How To Do RV Lithium The Right Way

[@douglasrobbie9998]

A few items. For an example of a method to add more solar panels via stacking and slide out, take a look at fellow YT Sail Life Athena from 6 months ago. The design is for a dinghy davit for a sailboat but the concepts might work for you, As far a budget solar, I helped design and install a 640w system on a catamaran 3 yrs ago. Total cost for two 320w panels (at 60cents/w) a 60amp Makeskyblue mppt with bluetooth ($150) plus circuit breakers, pv cables, battery cables, tools and waterproof thru hulls was $650 or about $1per watt. The boat already had a 12v battery bank so there was no extra batteries needed or their cost .

[@loriw2661]

This is WAY above my head but I loved watching this. What an amazing system in an amazing RV!

[@davelamont]

That behemoth of a system is a true piece of artwork.

[@amsoiltek]

Most awesome setup Ben, I really like the fact that you got away from packaged batteries and went the cell route. I wonder if the big 3 that I follow, David Poz, Jehugarcia, and Will Prowse would comment on your great setup?

[@triphius]

Thanks! I’m glad you like it!

[@innerspaceavailable]

@Benk did you have New Horisons extend your basement back a couple feet? Wondering what you did to support your toolbox? I opened up the back wall and saw just underlayment for the bottom of my fifthwheel. I can add some steel and make reinforcements. Just wondering.

[@triphius]

@@innerspaceavailable There's at least one aluminum structural member down the center and probably more. But, yes, the flooring is a laminated component similar to the walls. I used 4 bolts through the toolbox and through the floor to the underside (all stainless steel) with fender washers and Nyloc nuts.

[@silvanocometta9760]

A truly amazing system. Congratulations!

[@Nat_Sarim]

An awesome system.. SOO love the batteries. Learning the details to build some as we speak. Battle Born, even if they are the best, are so, SOOO far beyond the commonly expressed excuse of "buy once cry once" it's hysterical. When I started this endeavor some years ago I intended to go Battle Born simply becuz they were allegedly the best, and the best is what I thought I was about to do. HA! I ended up getting just shy of 3 batteries per cost of one, and 3 years later I have not regretted it.

[@energieundhobby]

Very nice and clean build 👍👍 Greetings from Bavaria... which unfortunately is in Germany. 😅😅

[@jimsimpson2072]

Your setup is awesome! However, I would like to know where you found the ' buddy plug.' Can't find a 30amp power output plug like the one on your rig. Plenty of inlet plugs. A resource to buy one would be much appreciated. Thanks and again, a killer power system.

[@triphius]

Thanks! I found the receptacle on Amazon. It comes in a box meant for surface mounting, but I took the receptacle part out of the box and put it directly in the wall (since I knew I had more than enough thickness there, the terminals don’t event stick out beyond the inside edge of the basement wall. smile.amazon.com/dp/B099K9JB5P/?tag=five2go-20

[@jimsimpson2072]

Thank you very much, Ben! You're my hero. Wish I had your accumulated knowledge. I know you've worked hard to get it. More power to you.

[@Applefreak52]

Great video! Thanks for the walkthrough!

[@UFO_researcher]

A shunt is simply a piece of wire with a known resistance, by measuring the voltage across it, you can work out the amperage.

[@alanvallance3343]

All in and over-engineered! Good job. Impressive. I am a cheap ass. 16s grade b cells with 5kw Chinese hybrid solar inverter/charger. Using the onboard ac charger to charge the inhouse batts. Max I can pull with ac, heater, and microwave at the same time is 83amps @ around 52v. Wired for 200amps max. 30ft RV.

[@dc1544]

very nice setup. if you pull 10kw each battery will be producing around .4C if those are 280ah cells. I have 4 of those batteries setup in my house and only when things are starting up do I even come close to 10kw. I use kilowatts as the unit of measure since 48v and 240v have different amps to achieve the same kw in/output. I would suggest he runs a heater/ac duct into that area. so it can be cooled or heated so it wont matter where he goes.

[@triphius]

There are already heater ducts running into the basement (one from each furnace). The active cooling fan helps keep the temperature down when it’s hot outside.

[@fbezza]

Amazing ! My dream battery for my RV in Europe. Still very expensive over here !

[@thatAKredneck]

Are you running a 48v aux alternator off the engine or a PTO? it seems that would be the most efficient way to recharge your system quickly.

[@triphius]

I’m not doing anything like that right now.

[@junkerzn7312]

That is an incredibly good build. You are even down-buffering from the 48V system to a 12V battery for the 12V system (which means that the DC-to-DC converter doesn't have to deal with the 12V loads). Very few people in the industry know about that trick.

[@Phantastischphil]

Hi. Thank you for your comment. Do you have any good sources of information on how to do this cost efficiently? I would be so grateful.

[@SkypowerwithKarl]

The reflection on cell 16 looks like it has been crushed by the end plate because of the rigid rods without springs. Crushing can happen if the cells were “compressed “ at a low state of charge (rod nuts snugged) and when the batteries reach full state of charge, they can expand with the accumulated expansion of 16 cells as much as 3/8 of an inch, even more in hot conditions. Springs can be added so the end plates can apply a force of between 500 to 650 pounds regardless of expansion across the large side of the cells. Other than that, excellent install.

[@Phantastischphil]

Hi thanks for the info. Where can I find more information about this?

[@SkypowerwithKarl]

@@Phantastischphil diysolarforum(dot)com The biggest solar/battery/inverter resource on the planet and it’s free

[@electromechanicalstuff2602]

No commercial pack using the same cells uses springs.

[@SkypowerwithKarl]

@ How many commercial banks have 16 cells in a row? At most 8 cells, and of those they are fixtured in a flexible or yielding sheet metal frame and/or have foam in use.

[@1gumbah]

Once in 6 years of solar/ battery RV ing I find someone who knows what the hell he’s talking about kudos to you

[@quartamile]

Cool vid, thank you! What kind of batteries, where are they sourced, price, warranty, etc. Bless 🙏🏽✌🏽

[@triphius]

They are from CALB and the model is L173F230B. My EE friend sourced everything, so I don't have all those details.

[@tanya334]

Holy Moley 😵‍💫 Thank you I think 😁 Safe Travels ❤️

[@allencoleman2319]

I did a 24v system with 100AH cells. I’m assuming you have 300AH cells to get you the 20KWH+ of energy. I also have a 12v battery that is charged via the 24v bank through the multiplus. Do you go with Quattros vs multiplus for the 10K rating? How many amps through your Dc-Dc converter (48v to 12v), and what DC components do you use it for? Nice work. Great job on the install. Edit: FYI….generators, generally, have 12v starter (hence my 12v agm battery). More details how I charge the 12v: I have a Victron IP22 charger that plugs into the backside of the main distribution panel (gave me a breaker dedicated to this charger). I do loose energy in the DC to AC to DC conversion, but it really simplified things.

