@@EffieG-ez9tf yep. 120mm one is prefect for that job. can even be a low noise/low rpm one. just to boost the natural convection quite a bit. cool electronics works much safer and prolongs lifespan obviously.
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.
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
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?
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?
Youre my man! Thank you so much for your videos. Ive build my whole electrics in my Rig off your descriptions. And the best: It all works perfect! Once again, big thanks for your "guidance" Markus from Germany
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: ua-cam.com/video/gcDYiYgUCzg/v-deo.html
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!
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!
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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. 😂🔋☀️
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
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?
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?
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.
Technically it is 30 AMP. 12v-30a INPUT to 24v-15a OUTPUT Each charger will draw 30a from the alternator for combined 60a. Victron doesn't really make this clear in their documentation.
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?
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.
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.
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
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 ) ?
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.
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.
Nate what is the lower power point for i am trying to hook up my bluetti charger one which one should i use the lower or the upper i want to charge a bluetti 200 L POWER STATION 2021 ford transit Thanks for all the help
hi.nice video you must be sponsored by victron😊.i just changed my victron orion twin chargers to remote setting from ignition feed and it’s worse than before just 15amps max on my bms lifepo4 battery app.i had at least 33-35 amps before ,that’s 18 and 30amp orion’s.someone online said they fit them that way
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.
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.
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?
90% of us cant afford victron. but its nice to see how rich people live. very cool. a Bluetooth victron battery monitor is a must if you can afford it.
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
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.
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.
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 0:190:19 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.😊
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?
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.
Thanks. I'm just getting started. Bought Orion need everything else to connect to 12 V dump trailer battery. Where did you get the drawing software...? Can you help me with a kit recommendation. Would it be a good idea to wire from starter battery to Orion under back seat of pick up...have some DC powered ham gear there. Then on to the rear fender DC plug then to dump trailer battery? Thanks.
This may take a more in-depth look at your personal setup. If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂
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 👍
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.
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.
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
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?
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.
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.
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?
After watching this video that is dedicated to installing a dc dc charger, what do you feel my answer will be here? 😊👍🏻 If you need us to take a more in-depth look at your personal setup., and If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂
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
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?
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.
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!?
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.
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.
Since I have a 30a mounted behind my grill because of the heat, can I now install the new 50a inside and utilize both to recharge the battery bank? If it matters this is in 2022 Prius AWDe so I do not have an alternator to upgrade.
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?
The build looks awesome. I'm sure you had a reason to reverse the in put side and the output side between your board and the devices. But, it is making my OCD twitch. If you are doing a lot of high amp low voltage stuff I would invest in some insulated wrenches. Never know when you will forget to turn the battery disconnector off. I would have personally done a disconnector between the alt in and the charger input. Not a big deal but with any system I like having an off switch. I would have slaved the disconnector off ignition. That way the system wouldn't be able to drain the start batteries. I'm sure there is some fancy low volt cut off; I just don't trust the confuser to make the right choice in a failure. The gear you are using is solid quality. Everything will fail and until it does you don't know if it fails on or off.
Wire sides were switched to make wiring easier with the space we had available in regards to minimum bend radius of the wire. If you'll hit that 'thanks' button right below the video and send over $500, I'll buy a set of insulated wrenches. Thanks for that offer!! Super generous of you. The orions do indeed have low voltage cutoffs built into their programming. Although you can add whatever disconnects you like, we've got hundreds (thousands?) of units in operation without a single low voltage disconnect failure. If you have a failure and have purchased through our store shop.explorist.life, we will warranty it out if it happens within the first 5 years. If you want to add a switch to your setup, you're more than welcome to, and we'd love to sell you the rest of the kit/components: shop.explorist.life but you'd have to figure out the switch on your own since it's not actually necessary/recommended by us.
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?
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?
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.
Buck Boost requires TS Config to program. If you've purchased your this unit from us at shop.explorist.life and you want us to take a closer look, reach out at shop.explorist.life/support. If you've decided to give your business to a different victron dealer, reach out to them for support on that.
Quick question for you if you can let me know ASAP. I’m connecting wire from my Orion 24/12v converter to my 12v fuse panel and didn’t have long enough wire in your kit so I ordered some and didn’t realize it was coated with EPDM insulation instead of the XLPE that comes in your kit. Will the EPDM be okay?
