Victron ORION DC-DC Charger Install - Why Not RV: Episode 52

[@s.mendez7160]

the positive wire that runs through the large hole will be vulnerable to the sharp edges, and will potentially cause issues with the insulation due to vibration. Chaffing can be a real problem with electrical wire., and can lead to electrical shorts. Nice video.

[@WhyNotRV]

Absolutely. I did wrap the wire in a plastic conduit everywhere there was possible rubbing

[@videtosk]

Spend a few dollars on the tool to crimp the Ferrules. If not you don't have a solid connection.

[@WhyNotRV]

Great addition here. Yes I have that tool but not when this video was made

[@b16mcc58]

Nice vid dude. The 'Pin Connectors' are called Bootlace Ferrules. :-)

[@WhyNotRV]

Thanks!!!

[@brianroth7852]

Chris on your wire connection where there is a copper to aluminum connection. Put some aliu core paste on the wire. It will stop any chemical corrosion from starting. Safe travels and roads Brian and Cindy, "xtreambydesign with passion"

[@WhyNotRV]

That’s a great point and definitely a step above the average DIY install

[@a2022z2]

Nice job. Yes I think the user interface for the Victron is much better. The only negatives I have heard is that it gets quite hot. It is a small unit so the heat sinks has to dissipate lot of heat. I’m not sure I understand why you replaced the cables already installed between truck battery and tailgate? Did you go to a smaller cable for that run?

[@WhyNotRV]

Yes I went to all 6awg welding cable. I replaced it for 2 reasons. Number one being that the old 2 gauge wire is too big for the battery charger and the quick connect fittings have to match. Other reason was I wanted to connect straight to the alternator for my positive and I didn’t have enough wire for the old stuff.

[@thomasmccoy8202]

Hi, just to clarify. You ran a 6AWG wire from your tow vehicle alternator back to the rear bumper area Anderson Plug and attached it. Your trailer wiring is now also 6AWG, connecting to the other half Anderson Plug and directly into the new Victron. Question then: If you opt to run the wiring from the tow vehicle alternator, instead of from the starting battery, then you wouldn't need an isolated Victron correct? (a non isolated would work since you couldn't inadvertently drain the starter battery if hooked up to the alternator). The software in the Victron doesn't control the charging cycle of non isolated dc-dc chargers to prevent a drain on the starter battery when vehicle not in motion? Thx in advance....great and informative videos!

[@WhyNotRV]

That’s correct to what I did, to answer the non isolated question... I’m not entirely sure, as I have the isolated version, the software is pretty programmable. They make it super user friendly but also have options for more advanced users.

[@thomasmccoy8202]

@@WhyNotRV Thanks! I guess I'll get the same isolated 30 amp version you have. Better safe than sorry. Plugging it all into a SOK 203ah Lithium Battery.... crossing fingers it all works okay. Cheers, thx again!

[@WhyNotRV]

Absolutely, anytime!!! And thanks for watching!!!

[@DavidLaFerney]

I have the Victron non isolated DC-DC charger connected from my tow vehicle battery. The pos goes directly to the charger, the neg goes to the trailer negative buss bar then to the charger. It does not drain the battery - it turns itself off if the engine isn’t running while remaining visible on Bluetooth so you can monitor it. It’s a great piece of kit..

[@WhyNotRV]

Thanks for clarity there. I appreciate it

[@reberhardt]

Can you add a parts list? Also I’m waiting for you video showing how you hook up to an alternator.

[@WhyNotRV]

I don’t have an exact parts list as every install might require some slightly different things. Generally speaking you need lugs, fuses, connectors, wire, and whatever else might be applicable to your situation. As far as connecting to the alternator, you can either connect a lug directly to the back of the alternator where the main power wire comes off or you can connect to the positive of your battery. Either one is fine.

[@scrunge13]

You are running a line directly from your alternator, but do I need to have this unit if I am charging from the regular 7 pin connection for a lithium battery?

[@WhyNotRV]

The regular 7 pin connector does not allow for sufficient amperage to push through and will take an EXTREMELY long time to charge. This charger allows you to really push good charging amperage into your battery bank

[@thetinkercook5430]

Why did you change the input wires to the new charge controller? The input drops from about 50 to 40 over 20ft. It makes sense, that the gauge going to the battery bank from the controller would be 6-8 gauge. Thanks for sharing.

[@WhyNotRV]

The largest cable you can fit in this charger are 6awg and that’s what I went with.

[@jimbo6993]

Why are you hooking up to the alternator instead of the truck battery terminals? So the cable runs directly from the alternator to the Victron unit?

[@WhyNotRV]

Hey Jim Bo, yes Exactly. Straight to the source of where the power is produced for minimal efficiency loss

[@nipnop3214]

is it okay to not use the pin connectors, and just screw the bare metal strands into the dc/dc charger?

[@WhyNotRV]

It is definitely not the recommended way but can be done. The ferrule connectors are definitely most preferred

[@jimsjacob]

In the process of doing the same install…. I’m stuck on how to run the cables from the king pin to the battery compartment. I don’t have anything to just pull it through with. Plus, wondering about the surface you mounted the controller to. The manual states that it get very hot and you should not mount to a surface that’s combustible. Looks like there’s a plastic lining on the bulkhead. Has this been a concern for you? Thank you for the video.