[@triphius]

Yeah, the Quattro’s were a requirement for the high power capacity. In reality we would have been perfectly fine with 8 kVA units, but Victron doesn’t make them for 120V systems. So we went with the 10 kVA. That DC-to-DC charger will put out 30A (at 12V) with the occasional surge up to 40A. I run everything that is 12V in the system (which frankly because it’s a RV is most of the things). I have one network switch on the roof in a waterproof box that was natively 48V, so I’ve got that wired directly into the 48V side.

[@triphius]

Oh, also my rig has a big ol’ cable going back to the generator rack from up front.

[@allencoleman2319]

Lol, that would have to be a big ‘ol cable. Impressed with the system. All you need is more solar panels ;)

[@triphius]

@@allencoleman2319 Yeah, it’s 2 AWG. We’ll see if I ever put a generator back there. I saw someone who just had one on his MDT truck and he’d just connect the RV to it like shore power when needed. I thought that was a pretty slick setup. And yeah, definitely need more solar panels!

[@WhiteFox011]

WOW, WHAT A SYSTEM! But he has what he thinks he needs! And he must have some very deep pockets.

[@DaddyEric222]

Great setup! I did a similar diy setup in my cargo van conversion. 15KWH custom battery, I did 12v and huge cables lol. Setup as 2 independent 12v batteries. I did 1 victron 3000 multiplus and a 3000 watt inverter on separate AC lines. Mostly for cost. I’ve also been able to plug into an ev charger and charge the battery! J1772 connector to Nema 14-50.

[@triphius]

That’s pretty cool to be able to utilize the EV charging stations like that. I’ve seen them at places and always wondered if something could be done to utilize that power. Although, a lot more difficult with a big ol’ 5th wheel. That’s a great pairing for the cargo van.

[@alecfurtado1765]

I've been look at how to do J1772 to 50A... do you just have an external charger you carry around that does the charger handshake? I wasn't able to find something that let me use the full EV charger power, though any charging would help in a pinch anyway.

[@DaddyEric222]

@@alecfurtado1765 I could only get about 1200watts total in. There was some balance issues with the voltages in each leg, which limited me. I’ll get between 178v - 97v. So the product I talked about earlier would fix that. Overall it works though with just the adapter. There isn’t much of a handshake for the j1772 actually. Just 2 pins I think, and the adapter I have have it wired to be “always connected”.

[@alecfurtado1765]

@@DaddyEric222 Got it. I thought from specs that those extra pins were required for public charging stations to start supplying power

[@hangingoutenjoyinglifewith2268]

Great Set up / Content!!👌🏾👌🏾

[@brandonnelson4164]

Oversizing the inverter - you are going to have more power loss/waste. Besides that, nice system. On the cells, have you tested to confirm they are running rated capacity? Do you have temperature sensors on the cells?

[@bladedspokes]

These inverters are correctly sized for the application and environmental conditions. They are 10kVA at 25C but only 6kVA at 45C.

[@triphius]

Yeah, we oversized for the temperature derating issue. Also, yes… Eric did test all the cells prior to installing, they actually clocked it closer to 245 Ah, despite being rated for 230 Ah. I’ll take it. 😂

[@ericklein5097]

Victron inverters have such low idle consumption that I dont think it impacts his 20kwh system when you factor in his solar potential. These arent Chinese all in one units with an idle of 90-120 watts per 5Kw of inverting power Edit: I see complaints of the no load consumption being 100W for some people. Manual says 30W. Thats a big difference and I would demand a new unit

[@triphius]

I also live full time in the rig and literally never have a no load condition. 😂

[@hadleytorres8171]

I've been wanting to swap my onan generator out for a battery pack. And this really helped me figure that I've got plenty space.

[@SolarPowerMyRV]

Cool setup.

[@kylegeorgeson]

Are those cells and busbars rated for mobile applications?

[@seanbhaney]

OMG...it sure looks like an incredible build. I wish I had an electrical buddy to help me!!! Good job!!!

[@bladedspokes]

How close to Charlotte NC are you? 😉

[@jandblawncare8570]

All I can say is WOW! lol. We had a decent size system installed using all Victron and Battle Born batteries and it's been great so far....I think lol. I helped the installer and he walked me through everything but its hard to wrap your head around everything in 3 days, specially if your not tech/electrical savvy and I'm not lol. We are weekend warriors at best and have only used the system by itself a couple times so still learning the how and why's of it, Ben did a great job of putting things into layman's terms for the average person to understand. We ended up going with a 12v system and yes those wires were fat and very hard to manipulate but we got it done nice and neat like yours. Only thing I want to add is a high output fan in the enclosed cabinet where everything lives and duct it to the inside of the rv, our last trip the batteries were as hot as 98F and the fan was constantly running on the Multi Plus !! we have.

[@matthewwiemken7293]

12v is very problematic with high load appliances and that is why it is better to use higher voltage to help keep heat down:)

[@stephenbaker3680]

12volt's the safest! As for the fatter wiring, do it when warm..as copper strands easier to bend. Even 10 AWG romex a real BIACH! to wrestle with when cold! Other thing on bigger 12volt setups is TRY to get QUALITY 12v to 120vac inverter!! Cheapy bigger( my Chinese $250 ""special"!) can be finnicky on me when starting large skillsaws,chainsaws, @15A 120volt rating....unLESS! EVERY! connection TIGHT! And yes..good ventilation a MUST! Need I say more.

[@UFO_researcher]

Nice video, very cool setup. When I was experimenting, I noticed when I put cells in parallel, the BMS got very hot. After researching, it appears the cells may become out of balance because they tend to charge each other, which causes the BMS to get hot. After a lot of effort, I have found that puting diodes at the ends of each series and puting them in parallel with the diodes, prevents the BMS from heating up. I also noticed a significant increase in my battery performance. Since I need a lot of amps, I soldered 20 diodes rated at 1 amp in parallel for each series cell. I have seen about 10x increase in performance (voltage sag, cell balance and power output).

[@ericklein5097]

Were the cells at the same SOC? Voltage means nothing. Two cells at 3.26 could be 20% and 70% SOC. If you put out of balance cells in parallel you will see massive current flow and for 280Ah cells that could be a scary amount of amps. Even 100Ah cells. When I connect two 18650's in parallel at different SOC's I'll see 20A or more in the first second that tapers down to 10A by 3 seconds but stays pretty high for a minute if they are more than 0.5V apart. (That test was done with Samsung 25R's but even energy cells gave me similar results but the lower the IR the larger the flow. the 25R has an IR of ~12mOhms and a 280Ah cell has an IR of 0.16mOhm...YES, zero point one six milliohms, moving the decimal two places to the left)

[@UFO_researcher]

@@ericklein5097 Why do you say voltage means nothing? Any time I put cells in parallel, I use diodes to prevent cell balancing. It is not recommended to use old cells, since they will not be the same capacity.

