TRANSIT ALTERNATOR CHARGING - DUAL VICTRON ORIONS

In this video, we will show you How to Install TWO Victron Orion DC DC Chargers in our Ford Transit Camper Van Conversion to charge our house battery bank from our engine alternator. Two Victron Orion DC DC chargers will charge twice as fast, and this was our best option (as of right now) for ALTERNATOR CHARGING in the van.
Below, you will also find a step by step guide on HOW TO PROGRAM THE DUAL ORION/SMARTSHUNT TO THE VICTRONCONNECT APP featured on the EXPLORIST.life blog.
➤Shop the EXPLORIST.life Store: shop.explorist.life
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✅Use code 'explorist' for $50 off per battery.
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Here are some additional resources that you may find helpful with planning and installing your DIY Camper:
➤ FORD TRANSIT DIY Camper Van Electrical Install: • DIY CAMPER VAN ELECTRI...
➤ DIY Sprinter Camper Van Electrical Install - Full Tutorial: • DIY Sprinter Camper Va...
➤ DIY Camper Solar Wiring Diagrams: www.explorist.life/solarwirin...
➤ How to Perform a Power Audit: • How Much Solar Power D...
➤ Basic Parts & Components of an Electrical System: • Basic Solar Parts Need...
➤ How to Cut Wire: www.explorist.life/how-to-cut...
➤ How to Strip Wire: • How to Strip Wire from...
➤ How to Crimp Wire: • How To Crimp Wire Lugs...
➤ How to Make MC4 Connectors: • How To Make MC4 Connec...
➤ How to Wire Solar Panels in Series-Parallel: • How to Wire Solar Pane...
➤ How to Crimp Wire Ferrules: • How to Crimp Ferrules ...
➤ How to Wire an AC/DC Breaker/Fuse Box: www.explorist.life/how-to-wir...

[@EXPLORISTlife]

*Dual Orion Wiring Kit: 12V Alternator to 12V Battery Bank:* shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/dual-victron-orion-tr-smart-12-12-30-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ *Dual Orion Wiring Kit: 12V Alternator to 24V Battery Bank:* shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/dual-victron-orion-tr-smart-12-24-15-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ ➤Shop the EXPLORIST.life store: shop.explorist.life ➤Shop Battle Born Batteries: battlebornbatteries.com/?afmc=explorist_bb67 ✅Use code 'explorist' for $50 off per battery.

[@deltabravo1257]

Adding a fan blowing across the heat sink fins helps a lot. That's what I did to my 12 / 12 - 30 Orion.

[@EffieG-ez9tf]

Do you think a computer fan would be adequate for this?

[@10REEFKEEPER]

Awesome tutorials. I find myself watching all the videos over and over for when I am able to do a build I have in my head. I appreciate all that work yall put into these videos. While I don't do a lot of drive I do plane to install a DC to DC charger. Also plan to add a generator for rainy days when parked somewhere.

[@sprinterdiscovery]

Exactly what we used to charge our Goal Zero solar generator in our Sprinter van. Going on several years now, and running strong!

[@excillisbank2611]

Magnifique !! superbe présentation et belle architecture de charge par un alternateur de 12Vdc. Merci 👍

[@sakirkarul1548]

I don't know English. you explain it so well. thanks. good luck with your work.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! 🙂🙌

[@theedgetraininggroup]

Just want to say a big thank you for simplifying a complex system into something even I can understand. I really appreciate your efforts

[@EXPLORISTlife]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!!

[@freelectron2029]

this is stupidity over complicated. much easier and cheaper ways to do this

[@ralpho4942]

Love the music on this one. Appreciate all the videos y'all have put out. Thank you.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!

[@petewarby7158]

Love this channel, informative and well put together every time. Thank you for the upload :)

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks for watching! Cheers!

[@LeisureBit]

Cracking install and very clever how you mounted back to back. Very helpful, thank you for sharing. I’m about to add a Cerbo GX to my setup. All the best, David 👍

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey, @LeisureBit! I appreciate that. Thanks for watching! 🙂😀

[@landrover827]

I remember watching your video about not using the engine (alternator) to charge the batteries. So I didn’t expect a video like this. Thanks for sharing this.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I think using the alternator to charge the batteries is a great solution in 95% of applications. I think that everybody just read the title/thumbnail of that video and thought I was anti-alternator charging for some reason. 😂🤷 Since our transit doesn't have an on board generator and only has 580W of solar; alternator charging is definitely a must for this system.