[@WhyNotRV]

Every rig is different so I can’t help much on how to run the cables. The heat was never an issue although if it’s a concern you can first mount a metal plate to the wall and mount the charger on top of that. It will dissipate heat much more than the wood/carpet walls or mine that had the plastic lined wood.

[@jimsjacob]

@@WhyNotRV yeah, when I hung my inverter and all the cables, I put up a sheet of Hardie Backer Board. Took a blow torch to it when testing and it would not burn. I'll do the same the charger I guess... Thanks

[@WhyNotRV]

Absolutely!!! Thanks for watching!

[@knight3131]

Charger is 30 amps ? So what size of fuse did you get ?

[@WhyNotRV]

In this case, you would use a 40 amp fuse

[@warrenbell8145]

Hi there, Like your video is very informative. What I'd like to know is the size of the fuse at the engine compartment that comes off your alternator? Thanks very much, Warren

[@WhyNotRV]

You’ll want to fuse it based on your needs and wire run. I put in a 10 amp over what the chargers amperage was, so I think the 40 amp charger and used a 50 amp fuse.

[@reberhardt]

Can one use the upfitter from the truck to connect the cable? Will this provide power?

[@WhyNotRV]

I believe the upfitter switches have a current limit and would be better used in this case for the switch that activates the charger if you don’t want to use the smart feature of engine sensing. Either way you’ll still need sufficient cabling to carry the amperage

[@MJ-ge6jz]

Question: Can you setup the Victron Dc to DC charger to top off the car batteries while you boon docking utilizing your 1000 watts of solar? Essentially reversing what you have setup with your configuration?

[@WhyNotRV]

Short answer would be no. It would have to be a separate charger with its own charge profile for the car battery. Or I suppose you could do it in emergency by switching the input and output cabling around and programming it to that charge profile.

[@mariogendron531]

What is the capacity of your truck's alternator. I want to do the same kind of installation and my vehicle's alternator is 180 A. I want to recharge 2 lithium batteries of 100 ah. Thank you very much for your excellent video.

[@WhyNotRV]

I believe that truck had either a 160 or 180 amp alternator. It was just oem.

[@garyferguson1552]

Fantastic video What are you using for your bus bars

[@WhyNotRV]

Thanks for watching. These are the bus bars I use. amzn.to/3o4Xaug

[@pushinpure]

Where did you get your fuses from?

[@WhyNotRV]

Amazon. amzn.to/3SAheo7

[@philsprando3961]

Did you say this new dc dc charger requires 6 gauge cable? Unlike the 2g you used before?

[@WhyNotRV]

Correct, lower amperage and I Used higher quality cable so I could use the true gauge needed. Before I did a little overkill because I ran jumper cables as the wire which don’t do as well with heat so I oversized.

[@philsprando3961]

@@WhyNotRV Great vid! Curious...if you want more than 30A, can you add a second Victron 12/12-30 to the same charging system? My camper will have 720ah Lithium (2x360ah) and was thinking a single 30a Victron may not provide the charging speed I could need during short travel days. Thoughts?

[@WhyNotRV]

You can run these in parallel with as much as your alternator can withstand. I’ll tell you, I have some HUGE stuff coming down the pipe. New RV, new solar, new batteries, it’s going to be intense. Issue to the massive battery bank I’m going to be doing I’m actually going to be doing a dual alternator setup so one alternator is dedicated to the RV battery recharge.

[@tiagoravazzi]

Buying the victron off your amazon shop link now just cuz you are handsome

[@WhyNotRV]

Well I’ll take it lol. Thanks for watching!

[@mikefesta9535]

Nice job but I have a question. The stock 7 pin connector on the truck and RV have a positive (+) line that is used to charge the batteries in the stock configuration. My question is, did you disconnect that positive line anywhere along the cable run? My thought is that if you did not, wouldn't it also try to keep the battery/batteries charged via the RV stock internal wiring which could overload the cable and/or alternator when charging LiFep04 batteries?

[@WhyNotRV]

I did not disconnect the negative or positive anywhere. It doesn't overload the cable because all that wire does is a slight trickle charge. I had it that way for a while on that rig and never had an issue.

[@lonmar44]

what is the amperage that you using on that charger to charge your batteries

[@WhyNotRV]

It’s a 30 amp charger so it pushes max of 30 amps

[@mikeventi637]

Small question on Truck install. So when truck is runningand no trailer your rear Anderson plug is hot correct? Also what's the reasoning for going directly to alternator as opposed to battery terminal. I ha e dual alternators on my F250 Super Duty Diesel?

[@WhyNotRV]

You can connect to either the alternator or a battery. It’s one big DC system that’s all connected so it doesn’t really matter. And yes, my plug in the bed is always “hot”

[@mikeventi637]

@@WhyNotRV Thanks Chris! Does your Anderson Plug come with a spring loaded cap or just the rubber dust cab in your bed?

[@WhyNotRV]

Just the rubber dust cap.