For liability reasons, we can't vouch for 3rd party purchased wire, but we've made a playlist that will teach you everything you need to know about wire if you've decided to go on your own and purchase extra wire elsewhere: ua-cam.com/play/PLmvhcyi4n0TXLHS1NeK_sCvq3Wsa3B0kT.html
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?
@@EXPLORISTlife The basic victron shunt that the BMV uses is only $35. The smart shunt is $130. I was just wondering if there was a specific reason you went with the Smart Shunt? As far as I can tell they should both do the same communication with the Cerbo. Asking because I am about to do the same thing and thinking I may have missed something.
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
His transit has two alternators, 250amp each. He could actually pull 175amps from CCP2 and 60amps from CCP1. If you have ford transit i would recommend you to read Ford Transit Body and Equipment Mounting Manual.
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 cool! I only have one Orion though .. and what about those studs you screwed into the plywood? what size are those? My setup is a bit more custom too.. for example I need an SB50 on the output of the Orion...
@@miramar-103 We have single orion wiring kits available as well: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-wiring-kit/ That should get you 90% of the way there and then you can fabricobble whatever other 10% of custom you need for your situation.
Good morning, Please can you elaborate on your choice of 2 Orion chargers rather than making use of VE's Buck - Boost DC - DC Converter 25A / 50A / 100A? Regards Joe
Sure! 2x 360W Orions like shown in this video will charge faster than the 25A or 50A Buck Boosts. The 100A Buck Boost is basically no longer being made, so we weren't going to make a tutorial about that, and the 50A buck boost is also on it's way out in regards of production.
Specific to the units you used. How are you keeping them cool? I'm running one of these and it gets hot enough to smell and reduce the output voltage. With the bracket you built, it has to effect heat dissipation. I'd like to run 2, but the heat is my concern. Thx.
Iam having the same issue with mine 12 | 30 & it´s in a "free" space with nothing close. In summer it´s instantly dropping the input voltage & I am "crawling" along with an input betweent 7-13amp. This is very annyoing
@@tonyronquillo2246 yea - I´ve come to the same point but hating the fact of having to install a "active" cooling system (fan or such). So I am currently debating, switching to redarc or trying something like votronic..
@@tiger_powers yep yep. I'm going to split my solar array and run part of it right to my solar generator. I'm not comfortable with how hot these things get. It will heat my 5th wheel basement storage compartment to over 90 degrees. It's crazy how much heat they generate.
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?
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?
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)
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.
Great video, but I still do not understand how you can charge twice as much using two Orions. Is there no limitations on what you can pull from the alternator? Could you do three Orions even? I just don't get the dynamics/parameters involved, I guess.
Rule of thumb for alternator charging is to not add more than 50% of the alternators rated output in auxiliary chargers. In this van; since we have 500A of alternator capacity; we just can't add more than 250A worth of DC DC Chargers or extra loads, so the 60A we added here is just fine.
Request, if I may: when you work up the video for it, I would appreciate a bit of pro/con on the new version versus the current existing versions, on when you may prefer one over the other. And, while recognizing that your specialty is camper vans, for those of us in the camper trailer world, it would be helpful to understand various potential ways to implement their use (understanding that while via an extra wire run provides a more robust situation, for those who may end up jumping between various vehicles without a dedicated line and are “stuck” with a standard 7-pin setup on the tow vehicle, but want to use an Orion to ensure neither the camper house lithiums nor the tow vehicle’s alternator and lead-acid battery don’t get damaged). (Did that make sense?)
Would if I already have a smart shunt connected to my lynx distributor using copper bar and the load minus side connected to my negative battery bank? Do I have to get a second smart shunt? or do i wire the negative coming from the DC to DC charger on top of the negative wire I already have on the load minus side thats coming from the battery?
In this video, the smartshunt is acting as an energy meter, not a battery monitor, and you'd need both in your system to have the full monitoring capabilities discussed.
@@EXPLORISTlife so if I chose not to have the energy meter I could just skip that part of the connection in your video? And if so what would I connect the negative part of the charger to instead of that? And what part of the charger would get connected to the lynx distributor?
@hudyfilmsentertainment that’s a little overly dramatic. This whole channel is dedicated to helping, if you just take the time to watch and learn about system design. If you want to stray from our recommendations, though, I am indeed limited on the amount of personalized hand holding I can do, yes. In short: either learn system design as our videos teach so you can design your own system OR you can install your system by our recommended methods. Two solid options there to get you what you need.
