Lets get some more details of the setup. I am going to put up around 600 - 800W on my 5er soon and would love to see how you mounted the panels. I am considering some sort of rail system to make it easier to swap/replace/upgrade panels.
That's pretty cool!... I am installing the Victron smart shunt into my battery bank this weekend. I should be able to gather the same since it appears you are on the VE app also. Can you tell us what the manufacture watts/amp output is on the AC unit plate vs what you are observing? Also any details on the AC like BTU/Watts etc.. I am trying to guessimate some of my AC loads.
Not as versed as you but the AC in the back produces a lot of AC and is just plugged in to a regular outlet. The hose hangs out the window and it is on wheels. Bought it at HD or Lowes....can't remember. I just looked on the AC unit and the label shows:
Here is the label off the portable. I decided not to add a 3rd roof AC and went this route. Its an LG
Hard to determine what I'm seeing here on those screen shots. I'm seeing 103 volts and over 1600 watts, what is it feeding, the AC you mentioned ? Charging batteries ?
Anyway, glad it's working great for your needs.
That's great. The AC unit is rated at 1270 and your total load across the whole RV is 1183... so the manufacture did not lie!
lol....Making me work I don't want to turn the AC off right now as the pup is in there sleeping. Its basically her dog house...I don't need the AC on in the rest of the trailer right now. If a little AC is needed I crank hers and just open up the door into the trailer and that gets a bit of cool air in here as well. I really like the flexibility of that portable unit.
I get good sun where I am at....no shade over head and a straight shot pretty much right now. I believe one of the "zones" is tilted a bit one way a bit and the other "zone: is tilted the other way a bit. Its not a completely flat roof
I respect your opinion of this and am pretty happy with it. I am still considering adding the 5 additional BB's to have more in reserve. I try to stay off the generator if at all possible. Thats my fail safe backup only. I will run it a bit from time to time so it doesn't get stale though.
Dropping another $5k on more batteries is a hard pill to swallow. If I was you (I will be when my current lead-acid batteries die) I would look into making your own battery bank with prismatic cells. I would bet you could sell your current bank for around $3k and build a pretty kick ass battery bank for way less than you would be into the new 5 BBs.
Dropping another $5k on more batteries is a hard pill to swallow. If I was you (I will be when my current lead-acid batteries die) I would look into making your own battery bank with prismatic cells. I would bet you could sell your current bank for around $3k and build a pretty kick ass battery bank for way less than you would be into the new 5 BBs.
By the way....It was James who set me up on this. Same guy who set up you and Wash11. A transfer switch burned up on me recently and had to be replaced.....YIKES!
I did not use James at the end of the day... I got quotes but ended up sourcing all my own equipment. But he was reasonable and competitive.
He is going to be in for $10k of batteries when all is said and done. Sure, it is plug and play but at that level of capacity I would start looking at other options. If the money it isn't a problem, it is hard to argue with the convenience and the warranty thoughWhile I am probably going to build my own batteries next time and do what you are suggesting.... I personally think that the reputation of Battleborn given the stress and conditions of RV travel warrants the extra expense.
He is going to be in for $10k of batteries when all is said and done. Sure, it is plug and play but at that level of capacity I would start looking at other options. If the money it isn't a problem, it is hard to argue with the convenience and the warranty though
If you really want to give BB all of the money, they just came out with this:
270Ah 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle GC3 Battery
We're changing the game with our 270Ah 12V LiFePO4 deep cycle battery. With its unique shape, you can mount this battery anywhere!battlebornbatteries.com
Well if any RV guy want to get real serious... they need to step off of 12v battery banks and at a minimum go to 24v. This is RDP, 10K is just a 3rd axle on a 4500 lbs boat. Based on what I see with DILLIGAF set up first and foremost he is already fully equiped at 12v and probably not going to need to double his storage. If he's up in the woods with no AC demands he's probably good to go. Maybe 2 more battery's to keep his dog cool... LOL!