[@patricktaylor9629]

Hey Chris! Ran across your channel today....just subbed. What size fuse did you use on the Ford truck side? I'd planned on a 30 but just wanted to see what you ran. Just curious as I'm in the process of doing the same thing.

[@WhyNotRV]

Hey Patrick, I put a 40 amp on it. 30 amp charger will blow a 30 amp fuse. Just remember the point of a fuse is to protect the wiring. In this particular case when it’s feeding just one thing and we know the amps it will pull. You just up the fuse enough that it’ll blow if anything goes wrong. If you are doing the 18amp charger you could put a 30 amp fuse. Prior to this I had a 40 amp charger and used a 60 amp fuse. Long winded but I hope this helps.

[@SH-bt4uw]

@@WhyNotRV great info. Most of these people can figure out how to turn a screw including me. Sizing of details really helps.

[@WhyNotRV]

Thanks

[@12vLife]

My small 4cylinder van has a 160amp OEM alternator. My house battery will be 460AH Lithium. Can my van handle a 50amp DC-DC like the Victron Energy Victron Orion XS Smart 12/12 50A DC-DC Charger?

[@WhyNotRV]

Great question. So the Victron xs smart is an amazing new product I’ll actually be doing a video on shortly. Short answer, Yes your van will handle it fine.

[@glenstratton9363]

Nice work! Can you explain why you used an "isolated" vs "non-isolated" ?

[@WhyNotRV]

At the time I didn’t know they had a non isolated version. I have installed both versions in 5th wheels since.

[@glenstratton9363]

@@WhyNotRV is there any advantage to one over the other?

[@WhyNotRV]

Less wires with the non isolated version would be its advantage. Dedicated wiring for the isolated version would be its advantage and it’s disadvantage. More wires equals more opportunities for failure.

[@lonmar44]

What size of wire do you recommend me to use in my 2019 Chevy suburban to do that same install

[@WhyNotRV]

30 amp DC voltage means 10 gauge wire minimum. However, you have voltage drop over longer distances. There are a couple of charts online that help you determine what size wire is needed. Figure out the length you’re running. Six gauge is very safe and gives a little peace of mind.

[@jonathynpriest325]

How well is the system working when connecting directly to the alternator?

[@WhyNotRV]

It has been working amazingly. No issues so far for me.

[@vincecarluccio5018]

Great video. How large is your battery bank?

[@WhyNotRV]

I currently have 7 138ah lithium batteries for a total of 966ah.

[@vincecarluccio5018]

@@WhyNotRV With a 30 amp DC to DC charger it would theoretically take over 30 hours of driving to charge fully depleted batteries. Have you thought about a higher amperage charger or adding a second Victron?

[@WhyNotRV]

With how large my battery bank is, yes it would theoretically take that long. However, I have 1200 watts of solar that’s the main charging. This Orion is just a bit more. Mainly to keep everything running while driving without losing power from the batteries. i.e. fridge, ice maker, etc.

[@robertreedyjr.1752]

Excellent video! Will that charger work with your new solar panels? Thanks.

[@WhyNotRV]

This charges the batteries while driving down the road, the solar charges the batteries all the time with sun. So going down the road this charger will charge on top of whatever the solar is charging and charge the battery bank faster

[@zechariahkenneth4979]

@Emanuel Mekhi yea, I've been watching on instaflixxer for months myself :)

[@cameronsmith2701]

Hey mate what are you mounting it too ?

[@WhyNotRV]

It’s mounted to the metal wall between the front storage bay and the pass through storage

[@keithviglucci5934]

Is there a video on the hydraulic crimp tool?

[@WhyNotRV]

My video on the battery upgrade (episode 46 I believe) about 8 minutes in...

[@Tryke_Ryder]

Anderson Power Pole connectors.

[@WhyNotRV]

Love those connectors as well. Have used on previous projects

[@alsadler4013]

Would have liked to see how to connect that wire to the alternator? And if the victron charger was bluetooth, how to set it up for your battery bank.

[@WhyNotRV]

I just ran the wire through a fuse and straight to the alternator. If you watch my video about settings you’ll see everything I have set for Victron stuff with my batteries.

[@jeanchardonnay5627]

6:26......"it's water tight"....!!??!!?? It's called an "Anderson Plug"...it's surely not water tight...the water can go in and out of it...so the water do not get trapped in it...

[@WhyNotRV]

It’s outdoor rated. It can get water in it and because of the amount of plastic separating the 2 leads it would need to act be submerged in water to have a problem.

[@jeanchardonnay5627]

@@WhyNotRV So if it can get water in it...IT IS NOT WATER TIGHT... I used Anderson plugs for 30 years .... THEY ARE NOT WATER TIGHT...OK...DONT USE WORDS IF YOU DONT KNOW THEIR SIGNIFICATION....

[@WhyNotRV]

Thank you for watching and I appreciate your added comments to help further educate the viewers

[@jeanchardonnay5627]

@@WhyNotRV In that case I think that you are the one to be educated....

[@WhyNotRV]

I appreciate the knowledge you have provided. Thank you.

[@jerrygundrum1]

That connector is not water tight

[@WhyNotRV]

You are absolutely correct. I misspoke