[@ericklein5097]

@@UFO_researcher voltage is not an indicator of SOC with such a flat charge/discharge curve but people assume a battery at say 3.27 is at 50% when it could be at 30% and another could be at 70%. Props to you for using diodes, very safe but I think that is messing with the BMS attempting to balance. I'd have to see your setup to know for sure.

[@UFO_researcher]

@@ericklein5097 I don't use a BMS. The important point is not over discharging and not over charging, which are indicated by voltage.

[@Nat_Sarim]

@@UFO_researcher Old post I know, sorry. When u say u don't use a BMS, do u mean per battery, or none at all?

[@kenhelmers2603]

Very cool Ben! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@danielhenkins]

Have you thought about using solar awnings

[@cchupek]

Where did you source these batteries and what’s the brand/model of them? Great setup on this rig! Digging the network and internet setup!

[@triphius]

Hey Chad. I’m glad you liked everything. My friend Eric designed the system and sourced the battery cells, so I’m not 100% sure. I do know they are from CALB and they were a pretty new model from them this time last year. The cells are rated at 230 Ah each, but when Eric load tested them, he got closer to 240 Ah

[@sbene6439]

@@triphius do you what the chemistry of these batteries are? LIPO, LIFEPO, etc..

[@triphius]

@@sbene6439 They’re LiFePo4 cells.

[@adon8672]

@@sbene6439 they are certainly LiFePO4

[@cchupek]

@@triphius Thanks for the information on the cells. I found them and am looking at vendors right now to see who I should buy from. What BMS or group of BMS’s did you use? Seem to be a huge variety and most are 200A and less.

[@SuperSushidog]

If you are still considering adding more solar you might get some ideas from what we're doing. I will be racking 8, 550W Sungold Power solar panels in a single row down the length of our 35ft Class A, about 14" off our roof, above our AC, fan shrouds, etc. Our MH is only 11' 9" tall now, to the top of our AC shrouds, so we will remain under 12" in height when done. We're wintering over in Yuma, AZ now, assembling the components of this build, and plan to have it finished right after the first of the year. We received our aluminum racking material and hardware last week, and our solar panels just arrived 4 days ago, but it will take time to get everything assembled and installed, as we're moving much slower these days. We are retired and living on social security and a small pension, so have to do everything on a tight budget forgoing name brand components like Battleborn and Victron for lesser-known brands and must do all the work ourselves - which keeps getting harder as we age. You could probably rack 9-10 of these huge panels on your fiver, dedicating one or two for your 12v batteries if needed. We started our build 4 years ago with a custom built 620-watt liftable solar array mounted on the side of our motorhome. It serves as a nice bedroom window awning too, practically lifting itself to the desired angle with a couple gas struts and it's easy to clean with a windshield squeegee, standing safely on the ground. But the main reason for mounting it on the side of our MH was to leave the roof free for the 4,400W array that will cover the entire roof so we'll be bringing our own shade with us wherever we go. We just completed the first phase last January, with the addition of a custom built 560ah of LiFePo-4 battery we made with 8, 280ah prismatic cells. We typically use less than 20% of their capacity daily giving us enough reserve capacity for about a week of bad weather before we have to run our generator for charging. It only cost us $1,500 to build this 560ah 12v (7.1Kwh) battery, including a 350A amp BMS and an active balancer. We will be using a Sungold Power all-in-one 48V, 5,000W, 120V PSW Inverter, 100a MPPT charge controller and a 40A a/c battery charger. The reason we chose this all-in-one is because the idle power consumption is only 25 watts - and it's on sale now for only $721 to the end of the month! Our 48v battery bank will use 16, 310ah prismatic cells. So together with our 560ah (7.1 Kwh)12v bank, we will have a total of 22.9Kwh of batteries onboard (about 18 Battleborns worth). We will be replacing our old rear 13.5k btu rooftop Dometic AC with one of the new high-efficiency 12k btu mini-split heat pumps. This second phase will cost under $10k, including the $1,500 EG4 28.5 seer2 heat pump, as we plan on doing all the work ourselves. Our 2nd phase will provide 24/7 off-grid air conditioning and supplemental heat from the heat pump and allow occasional usage of our front rooftop 14.5k Furrion AC to cool things down quickly during peak afternoon hours, as well as give us whole house 120v ac power. We'll soon have total off-grid electrical independence, allowing us to keep our generator in reserve for emergency use only - on a budget we can afford. Take care, we hope to see you down the road!

[@bluesyoucanuse]

What are you using for a 48v shutoff for the system? I have not found any good options.

[@VeryWarmBear1]

Put bifacial panels over your present array, make them movable . The bottom panels will generate some while the n Bifacial s are over then moved off you will have full output of both arrays.

[@triphius]

That’s an interesting idea.

[@ochjoo77]

Looks like a cool system! Diy is definitely the way to go when you want to be cost efficient. Just wondering how the weight ends up, is it comparable to hauling the generator or is the RV maxed out now?

[@G53X0Y0Z0]

A Onan 5500 generator is about 288 lbs., and of course you will have at least one 12V battery for the basic system, and probably more. Each cell on his system is probably about 11.85 lbs., so 36 cells x that is 428 lbs. for battery weight. The big Victron inverters are about 128 lbs. each. The solar panels are probably going to be 250 lbs. plus mounting hardware. That's over 930 lbs. for the major components, and then there is the wiring, smaller electronic boxes and components, and wood mounting panels. Maybe pushing 1100 lbs. for the system.

[@triphius]

@@G53X0Y0Z0 I appreciate the breakdown! I’ve just never gotten around to it. That seems like a pretty good estimate! 😊

[@craftymulligar]

I like the system but hopefully you got a generator also they are getting better also with inverter and propane options.

[@mikestirewalt5193]

Do I understand that 2 ought cable is lighter and thinner than 4 ought?

[@cliffwendy3765]

Very impressive, thank you for sharing. I'm in the market to upgrade my singular 12 v group 27 battery with 220v solar power setup to something comparable to your system I.e. 48v. Basically enhance the battery with something that gives me better piece of mind knowing I won't run out of battery power. My rv is an 18' tear drop Safari condo alto R1713.

[@triphius]

Awesome! Just make sure to size it appropriately. Also, I’d probably go 24V. Much less complicated and you’ve got a smaller rig - space and weight constraints are real!

[@cliffwendy3765]

@@triphius how do I get a battery such as the kind you have?

[@triphius]

@@cliffwendy3765 It’s pretty much a DIY thing, unless you can find someone to help you with it. But I’ll just say for the record that electricity is complex and dangerous, so please don’t try to DIY it unless you really, really know what you’re doing.

[@triphius]

Honestly, you’re probably better off with a good quality pre-fabricated battery. I’ve heard good things about Enduropower. (And of course BattleBorn, but they’re high $$ for what you get)

[@cliffwendy3765]

@@triphius I rewired an entire house. Learning about converters, transformers, inverters, alternators, series, parallel etc... comes easy to me.

[@jacobusdegroot7557]

Nice system!