Nate, how can I charge the engine battery from house batteries? I have a Sprinter with 810 Ah BB (lithium) and 1200 w of solar. When boondocking I use the electric sliding door on the car battery and to avoid discharge I want to charge the car battery. Suggestions? Thanks.
I think you'd have to open and close your door a LOT to drain your battery? Have you had issues with that draining your battery so low your van won't start?
@@EXPLORISTlife once when building the van and didn't start it for 2-3 months. And i was thinking, preventive, about a way to avoid excessive discharge.
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!
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!
*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/
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Adding a fan blowing across the heat sink fins helps a lot. That's what I did to my 12 / 12 - 30 Orion.
Do you think a computer fan would be adequate for this?
@@EffieG-ez9tfYes, a computer fan works well.
@@EffieG-ez9tf yep. 120mm one is prefect for that job. can even be a low noise/low rpm one. just to boost the natural convection quite a bit.
cool electronics works much safer and prolongs lifespan obviously.
Nate, where is the cheat sheet for the settings that you mentioned in video for 12v Orion DC charger?
Just want to say a big thank you for simplifying a complex system into something even I can understand.
I really appreciate your efforts
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!!
this is stupidity over complicated. much easier and cheaper ways to do this
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.
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
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?
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?
Thanks for the vid. Do you have any concerns about cooling the units?
Exactly what we used to charge our Goal Zero solar generator in our Sprinter van. Going on several years now, and running strong!
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…
thanks Nate, any reason you just didnt go with 1 30amp Dc 2 Dc ?
I don't know English. you explain it so well. thanks. good luck with your work.
Thanks! 🙂🙌
Youre my man!
Thank you so much for your videos. Ive build my whole electrics in my Rig off your descriptions.
And the best: It all works perfect!
Once again, big thanks for your "guidance"
Markus from Germany
That is awesome! Thanks for watching! Cheers!
Love the music on this one. Appreciate all the videos y'all have put out. Thank you.
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Thanks!
Hey Dale, Thanks! We appreciate that.
Great timing! Just what I needed to watch before I started my install on my truck camper
Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!
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: ua-cam.com/video/gcDYiYgUCzg/v-deo.html
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!
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!
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@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. 😂🔋☀️
Magnifique !! superbe présentation et belle architecture de charge par un alternateur de 12Vdc. Merci 👍
A video showing a single Orion install would be amazing! Thanks for your consideration!!
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
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?
Just an Awesome way to install the dc/dc chargers that way, sure you will not mind I “steal” your idea!? Best regards Albert
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?
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.
I'm curious why you went with 2 15-amp units instead of one 30A. Thanks
Because they are 12-24/15A Orions. From 12V to 24V. There is no 12-24/30A
@@maiklomapartida779 ah, ok, I missed that it was a 24volt system. Thanks
Technically it is 30 AMP. 12v-30a INPUT to 24v-15a OUTPUT Each charger will draw 30a from the alternator for combined 60a. Victron doesn't really make this clear in their documentation.
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?
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.
Nations make a 400 amp alternator for under 800 dollars. It is supposed to deliver 170 amps at idle speeds
My ford Transit Box wan has now 2 AGM 100Ah batteries and I think it has a 170 or 120A alternator because it has an electric hydraulic backlit.
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.
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
Would you still go dual Orions on a Transit with a single alternator and dual starter batteries?
I would, yes. I like to keep dcdc amperage under 50% of the rated alternator output
great vid. thanks. What is that sheet metal folder you have?
Just a cheap one from harbor freight. Sorta doesn't work that good.
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 ) ?
Love this channel, informative and well put together every time. Thank you for the upload :)
Thanks for watching! Cheers!
I have 3 30 amps dc to dc on my system 600 amps lithium, alternator 250amps. Working excellent.
Nice. Is that also from the ford stock dual alternator setup? That chargers a 36v battery?
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.
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.
Nate what is the lower power point for i am trying to hook up my bluetti charger one which one should i use the lower or the upper
i want to charge a bluetti 200 L POWER STATION 2021 ford transit
Thanks for all the help
Bluetti should have some advice for you on that, no?
hi.nice video you must be sponsored by victron😊.i just changed my victron orion twin chargers to remote setting from ignition feed and it’s worse than before just 15amps max on my bms lifepo4 battery app.i had at least 33-35 amps before ,that’s 18 and 30amp orion’s.someone online said they fit them that way
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.