If you really want to give BB all of the money, they just came out with this:
270Ah 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle GC3 Battery
We're changing the game with our 270Ah 12V LiFePO4 deep cycle battery. With its unique shape, you can mount this battery anywhere!battlebornbatteries.com
He is going to be in for $10k of batteries when all is said and done. Sure, it is plug and play but at that level of capacity I would start looking at other options. If the money it isn't a problem, it is hard to argue with the convenience and the warranty though
If you really want to give BB all of the money, they just came out with this:
270Ah 12V LiFePO4 Deep Cycle GC3 Battery
We're changing the game with our 270Ah 12V LiFePO4 deep cycle battery. With its unique shape, you can mount this battery anywhere!battlebornbatteries.com
The price really is nuts on that thing. They are probably using 4x 280AH prismatic cells in that thing that go for ~$100/ea wholesale for grade A's. Plus $100 for BMS and another $100 for packaging/wiring and you can see why they can afford to give away batteries to every wanker with a camping youtube/instagram/blog.That even more expensive than the 100 ah battery price per WH... 12 cents more a WH... that only a "game changer" if you are the game....
Great stuff Tom, thanks for keeping us posted on your setup and your solar. You've been a great help with my 5th wheel - I'm just getting started.
I think your solar guy is north of Phoenix. Any chance you can give me his contact info as I'd like to speak with him about my trailer?
Well if any RV guy want to get real serious... they need to step off of 12v battery banks and at a minimum go to 24v. This is RDP, 10K is just a 3rd axle on a 4500 lbs boat. Based on what I see with DILLIGAF set up first and foremost he is already fully equiped at 12v and probably not going to need to double his storage. If he's up in the woods with no AC demands he's probably good to go. Maybe 2 more battery's to keep his dog cool... LOL!
Great stuff Tom, thanks for keeping us posted on your setup and your solar. You've been a great help with my 5th wheel - I'm just getting started.
I think your solar guy is north of Phoenix. Any chance you can give me his contact info as I'd like to speak with him about my trailer?
All I'm gonna add is just, for God's sake, keep that great white shark with legs happy in the back of the rig!
Got my shunt installed so I can at least play along on the battery monitor/charging side of things! Over here at Lake Powell the sun seem to be almost an infinite resource!... shout out to your "time remaining" = infinite reading on your picture. I too am in that state while I bring up my battery bank to full SOC. I won't get a full calibration until I hit 58.8 v on the batteries.
I do not have the victron mppt so I can't show you that, but I took a picture of my equipment display... I have been making about 50 amps 2600 watts since about 8 oclock this morning.... When the PV array woke up at sunlight I was doing 500 watts at 0630 AZ time. I am looking at a solid 8 hours of production and we aren't even to the summer solstice yet...
I fired up my coleman/airxcel 15000 btu AC for kicks and it was only pulling 1300 watts, but probably not a very good reading since its 70 outside and I set the RV thermo at 76... I don't know much about AC draw, so I guess I will have to wait until its really hot outside to see if the power demand goes up the manufacture 1900watt rating...
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You don't want that "F1" rated princess to get to warm... LOL!~
Roxy ain't no F1....She is a pit mix
My mistake... I was joking about the "pure bread" doodle thread! I left my system running with the fridge un attended for the next 2 weeks so it the first time all winter I have left it on its own to see if it can do its thing. I put a bag of ice cubes in the freezer drawer and hopefully it not either a block of ice or bucket of water when I get back.
I am just scared of the inverter reliability if it were to throw a fault or something. Battery/Solar wise I have zero concerns. When I was making 3000 watts an hour, technically I covered my daily fridge demand in about 20 minutes! I think I could run the fridge for 18 days straight with zero sun. They warned me that when you get into this it becomes an obsession, so I am looking for ways to monitor remotely now! haha.That was a good idea to test it out.....Mine is a residential and I am sure your's is as well....It usually is consuming tight around 625 continuously. With your setup I would not think it will be any issue at all.
I am just scared of the inverter reliability if it were to throw a fault or something. Battery/Solar wise I have zero concerns. When I was making 3000 watts an hour, technically I covered my daily fridge demand in about 20 minutes! I think I could run the fridge for 18 days straight with zero sun. They warned me that when you get into this it becomes an obsession, so I am looking for ways to monitor remotely now! haha.
Well when you swing back around the southwest on your travels and you are coming back to AZ through UT.. let me know, I have an RV clean out and 10000 gallons of use it or lose it monthly water allocation up in the Lake powell area.... Me and the wife have a hard time using 10K of water just the two of us in an RV... LOL