I couldn’t believe the difference this made

When 12v really matters you'll find out the lithium batteries start to give you problems, so in this video i use the following devices to regulate the voltage down to exactly 12v with some amazing results.
DC 12V Voltage Regulator 12V / 12A 144W - amzn.to/4f9nqOm
DC 12V Voltage Regulator 12V / 6A 72W - amzn.to/3Lifk8b
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[@g-whiz286]

As a design engineer, if I designed an appliance specifically for use in an RV, marine, or other 12V DC battery operation that couldn't accommodate 10.5-15 volts, I deserve to be fired.

[@NileshKumar-uf4vh]

Exactly most laptops despite being rated for 15v input max will work on 20v dc fine

[@jeffproulx8584]

I've never seen an engineer not fucxx it up all the time every time. I spend each day rebuilding there crap. Get on the tools and learn more before speaking. They just sit behind a desk looking at data charts. Thanks for showing people how to make their stuff safer from engineers.

[@travcollier]

Yep. Most electronics need a DC-DC converter anyway, and most will take a fair range of inputs. However, if something is designed to take a particular wall wart... Well, it will often be designed for that input. BTW: It annoys me that devices usually just list the nominal input they want, not the range they can accept. If you can get a look at the actual circuit, there's usually a voltage regulator in there you can lookup the part # of and figure it what it actually requires.

[@casemodder89]

@@g-whiz286 thats not just a diesel heater. it's a cheapass chinese copy of a genuine eberspacher unit. so you can't make use of the automotive grade range of 9,5V to 16V you'd get from a genuine german brand like webasto or eberspacher.

[@danielcookeb90]

​@@jeffproulx8584Jeff, ya need to take a chill pill 💊 or you will blow a head gasket; and you'll need a mechanical engineer out to fix it!😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 And we can all tell how that will go!🤣🤣 But seriously fella, from your phrasing, you seem to make a living fixing stuff, so I'd be delighted if stuff broke, you will always be in a job! And think of the opportunities you come across to engineer something better!! Oh and not to bee too picky but, "there stuff " is actually spelt "their stuff ". Like engineering; it's the detail that matters. 👍

[@geoffcampbell7846]

😂 I'm having a chuckle to myself after wondering if you were going to mention the maxfan as well, and you did. I found that my fan wouldn't work when the leasure battery voltage went high due to the on-board battery charger cycle. It took me a little while to fathom it out, ( the voltage range is described in the instructions somewhere) but I too fitted the same regulator to a supplementary fuse board ( like in your photo) and it cured the problem. A word of caution to others though, as the first regulator I bought was defective and was wildly inaccurate, leading to a range of outputs, so my advice is do check the output of these regulators before installing as not all regulators are of equal quality. Cheers John, I enjoyed the video and the explanation. 👋

[@Jollyprez]

Yah, we had same problem with Maxxair fan. I STILL think that they should've put the circuitry in to make them handle charging voltage as automobile electrical systems are not that precise. But, alas, they're too cheap to do so. One thing to note - these voltage regulators consume some power ( not much, but not zero ) - so keep that in mind when you're making your power-use calculations.

[@slashnburndotcodotuk]

Just an addendum. When you`re checking regulator outptut. Check it while under load. A 1amp bulb is enough. This will check not only the regulator, but the wiring and any connections in between...

[@CJ-ew8df]

I had to check this last year when I did my build, the newer versions of the Maxxair Maxxfan (PCB "C") accept between 10.3v and 15v (officially from Airxcel)

[@regnbean67]

Hi - question to commentator ‘CJ’ - how to I check if I have ‘PCB ‘C’’? I have just purchased (July 2024). Where might I see or read Aircel’ confirmation that the Maxxfan will operate successfully in the voltage range you have indicated? Hope to hear thanks. 👍

[@Jollyprez]

@@regnbean67 Get a $30 regulator to be 100% sure to save your $300 fan. Just sayin.

[@grahamwinn979]

By adding one of these regulators cured the problems with the roof fan and remote. Spot on video John.

[@cron410]

@@grahamwinn979 Yep, regulated. Not rectified as he said in the video.

[@mikebarry229]

12v devices intended for use in vehicles may say 12v on them but that is because Joe Public with no knowledge of vehicle electronics and such would get confused if they stated 10.5-15v or similar, because any standard lead battery will operate in that range. The 12v is just to distinguish from 24v or 48v. 12v electromics intended for use in the home are an emtirely different kettle of fish and then what you say is correct, but if fans and fridges intended for vehicles cannot operate (or fail safe) at the full range of voltages found in vehicles during normal operation that is a design flaw. Nothing to do with lithium batteries as they operate well within the voltage range of lead acid which can go up to 15v or so, voltages that would destroy a "12v" lithium battery if not protected by a BMS. By the way the native voltage of an EV is rarely if ever 48v, normally many 100's of volts, unless you are talking about golf carts and fork lifts.

