Thanks for sharing all this info. It is really great & a little inspiring for a guy like me who has very little experience with installing this sort of equipment. You did a nice job & it looks really clean. Something that an OCD person like myself appreciates.
It’s Thursday 😱 Fabulous! Really appreciate explanation.& internet monitoring. You’re helping people which includes a lot of guys (& girls) who need to see this so they can learn & plan to hit the road one day! Chris helped make the cables last time if I remember right lol :) looking forward 🧐
Thank you so much for this video. I researched a lot, but yours was definitely the best. I just finished my system that I modeled after yours. Everything is working great.
Hello Chris and Aaron! You two really knocked all of this stuff out of the park!! You have a lot to be proud of! The interior decorating is way awesome. And this solar install is really impressive! I can't wait to see Part 2 and 3 as your setup progresses! Safe travels!!
I've been waiting for this video. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. As a fellow 2022 ORV 22FQS owner, I am also putting together a Battle Born System. I'll be starting with 3 100AH but everything else should be the same except for the charge controllers. Your videos are concise and thorough and will save me quite a bit of time. Just the routing of the cabling from the original battery has already made my day. I can't wait for the next two videos in the series. Thanks again, you guys..
When routing the wires from the battery he neglected to move the circuit breakers with them. They were close to the battery up front for a reason, to protect the wire. When you move the location of the batteries you need to move the circuit breakers and fuses as well so they are as close to the battery as possible. That panel with the busbar has plenty of room to mount circuit breakers and fuses. Be safe out there 😊
You make the absolute best videos on these upgrades. I am in the process of figuring out putting 400 lithium and an upgraded inverter into my airstream. I've been looking at trying to find an installer, or doing it myself... There are not many videos on this on the net. Can't wait for the inverter video, thanks again.
Thanks, appreciate that Ryan 😊 You'll love the the new system in your Airstream either way you go. Definitely possible to do your self if you take it slow and put in the research. Not sure if you saw the battery and inverter videos on our Airstream van, but it might help with seeing the same factory components. Im working on the new inverter video and hope to get to get it out next week. thanks! Van battery video ua-cam.com/video/qIANRToD-vU/v-deo.html Van Inverter video ua-cam.com/video/hB_UgLR0bTo/v-deo.html
@@IreneIronTravels Ha! I'm probably 1/2 the views on your Van installs... you are the reason I started thinking I could do it myself. I am convinced I can now. Finalized quotes today for parts. Just want to take apart the airstream first so I can see the cables and what I want to tie into as I get going... and wait for a little bit warmer weather (MN resident here too!)
Lol, that’s funny. Sounds like you’ll be totally fine doing it yourself. Stay warm up there, and feel free to ask me any questions when you get to it. You can always email at IreneIronFitness@gmail.com if needed.
Just finishing up my setup with 600ah, Nice thing is all 600ah I designed to be portable and modular. All the hardware is attached to the battery boxes. All batterys have switch's that can isolate them but one gets a 4 way switch to also run the DC systems of the camper when not using grid power.
EXCELLENT presentation & install. Over the last 5+ years I have been doing a little solar system and additions as I go on our TT. Nothing as large as yours though; but I over build just in case & for safety. Learning a lot from DIY guys like yourself. I go slow & sure as well. When you mentioned 'fireworks" it reminded me how I learned years ago about a "traveler" staying hot after I turned off the circuit breaker that went to the light I was working on. Two 'neutral' wires were tied together. Since then I triple check that everything is dead or connected correctly. Your job is well done !
6:00 My understanding of fuses/breakers is they r to protect the smallest wire that comes after that fuse/breaker from a possible short or what not. heaven forbid a wire was to come loose ur batteries don’t care what ur biggest draw was before. Granted u prob gauged the wires appropriately for that max amp draw as well but that’s not always the case. If insulation of the wires melt then u have a fire. Im no electrician but that’s how I understand it.
Great video. Thank you for taking the time to post this. I have the exact same camper on order and will be looking to do a similar type system. I am looking forward to your next 2 videos.