[@landrover827]

@@EXPLORISTlife I definitely must’ve misunderstood that video, because I totally had the impression you were anti-alternator. 😂 I agree with you, using an alternator is important for a lot of peoples use cases. For me, I’m planning on doing the factory double alternator and having it dedicated to charging the house batteries + as much solar as I can. 😂🔋☀️

[@HaugenDustin]

Great timing! Just what I needed to watch before I started my install on my truck camper

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Just a heads up, but we've released our full install video featuring a Truck Camper; that you may find helpful! Here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nZSnipyPnLp2sMk

[@mikesnifferpippets3733]

I always thought I’d just go with RedArc, but I’ve seen a lot of Victron videos that is seriously making me reconsider. Great info, thanks for the video

[@tonyabdalla]

A video showing a single Orion install would be amazing! Thanks for your consideration!!

[@Albert_206]

Just an Awesome way to install the dc/dc chargers that way, sure you will not mind I “steal” your idea!? Best regards Albert

[@ParkersAntics]

I am definitely doing this. Thanks for the video!

[@andrewcastille7781]

I purchased the plans for this arrangement and added the orion using another one of your plans that used the 12/12 orion. I have 40amp mega fuses as that was the smallest I could find.

[@HuangXingQing]

YOU are the MAN. I think that qualifies as a Hack!

[@rgknowlton1]

Thank you. Duplicated this method for my own RV.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Nice work! Cheers!

[@ramonmirabal101]

I have 3 30 amps dc to dc on my system 600 amps lithium, alternator 250amps. Working excellent.

[@JimDarlow]

Nice. Is that also from the ford stock dual alternator setup? That chargers a 36v battery?

[@abettermankind9761]

Great video Nate thank you. You've been my go to guy for my complete Victron system and I would not have been successful had it not been for your great tutorials. I also have two of the Orion 12v DC to DC chargers on my Sprinter setup but I never put in the dedicated smart shunt for them. It's been working perfectly and displays the negative charge on the Cerbo but I'm worried about not having this shunt within the alternator DC chargers circuit. Is this something I should be worried about? I have the main smart shunt in the system but not the second one like you show in this video. Kind regards David

[@DaleMatt77]

Thanks for this video. I've just done something very similar and also used a smart shunt to monitor the 2 Orion's inputs. Do you know if there's a way to display this on the main page of the Cerbo display? Or is a negative in the DC power section as good as we get for now?

[@user-lc1zj9um5o]

Hello dear Your video is very beautiful😍

[@glyngibbs9489]

Thanks for the vid. Do you have any concerns about cooling the units?

[@davidmccurdy4539]

Hi Nate; As always this was clear and concise and makes amateurs like me feel like they can do this work. I could follow this along with one of you HD wiring diagrams and be successful. I am wondering why yoo didn't run two sets of 6AWG wire to the individual B2Bs and connect the individual B2Bs to the Lynx distributor. I would think that there would be savings on wire, fuses, MRBF fuses, etc. Am I missing something here? What changes would need to be made to combine the output of the two B2Bs (to the Lynx) to put them both on one stud on the lynx distributer? Thank you so much for your content - I am a happy subscriber (and customer)

[@simonbolduc387]

Hi Nate… I’ll start by saying that I don’t know much about electrical… 😂 But your vidéo are the best to make it simple to understand for a newbie like me. Simple question : I am planning to make a 12v battery bank system for my Sprinter. But I was woundering if a 12/12 30a dc to dc is enough for a 500ah system. And if 2 12/12 30ah orions will drag to much from my sprinter alternator or will work even better. ? I dont mind being overkill😂 but I don’t want to put together something that could be wrong . Thanks for the help! And keep those vidéo going…they are awesome.

[@ksredadare]

Thanks for the video and the out view to see the alternator charging in the cerbo. One Question if you set the smart shunt power cable to the input side you could see the voltage of the starter battery? Or would a smart bluetooth sense do the job as well?

[@chrissims3591]

I’ve just added this to my setup. How to you get the battery percentage to show up on the touch screen after adding the smart shunt as an energy meter. Mine was showing percentage but now looks like yours. Is there a setting for this. Love the videos. I’ve modeled our truck camper like your setup after watching your videos.