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.
@@EXPLORISTlife Thank you.
Thanks so much - just discovered your channel.
Wondering where you got that small pan break from. Sheet bender?
Many thanks mark
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?
They don't make that publicly available. As a Victron ambassador, I have some insider knowledge.
90% of us cant afford victron. but its nice to see how rich people live. very cool. a Bluetooth victron battery monitor is a must if you can afford it.
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
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.
@@EXPLORISTlife i even installed 12 volt fans on mine to cool them down,i could'nt believe how hot they get
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.
I am definitely doing this. Thanks for the video!
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.
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.
I don't like treating the body as a current carrying wire, no. Consider doing it like I showed in the video instead?
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.😊
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?
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.
Thanks. I'm just getting started. Bought Orion need everything else to connect to 12 V dump trailer battery. Where did you get the drawing software...? Can you help me with a kit recommendation. Would it be a good idea to wire from starter battery to Orion under back seat of pick up...have some DC powered ham gear there. Then on to the rear fender DC plug then to dump trailer battery? Thanks.
This may take a more in-depth look at your personal setup. If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support
If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂
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 👍
Hey, @LeisureBit! I appreciate that. Thanks for watching! 🙂😀
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.
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.
Why did you triple up on the ground stud, but only singles studs on the positive side?
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
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?
What do you mean by 'alternator protection device'?
@@EXPLORISTlife
Like this Sterling alternator protection device for the lithium bank...
ua-cam.com/video/ShtGB07fCSs/v-deo.htmlsi=5aP19jk-cTX8WWKN
Well... that's what the DC DC chargers in this video are...
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.
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.
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?
Do you need dc-dc charger to your lithium battery bank vs alternator directly to your battery bank
After watching this video that is dedicated to installing a dc dc charger, what do you feel my answer will be here? 😊👍🏻
If you need us to take a more in-depth look at your personal setup., and If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support
If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂
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
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/
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✅Use code 'explorist' for $50 off per battery.
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?
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.
I have a 2024 Ford transit. Do you have a detailed image of these battery connection points?
Shop.explorist.life/support
Another great collaboration.
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!?
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.
Does the smartshunt HAVE to go on the output side of the dc-dc converter? Can I put mine on the input side?
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.
Since I have a 30a mounted behind my grill because of the heat, can I now install the new 50a inside and utilize both to recharge the battery bank? If it matters this is in 2022 Prius AWDe so I do not have an alternator to upgrade.
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?
Nope. The charge current is not programmable.
Could you tell me what Ferrule crimper you used for those 6AWG cables?
Sure! Blue handled crimpers on our tool list here: www.amazon.com/shop/exploristlife/list/4Y49HC8EZ2GA?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d
The build looks awesome. I'm sure you had a reason to reverse the in put side and the output side between your board and the devices. But, it is making my OCD twitch. If you are doing a lot of high amp low voltage stuff I would invest in some insulated wrenches. Never know when you will forget to turn the battery disconnector off.
I would have personally done a disconnector between the alt in and the charger input. Not a big deal but with any system I like having an off switch. I would have slaved the disconnector off ignition. That way the system wouldn't be able to drain the start batteries. I'm sure there is some fancy low volt cut off; I just don't trust the confuser to make the right choice in a failure. The gear you are using is solid quality. Everything will fail and until it does you don't know if it fails on or off.
Wire sides were switched to make wiring easier with the space we had available in regards to minimum bend radius of the wire.
If you'll hit that 'thanks' button right below the video and send over $500, I'll buy a set of insulated wrenches. Thanks for that offer!! Super generous of you.
The orions do indeed have low voltage cutoffs built into their programming. Although you can add whatever disconnects you like, we've got hundreds (thousands?) of units in operation without a single low voltage disconnect failure. If you have a failure and have purchased through our store shop.explorist.life, we will warranty it out if it happens within the first 5 years.
If you want to add a switch to your setup, you're more than welcome to, and we'd love to sell you the rest of the kit/components: shop.explorist.life but you'd have to figure out the switch on your own since it's not actually necessary/recommended by us.
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?
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?
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.
If they ever release them, they will be. 😂🤷👍
hi mate i have a buck boost 100 amp whats the best way to config it with a cerbo
Buck Boost requires TS Config to program. If you've purchased your this unit from us at shop.explorist.life and you want us to take a closer look, reach out at shop.explorist.life/support.