[@Zanthum]

@@mikebarry229 you saved me having to type it out myself

[@twistedhillbilly6157]

Li batteries can take a higher voltage than SLA's or Flooded batteries. If the system was designed for traditional voltages, the regulating circuits might not accommodate higher or lower. The charging circuit most likely did not cause a problem but the solar if not regulated properly could cause problems as well as the fluctuating current.. The buck converters are acting as filters. I add buck converters to most circuits to solve many problems

[@mikebarry229]

​@@twistedhillbilly6157what you say, and indeed what the guy who posted the video says might be true for some "12v" batteries made of lithium ion cells because such cells have a working voltage of 3.7 volts each. For that reason they are pretty useless in a 12v battery. Using 3 cells gives only 11.1v and 4 cells gives 14.8v. For this reason they are rarely used in decent 12v lithium batteries, but can be used in 24v batteries when they use 7 cells giving 25.9v. Most decent 12v batteries, and increasingly 24v and 48v batteries use LifePO4 cells with a working voltage of 3.2v each so 4 cells = 12.8v so a perfect replacement for lead acid batteries. At 100% charge they can go as high as 3.6v (so 14.4v for 4) but that is still way less than lead acid batteries can see in a typical vehicle so they need to be protected to prevent such charge levels being reached using a BMS. At 90% charge a lifePO4 battery will be back down around 12.8v and it will stay that voltage down to about 10% charge making a LifePO4 battery much kinder than a lead acid battery which might be 15v plus at 100% 12.8v at 95% maybe 10.8v at 10% charge (and likely badly damaged too)

[@hymertimesnz]

Thanks John. I was wondering the same thing when my LED light replacements were getting hot and blowing on occasion. I used the same Dc to Dc 12v controller in the fuse line for the lighting and have had no problems. Ended up buying an additional 30amp Dc to Dc 13.8v converter and put in line with the camper main accessories fuse. 1.8v extra allows USB chargers etc to charge better but keeps the working voltage within range for most 12v appliances like your Echo DOT. Not sure I have it all right but like you, have a technical background and feel I got it about right. Great video, pleased to see it out there. Russell

[@G-ra-ha-m]

Some electronics are designed for cars, 10.5 - 14.4V, but others really really need exactly 12V. Everything works Ok with exactly 12V, so this levels the playing field. TBH It's not much to do with lithium, as a freshly charge lead-acid will kill some 12V items too.

[@jasonbroom7147]

Two points of clarification: some devices need something very close to 12.8 volts and all "lithium" batteries are not the same. Nominal voltage for 12v devices is almost always 12.8 volts. Lithium NMC, in a 4S configuration, has a considerably higher nominal voltage (14.4v) than lithium iron-phosphate (LFP) which has a nominal voltage of 12.8 volts. They typically rest, after charging, at no more than 13.5 volts, which is frequently perfecly safe for 12v devices.

[@G-ra-ha-m]

@@jasonbroom7147 Good points, but I've melted 12V pond pumps with well rested lead-acid batteries (12.5V) - some items are really only happy with exactly 12V or less :) The better quality appliances state exactly what voltages that can cope with. Anything designed for a car/van 12V should be happy with 10.5 - 14.4V if correctly designed.

[@jasonbroom7147]

@@G-ra-ha-m - Yeah, any 12v product that fails when fed 12.5 to 12.8 volts just wasn't a well-designed or manufactured product. Very few power sources provide a true, constant 12.0 volts. Even the voltage regulator shown in this video is only going to keep you within a few tenths.

[@G-ra-ha-m]

@@jasonbroom7147 Some gadgets are designed to run from regulated 12V adapters, this was one such device! Used as intended, it works perfectly and lasts forever. 12V LED lights are perhaps another example, designed for exactly 12V.

[@markanderson8066]

I've been using one of these for a few years on my ham radio. It takes 10v and up and produces 13.8 so all my batteries still give expected voltage to my rigs.

[@efminkane]

a diesel heater desgined for vehicles with a "12 Volt"-System should be able to work with the realistic and expectable voltages in a vehicle. Charging voltages in a vehicle are expected to be up to 14,8 volts and above. If it can't take that voltage it is not suitable for vehicle. typical household 12v devices that come with their own powersupply might not be designed to cope with big range of higher or lower voltages.