[@april7_]

Interesting video! I can see how much about those all electronics takes space and that is a lot! (and money even more!) but my interest is that how much they all weight because our motorhome is already in it's limits! Current installation taking just small amount of space!

[@timf6916]

Good information

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Thanks! 🙂🙌

[@lynnmartin7747]

Question, do they need to be isolated or non-isolated versions of the Victron, DC to DC charger? I noticed the ones in your install are isolated, but want to know whether it matters or not. Thanks for the great work. Oh, also, if you were to supply the metal work, busbars, cables, fuses, and all the other stuff you need to do this I would probably buy that kit! Oh, and I assume that all the process and parts are the same for a 12 volt system??? Thanks again Additional question...is there any concern for overdrawing/overheating your alternator with a 30+30=60 amp draw?

[@stevebrune7968]

Hi Nate, Great video! Are you going post the layout for the bracket?

[@user-ij2gl4rd9o]

Nate, where is the cheat sheet for the settings that you mentioned in video for 12v Orion DC charger?

[@markhiggins3054]

Thanks so much - just discovered your channel. Wondering where you got that small pan break from. Sheet bender? Many thanks mark

[@telemaster4520]

I installed essentially the same setup on my '21 Transit. However, concerning alternator changing in general, I didn't like how the entry of alternator power into the Lynx distributor bypasses the house battery insolation switch and energizes all the electronics on every startup. I think it's annoying and probably not great for the components. So with the help of some wire and a few relays, I wired the Orions into one of the van's Upfitter switches so I can control when they receive power. I also set it up so that switching them on overrides the van's Smart alternator system; that process was a little more advanced but not all that difficult. Anyway, I think a video of what I did would be interesting to see. Thanks for all the super helpful content Nate!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

We, and most people, just have our system 'on' all of the time, but if you are trying to turn it off every time you aren't using it; I could see that being annoying. Thanks for watching and glad it helped!

[@silviuflorescu6838]

​@@EXPLORISTlife , since you have not an advanced DC to DC charger as the Wakespeed WS500, I also read it's a good thing to power them on at the time you are sure the alternator is safe (at high speed, so it can be cooled). If you demand to much power from the alternator at low rpm (as the lithiums does), you could fry it.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

That's not the case with DC DC Chargers. That is a problem with Isolators; but with the DC DC chargers we are showing in this video, it limits the current that is asked of from the alternators.

[@i_know_nothing7788]

All energy sources should be isolatable. Since the cable that connects batteries and B2B can receive power from both ends it needs isolators at both ends.

[@Noisycowonline]

Wow this isn't just an install, it is artwork. LE tech for 40 years here. Considering getting a Transit. Most seem to come with dual batteries now as a option, but very few have the dual alternator option. A dedicated second alternator for charging house batteries for the option price ($640?). Rarely do I see people discussing it anywhere. There is a superior non-OEM 2x alternator option, but it is over $2k.

[@NotMe-st8qc]

Nations make a 400 amp alternator for under 800 dollars. It is supposed to deliver 170 amps at idle speeds

[@truckerlifebc]

awesome videos, this is becoming addiction which I can’t stop !!! My question is I have a fifth wheel with with a 7pin connection, how would you integrate this with alternator Orion Thanks again.

[@EffieG-ez9tf]

Your videos are so informative and will help me when I get to this point in my own bus conversion. Question: Would you suggest this same setup or a different version of it for a mid-size to larger bus? Also, does your 0:19 0:19 Viktron programming provide an app for your cell phone so you can monitor the charge levels remotely, if needed? Thanks for sharing your skills with all of us beginners.😊

[@eddygaiao867]

Hi Nate, being waiting for this video to come out. Awesome, thank you! I was hoping you would have addressed the challenges or waiting to see if anyone mentioned them, regarding the Ford's Smart Alternator and the Engine Shutdown Detection settings for the Orion. I have searched the internet and there is a lot of talk regarding this subject but no real concreate answers, even on the Victron forums. I have tried various settings for Start Voltage, Delayed Start Voltage and Shutdown Voltage but I can't seem to get the Orion to continue to charge throughout the drive. The Orion keeps turning off due to Shutdown Detection during the drive and it does this frequently. Have you managed to get the settings right so that it plays nicely with the Ford Smart Alternator? Would you mind sharing your settings?

[@dalecantwell2879]

Thanks!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Hey Dale, Thanks! We appreciate that.