We have a 2019 ORV 21RD with a full system under our bed. I need to run the jack power line back but don't understand how your drilled through the floor under your bed and could access those wires. I opened the chloroplast compartment under our front and put a tape inside back to that metal Ibeam and came up with 25" from the front, drilling through the floor puts us well past that I beam and over our fresh water tank. Is your frame constructions that different you were able to drill in front of the Ibeam or did you somehow fish the wires, if so please explain. thanks
How fortunate I am to run into your UA-cam channel! As a gym owner ( fitness buff), picking up a 24 RKS next week and high interest in installing BattleBorn, I don’t think your channel couldn’t be a more perfect fit. Just wish I had your youth😂. I’ve watched prob five videos so far. Thank you for sharing. This detailed battery install has given me so much comfort to see this vs just a diagram. Think I might go with a similar system with just two of the Gamechangers, at least for now. Is heat an issue under the bed?
Hey there 👋 thanks for watching! I don’t think heat will be an issue under the bed as many people have their systems installed like that. But, we’ve only had this since fall and haven’t experienced the high heat of summer. So far no issues, but I’ll keep an eye on the temps!
Nice work Aaron! Pretty dramatic difference between the ‘“rats nest wiring” of the OEM vs your super clean work. Following this closely as my “rats nest “ was worse than your “rats nest “ and I’m contemplating a fix.
Are you showing in a part 2 video how you hook up shore power to the invertor and how you disable the charger/invertor that came with the camper? First video I have seen that explain it clearly enough I feel confident in doing this myself to my camper thanks alot much appreciated.
We have a 24RLS from Outdoors RV coming in a few weeks, so this is very interesting. I'm guessing that there was already a port in the black coroplast on the bottom of the trailer to make it easy to re-route the wires from the tongue battery.
Nice, congrats !! Yes there is a hole with a grommet that goes through the access panel. This was surprisingly the easiest step to switch the cable to the new battery bank!
Nicely done sir! I've done something similar in our 5th wheel with 4 Lion LifePo4 batteries. That 800AH of lithium is really going be nice this summer! Looking forward to the rest of your videos! On a side note, we just bought a Cosori Air Fryer for our rig as well. Tell your wife she just cost me a 100 bucks from the last video... :)
We didnt use a DC to DC in this set up. It would definitely help with maybe 30 amps while driving, but we found the 1200 watts of solar was enough to charge up.
Great job! I’m about to buy GC3 batteries during Black Friday. It seems everyone gets regular GC3. I live in the Midwest where it gets cold. Should I get the heated GC3 batteries??
Thanks! We've had unheated lithium batteries in our RV's full time since 2020 and have not had a problem becuase they are inside (with us) where it is above freezing. You can still use your lithium battery below freezing, but it just wont charge until the temp rises. If you plan to have your batteres be in sub freezing temp and still need to charge them, you would want to go with the heated. 👍
I want to mount a lithium battery under the bed on our 22FQS so I will need to run cables up from the junction box under the belly. I don't have the auto leveling system on my trailer so I'll need to drill an access hole. Can you please describe where the hole on your 22 FQS is located so I'll know where best to drill and at what angle? I assume I'll need to drill top down. I watched your video and have an basic idea where the cables passed thru but any photos you might have showing the exact hole/wire location would be very helpful. Thanks
Great work! Something not discussed much are the mechanical loads created by heavy components in a crash. It is common for shock accelerations to exceed 15g, so your 50 pound battery or inverter could generate 750 pounds of force and do some serious damage.
Hello, I want to replace the batteries of my motorhome for a 300ah lithium. I bought the victron isolated smart dc-dc 12v 30 amps. Can I connect the victron changer with the wires that are currently connected to my auxiliary batteries (by adding 60 amp fuse protection at the input to the output) to my new lithium without modifying the old installation...
Great video. I know it’s two years old. But really curious about the ac/dc charging of this rig when hooked up to shore power. The built in charger controller from the factory unit prob doesn’t have the correct output to charge your LiFe batteries. I’m curious how you sorted that out. I’m in a similar journey with our RV and looking to upgrade the house batteries to LiFe. But stuck on how to charge them.
Hello thanks! Yes, I’ve been meaning to do a video on just subject. Most newer RVs will have a “ selectable “ converter. Ours has a little switch that you just move to lithium. Some are auto sensing on voltage. But basically it just changes your charge setting from around 13.6 to 14.6 volts. If you don’t have one you can just replace your converter with a new style. amzn.to/3uAm1O6 just check what kind you have and most manufacturers have a lithium replacement.
@@IreneIronTravels awesome. Thanks for the info. I will definitely take a look. The upgrade to LiFe is a must. I hadn’t heard much about battleborn. I have experience with Renogy.