[@neiltitmus9744]

But Chinese

[@petermcgurnaghan5175]

Just in time for my van build! My shed is rapidly filling up with parts for the build. I’m quite wary of the electric side of things so these videos are helpful

[@geoffs3805]

Thanks for the video John, it’s very interesting to see the results you’re getting. Having worked with electronics my entire life I can only agree that the voltage is critical to so many devices. The surprise for me is that so many manufacturers haven’t already fitted regulators within their equipment to stop this happening. Especially those devices designed for use in a vehicle.

[@StevenLucasMarketing]

Cost saving, no doubt.

[@SimonGardiner-m7l]

John, is there a master version of this so that it could be placed between the battery and main fuse box then all items would receive 12v?

[@timevans8223]

Your problem is not associated with lithium. Alternators will push out 14.5v when charging lead batteries. If you had a lithium battery with Bluetooth access to your settings, DC/DC converter and Victron MPPTs you could adjust your maximum voltage on the lithium to be lower, such that you dont create high voltages. You can't do this with lead as you need the high voltages to burn off sulphation.

[@zuk4wd]

Well John, some of the devices benefit of the lower 12V you supply to them. You are also adding idle current loads on your system. It might surprise you how much a single one of these units use doing absolutely nothing

[@GadgetJohn]

They use less than an amp a day, combined, so really nothing worth mentioning.

[@forbiddenracer2056]

I put it after the switch so not drawing anything off load.

[@yvan2563]

@@GadgetJohn Depends on the system. My bike camper trailer is only going to have a small 5Ah battery, so that would be 20% of my power wasted by this unit. Hopefully I'll find something similar with a lower power capacity but with less waste.

[@olafschermann1592]

LiIon charge endvoltage is 4.2 V so 4S has 16.8 V LFP has 3.65 Endvoltage 4S= 14.6 V. If you use LiIon 3S is closest to 12 V with 12.6V Buck converters need 1.5-1.8V headroom. So for 12V you need > 13.8 min Voltage Also consider low voltage shutdown if some devices (smarter fridges) that prevent battery overdischarge will not work as the voltage they see stay at 12V even when the battery is empty. I want my high current devices shut down before low current devices also die at the same time. (Think of nav instruments on a sailboat)

[@phester28]

if you loose the head room for the buck doesnt it just pass the battery voltage so not really a problem

[@olafschermann1592]

@@phester28 I don’t know. But that makes sense.

[@markrichardson5673]

I had a problem with flickering LED lights which went away after I converted my system from 12v to 24v and installed a 360w 24v to 12v converter to power all the legacy 12v devices. The only downside is the efficiency of the conversion, which is around 85%. I went with a whole van solution to avoid having multiple blocks all over the place and everything does seem to work much better at the constant 12.8v I set it to.

[@richardsandwell2285]

This issue is a pain in the ass, it is not just confined to Lithium batteries, I am off-grid solar with Lead Acids, if my batteries ever read 12 volts on the meter I would be shutting everything off to protect the batteries. I never let them drop below 12.2volts normal voltage is 12.6volts after dark, after charging 13.2 and charging voltage can be up to 14.8volts. The trouble with regulators is they usually require at least two volts over the output voltage.

[@johnmuldrock]

The buck regulators get around this by using smps design.

[@Beavis-et8ox]

No one, not even the manufacturer of my WLAN router could (or would) tell me if it will work with more than 12V DC (it came with a 230/12V power supply) so I installed a 12V/12V regulator two years ago and the router still works fine. 100% agree with your conclusions. Thank your for sharing it in a video.

[@simplestuff3895]

Great addition. Having a stable known supply is essential. I installed a microprocessor with touch screens to control the van and had all sorts of stability issues with relay boards and touch screens. Solved with a regulator. If the regulators are decent they will also provide DC ripple isolation between devices. Useful for when you’re running higher draw devices and motors.

[@johnussss]

I run a 24v off-grid system, a lot of things I run direct from the batteries are rated up to 30v, everything else runs from a 24v to 12v transformer.

[@whereonearth1]

could you not put this between the 12v fuse panel so everything 12v would be regulated?

[@thetoolmat8632]

@@whereonearth1 This is the question I would like to see answered! @GadgetJohn

[@StevenLucasMarketing]

It depends on how much current 'everything' will draw. These devices are cheap enough that you can have individual units for each circuit and if one does blow, the rest of your equipment is not compromised - even temporarily.