[@Wijkkie]

Awesome tutorial !! But I have a question. Can you use this setup if you have a car with a smart generator that charge the battery ( used in Europa on a Euro 6 diesel engine, latest type of diesel engine ) ?

[@joehoffman7019]

Once again, loving the video as I was coming here from the store since I have a single Victron DC charger in my cart but I want this setup and I couldn't find the shopping list or the blog for both, along with the various wires and pegs and stuff...(even the heat shrink you edited in). So, I hope I get a reply before too long so I can spend another 2k in your store before the weekend. Thank you very much.. Joe

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Dual Orion Wiring Kit: 12V Alternator to 12V Battery Bank: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/dual-victron-orion-tr-smart-12-12-30-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ Dual Orion Wiring Kit: 12V Alternator to 24V Battery Bank: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/dual-victron-orion-tr-smart-12-24-15-dc-to-dc-charger-wiring-kit/ ➤Shop the EXPLORIST.life store: shop.explorist.life ➤Shop Battle Born Batteries: battlebornbatteries.com/?afmc=explorist_bb67 ✅Use code 'explorist' for $50 off per battery.

[@RayCasey2010]

Cool stuff buddy. I looked at the transcript and links and could not find any of the fuse sizes? I have a 12-12 30 so should i use a 60 or 120 Amp fuse [i have 2x 12-12 30 amps orions. Not 15

[@matthewknight5641]

I think the dc to dc chargers make.a.lot of heat. Other videos I saw guys are using small computer type fans to cool them and get 25% more charge from them. I just ordered a 24 24 17 and hopefully can get it installed this weekend

[@SEANRMZ]

thanks Nate, any reason you just didnt go with 1 30amp Dc 2 Dc ?

[@erikmyklestad4817]

You made an excellent video Nate! I was just about to try that myself but I now see I would have overlooked some critical details with the fuses. Given one has the room, can this design be extended to three Orions? It would be close to that 100 amp buck boost and would be a lower price. Also, I do not find the step-by-step guide on programming the Victron Connect app in either the additional resources for the video or the pinned comment. Am I looking in the wrong place or have you yet to post the guide? Thanks for all your videos on the Ford Transit. I couldn’t attempt this project without them.

[@tex959]

I'm pretty sure you can run as many dc-to-dc chargers, in parallel, up to about 50% of the alternator's output. I have a renogy 60 amp 12 volt DC to DC charger. This pulls about 70 amps from my 160 amp alternator.

[@TheFiremanJoe]

Hey Nate. I can’t seem to find any videos or blogs on programming the Orion charger. You said there would be a cheat sheet for programming the Orion…

[@andreasdahl717]

Hey :D great vid. Im about to go from a standard voltage sensitiv relay from motorbattery to charge my "house" battery and connect a dc-dc because i have just learned that I have a smart alternator. None of my batteries are Li for now. Will the dc-dc Orion auto detect if my motor is running or wil I have to get some sensor? I do have a stop and go function in my VW 5.1 it tat matters. I dont want to drain the motorbattery when the motor is not running.

[@pau1phi11ips]

Looking forward to the Orions having VE direct so you don't need the Smart Shunt! I have my Orion only enabled by connecting the Remote On/off to one of the relay outputs on the Cerbo. It only gets turned on when the SOC is less than 50%. We have enough solar for our needs 90% of the time and don't see the point of taxing the alternator and affecting fuel consumption if I don't need to.

[@i_know_nothing7788]

You are not "taxing the alternator" and have you calculated the horse power required for charging and related that to the bhp required to move the vehicle? You would be better off pumping up the tyres to reduce rolling resistance.

[@ifell3]

How much are you expecting for these to pull once the house battery is half charged and are you worried about overheating the alternator?

[@rulexi]

What load are you measuring on the supply lines from the battery/alternator to the busbar before being split to the Orions? What gauge wire are you using and have you tested it at full load? Thank you, excellent series, among the best I have seen in this arena.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Answers in order of what was asked: ~60A. 2ga as noted in the product page listed in the pinned comment. Yes. 60A is WELL within max ampacity of 2ga wire.

[@rulexi]

@@EXPLORISTlife Thank you.

[@StansE250]

Another Extremely HELPFUL vid. Thanks Nate & Steph 😇 One question, if you would please: if your anticipated “available” amperage From the alternator is, say, 30A; and, you have a single 30A Orion … is there a benefit to adding the second unit ?