If you've decided to give your business to a different victron dealer, reach out to them for support on that.
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?
Quick question for you if you can let me know ASAP. I’m connecting wire from my Orion 24/12v converter to my 12v fuse panel and didn’t have long enough wire in your kit so I ordered some and didn’t realize it was coated with EPDM insulation instead of the XLPE that comes in your kit. Will the EPDM be okay?
For liability reasons, we can't vouch for 3rd party purchased wire, but we've made a playlist that will teach you everything you need to know about wire if you've decided to go on your own and purchase extra wire elsewhere: ua-cam.com/play/PLmvhcyi4n0TXLHS1NeK_sCvq3Wsa3B0kT.html
How much are you expecting for these to pull once the house battery is half charged and are you worried about overheating the alternator?
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?
Forgive my ignorance, but why not just use a 30am dc-dc charger? Great video!
Sure! At the time of shooting the video: a 12v in and 24v out 30a charger didn’t exist so we went with the next biggest size: which was 15a
Hi Nate,
Great video!
Are you going post the layout for the bracket?
is there a reason you used a Smart shunt to show alternator charging? Wouldn't a regular shunt plug in to the Cerbo GX and give the same info?
What do you mean by "regular shunt"? The Victron SmartShunt is the cheapest and most 'regular' shunt that Victron has.
@@EXPLORISTlife The basic victron shunt that the BMV uses is only $35. The smart shunt is $130. I was just wondering if there was a specific reason you went with the Smart Shunt? As far as I can tell they should both do the same communication with the Cerbo. Asking because I am about to do the same thing and thinking I may have missed something.
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
I recommend the isolated version as it always works in 100% of use cases without any additional considerations.
Do two chargers not put too much strain on the alternator? How can you calculate what size dc to dc charger you can go up to? 🤔
His transit has two alternators, 250amp each. He could actually pull 175amps from CCP2 and 60amps from CCP1. If you have ford transit i would recommend you to read Ford Transit Body and Equipment Mounting Manual.
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 😊
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.
@@EXPLORISTlifeawesome and thank you so much!
Note that you'll need the Isolated variant of the Orions for proper monitoring.
@@joelv4495 thanks! I do have the isolated versions installed right now BTW.
@@joelv4495why do you need isolated versions for proper monitoring????
Thank you. Duplicated this method for my own RV.
Nice work! Cheers!
Great video! just about to try this myself .. will 6AWG wire be ok? Also, what size are those junction studs/ferrules? Do you have an amazon link ?
Better than Amazon links, we sell the wiring kit in our store:
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/
@@EXPLORISTlife cool! I only have one Orion though .. and what about those studs you screwed into the plywood? what size are those? My setup is a bit more custom too.. for example I need an SB50 on the output of the Orion...
@@miramar-103 We have single orion wiring kits available as well: shop.explorist.life/shop/all-products/victron-orion-wiring-kit/
That should get you 90% of the way there and then you can fabricobble whatever other 10% of custom you need for your situation.
@@EXPLORISTlife think i'll go for the new XS .. got any in stock yet?
Good morning,
Please can you elaborate on your choice of 2 Orion chargers rather than making use of VE's Buck - Boost DC - DC Converter 25A / 50A / 100A?
Regards
Joe
Sure! 2x 360W Orions like shown in this video will charge faster than the 25A or 50A Buck Boosts. The 100A Buck Boost is basically no longer being made, so we weren't going to make a tutorial about that, and the 50A buck boost is also on it's way out in regards of production.
@@EXPLORISTlife
Thanks for clearing this up!
Regards
Joe
Specific to the units you used. How are you keeping them cool? I'm running one of these and it gets hot enough to smell and reduce the output voltage. With the bracket you built, it has to effect heat dissipation.
I'd like to run 2, but the heat is my concern. Thx.
Iam having the same issue with mine 12 | 30 & it´s in a "free" space with nothing close. In summer it´s instantly dropping the input voltage & I am "crawling" along with an input betweent 7-13amp. This is very annyoing
@@tiger_powers after some research it's common. They run very hot. People are DIY fans to keep it cool.
@@tonyronquillo2246 yea - I´ve come to the same point but hating the fact of having to install a "active" cooling system (fan or such). So I am currently debating, switching to redarc or trying something like votronic..