[@hazpicsphotography1627]

I've got an cctv system, and a router in my van , used one of those from the start. As an electronics electronics engineer ,rectification of the power supply is essential for smooth operation

[@casemodder89]

but stating stuff that draws amps and does some work runs more powerful of LOWER voltage is complete BS. voltage is half the equation of power amps times volts is power. lower voltage with most loads means also lower amp draw which is exactly power drop squared. and that ceiling fan ain't gonna run better on lower voltage. it will run less noisy over the lower volume throughput => less power / less work being done. the chinese cheapy diesel heater was setup on the lean side if it burned hotter on less airflow. proper units keep the RPM no matter the voltage. computers/MCU's and stuff on the other hand might be suseptable to high ripple voltsges from the alternator. but only for non-automotive grade PSU's in the devices. ie home appliances running off a power brick/wall wart.

[@KG5RK]

Greetings John, I can't help but wonder if a simple choke or a diode would have solved a lot of your problems. Did you ever look at the DC line with a scope OR a multimeter switched to "AC"? I suspect that a lot of your problems were being caused by "NOISY" DC. The little gremlins that HAUNT all sorts of devices in everyday MOBILE life. NO DOUBT that you resolved your problems with a voltage regulator, and I applaud you. This is much the equivalent of getting rid of ANTS with a sledgehammer! LOL. Oh, and YES, I do have some of those same regulators you have. EXCELLENT devices ! However, a CHOKE is cheaper. Another way to CHEAPLY reduce the voltage is to put a diode or two in series with the load. Best wishes to you. And KEEP experimenting!

[@pfeerick]

Chokes and diodes can certainly help in the right situation, but are sometimes not the most efficient, depending on how much power that needs to be dissipated, and are also fixed voltage drops, rather than active regulators. Also bear in mind the 6A regulator was actually a step up/step down regulator... i.e. it steps the voltage up internally, and then steps it down for the output... so can not only help with over-voltage situations, but under-voltage also.

[@KG5RK]

@@pfeerick I agree whole hardheartedly. I just wanted to open your viewer's to alternate solutions to (expensive) voltage regulators. They also take up more room and can sometimes induce MORE heat,

[@grantdavis5992]

@@KG5RK diodes drop about 0.5 volts each, but you must be sure you have the current capacity or you might inadvertently create an LED. Been there long ago. LOL

[@jamesmackay4652]

Please hurry with the broadband fingamyjig,hehe.Great to see Mandy ring that bell.

[@smarty0604]

I wonder if there’s a 12fuse board which has a buck already installed . Saves having to add them individually to various equipment . I know most 12v electrical will have a tolerance but would be handy just wiring everthibg into the board knowing it purely 12vdc

[@Jollyprez]

When I get a new regulator - I test them with my variable-voltage power supply. The regulators will tell you what the input voltages they can handle ( typically 10v-18v+ ). I put a load on the circuit and vary the input voltage through a range I can expect. For example, our trailer conversion uses a Bluetti lithium battery as its primary DC source. 13.4VDC is its output. Test the regulator up to about 15 volts, down to 10 volts and put a load on it. The voltage should never waver AND the device should not get too warm. DON'T SKIMP on regulators - get good ones. I'd avoid Amazon if possible. You cannot rely on no-name electronics or parts from Amazon.

[@iindium49]

It never hurts to smooth out the voltage. Very informative.

[@williamirelan9332]

You may need to add a dc to dc charge controller because if you are getting too much voltage to your heater etc. The higher voltage may be damaging the lifepo4 battery. If the only time you are having issues is when the engine and alternator are charging a dc to dc charger will regulate the voltage and you won't need buck converters on every appliance. Lifepo4 battery chargers charge at a lower voltage than car alternators which is why you can't use a lead acid battery charger on a lifepo4 battery . A dc to dc charge controller lowers the alternators voltage to a safe voltage for the lifepo4 battery. If you already have a charge controller check to make sure it is not set for lead acid or agm batteries.

[@Andy-wu1ev]

How interesting John, I think I will try my fridge set up like yours and give it a go

[@davep1499]

All motorbikes have them called reg rec (regulator rectifier)👍

[@mortqqq]

No, different things. Similar package, quite different function.

[@robertbrooke1289]

Just fitted two as a test. One on the fridge and it's much quieter. The second on the MaxxFan. I can't tell much difference on the fan but I do know they are sensitive to different voltages. Next week be the diesel heater. How far are you planing to go with these? Water pump, led lights, USB sockets etc. it's a shame you can't get one that could sit on the feeds to the fuse board so everything is regulated.

[@GadgetJohn]

I initially bought 3, I’ve since bought another 3 😀 So I now have them for everything I really value.

[@MrBroomel]

Maxxair actually sent me one of these following a couple PCB failures (both in and outside of warranty). They said the fans were not overly tolerant of the solar systems on most vans these days 🤔.