[@AndrewMetcalfe]

One more question, with "only" 60 amps of charging, do you still need the dual alternators? If I'm reading the BEMM correctly, you would be perfectly fine with a single one. Thoughts?

[@danlash]

Thanks for the video, I like the idea of combining wires to simplify the run - im just running all 4 wires next to each other. Question about these announced Orion’s. I tried finding a place to see product announcements and roadmaps but came up short - where do they put that info?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

They don't make that publicly available. As a Victron ambassador, I have some insider knowledge.

[@modeverything9949]

I’m looking to do two of the new 50amp on my Freightliner Cascadia. Would you hold off for an isolated version or do you have a diagram for the grounding for two non isolated 50amp?

[@mvdb5150]

Hi Nate, do you have a solution for a system with 24v alternator and 48v Multi RS? Best regards Michel

[@joshedcostanza]

Thanks Nate! I did the dual Orion's on your 24V 540ah plans. Glad it ended up being the same route as I know at the time of that video the alternator charging wasn't available. Glad to see you showed how to tell the Cerbo GX the Alternator is charging with an additional shunt. Without the shunt, the Cerbo GX does show a negative DC load but doesn't say from what. I'll be adding the additional shunt now. Any chance you might be updating your 24V/540ah wiring diagram to show the alternator charging? Would love to have it for my vehicle book for any future repairs 😊

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Awesome! Yes, we will be adding it to the existing diagram. Submit a support here in 2-3 weeks and I should have it done.

[@joshedcostanza]

​@@EXPLORISTlifeawesome and thank you so much!

[@joelv4495]

Note that you'll need the Isolated variant of the Orions for proper monitoring.

[@joshedcostanza]

@@joelv4495 thanks! I do have the isolated versions installed right now BTW.

[@benmorrison9004]

⁠@@joelv4495why do you need isolated versions for proper monitoring????

[@tommyg8142]

Has the firmware update been released? The only benefit of using a shunt is that you can see how much charging is coming from the alternator, correct? In other words, The GX will still show the total watts flowing into the battery without an additional shunt, correct?

[@TimRoyalPastortim]

A 40 or 60-amp Renogy would have been a cheaper alternative. Love your stuff and your wiring diagrams!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Renogy is definitely cheaper, that's for sure. It just doesn't last Ling enough for us to install it into a high end build like this.

[@leblancexplores]

Not sure the renogy has 24v output either.

[@patrickmgordon]

Cheaper is too often not “better”

[@fester.]

spot on again,just a thought the 12 volt dc to dc get very warm so i mounted mine on a ali sheet fixed to fire resistant mdf so i take it the 24 volt version does not get as warm seeing you used plywood,cheers pal

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Both units will heat up a bit, but that is as designed/expected; which is why there is a big heat sink on the back of them.

[@fester.]

@@EXPLORISTlife i even installed 12 volt fans on mine to cool them down,i could'nt believe how hot they get

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Yeah, sometimes it's pretty crazy how hot electronics get while still staying within their designed parameters. Even my laptop gets uncomfortably hot when I'm running a lot of graphic heavy programs.

[@georgesackinger2002]

I toyed with this type of installation, but several people have commented on alternator reliability. Airflow is not adequate at low engine speeds. If you run an alternator at low speed such as idle, you risk overheating the alternator. How are you handling overheating?? How do you deal with a LiFeO4 shutting down when full?

[@sammyjfleisch4675]

Hey Nate, I set up my single Orion 12|12 -30 and hooked it up to the lower ccp port as I don’t have the higher one you connected to. It still senses if the engine has shutoff and won’t push a charge unless it’s running. Is this an ok alternative to running it to the ccp2 connection that is only on when the alternator runs?

[@berthaduniverse]

Great work Nate. So, to be clear, you have 2 shunts (monitoring the grounds), 1 on the house side and 1 on the alternator side... Right? Would there ever be a case where house power went out thru to the alternator?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Correct! The 'house' shunt is actually being the battery monitor (power in vs out and amp hours remaining in the battery bank) and the shunt on the Orions shown in this video is only telling us how much power is coming from the alternator since the Orions are not able to tell us their output through the VictronConnect app.

[@mustafapusti]

Hello. I am installing a dual victron dc dc charging system. The only problem is the isolated version of the dc dc charger I have. Will the data appear correct on the negative cable passing through the shunt with this device?