[@NTM2009]

What are the cords for at the pin box. Seen there was a couple and thought it might be addressed in this video

[@Five2Go]

Two of them are to hook up cameras to the truck and one is the 7-pin for towing.

[@davidharbison6861]

Question we do lots of community outreaches through out our state as well as throughout endeavor the country to help during natural disasters. We have a 40 foot trailer and are looking to build a new 53 foot trailer. In the past we have been running a 12000 watt Cummins Onan diesel generator. Sometimes we start it and it runs for as many as 4 to 5 weeks only stopping long enough for oil changes. Although we get very good fuel economy with fuel prices right now it can cost up to $1200 per outreach or disaster situation. We go into inner cities as well as rural areas. We are non profit and looking to go with lithium and solar as well as keeping generator to help charge the system if needed. We have contacted battery companies unfortunately they are more about sponsoring fishermen and sailing KZbinrs rather than helping out non profits. So we are looking to do a system ourselves. We are designing and building our own trailer but could sure use some help with designing the lithium solar system. If anyone would be interested in offering some advice it would be highly appreciated. We are extremely mechanical and capable when it comes to fabricating. Also pretty electrical and have a friend that has been a union electrician for 30 years. But advice in the design of this type of system would be a tremendous blessing. Thanks for consideration.

[@joshnabours9102]

Maybe build a fold down solar awning? I would imagine it is the easiest way to add major amounts of solar without putting it on the roof.

[@JeffinTD]

That is one gigrundus system!

[@jetfu400]

Nice

[@jeffreyluther7947]

Who was his mentor who helped him design the 48 Volt system? I want to use the life pro cells like he did and I'm interested in building a 24 Volt system. I don't think I will need as much power that he is creating I have 6 325 Watt panels. I would like a little help designing my system and I would like to build it myself. I think I would use it in the design on my skoolie build, kind of a steam punk look inside. My plan is to run my TV's and computers off 19 Volts DC (read the inline transformers that power them) and pretty much everything else lighting and solar linear actuators to tilt panels and raise the bed for storage underneath off of 12 Volt. Fridge Microwave and mini split off of AC current. Still designing as I build. Great video thanks

[@triphius]

Pop on over to Discord and we’d all be happy to discuss your ideas!

[@LorenTedford]

First off a mis title here that is a LIFEPO4 Battery bank... Huge difference between the standard Lithium batteries because the normal Lithium batteries suck... Next off I use a 24v LIfep04 Battery on my mobility scooter and its amazing!

[@triphius]

True, although most people in the community don’t really know the difference - they just call them “lithium batteries”. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@jkepps]

@Loren Tedford - What is a "standard lithium battery"? There are numerous lithium chemistries. As you mentioned these batteries are LiFePo4, which is a lithium battery. Li(lithium)Fe(iron)Po4(Phosphate). There are others, LiIon: Li(lithium)Ion, LiPo: Li(lithium)Po(polymer), the list goes on. These are indeed lithium batteries.

[@ericklein5097]

No, these are lithium. Nickel Manganese Cobalt or Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (etc) aren't the owners of the "lithium" battery name

[@randy1203]

Can I remove my 2 agm batteries and replace them with lithium? I don't have any solar. I'm thinking about a battery tender for th lithium batteries.

[@juri14111996]

the victron inverter chargers can even feed power back in to the grid.

[@triphius]

Yes, they can. But I don’t really want to do that. You never really know if the infrastructure at the park is something that would take that gracefully. Apparently some meters run forward regardless of the direction of power! You’d be paying to give them energy!

[@lotechgreg]

Ben, .. what size cells? ... 280's, .. 304's .. curios .... If you said, sorry, I didn't catch it...... I went, separate 12v/24v system, but, went separate panels, charge controllers, cells/batt. ... Complete separate systems, ... in terms of backup, 2 is1, 1 is none.......... Love your setup.....

[@Patrick_Cashman]

He's using 230Ah cells.

[@lotechgreg]

@@Patrick_Cashman Thanks.

[@triphius]

CALB L173F230B, specifically

[@recoblade1465]

If you ever decide to make some changes you can replace those two dally BMS with a single baytrum BMS and it will replace the two individual battery shuts you have and give you way more information on your batteries including individual cell voltage and jbd makes a BMS for 12 volts they make a 48 volt as well and a 24 that has Bluetooth connectivity individual cell voltage and an internal shunt and switch. Having said all that would you have there is an amazing battery build A good BMS like a patreon or patreon style or JBE and there's a lot of them out there doesn't need a balance board/ active balance you might want to look at some of Will Prowse old videos on them. Also a Victron Orion would allow you to charge your RVs 12v from your tow vehicle

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

Or JK.

[@ericklein5097]

@@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity JK is pretty cool shizz

[@ericklein5097]

Do Baetrium and JBD/Overkill make a 500A BMS because I think thats what he is using

[@recoblade1465]

@@ericklein5097 Batrium does make a 500 amp suntt but personally I like their 1,000 amp shunt as it is only $20 more power does not actually pass through the BMS itself making it safer as for the jbd/overkill BMS that would be more for his 12v battery but they do make a 48-version that you could wire through a 500+ amp switch or a shunt trip breaker the reason I have made this suggestion is because in a high amp situation like he has due to the fact that if he maxes out his system he's going to be pulling around 413 amps you generate a lot of heat in the type of BMS that he has wired the way he he has elected to wire it a single Atrium BMS would replace the 248 volt BMS the balancer board that he uses as well as the cell monitor that he has and give him a couple of relays and multiple temperature sensors so he could set it to turn on a vent fan when the temperature reaches a certain point or in the winter turn on a heating pad when the temperature reaches a different point

[@bravojr]

Power queens are not bad

[@marsrover001]

The only issue I see is lack of insulation between each cell. The outer case of those cells are connected to negative, and the only thing keeping a short from happening is that thin blue coating that's very easy to nick while installing. During road vibration it can chew right through. Cardboard, thin plastic, fishpaper, really just about anything will keep it safe. Good job on the compression though, the rest of the build looks high quality and we'll thought out.

[@garethwilliams2147]

the cases on lifep04 are actually positive not negative and yeah it needs some sort of isolating sheet between each cell, because if the blue wrap wears away then bye bye RV

[@hakunamatataadventurebus5944]

I agree with your assessment about insulators between cells. I feel it’s also important to add insulation to the compression rods.

[@randybobandy9828]

You might not be able to see it but he might have a insulator between cells, it's thin and might not look obvious when clamped

[@triphius]

I’ve got insulation on the compression rods, but will be looking into something for in between. Honestly the cells don’t really move… there’s actually a bit of suction between them from the material and compression that it has yet to be a problem. But I can take a hint! There’s been a few people who have mentioned this, so I’ll be making that happen regardless of my luck so far! 😂

[@ericklein5097]

@@garethwilliams2147 source on the casing being positive? IIRC Lishen and Eve cells are negative

[@txcombatmedic]

Me watching this thinking I am going to do this tomorrow by myself with no issues 😵‍💫

[@knowledge8039]

what bms are you using ,what disconnect also.