[@sarahwilliams755]

I am currently working on designing my narrowboat, one of the things I would love is a 24v, 48v and 240v systems. When watching KZbin videos a narrowboats they are pointing out issues with lights and batteries voltages. So I would love a electric motor for moving and 24v for everything else with step downs for a number of systems. So with this setup I am hope for less voltage drop over the wires and a Consistent voltage, and with the lights there are smart lights blocks which take a number of different voltages in but gives a consistent 12v out to the lights. Which would give me consistent lighting and the ability to mount and move lights switches without rewiring with smart light switches. Plus 24v are a little bit safer then 12v when turning on and off electrical equipment. And as I would have a large battery bank for moving a nice 240v system is just a given. Then I could have three ways of cooking and heating water 240v induction hob/ oven, Gas hob/ oven, and wood burning cooker stove. And for hot water Diesel, 240v, 24v, and back boiler from the woof burning cooker stove.

[@backontwowheels9469]

That is very useful information for anyone with a van or even building one. If you have a fuse board providing power to more than 1 USB or USBC port perhaps you can mount it near the fuse board so that it feeds everything on that circuit.

[@WannabeAdventurer]

This all makes sense. This is partly why I am usingTeltonika stuff for the switch and router in my campervan build as they can take input of 9-50V. I do use a converter for my laptop docking station as it uses 22V, but to be honest, never even thought about how fussy the Maxair fans or diesel heater would be. Thanks for the headsup!

[@ohm4x4offroad30]

Thx John, It made me check my camper after conversion. Found most of the good electric devices to coop with 10.5 to 16 Volt but some where really 12 - 13.5 volt only. I have no started to convert the once I need to protect. Good to Know that on the Maxxfan it also helps to cut noise and wear of the fan. ❤😊

[@JRVWalker-z3l]

This got me thinking as I have LiFe fitted and I recognise the fact that 14.6v is an occurrence, so started checking voltage tolerance of fitted devices. Result - Truma4E up to 16v before high voltage alarm on 12v working. However, Domestic 8555 fridge/freezer no mention on 12v working so the fact that it operates when driving when alternator voltage can be around 14.2v should be OK. GJ voltage issue is perhaps more relevant for self builders and modifiers. Excellent article, thanks.

[@ashbyspannerman]

Nice chatting with you at the hangout John, I’ve been telling folk about using buck converters for a while, especially delicate equipment, just get so many people saying don’t bother it’ll be fine, yes maybe it will for a while!

[@G-ra-ha-m]

Some items will be fine, others will break, it depends upon the design. The problem is that it's rarely specified, which type they are..

[@richardpickering2452]

Just bought one for my eberspacher s2 d2 as it is the only thing i run of my leisure battery that is victron dc/dc charged from alternator, hopefully this will reduce some of the risk of failure from what is an expensive heater.

[@jasonbroom7147]

What kind of "lithium" battery are you using? NMC and LFP are not the same. What you are describing sounds like NMC, which has a higher nominal voltage than LFP. I've been using and building (from components) various types of lithium batteries for several years and found that LFP is not only far more suitable than NMC, it actually offers more stable voltage output than even lead-acid can.

[@mikebarry229]

His description of loads of small cells paralled to make 3.6v did make it sound more like lithium Ion which has a cell voltage of 4.2v or so in normal use but 3.65v is the maximum for LiFePO4, so I think he was thinking of those even though they are rarely if ever made of small cells these days

[@micksparrow8214]

I have a standard Swift Escape 674 no lithium. I to was worried about higher voltages especially when the engine is running and the smart alternator produces more than 14 volts. I fitted a mobile router which is 12v supply I decided to regulate the voltage to exactly 12v and so far has worked great. To be fair it worked ok before but I’ve seen this sort of thing cause problems in the past but it’s sort of problem that creeps up and you don’t know the reason why. So well done for pointing this out.

[@gazztracker]

why couldnt you duy the largest amp available, then wire it straight to the output of the 12v battery. That way the whole system is goverened to 12v exactly.That way you only have to wire one unit in, not all over the place.

[@billdoodson4232]

@@gazztracker The charging voltage will be about 14.6 volts, which is what everything connected to the battery will see.

[@MrI8igmac]

Im learning to build drones. the safety of battery charge/discharge is important to extend the life of the battery and not start a fire. There are inexpensive boards for 18650 charging. Im stepping up 3.7v to 5v-24v and a voltage devider circuit to monitor battery voltage. Lots of fun.

[@karlmabe1649]

Can you get just one regulator to run from your Battery's

[@terryallen44]

John, semi retired electrical engineer designer. Have specfied similar systems on AC medical supllies and machines. Same principle on DC equipment. My plan is to start my own van build. My question is, if you supplied the all the van electrics with a Dabbsson unit (or similar) would that come with a built in 12V regulator ? I was quite impressed your video on the Dabbsson and the fact all the van electrics supplies can be contained and emenate from one unit.