[@nielnielsan]

Is it possible to trickle charge your van batteries using the Orion 30A DC-DC Non Isolated Charger from my 12V Lithium House Batteries?

[@DemisCrameri]

Hi Nate, love your guide and videos. I used it as a guide to build my electrical system. Hi have a question about this setup. Why are you using two 15a DC to DC charger instead of one with 30a or more?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The 12V to 24V 15A is the same thing as the 12V to 12V 30A. We have a 24v house battery bank so we have to use the former; but it's ~300W output per unit either way.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

If they ever release them, they will be. 😂🤷👍

[@dougg8280]

Why did you triple up on the ground stud, but only singles studs on the positive side?

[@imyour_huckleberry]

Isn’t the van on 24v battery? How did you buck to 24v? Does the Orion do that for you? Did I miss that in the video?

[@martinmccabe177]

Can you please help, as I am dazed and confused? My confusion is how to connect my controller to my two 12 volt batteries that are in parallel? I suspect that the positive lead from the controller connects to the positive on one battery and the negative lead connects to the negative post on the second battery. However does the battery selector switch, (Battery 1, Battery 2, or both) change the way to connect the controller to the batteries? My boat has each of the two original battery chargers connected to separate batteries. Why? Does this mean I should connect my controller to the two batteries the same way? I am wondering if the wiring of the original Catalina selector switch has to be considered in how the controller connects to the batteries. Thanks in advance for your advice.

[@jaytaylor1368]

2023 Transit with second alternator / 400Ah Lifepo battery : Does this config apply for connecting to second alternator (less the starter battery)? Or MUST there be a lead battery in between as shown in dwg?

[@adassociates8235]

Can we use (2) to charge 48v LIFEPO4 battery?

[@PoncePappas-zo1ot]

I am wanting to use my 12 V alternator system to charge 12 V or 24 V isolated systems is that possible with one charger and if so which victrons

[@BillFye]

Do you only need to connect it to one of the two starting batteries? Why not both, why not the second battery and why choose the battery that you chose?

[@ifell3]

Wow that's an awesome build. I'm assuming the Orion's only charge once your starter battery is full?

[@i_know_nothing7788]

I believe the modern approach to charging is to charge to 80% then top up on the over-run thus reducing emissions. I am not an expert on this.

[@unitedstates3068]

great vid. thanks. What is that sheet metal folder you have?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Just a cheap one from harbor freight. Sorta doesn't work that good.

[@DavesGuitarPlanet]

Pretty impressive. Pretty complicated.

[@TheBigBangSpark]

Hello thank you for this video ❤ I have a question is it possible to have 3 or 4 of units installed for faster charging?! Also can you please do a video with the Buck-Boost DC-DC Converter!?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

You Can indeed do 3-4 units. The Victron Buck Boost is being phased out soon in favor of bigger orions; so I'll wait until the new orions are out for a review of those.

[@steevebrissette5767]

What happen to the Buck Boost you were supposed to use in that setup, I bought the 50 amp Buck Boost to follow up with your design, I think your videos are amazing and I like to refer to them feom time to time to Quality Control my setup on my side, And Victron will always be the way to go “FOR ME”

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The buck boost is on its way out in terms of manufacturing, so we didn't want to use it in the tutorial.

[@theborednerds]

Can you make the alternator show up in the "generator " block?

[@robertlittiken394]

Wondering if fuses are needed at the Orions if they are fused on each end? I have mine setup that way. I also run the non-isolated Orions with chassis ground in Sprinter. Haven’t experienced any problems and don’t have to run all the grounds. What’s your thoughts on that? Thanks for all the videos.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

If you are running dedicated wires and not a single wire that gets 'split' at the charger, you don't need the fuses at the unit, no. In other words, you can't run a single wire that then splits to dual orions without fuses.

[@christophercanty6287]

Can 12 volt appliances run on 24 volt output?

[@kenli3835]

Where I can fine the app settings for dual charger? I mean the cheat sheet.

[@yvonlapalme7008]

Hi Nate…we are doing the exact same setup… 12 to 24V but the local Victron supplier gave us a set of Non-Isolated version! Why the difference? Cheers…. Karin & Yvon

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I recommend the isolated version as it always works in 100% of use cases without any additional considerations.