[@triphius]

BMS is Daly 250A 16S and the disconnects are Eaton Busman 200A resettable circuit breakers.

[@jonhoughtaling4458]

I'm new to your channel and to solar I'm putting a small to medium sized lithium and solar system on my rv Who is this Ben person and what company dose he work to help me not screw up my RV

[@Five2Go]

Ben is just a normal guy who adds a bunch of gear to his RVs. He doesn't do this professionally for a company. There's a bunch more info and you can also ask him questions directly on our Discord server: www.five2go.com/discord

[@michaeldunn8825]

I would like to know the pin weight of that rig

[@gordschultz1980]

Awesome video again! What an awesome setup. Who on discord can I hire to help design and install a lesser solar setup?

[@triphius]

Depending on your needs, I could probably help you out

[@RonMDavis]

@ben I am all over this build .. can't wait to connect in Discord. My system is 48v custom build also but not near as large as yours. Excellent job.

[@triphius]

@@RonMDavis Awesome!

[@ALongLongWaytoGO]

Exactly why I built my own….BattleBorn is great product…when you want a name and have a big checkbook. I wanted capacity and didn’t care about a name. Built roughly 16kwhrs for roughly $1200. Wasn’t hard and love them.

[@jz2188]

do you have a manufacturer / parts list for the $1200 system, just what I have budget wise

[@tomjr29]

Yes, share more info.

[@mattg8787]

im doing the same thing and its a lot cheaper

[@jz2188]

@@mattg8787 can you share your setup/bill of materials ?

[@jz2188]

@@ALongLongWaytoGO Thank you so much for taking time to document your method, will look into this for sure !

[@timsteinkamp2245]

I'm impressed with your set up. I'm wondering about the position of the batteries in the 48 volt string. Is there any information if the batteries should be rotated? It seems there should be just like they say if you have more than 2 strings you can run into problems of balance. I'm running four strings in 24 volt with T105s. I was able to get 16 batteries for $2000 and went that way for this purchase. Next purchase I'm hoping to go with Lithium. I am seeing balance problems. I think the batteries need controllers like the lithium have. I think battery manufacturers just sit back and laugh at consumers waiting for us to go buy more batteries. The T105 were made for a 48 volt golf cart in one string.

[@triphius]

I've got some balance issues between the two 48 volt batteries that I need to work out (I probably miscalculated some cable length or something like that), but within each battery there's a balancing board so the cells will be kept in sync that way.

[@ericklein5097]

This is one of the cleanest setups I’ve ever seen…but are the cells 230Ah like the 12V battery or are the 48V batteries made up of larger cells? 280 or 274Ah cells seem to be the cheapest right now but 310Ah cells do exist. Are they EVE or Lishen cells? One more question is that the big daddy 500A Daly BMS? Any regrets not going for a JK or Ant BMS. Not sure if JBD/Overkill make a BMS that large.

[@triphius]

They're all the same 230Ah cells -- in both the 48 volt and the 12 volt batteries. It's just a different number of cells in series. They are from CALB and the model is L173F230B. The Daly BMS is 250A and my disconnects are 200A resettable breakers.

[@bladedspokes]

I was going for clean in the battery design, but Ben really raised "clean" to a whole new level with his system wiring. Anyway, I went with a Daly in the design mostly because that's what I had the most experience with. Today there are probably some nicer options out there but I didn't want to try something "new" on this project. There was a narrow window to do the installation, and it was already rife with other challenges like having the trailer stuck to the truck because of a blown hydraulic hose (hence no room to work), a snow storm, cold bitter wind, and both of us being sick. I think the best thing that came out of this was the compression system my mechanical engineer came up with. It's simple and makes a system that is easy to maintain. We went through a couple iterations of the design before he had his epiphany and came up with the "bookends" idea that saved a couple hundred pounds of steel and made it so much more simple.

[@triphius]

@@bladedspokes And Eric tells the rest of the story! 🤣☝🏼

[@bladedspokes]

@@triphius I'm kinda surprised you didn't 😂 What can go wrong... haha

[@aa999xyz]

what about another 48 V battery in the front portion of your truck bed? Higher amperage alternator to help me charge batteries? Who built the batteries?

[@JohnSmith-ug5ci]

The one thing I was expecting, and you did not mention, or possibly do not have is a way to use your truck charging system to charge the batteries while you drive down the road.

[@G53X0Y0Z0]

I think it adds quit a lot of complexity to charge a large high voltage system with a 12V vehicle charging system. It could be done, but probably not worth it from a cost/benefit perspective.

[@JohnSmith-ug5ci]

@@G53X0Y0Z0 no it does not add a lot of complexity. He already has all the equipment to get it done.

[@triphius]

I’ve got a connection from the truck’s 7-way Aux pin in there, but I don’t have it hooked up at the moment. I’m not sure how much I could realistically get out of that anyway… the wire is quite small. Thoughts? How would you do it? The solar panels generally keep us good during travel days and we usually arrive close to 100% anyway, but it never hurts to have an additional method to charge the system.

[@JohnSmith-ug5ci]

@@triphius you have to run a dedicated wire that can handle the amperage. I will give you a couple examples. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rajCZayehrV6rbs

[@JohnSmith-ug5ci]

@@triphius here is another example. kzbin.info/www/bejne/inXbl4WOnLaHZpY

[@TinManOne9]

I run a similar setup with the same style eve cells on my house 45kw bank, way cheaper than anything else on the market and has been perfectly stable - just have to do the math and build it out yourself, which I prefer better

[@tompreiss5010]

Your using the 12v load part of a mppt charger to charge your 12v battery from the 48v battery correct???😳😳😳

[@triphius]

No, I’m using an Orion 48|12 DC-to-DC converter to charge the 12V battery and provide limited power to the 12V components.

[@Sailing_SY_Meltemi]

which BMS is being used?

[@MykSr]

How much do the batteries weigh?

[@triphius]

I don’t recall the exact weight of the batteries, but with everything (including the inverters), we we’re looking at adding around 800 lbs. They’re definitely not light - the portable battery case is pretty heavy by itself and it’s basically 1/4 of the larger battery bank.

[@dobrzpe]

that's a LOT of busbars. and 5 shunts? wow.

[@triphius]

Yeah. Tell me about it! 😂

[@dobrzpe]

@@triphius yea, there's a lot going on in there! i couldn't tell from the angles, do you have a class-t fuse on those batteries or a dc breaker for OCP? it LOOKS well laid out - just seems like you could have gotten away with half the amount of busbars! LOL! and the shunts, i understand you have one for each battery (2), one for BOTH batteries, one for the 12V, what's the 5th on?