[@GadgetJohn]

Yes, if you use the dabdsson soley for the 25A 12v then it would regulate the 12v

[@branchesofYAH]

Trial and error = learning. Thanks for the video, useful information.

[@user-un9lx4kp6u]

I don't know the conversation losses with the regulator but your LEDs might benefit and it's very unlikely that you're using anywhere near 12 amps in an RV for lighting these days. I believe they are constant current so they use more wattage when you produce more voltage. At least that's how my RV LEDs are in my solar carport.

[@richardrayner816]

I've been having trouble with my fridge in my motorhome since I moved to a lithium battery. I thought I had a broken neutral, but I will poss look at putting one of these in as well. Thanks.

[@johnkeyworth976]

This may explain my 12v TV shutting down when I have a fully charged system, so simple explanation

[@brucefay5126]

My understanding is that many of these converters are actually buck/boost, i.e., they can be wired to either decrease or increase voltage. Not saying your’s is.

[@GadgetJohn]

Doesn’t matter, it fixes a problem for me

[@Sydney268]

Well with an input voltage of 9-36v and an output of 12v, it certainly will be buck/boost yes

[@richardhewitt.easyvanlife.6957]

My lithium battery is set up for 13.5 max. Output. And input.

[@hugglepot]

@@richardhewitt.easyvanlife.6957 yes, so is mine so I don't know why the Lifep04 in this example is over 13.6

[@oneskydog6768]

Hi, just now installing a D heater in my cargo trailer! Perfect ordered one , will check the rest of the “12V” circuits, lights and stuff. Thanks! ❤

[@RetroBytesUK]

I had to use a 12v up buck regulator for the synology nas I have in my motorhome. As its very fussy about its input voltage. It does not like going over about 12.3v and does not like going below 12.0v. So it would kick off when the voltage goes hi charing, and the same if a big load kicks in (my inverter) pulling the voltage low for a second. There is the odd thing I have does not like over volate but does not mind slight under voltage for a few seconds, so I can use a simple buck converter for those, rather than the more expensive up buck converter.

[@nigelhewitt4886]

Hi john good vid would it be possible to instal one large regulator on the supply to your fuse board obviously a suitable amperage ?

[@GadgetJohn]

Yes, though I’m wondering why the likes of renogy & victron haven’t made one.

[@nigelhewitt4886]

Yes maybe they don’t know 😂you are ahead of the game gadget productions needs to make one 👍

[@realtoolsrealreviews5173]

@@nigelhewitt4886victron do look at the orion dc to dc converters they have one that takes 8-17v in and gives 10-15v regulated output (user settable but defaults to 12.2v) biggest 12v one can handle 360w

[@realtoolsrealreviews5173]

@@GadgetJohn victron do look at the orion dc to dc converters they have one that takes 8-17v in and gives 10-15v regulated output (user settable but defaults to 12.2v) biggest 12v one can handle 360w

[@voyageadventurevans]

@@GadgetJohn I believe you can use a dc-dc converter like the orion 12/12/30 . Switch it to 'power supply'' not 'charger', and you can change the output in 0.1v increments. So 30A would probably cover most all of the 12v requirements in a medium size camper. I will say I have nort tried it, but I cant see why it wont work?

[@bazzainavan9442]

just thinking of puting the output to a small fuse box then out to my gadgets lighting

[@vivienne3757]

Found this really interesting although wouldn’t know where to start putting one of these on my diesel heater. Love these videos, hope you’re well? Take care and thanks😊

[@MartWilliams]

Good video. I was just looking at one of these to supply 19.5 volts and was also considering chopping off the 12v lead for my router so I could write it straight to the fuseboard. I'll likely get a 12V regulator a well as a 19.5 one. My fridge is quite noisy, although it is old and the condenser is noisy and vibrates, requiring a bit of extra padding between it and the back of the fridge. Will be interesting to see if the correct voltage helps. Thanks for posting.

[@john-ec6sy]

Hard to believe that a little bit of overvoltage would have such an effect. I normally suffer with the undervoltage to my diesel heater from my old agm 😆 Ive just installed a lithium battery and have yet to use the camper so 🤞 i dont notice any major issues. Thanks for sharing this, if i have any problems its something i can think about doing 👍

[@gregevans8939]

A diesel heater needs a large current at startup (glow-plug)... but once it's fired up, the current draw is very small.

[@abelincoln3261]

A failsafe to most issues on an RV is to run your DC powered devices via a dedicated battery / power supply / back up... it will not allow your system to drop bellow the needed 12.5 plus volts .. safe zone. Running anything past that zone is pushing it... if you have multiple devices / appliances tied into the same system.. pulling power..