Thanks Brandon. No, sorry I don't have a diagram on this one. Since this was my third system install I just did it out of my head. I haven't found a good free software to do the diagrams in.
Hey... that blue cap on your shore power connector may cause you trouble. We have a 2020 ORV camper that came with the same cap. I found that it retains water. I discovered this when I noticed my camper brake lights were very dimmly powered on, caused by water in the plug causing a short. We stopped using it and have had no further trouble.
Really well done!! I am looking forward to the solar panel install video. When will you be releasing it? We ordered a ORV and planning my system and am curious how you got 5 panels on the roof.
Thank you! Still working on the solar video but will hopefully will be done soon. We put five 240 watt panels up there and you you can see the layout in the beginning of this video if you haven't seen it. ua-cam.com/video/10zhTGlKQGY/v-deo.html
Concern: if you look at the 2x’s for the frame they are simply stapled together from the top. This is pretty standard RV construction. I would remove the frame and ensure they are screwed and glued together. The weight of these and bounce aft of the axles may mean that frame will collapse.
Yes, those staples were concerning to me as well. I reinforced the framing with the 2x3's I showed in the video. Also there was screwed framing on the 2 of the 4 sides. All good after 4 months and a couple thousand miles.👍
I would like to see info about the design and component selection process. Who did you work with on that part and did they give you a detailed wiring or schematic diagram? THX
Hey there. I designed it and didn’t do a schematic on this one. I just researched, read, and watched a lot of videos. This was my third install, ( van and truck) so a diagram wasn’t as necessary for me. But I agree it does help to have a diagram for sure!
Hello. thanks for the great video. I am currently planning my lifepo4 battery/inverter/solar conversion and this is very useful. I noticed you used the 300A blue sea switch which is rated under what the inverter can draw (400A). is there a potential issue that it will melt over long period of use? the 500Amp version is very pricy :(
Hello, thanks! I agree there is a "hole" in the switch sizes and it would be great if they made a 400 amp version. I used their 350a version on our van build and was unable to buy that this time so I had to get the 300a. From Blue Seas Website - The 300a version can handle 500a for 5min and 900a for 30 sec. The 350a version can do 600a and 1200a respectively as well. So you can see these switches are built very well and can handle quite bit of amperage. The inverter I had is 2400 watt continuous. So 2400watts / 12volts is about 200 amps continuous. Of course the inverter can peak all the way up to 6000 watts I think for a brief amount. But the normal usage is way below the 300a continuous switch and the most we usually would draw would be around 150 amps. So if for some reason the system surged over 400 amps, the main 400 amp fuse would blow to protect everything and the 300a switch is rated for 500a for 5 min. Does that make sense? 300a switch amzn.to/3QdoaHB 350a switch amzn.to/3ZPI1Qe
Very informative. Did you put a dc/dc converter in the 7 pin line to keep the camper from stealing power from the truck battery? I see small blurbs about this occasionally and I'm not sure if it has to be done or not.
Thanks. Not I didn't add a DC/DC on this one. I do already have one in the truck for the second battery I put under the seat that runs our Dometic cooler though. On the camper, when plugged into the truck the 7pin does send about 70 watts or 5 amps into the camper batteries. Some people think it will hurt the alternator....but it's such a small draw.
So now that you've spent time with this system do you feel like it was overkill? And maybe you could have used fewer batteries, i want to upgrade my tt but im just turned off by the price, im thinking maybe a 400ah sytem would be fine, im not full time, i have panels already and on board generator, thanks
You would probably be completely happy with 400 ah. We had 400ah and 300 watts solar in our sprinter van we lived in full time for 2.5 years. It was great except for the low sun winter days and we really couldn't run the "big" AC appliances for long periods of time. The goal with the new system was to be able to run those big items like Air con, water heater, induction cooktop, air fryer, etc for many ours a day a not worry about it. So for this new system is an amazing way to live off grid. We are still testing the limits of the system but we rarely go down past 50% right now. But we are also pretty much getting all sunny days here in the SW and have''n't ran into a cloudy streak. That's where that big bank would really shine. As well as looking forward to running the Air con for many hours in the summer time.
7 pin only does about 70 watts or 5 amps. Most charging is done through the 1200 watts of solar or close to 85 amps peak in the summer. Doing good in the winter so far…. And then the inverter charges at 120 amps as well if we plug into shore power.