[@triphius]

@@dobrzpe The 5th shunt is for measuring DC usage on the 48 volt side other than the inverters. The “DC System” tile in VRM is the data from that shunt. Without that shunt, it’s calculated so I went with raw data instead. I don’t have any Class T fuses in there, just the 200A resettable breakers for OCP. I’m planning to add some in during the next phase since I did miss a few places where I should have OCP.

[@triphius]

@@dobrzpe And as far as the bus bars go… I totally could have consolidated things, but I’ve been annoyed in the past having to kill power to something just to service something else. So one stud per thing (with minor exceptions). Makes my life easier in the long run. Although it was a pain up front. 😂

[@dobrzpe]

@@triphius thank you SO MUCH for responding & answering my question(s)! i'm off grid at my house myself. 48v of course. was surprised you were also 48v in your RV, but your reasoning is absolutely sound! VERY clean setup. gotta say, i'm most impressed (and happy/approve) of you keeping ALL black=neg and ALL red=positive!! even color-appropriate with all those bus bars! LOL! and not just colored heat shrink on whatever cable you had/could find. impressive.

[@pat9125]

Not sure if anyone else has pointed it out but 21 battle born batteries weighs less than this setup not more. Each battle born battery weighs 31 lbs x 21 = 651 compared to the 800+ lb of this setup. I saw someone else already mention the lack of springs to allow for expansion of the battery packs. I'm still not sure why 21 BB batteries isn't a better less complicated solution...cost?

[@triphius]

Light compression of the battery bank actually allows the cells to have a longer lifespan. So springs would allow for expansion of the cells which is counterintuitive. Also, the 800+ lbs of equipment includes the 2 giant Quattro inverters and whatnot -- not just the batteries. The batteries are less than half of that weight.

[@puppetaccess]

I'd postulate that the BB batteries are made of the exact same or equivalent cells so the weight difference would be in the surrounding hardware (of which Ben would likely have less). Neither BB, nor Ben can change the laws of physics.

[@tonyw205]

Ok, i am confused, aren't Battleborn batteries made of these same type cells? Ounce for ounce, how are you really saving any space or weight??

[@joshmatthews3450]

It’s explained in the video. This is a 48V system with three BMS systems. To use battleborns to achieve this same amperage capacity at 12V, you would need 21 of them and they are rather large considering they all have their own integrated BMS. Battleborns are not meant for the use case he was going for, which is generator-level capability for a full-size fifth wheel.

[@gregprince2523]

Why can't they make the slide topper a solar panel screen??

[@cd4683]

It's baffling that there aren't any RV manufacturers putting regenerative breaks on any new models.

[@gabrielrej834]

RV manufacturers aren't really about giving you self-sufficency. They know their clientèle, and most of their customers stay at caravan parks where they have shore power.

[@cd4683]

@@gabrielrej834 Most RV lifestyle people I've seen would see recouping lost energy in breaking on steep inclines as a very appealing feature.. Wandering Wagners would probably like it as much as he liked having the engine break option available on the Freightliner.

[@shaynegadsden]

@@cd4683 it's only possible if the RV is a hybrid or EV

[@cd4683]

@@shaynegadsden which begs the question, given the obvious physics of a massive brick shaped house full of crap going down a steep grade and all the kinetic energy coasting downhill, why aren't there already dozens of hybrid drive models on the market? They're putting solar panels. Imagine the potential of a diesel drive system (which one could fuel with homemade hemp derived biofuel) plus solar panels and a hybrid drive system with regenerative breaking. It could increase the range exponentially. Which answers the question why there aren't already dozens of examples. Greedy investors own both the fossil fuel industry and the entire transportation industry and they benefit from trucks and RVs getting like 8mpg. #GreedIsNotGood #DefundCapitalism

[@johndiezel5781]

@@cd4683 Most people want to strive for efficiency and environmental friendliness, but even though you have your ideas and questions are with good intentions, I don't think you realize how much power (KWH) it takes to power a large RV up a long steep grade. Also, going down hill you would only get back about 30% of the power you used to go up the hill on regenerative braking. Even if the whole RV roof was plastered with solar panels, it would provide maybe only one percent of the power needed to recharge a massive battery bank that would be needed operate a large RV. Then we have the massive cost for a complex high tech system. So, essentially it is not practical nor viable at this point, that is why these systems do not exist. If you want to have an idea how much power it takes for electric vehicles, not only to operate, but to tow a travel trailer, go to TFL truck on youtube and search of their Tesla and Ford F150 Lighting EV towing a camper and/or regular trailer. See how quickly the battery gets used up, meaning the distance driven between needing a recharge is severely diminished. Then do the math of how many kwh is needed to fully recharge the battery, then compare that to how much solar you can put on a roof of an RV or travel trailer, then keep in mind that this is only a pickup truck and not a huge RV. This will give you an idea of impractical it is. It takes much much less electricity to live in an RV boondocking, that compared to the electricity needed to propel a large RV down the highway. It is apples and oranges, so, looks great in theory, but then there is practical reality. I hope this sheds some light to your question.

[@chrisgentry4427]

I'm just not getting the same calculations as you are. Taking the 1st battery bank, it is 16 cells at 3.3 volts each, essentially making it a 48 volt battery. The cells have to be wired in series to make 48v. As stated in a different comment, these are CALB cells. Going to their website and looking at their products, one is 230.4 Watt hours, which is close to the amp hours stated. If you multiply 230.4 (watt hour of each battery) x 16 (number of cells) = 3,686.4 watt hours. AH=WH/voltage. So 3,686.4 / 48 = 76.8 AH. If you put (4) 12v battleborn at 100AH each in place of the 16 cells, you would have more battery capacity. Those 16 cell banks are really only the equivalent of 3 battleborn batteries. So the entire system would be the equivalent of about 6 and 3/4 battle borns at 100AH. Edited: But besides that, this is a really nice system. Very clean professional look and still a lot of capacity. I also agree with not spending huge amounts of money for a name brand and multiple BMS.

[@Patrick_Cashman]

He has 230Ah cells. 2 sets of those for the 48V system. 460Ah @ 48V = 22080Wh. On the 12V battery, it's 230Ah X 12V = 2760Wh.

[@chrisgentry4427]

@@Patrick_Cashman Their current offerings don't include a 230AH cell. Plus if you look at the physical size of the cell, they aren't big enough. The bigger cells have at least one measurement of over 11 inches, and you can use his hand for an approximate size measurement.

[@Patrick_Cashman]

@@chrisgentry4427 I have 280Ah cells. They are the same size as what is shown in this video. There are similar cells in 302 and 320Ah. I'm not sure what you mean by "their current offerings". Cells like this are available from many sources. I got mine from Docan Power. They have a distribution warehouse in Houston. I think you may be getting Wh and Ah confused. Wh = Ah X V. Same as the standard power equation, W = V x A. Here's an example: I have 280Ah cells. 3.2V each. Put 16 in series to make 48V. Now I have a 280Ah 48V battery. I build 2 of those. Now put them in parallel to make a 560Ah 48V battery. 560Ah X 48V = 26880Wh. On the 12V side, I take 2 sets of 4 cells in series. 8 total cells. 4 in series makes a 280Ah 12V battery. 2 of those in parallel makes a 560Ah 12V battery. 560Ah X 12V = 6720Wh. Total system is 26880 + 6720 = 33,600Wh. This video shows similar except instead of 280Ah cells, he's using 230Ah, and only one set of 4 in series for his 12V battery.