[@gregrobinson1274]

Can I ask what the distance from starter battery to dcdc is? i am about to set up 2 orions, 5.5m run (or 11m with return) total, and was thinking 2x2awg but you have 1x2awg for both (or the equivalent of 6awg for each)? (Ps, thanks also for the mbrf idea … saves space nicely)

[@EXPLORISTlife]

20ft, I think. Voltage drop isn't a huge deal there as the Orions are designed to overcome voltage drop; which is why we put them closer to the house battery bank side of things.

[@davidanderholm1388]

Awesome video Nate! (see what I did there? 🙂) Is it necessary to have the BMV in the system or is it just to track the output with the cerbo? Just trying to decide if I want to add it to my system.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I do, and I appreciate that. 😂👍 It's not 100% necessary to have the SmartShunt in place as shown; but you DO need to be able to combine the negative battery wires somehow before going to the Lynx Distributor; and by using the SmartShunt; we can veryify what kind of actual wattage/amperage output we are getting from the alternator charging. Otherwise, you are having to guess a bit as it is 'alternator charging from orions - any loads = what registers on system BMV-712 or system shunt.

[@davidanderholm1388]

@@EXPLORISTlife thanks! Your video was timely for me as I am finishing up my install on van#2 with twin orion's. I could not see where you sell the dual fuse posts in your store. Do you have any? Figured I should through you some support for all the information you have provided me over the past few years... starting with the heater installation you did in your driveway.

[@erikmyklestad4817]

Hi Nate. In your Waypoint camper wiring diagram, you have two Orions. In that diagram, you do not have separate fuses in each 6 AWG wire coming from the vehicle battery to each Orion. In the dual Orion wiring diagram for this video, you have 60 amp MRBF fuses in the wire between the battery and the Orions. Why did you add the additional fuses? Thanks, Erik

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Without getting into a 1,000-word reply, this way is more correct.

[@RichardAC59]

"EXPLORIST life" is the only "Subscribed" channel I have. Having less that 1000Ah batteries... Would a second 250 amp alternator be need (Ford Transit add on /1st = 250 amps) if I only use two "Orion-Tr Smart 24/12-30A (360W) Isolated DC-DC Charger B2B Booster"? My math shows (watt=amp X volts) 3000 watts. 250 X 12 = 3000

[@everyday1392]

Hi can i just use the the body ie chassis of the van for the negative part of the wire from the starter battery thanks.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

I don't like treating the body as a current carrying wire, no. Consider doing it like I showed in the video instead?

[@jerrydebaca8697]

Nice video. Didn't know you can hook up chargers in parallel that way. But.... questions.... Will one charger perform more than the other? Since the chargers are connected to the start batteries/alternator, will they pull charge from the start batteries even when the engine is not running?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The will perform at roughly the same level. They will not pull charge from the start batteries when the engine is off if they are properly programmed.

[@jerrydebaca8697]

@@EXPLORISTlife Nice. So an alternative to a Redarc BCDC charger? Another video on programming maybe?

[@stephenmewett8114]

No because do chatter are designed to stop charging once the car voltage drop so you can stilll start your car

[@jeffsteinmetz7188]

It was not clear in your video/email. Is Vicron going to come out with a higher AMP DC to DC charger for the 12V to 24V systems or for the 12V to 12V systems? I presently have a Sterling 60 AMP charger, but I would like it more if it had smart phone bluetooth capability. Will victron have a "SMART" 12V to 12V charger that can charge at a higher rate than the 12/12-30A? Thanks for the help!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

There will indeed be a smart orion with higher amperage in a 12-12

[@plantstho6599]

I have nearly the exact same setup. 24v system with 2 DC to DC chargers. Hooked directly to battery. But my 2 chargers won't output more than 400w max. I need help with settings or something. Anybody?

[@DavidTaylor-cz9pz]

Hi, Nate. I love your videos and learn a lot from them, so thank you for that. I have a Ford Transit van with dual batteries and a 250 amp alternator. The house has a 450 Ah battery bank consisting of four 6-volt 225Ah deep cycle batteries. I charge the house batteries from the van batteries using a Sterling BB1230 30amp B2B charger. This gives me 20-22 amps of charging and I'd like to get as much as I can by swapping out the B2B charger for a more powerful one. My question is, how high can I go and how do I get there? A Powermax PM4 100A charges the batteries at 100 amps with no problem, so I'd like to get as close to that as feasible. What amp rating would you suggest and do you have a particular product you could recommend? Thanks again!

