a description.

[@johnmaciejewski4]

Yeah what he said. Same problem on my iPad

[@EXPLORISTlife]

@@johnmaciejewski4 @Bob Jensen - Give it another go now. I just finished up dividing that page up into multiple pages to decrease the load on the server as there was nearly 40,000 words on that blog post at 18 interactive images. Maybe a bit too much. Let me know if it works for you now: explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams

[@67rcampbell]

Sir, do you have any diagrams for something smaller like a chickencoop (electric door, relays for light/fans with temp sensors)? Many thanks.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

We don't have any chicken coop diagrams; but I do believe that you'll be able to use the information and education found on this channel to make the diagrams we have available at www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams applicable for your purposes.

[@FOLLOWINGWALKERSWORLD]

Wow. Just starting my van conversion. Love your diagrams. However I cannot see what size fuse in the ANL holder to the batteries. I see the other 3 on the other side of the on off but not the main lead, thanks 👍👍

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I'm not sure which specific diagram you are looking at, but the parts list below the diagram will tell you which fuse size it is and the high resolution diagram option on all of the pages will let you zoom in to get those details.

[@FOLLOWINGWALKERSWORLD]

Well I’m running 2 100 amp batteries. 2 100 watt solar panels.

[@roymccullough9729]

I have a 144 sprinter van with a bare roof, 4 large 310watt solar panels and a victron 150/100 charge controller and a couple 12v agm batteries. I am working towards a 1240watt system , I assume that I would want 2 panels in series and 2 parallel, what else might I might need besides an inverter ?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Nice! This should get you going in the right direction: www.explorist.life/3000w-inverter-400-600ah-400-to-1200w-solar-camper-solar-kit/

[@blackduck7851]

Very cool. Thank you for the information. and very well thought out video