[@CJ-ew8df]

I had to add a voltage regulator to my Trio Gas Alarm (for my LPG) a while back, as when the solar started in the morning, it would set the alarm going.

[@wobby1516]

Makes a lot of sense I did the same to run a tv and a router.

[@leemillington7164]

Great video John. Time to look at changes to our van. I will be in touch 😎👍

[@MoThomson]

Well explained John, make sense now, hope your current heater keeps going longer than the last one. I guess you will be using marginally less power overall now you are regulating the 12v feeds.

[@nigelglassey4838]

Thanks. I wasnt aware of this. Will try on essential devices. Cheers

[@scottb5716]

Set bulk absorb to 10 mins for lithium so it stays above 14v for minimal time. Some standard settings are 2 hours which is pointless.

[@joshm3342]

Great video! Anything that will prolong equipment life and improve reliability out on the road is always welcome.

[@deeeeeeeench1209]

I use one of these for 12v to 19v for a 32" samsung smart tv in my van I dint need that though as most stuff is designed to have a little room for voltage drop and increase this isn't a must.

[@marchoekstra1076]

Great idea! Just wondering, aren't you afraid that the converters pull a constant small current, when always connected to the battery, even when nothing is connected to the output? When you have a few installed and together they for example pull 50mA, then the battery will be drained pretty much in a few day's.

[@GadgetJohn]

Not at all, so far the drain is unnoticeable.

[@geofrancis2001]

I had a similar problem as this when using the 12v output directly from a generator, it would fry power monitors until i added a 12v regulator. it turns out it was spiking to 16v on when the engine sped up.

[@welshieonwheels]

Thank you I used one for my TV a while back and it works great ,but went away this week and thought my fridge was quit noisy especially at night . So I have have been thinking about the power going to it , now you got me thinking . Although on site iv got a change over switch to go to site electric which I put through a crude 240 to 12 volt converter so not sure. House voltage is allowed to vary by 7% and that may mean that they could have a zenor resistor combo in the plug you held up to keep the output at 12 volts DC . But 18 to 20% is a lot , so I think I’ll try that on my fridge and let you know, thank you well done good luck 👍👍👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧🇨🇦🦢

[@melbournesubtropicfruits9474]

Ive always run my heater stationary but wonder what input tolerances of a 12 to 240v inverter is off lithium? I will get a stabiliser for my heater to increase its life 🤔😄

[@chimchef]

I didn’t know these even existed. My Alexa is a bit odd sometimes so maybe it’s this issue, it’s only been since I’ve added an extra 400w of solar so the batteries are in float charge more often.🧐 I love this type of stuff. Cheers Gadget John…

[@jeffreystroman2811]

I love how this guy sounds authoritative without actually knowing what he's talking about

[@jinjocat]

John, did you consider just putting a high-current silicon diode or two in series, and using the forward voltage of the diode to drop the voltage a bit across the device?

[@suziemc5291]

Thanks for this. Hubbie is about to install a new diesel heater as ours kept giving this code. He's not watched this yes but he is under orders to do so and only the other day he asked me what Internet you are running so he will be ordered to watch that one too. Tia

[@petertitterton6836]

Hi John, I have a similar problem with my caravan water pump pressure switch. When plugged into 240 v on a site the pump works fine. When on '12' v off grid, the pump won't switch off. I have to readjust the pressure switch setting. I did try a buck converter successfully on a previous caravan with the same problem but have not refitted it to my present caravan...yet! Varying battery voltage can cause odd problems.

[@Larrysusmanuk]

Hi John, you’re absolutely amazing, love your videos. This has got me thinking about some of my failures, thanks so much for sharing 🤙🏻 hopefully I’ll bump into you on the road. 🙏🤞🏻👌🏻

[@richardrowland7044]

Yeah I got one just like that but my output is 13.8 so I can use solar panel and pipe that into that and then charge lithium battery up to at least 13.8 volts

[@yellownev]

Another interesting topic thank you. I am approaching it from the other direction ( you may recall I asked about regulated output on the recent power battery you tested ….. specifically output from the 12v port ) These tend to be regulated if I understand it so voltage drop can be an issue. I have tried to add my Ecoflow to my battery bank using the 12v 10 amp output but it has limited effect, I’ve found something similar that does the opposite and seems to take that regulated 12v and boost it to a variable level…. So my theory is I can boost the regulated output into my system to a higher voltage similar to that the charger might supply 13.2 volts meaning the Ecoflow would take over all the 12v duties when added to the 12v circuit. With a bit of parasitic charging to the 12v battery bank…. Worth a try I hope that made sense !