So I hooked my system up like you outlined in your video. What is stopping the solar from back feeding the system? When I'm disconnected from shore power and both 12 volt disconnects in the off position, I'm still measuring 12+ volts on the buss bar. Does the solar need a separate disconnect switch to stop the current flow from the panels to the buss bar? I'm reading 12+ volts on the line side of the 3000 watt inverter with everything turned off. Am I overthinking this?
Yes, the solar should have a disconnect so you can shut off the power completely. Some manufactures install solar directly to the batteries and after the disconnect switches so that it still charges the battery but the coach power is off. Try the reading at night and see if you then get the zero volts.
Hope your getting along with your recovery and feeling better. Great video and explanation of this part of the system. I forgot that you can mount the batteries on their sides. That should help me when fitting new batteries into my compartment. We are also full time and move around quite a bit. Was it challenging to setup and receive delivery from Battleborn? Do you know of any distributors in the southwest? Would you say it would be worth it to buy the tools for a one time install? Or just buy pre made cables? Thanks for your time and info. I appreciate it.
Thanks! Yes, slowly getting better. Pretty bad swelling for a week and I'm still not walking on it yet.....but improving. Battle Born can deliver to any FedEX pickup location that can receive hazardous waste materials. (lithium battery) So we've never had an issue with deliver and its pretty quick. Also you can give them a call and they can tell you the closest distributor to you, but deliver was easy for us. I think its worth it for the tools, just because It would be so hard to get the correct pre made sizes. Maybe if you were just doing the batteries, but all the components and inverter vary so much in sizes and lengths. You could probably re sell the tools on Craigslist/Facebook marketplace if needed or even check for used ones to buy.
@@IreneIronTravels Thanks for the quick reply. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope your channel doesn’t grow too fast or too big. Meaning it’s nice to ask questions and get replies. And to learn from your experiences. In all seriousness I do wish you guys continued success!
No, nothing much is really on while sleeping. And there really isn’t a noticeable amount of heat at all from the batteries and components. But the inverter can produce a lot of heat when charging batteries and also running big appliances. I’ll keep monitoring the temp as we get into summer months.
Do you have someone that you would recommend in an advisory role to assist in a DIY Solar & Battery upgrade. Perhaps someone who sells the parts & equipment as well? Wanting someone to sort of hold my hand through all of it and make ordering all the appropriate parts and spare me from any "got ya's"
Thanks! The progressive dynamics converter that came with our 2022 Outdoors RV has a switch on it that changes the charging voltage for lithium. So we did use that until we installed the Victron inverter charger. I then disconnected the PD converter as it’s not needed once we have the Victron inverter charger.
@@IreneIronTravels So if you are ever connected to shore power, what does that power hook to? This is where I get lost a bit in thinking through how it all works.
I totally get it.. that confused me as well at first. This all gets explained better in the next video with the inverter. So the shore power now goes to the new inverter first (called a pass through ) and then the power goes back to your RV’s breaker panel to power your AC appliances. The new inverter charges the batteries if needed and also provides a small amount of power (float mode) to keep the batteries full when you use 12 volt appliances like lights,fans,etc.
@@IreneIronTravels Thank you. So the converter is no longer needed to convert AC to 12v because they are powered from your battery bank system and its and no longer needed to charge the batteries because you have a charger on the inverter. So its now redundant. But you do need the breaker portion of the unit built in unit? I think I have it. Cant wait to see the next video.
Yes exactly! Yup, the factory breaker panel, including AC breakers and 12 volt fuses all stay the same. Except, the main 30amp breaker is now wired from the inverter instead of straight from the shore power. Shore power now goes to the inverter.
I may be wrong here but I believe 4/0 cable will not carry 400amps which would leave your wire melting before the fuse blew. I think that's why everyone uses a 250amp fuse.
Most inverter manufacturers and sellers do recommend 4/0 cable with a 400 amp fuse. The reason for the larger fuse is to account for the larger surge start up loads like that of an air conditioner. You could blow a 250 amp fuse every time you start it. Some might not ever plan to run a larger load and never have a problem. Our most continuous load would be 250 amps but our system can surge for a split second to 500 amps for the start up loads. And that s the reason the pros recommend fuses at 1.5 times your max continuous load.
@@IreneIronTravels However if you look at the National electrical code 4/0 cable is only rated at 230amps. Therefor your cable will get hot and melt and possibly start a fire before the fuse will blow should the system pull the full 400amps.