@@tiger_powers yep yep. I'm going to split my solar array and run part of it right to my solar generator. I'm not comfortable with how hot these things get. It will heat my 5th wheel basement storage compartment to over 90 degrees. It's crazy how much heat they generate.
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?
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?
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.
@@EXPLORISTlife Nice. So an alternative to a Redarc BCDC charger? Another video on programming maybe?
No because do chatter are designed to stop charging once the car voltage drop so you can stilll start your car
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)
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.
Great video, but I still do not understand how you can charge twice as much using two Orions. Is there no limitations on what you can pull from the alternator? Could you do three Orions even? I just don't get the dynamics/parameters involved, I guess.
Rule of thumb for alternator charging is to not add more than 50% of the alternators rated output in auxiliary chargers. In this van; since we have 500A of alternator capacity; we just can't add more than 250A worth of DC DC Chargers or extra loads, so the 60A we added here is just fine.
@@EXPLORISTlife - understood, thanks! - the alternator has more than enough to give - noted.
Hi Nate, do you have a solution for a system with 24v alternator and 48v Multi RS? Best regards Michel
Can the Orion dc dc negative be connected to the auxiliary battery negative (common ground) instead of the engine neg battery?
I don't like treating the body as a current carrying wire, no. Consider doing it like I showed in the video instead?
@@EXPLORISTlife the inverters and charge controller get grounded at the van body, why not the dc-dc charger?
Equipment grounds don't carry any current. They are only carrying current in the case of a catastrophic system/component failure.
Do you have plans on doing a video on the Smart Buckboost?
Very much so. As soon as we get our hands on it.
Request, if I may: when you work up the video for it, I would appreciate a bit of pro/con on the new version versus the current existing versions, on when you may prefer one over the other. And, while recognizing that your specialty is camper vans, for those of us in the camper trailer world, it would be helpful to understand various potential ways to implement their use (understanding that while via an extra wire run provides a more robust situation, for those who may end up jumping between various vehicles without a dedicated line and are “stuck” with a standard 7-pin setup on the tow vehicle, but want to use an Orion to ensure neither the camper house lithiums nor the tow vehicle’s alternator and lead-acid battery don’t get damaged). (Did that make sense?)
A 40 or 60-amp Renogy would have been a cheaper alternative. Love your stuff and your wiring diagrams!
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.
Not sure the renogy has 24v output either.
Cheaper is too often not “better”
Would if I already have a smart shunt connected to my lynx distributor using copper bar and the load minus side connected to my negative battery bank? Do I have to get a second smart shunt? or do i wire the negative coming from the DC to DC charger on top of the negative wire I already have on the load minus side thats coming from the battery?
In this video, the smartshunt is acting as an energy meter, not a battery monitor, and you'd need both in your system to have the full monitoring capabilities discussed.
@@EXPLORISTlife so if I chose not to have the energy meter I could just skip that part of the connection in your video? And if so what would I connect the negative part of the charger to instead of that? And what part of the charger would get connected to the lynx distributor?
@hudyfilmsentertainment ultimately, if you choose to not follow the tutorial, you’ll need to forge your own path.
@@EXPLORISTlife lol so basically you’re saying it’s either your way or you won’t help? Okay lol
@hudyfilmsentertainment that’s a little overly dramatic. This whole channel is dedicated to helping, if you just take the time to watch and learn about system design.
If you want to stray from our recommendations, though, I am indeed limited on the amount of personalized hand holding I can do, yes.
In short: either learn system design as our videos teach so you can design your own system OR you can install your system by our recommended methods. Two solid options there to get you what you need.
The dc chargers don't need any cooling?
They have heat-sinks built in on the back for cooling.
@@EXPLORISTlife but they get ridiculously hot ....feel like the heat sinks need to be way bigger
Nate, how can I charge the engine battery from house batteries? I have a Sprinter with 810 Ah BB (lithium) and 1200 w of solar. When boondocking I use the electric sliding door on the car battery and to avoid discharge I want to charge the car battery. Suggestions? Thanks.
I think you'd have to open and close your door a LOT to drain your battery? Have you had issues with that draining your battery so low your van won't start?
@@EXPLORISTlife once when building the van and didn't start it for 2-3 months. And i was thinking, preventive, about a way to avoid excessive discharge.
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!
There will indeed be a smart orion with higher amperage in a 12-12
Hi Nate,
You were going to install a Victron buck boost.
Why change to the orians??????
The 100A buck boost is still not available and we couldn't wait any longer.
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!