[@jamesnightingale9782]

Nice one John. Silly little things that make a big difference. Could one if it was big enough be fitted directly at source so it covered say all your electrical outlets..just thinking. Then maybe everything that should have a stable 12v gets it..rather than fitting independent units..Regards Jim

[@alanmay1945]

What a great video! unique too, very perceptive and insightful of you, and will help many many people. Thankyou Gadget John! (btw, and very incidentally, at 10:52 your fridge cools to plus 4 not minus 4 I think you must have meant). Brilliant video.

[@dingnextstop]

Excellent info John.. I wonder if my pure sine inverter is affected by higher input voltage? With engine running or solar powering I can get 14.6-8v…? It seems to work ok beside cooling fans occasionally come on 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@jonbeddall5838]

Hmmmn-Thanks John- another mighty useful bit of research... I wonder if there's a bigger one I could use to just feed the fusebox!? Did you look into that?

[@petersimms4982]

Can’t believe I put up with lead acid batteries for so long🤬lithium is like a whole different world! No more worrying 😊😊😊

[@terrygee210]

A high current diode or 2 or 3 in series dropping around 1/2 volt each will achieve much the same result.

[@rjright7373]

Argh, I hate it when my battery dies and shuts down my diesel heater with that err 2., it would make more sense for the heater to shut down but allow the cooling process to continue operation. Im going to need a backup battery system just to prevent that. It wouldnt be good to have my heater crack in mid january with Canadian weather.😢

[@dicbev]

Well presented and explained for us plebs, thanks John.

[@gavinwilkinson3722]

Jon i use a Victron DC to DC charger as a power regulator, you can set them to whatever output voltage you like. Mine is is set to always put out a constant 12.8v regardless of whatever state the battery is in.

[@GadgetJohn]

That setting won’t be good for your battery as you’re not allowing it to get a full charge.

[@DrivingPhilippines]

@@GadgetJohn The Victron has a power supply mode, and that is what I think he's using for 12.8v constant voltage output. You can buy the 30A version and use it to power all the 12v devices in the van. Victron Orion 12/12-30 Smart Chargers have the power supply mode. Very handy!

[@ronaldod7116]

Should i use the isolated one or the shared ground. With shared ground i need to rewire a lot.

[@DrivingPhilippines]

@@ronaldod7116 Definitely the isolated version.

[@johnshaw359]

Stable 'local voltage' with separated earth grounding is a thought.

[@ConciergeMed]

Very good again John, thank you. Looking forward to the wifi video as if it reveals issues with the netgear, i need to send mine back by 21/06/24. Im having intermittent success with it compared to phone tethering so cant wait to see what you have reveal regardless... cheers!

[@mikestork3223]

Great video bud, do they use up much more power tho? I haven’t any issues right now but thinking about installing them for good practice just concerned about losing battery power as I don’t bother with alterertors or solar….. just charge up on sites every now and then

[@johnfromireland]

I was just thinking it's a shame a device like this couldn't be installed close to the leisure battery and regulate the entire 12 volt circuit, rather than having to go around chopping all the power supplies. Just a thought 😮

[@jonbinnie]

Amazing thank you! Will try it.

[@claesmansson9070]

Think most bms es can be set to maximum voltage too, 13 or 14 volts, but as long as you don t need a lot of Watts that device is ok too.

[@GadgetJohn]

That’s not true, factory batteries have locked BMS software to stop users making their own changes.

[@stevebrown6665]

Def going to put one in the supply to my compressor fridge

[@Guuski]

What about equalization charge that can even go to 15v/16v ?

[@deanedeane4318]

Great video and very interesting outcome , very similar to some cheap generators with not good voltage and hertz output .... 😉🙃😎 NZ

[@Ro-Bucks]

Been thinking of getting one of them, I want to run a 12v inverter of a 48v bank. I think I might need to bridge two of them, so I don't fry it though.

[@briandevitt6903]

Super stuff mate. Very useful.

[@Rob.1340]

Thanks John. Just working out an electrical system for a van build, will be adding these. Thanks again. All the best. 👍🚐🚐😎

[@StephenandSusan6557]

So interesting and makes sense. Thanks.

[@brettster3331]

I had something similar happen to me, my Toyota highlander going on 8 years old started to get some glitchy problems with the built in GPS, and other things, they still worked but not as well, one day I talked with my beloved local.mechanic about this and he asked me how old my 12 volt battery is, I told him it was,still the original one and It always started the vehicle just fine, well it turns out that the 8 year old battery was putting out the wrong voltage. One new battery later and everything is working like new..

[@peteratkin3788]

Very useful find, thank you.