[@chrisgentry4427]

@@Patrick_Cashman by current offerings I mean CALB doesn't make a cell that size. As an example a Ford dealership can't sell you a Ford bicycle because Ford doesn't produce one. And I also suspect watt hours and amp hours are getting confused here. But size does matter and there is no way there are cells with that much energy density in the physical size shown in this video. Even battle born batteries 300Ah battery is 3x the size of its 100Ah battery minus a little BMS area.

[@triphius]

@@Patrick_Cashman Is 100% correct here. The cells are rated at 230Ah. If you want to look up the exact model, it’s L173F230B.

[@charlesrg]

What BMS is he using ?

[@timsteinkamp2245]

I run my 12 volt on a 55 amp IOTA converter. Off of the 120 volt AC output of the main power system. I tried the Victron from Amazon but the seller wanted access to my network to set it up so I sent it back and went with Magnum. I think the inverter should not include a charger. I think we would be better served with a separate charger and run the whole rig from the inverter. Always a pure sine wave. Do not need to worry about dirty shore power or lightning strikes.

[@triphius]

The problem with going from DC to AC with the inverter and then back to DC with a converter is efficiency. Your conversion losses are much higher than with the way I'm doing it by going 48VDC to 12VDC directly for the DC stuff and separately going 48BDC to 120VAC for the AC stuff. Specifically, I don't need to convert twice to get from 48VDC to 12VDC. Having the converter paired with the inverter is helpful as well, because it "just works". The Quattro's can manage power flow in both directions. Makes for a simpler setup in the long run. Not sure about the vendor requiring access to your network to set up the Victron. They do require configuration, but you're totally able to do it yourself, if you know what you're doing. Or a particular vendor could preprogram the units for your configuration. Active access to your network certainly isn't a requirement -- and I wouldn't give them access to mine either. ;)

[@timsteinkamp2245]

@@triphius Going from high to low DC is a conundrum. I know you can just hook up wires to the battery or two to get 12 volt but to keep balance is the plan. I never turn my inverter off. I don't want to put power into another battery to keep it fully charged because that drains power too. But then it is also a back up of reserve power for starting a generator or the engine. So far it works for me and runs at 14 watts minimum while powering my assorted LED lights and the furnace fan and water pump come on when needed. I don't shut down my computer and keep the TVs and microwave plugged in so I just have to expect power loss and try to control it.

[@triphius]

@@timsteinkamp2245 I don’t shut off my inverter either, everything stays running all the time as if this was a sticks and bricks house. However, you can go the DC-to-DC converter route without having a battery on the lower voltage. You just parallel the converters, such as they provide you with enough power to operate leveling legs and slides (which are almost assuredly your highest draw items). I was considering doing this myself, but going from 48 to 12 significantly limited my converter options. I’d need at least 5 of the converters I’ve got to comfortably remove the 12VDC battery. As to your point about draining power to keep up the 12VDC battery, that is absolutely true. However, I have my converters set up so that I can disable them with a relay in the Cerbo, so if we’re boondocking or something where we don’t have shore power, I turn off the converters and the 12VDC equipment just runs off that battery directly, leaving my 48VDC batteries for powering the inverters. My 12VDC battery is 230Ah, so it does last quite a while just powering lights and whatnot.

[@bobonestone1807]

Where did you buy your batteries

[@triphius]

My EE friend sourced them, but they are CALB L173F230B cells. I believe he was able to get them from a warehouse in California.

[@Halfwalker]

Which BMS are these ? Got a link ?

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

Junk Daly.

[@j-me5820]

A great expose, but how realistic is this really? There has to be a balance between form/function/cost and in the RV world weight!

[@Patrick_Cashman]

Very realistic. He did it. So have many other people. The important thing is to build to your needs. Not every system needs this much capacity.

[@triphius]

@@Patrick_Cashman 💯

[@Familyadventure369]

Id love to do a solar install on this for free we do 16 550w solar panels on a 25ft camper

[@Liimpy]

Turning a 100k worth of equipment into a broom holder is perfect 👌 😅

[@Browneye2566]

DIY batteries can in theory be done cheaper, but what about warranty & support? Let's hope the elec guy who put together these batteries from components is willing to support it when something breaks. Otherwise this guy is farked big time. Nice system though. The Victron sales guys will love him. Also - I hope the BMS has temp probes for low temp charging protection if he takes his rig anywhere below zero.

[@Patrick_Cashman]

When you DIY you automatically provide an unlimited lifetime warranty. You know how to build it, you know how to fix it.

[@Browneye2566]

@@Patrick_Cashman Did you actually watch the vid mate? An elec engineer built it for him, so in this case he can't support it himself. That's why it said let's hope the guy that actually built it is available to help. However yes, I agree with you in principle.

[@triphius]

I can actually support it myself. I’ve learned how to do that. Also, the guy who built it is a friend of mine not just some random business contact. So I can always ask him questions, etc.

[@triphius]

Also, yes… there are temp probes for low and high temp cutoff.

[@Patrick_Cashman]

@@triphius this was obvious from the way you are able to describe every component and what it does, and how they all work together.

[@Casanovafff]

What's the total price

[@nick7488]

Build list?

[@rvfinder7997]

I think the best way is to go overkill on the solar panels and just keep a modest battery bank. No need for such capacity imo, recharging way more important

[@triphius]

While I agree that recharging is very, very important- having lots of capacity also gives me lots of flexibility too.

[@lotechgreg]

capacity IS a necessity..... Ask me how I know......

[@triphius]

@@lotechgreg How do you know? 🤣🤣🤣

[@hakunamatataadventurebus5944]

The amp-hour capacity he has is compensating (sort of) for the lack of solar.

[@lotechgreg]

@@triphius I'm ~20 mi. from Palm Springs, off-grid, in a 30' TT, June through ~ 2wks ago, my AC ran 24/7.........😎😎

[@mattg8787]

#Five2Go what battery's is he using how many amps

[@Patrick_Cashman]

He's using 230Ah cells. 2 sets of 16 for the 48V system. 460Ah total @ 48V = 22080Wh.

[@wipatriot510]

And they're prismatic cells, which do not perform or last as long as the cylindrical cells used in BB batteries... It's kind of like the diesel vs gas truck for towing, they'll both do the job, but the diesel is better at it, much more efficient, and longer lasting... All things being equal, I'll take cylindrical cells over prismatic cells any day, even at the added expense... At the end of the day, I'll keep my L5P GMC 3500HD AT4 and my 4xGC3 BB batteries...