[@EXPLORISTlife]

For the 'absolute fastest', you'll want a second/dedicated alternator (Nations alternator or similar) w/ regulator (Wakespeed).

[@DavidTaylor-cz9pz]

Thanks for the quick answer. I'd rather note get into changing the alternator, so I"m still looking for a B2B charger in the 90-120 amp range. @@EXPLORISTlife

[@SoamesHaworthOfficial]

Hello Nate, first thx for such great content! I feel like this would be such a great vid to add to your content. I have been trying to understand the DC to DC charging. I have watched all the Victron material that you have put out, but this one area has me confused. 1- If you are running a 24v system and add a second Atl, do you add a 24v alt? 2- If you add a second Alt, do you run a Reg as well as an Orion, I thought the Orion acted as the reg? 3- Your system is running at 24v w/ duel Orions, and I think a single 12v Alt, at what point does it make sense to add a second Alt? 4- Pros and cons of a second Alt vs. swapping the single stock Alt out for a single high output aftermarket Alt. Thx Nate!! @@EXPLORISTlife

[@peterknudson9106]

I'm going to try and keep this short (haha) so there will be gaps but, as an alternative (pun intended) how about charging the house bank of lithium with the alternator, then the DC to DC's source is the house bank and destination is the starter battery. Using a smart regulator/alternator you can protect the alternator but also get much more "out of it". Another advantage is you park the van for a month, and most people need to put a battery refresher (trickle charger) on the start battery. With my scenario you are typically plugged in to shorepower the month, thus the charger/inverter is keeping house bank charged, the Orion is "on" and thus monitoring the start battery and will take "juice" from the house bank to keep the start battery topped off. Thus, the Orion is also acting like the "refresher" and negates the need for that external device. I think the current (another pun) Transit alternator is a 250 amp. The start battery is powering the headlights and the cabin "stuff" but it isn't normally a huge draw on the battery. Why not make use of some of that 250 amps and charge the house bank with more than 30 amps (Orion DC to DC 12 volt system). Disclaimer, this architecture is exactly what I have on my sailboat. I was skeptical at first because you can't find any info online about this arch. But, working with a certified marine electrician it is in place and working. 500 amp hour lithium house bank. lead acid start battery, All Victron equipment, 15 year old 90 amp Balmar alternator with their latest smart regulator which has a lithium profile. I post this because I have just started my journey of obtaining a camper van (Transit Trail platform)

[@billcoleman7316]

Could you tell me what Ferrule crimper you used for those 6AWG cables?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Sure! Blue handled crimpers on our tool list here: www.amazon.com/shop/exploristlife/list/4Y49HC8EZ2GA?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d

[@bradhodge8981]

Hi Nate, You were going to install a Victron buck boost. Why change to the orians??????

[@EXPLORISTlife]

The 100A buck boost is still not available and we couldn't wait any longer.

[@tylersathern1076]

I have a mini power queen 12v 100AH battery the spec sheet says the "recommended charge current" is 20a. I want the victron smart dc to dc charger, but they make a 20a and 30a charger. Can I buy the 30a and program the charge current for 20a?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Nope. The charge current is not programmable.

[@CrankyNinja1]

How do I charge my 48V bank from my alternator?

[@juniinc40]

Great video! Getting ready to order Victron package from you. If we wire this DC to DC charger like your video, alternator protection device is not necessary?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

What do you mean by 'alternator protection device'?

[@juniinc40]

@@EXPLORISTlife Like this Sterling alternator protection device for the lithium bank... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZnXeHVmbMt2idUsi=5aP19jk-cTX8WWKN

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Well... that's what the DC DC chargers in this video are...

[@nebulight]

I love Victron products but this video REALLY illustrates why they need larger capacity dc-dc units with built in communications. I went with one of the new sterling 120amp units and a smart shunt to avoid all that wiring mess. It will be swapped out should Victron come out with a higher output unit with comms.

[@EXPLORISTlife]

Agreed. It's on the way, but they keep pushing the release back.

[@nebulight]

@@EXPLORISTlife I was at intersolar 2020 and they said soon back then. Though the pandemic sure did mess things up a bit. Hopefully soon. 👍

[@turakinanz2764]

Does the smartshunt HAVE to go on the output side of the dc-dc converter? Can I put mine on the input side?

[@EXPLORISTlife]

It could go on either depending on what you were trying to measure. The way I showed in the video is the way I'd recommend and find the most useful, though.