[@dustup2249]

I would never gamble with those odds. If one single 3.3VDC cell in either of those arrays throws an error it renders that array out of commission because of it's link in the series. The BMS system can only address small imbalances before it runs home to mama, then your storage is effectively cut in half, and it gets worse if you split your roof solar between two charge controllers and did not design a combiner switch-over system to reassign the unuseable solar panels. I like to gamble on sportsbook in Vegas, not out in the middle of a dispersed camping LTVA in Arizona or California boondocking when the day time temps hit the mid 80's. and my neighbors are offended by generator noise.

[@jitterygoat49r]

Wow! Amazing configuration. Maybe the next time you should just go straight to a nuclear reactor?

[@triphius]

🤣

[@Sanwizard1]

I see two issues. Vibration and cold. Those cells can be damaged if charged at 0 degrees celcius or below. That, and a 1000 watts of solar will take days to fully charge the banks.

[@triphius]

The basement is heated and the BMS will prevent charging at 32ºF and below, and discharging at 0ºF and below. Vibration could technically be an issue, however we've got a Gen-Y pin box that flexes well and independent suspension, so the rig actually rides pretty smoothly. I've left a drink on the counter inside before and it didn't move. I'm guessing we'll probably be fine in the vibration department. Only time will tell if we've done enough there.

[@blainebates1067]

I know this is an old video but, he definitely need to have a heavy rubber insulating mat of something similar laying over these batteries. If he drops anything metallic on top of those bare connections on the batteries he is looking at major catastrophe.

[@Erin-Thor]

The only issue I see with these is service. Batteries do fail, with a few larger batteries you have fewer to check. With all those you would have to disconnect them all to test, to find the one or possibly more with issues.

[@triphius]

Certainly a good point, however these are effectively a few larger batteries. The BMS attached to each monitors each cell so it's very easy for me to check each individual one.

[@josephharrell5724]

I shutter to think what would happen if something were to short out one or more of those cells.

[@arthurcutting9227]

I agree, I see no consideration for safety from fire or crash containment. This is nothing anyone needs, he can't possibly charge this up in any short length of time to be usable. Completely over engineered

[@Patrick_Cashman]

Agree there should be a non-conductive cover over the top of the cells. Just in case you drop a wrench on them.

[@Patrick_Cashman]

@@arthurcutting9227 Some people need it. I have a bigger system and use it every day. Full time RVing, boondocking in remote locations for weeks at a time. I do agree he does not have nearly enough panels to support the max draw of the inverters for very long. Actual usage will be much less than the inverters are capable of, but even still the system would be much more robust with more solar input.

[@arthurcutting9227]

@@Patrick_Cashman There is no matching of actual loads to storage and charging capacity. How does the system charge on cloudy rain days, how does it charge while traveling. All I see is a big bank of batteries (Viagra) with no viable way to charge them from flat in a reasonable time. Recording the actual power usage of the RV over time and building a system that can handle that with some percentage of reserve. Then build a recharge system strategy to recover in a reasonable time. My old boat could run everything for two days if we traveled for 90 minutes min. That's matching a system to the loads.

[@RiverWoods111]

@@arthurcutting9227 At this point he is charging them with a generator. Therefore, he is not off the grid with this because he is buying fuel to charge them. Also, he is using a portable generator because generators are a year out. I also don't see what he paid for this system to justify if it was worth it. But that is a custom 5th wheel top of the line from a small niche manufacturer of RVs. I am guessing money is no issue. Just the two Inverters had to be an arm and a leg.

[@brentmcmahon8188]

Battleborn batteries 200 amp is 37 lbs

[@deltoncbaker]

The BattleBorn Battery that looks like a car battery weighs 31 pounds, 21 of them weighs 651 pounds.

[@b52tricopter]

36 LFP4 230ah cells weigh 325 lbs. 9lbs each. The 800lbs includes all the equipment.

[@timothyallbritton1961]

Why with a system as nice as it is that he is trying to run three Coleman ac units that are very inefficient? He needs more solar so if he removed the 3 Colemans he could add more solar and change over to a mini-split system that is not an energy hog?

[@Rusty1972]

He has a great system but it’s really not all that. He is wasting too much electricity. Mini split would be a way better solution

[@campervanmark3410]

All that and you have to worry about running out of power

[@wallacegrommet9343]

48 volts is easier to invert to 120 AC

[@Patrick_Cashman]

I'm glad to see there are other people who understand the basics.

[@orcoastgreenman]

Would 60 volts be optimally convertible to 120AC? It is presumably currently less supported, as a standard config for BMS's, charge controllers, and inverters.

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Theoretically. But i am not aware of any inverters thst support that DC input voltage!

[@matthewknight5641]

I disagree about the solar being a less expensive part. I have 2000 watts of solar and leaf batteries. A 3000 watt inverter and a 4000 watt low frequency inverter. Two charge controllers and the best wire and buss bars and a nice shunt. It's barely enough to have me off grid and I have atleast 15 grand maybe 20 grand in it. Did the work all myself but still was kinda expensive.

[@johnstark4723]

6k in a 6500k inverter, 8 415w panels and 4 5.12kwh batteries. And associated parts. Gotta buy smart and do your own install and save a lot of $$$

[@matthewknight5641]

@@johnstark4723 the solar stuff is addictive I'm starting to see. In the last couple months I got 3 BMS. One jk and two 300 amp Daly. Then bought a 24 more 280 eve cells from 18650 battery store. I'm at almost 30 grand in this solar stuff now and hopefully can get the solar tax credit. That's how I justify all this to my wife lol. If I'm devorced soon you will know I didn't get the tax credit lol

[@johnstark4723]

@@matthewknight5641 sounds like you need an intervention 🤣

[@matthewknight5641]

@@johnstark4723 brother you ain't joking. I'm strung out on this solar crap. I see this stuff on KZbin and run the legs off of the Amazon people. I bet Amazon spends 500 bucks a week on fuel coming to my house. My wife says she needs something and I tell her she's gotta wait till next week cause I need some more wire, switches, relays, or even an inverter or batteries. I gotta get off this stuff it's ruining my relationship and my life lol... Joking I love this stuff

[@cjc1103]

There's no "right" way to do an RV lithium battery conversion. Once you get above a certain capacity 12V is too inefficient and you need higher battery voltage, either 24V or 48V. The problem with a 48V is solar panel charging. The voltage output from your solar plant needs to be at least 5V above your battery voltage so the solar charger can charge the battery. A "48V" lithium battery will be approx 53V when charged, + 5V margin for the controller = 58V. You need to divide that by the average voltage Vmp of your solar panel to see how many panels you need. For example a typical Vmp of a 100W solar panel is about 17V, so you would need four of these panels in series to exceed 58V. The open circuit voltage of that typical panel is 20V, so you would need a Pv rating of at least 80V for your solar controller, actually 100V to provide a safety margin. If you don't have enough solar panel voltage, a 24V battery configuration is a compromise, still more efficient than 12V.