Hey Aaron! Bill here, your fellow ORV owner and Minnesotan again. This is off subject I know, but curious what kind of mileage you guys are getting with your Tremor after owning it for a few months. Evidently, our GMC Duramax, according to our dealer, says there's nothing wrong with the truck. We're averaging about 8mph gallon when towing. So......I was in the local Ford dealer spec'ing out a Tremor package. My neighbor just bought an F350 and we're going to pull the trailer with both trucks. If the results are what I'm expecting, we'll be ordering the Ford next week. Just curious what you guys are seeing with the mileage....Thanks Aaron, and happy travels to you both!
Hey 👋 bill! Yes, 8 sounds pretty bad for a diesel for sure! We’ve been getting 12.5 to 13.5 towing. Around 16 city and upto 20 hwy. pretty happy with the mpgs so far!
@@IreneIronTravels Thanks for the quick reply Wow! That's really quite awesome and reassuring! Our last trip to IN we spend about $.50 per mile for the entire trip! Crazy. We're heading to Moab in a few weeks and will break our bank acct with fuel expenses🤪 Thanks again, and hope all is well! PS Just finished with our solar install 1050 watts and will be installing a Cel-Fi Go cell signal booster this coming week. Hoping that works as well as what the reviews are saying...
Kind of funny nowadays how many people are selling expensive victron parts , you don't have to , shop around my system charge my lithium batteries fine with a champerion Generator and a upgrade converter i did myself.
👍 Nothing wrong with different options and doing things a less expensive way that still works for the persons situation. But, nothing wrong with using high quality expensive parts either. 😊
4/0 is recommended by the inverter manufacture as well as most installers. I'd rather over do it as well for the little amount of extra money. Maybe $50 bucks.... Also, 4/0 will dissipate heat better than 2/0.
My experience with these batteries was very disappointing, I had 5 batteries of this brand in a sailboat that I bought and the fact of having these batteries drives me to buy the boat because of the supposed quality of the batteries. I started having low battery performance and did a check of each of the batteries I found one battery out of the 5 I have in bad condition below 10 volt and I tried to charge it and I was never able to charge this battery again Why did this battery fail? The Batterborn technical service gave me several explanations on how to resuscitate her but she did not return. the other 4 are still working perfectly, Why did this battery fail? Finally, because I didn't have a receipt for the purchase of a battery that has a 10 year warranty, they didn't give me warranties on the battery. Finally, because I didn't have a receipt for the purchase of a battery that has a 10 year warranty, they didn't give me warranties on the battery.
Great Job Going Slow Is The Best Way To Go, Less, Mistakes
You got that right! It may take some extra time but it works at the end and your not chasing down a dumb mistake!
Under the bed, I love it. You know mine has been there for two years now and absolutely the best choice for my 21.5’ trailer.
For sure! You got a great set up in your rig! Thanks for watching Celest!😊
I think this is the 5th time I’ve watched this video series! Great job…very helpful! Getting ready to do this in our new travel trailer.
Wow 5 times! 🤣🔋 You'll love having lithium power in you new trailer! 👍
@@IreneIronTravels Determined to NOT mess up! 😅
Been hoping for this ever since you mentioned it after the overview video. Looking forward to others! 🙂
Hope you enjoyed it! I'm trying to crank these out...lots of footage to go through!🤣
im a newbie at camping and have watched a few videos and you showed a easy way to set up - thankyou
Hey Chris, thanks for watching!
Thanks for sharing all this info. It is really great & a little inspiring for a guy like me who has very little experience with installing this sort of equipment. You did a nice job & it looks really clean. Something that an OCD person like myself appreciates.
It’s Thursday 😱 Fabulous! Really appreciate explanation.& internet monitoring. You’re helping people which includes a lot of guys (& girls) who need to see this so they can learn & plan to hit the road one day! Chris helped make the cables last time if I remember right lol :) looking forward 🧐
Bonus vid! Thanks Mary, and good memory Chris did help with the cables last time! This time she was busy painting and doing the backsplash!
Thank you so much for this video. I researched a lot, but yours was definitely the best. I just finished my system that I modeled after yours. Everything is working great.
So great to hear! Thanks and enjoy your system!👍
Hello Chris and Aaron! You two really knocked all of this stuff out of the park!! You have a lot to be proud of! The interior decorating is way awesome. And this solar install is really impressive! I can't wait to see Part 2 and 3 as your setup progresses!
Safe travels!!
Thanks so much Alan!
I've been waiting for this video. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. As a fellow 2022 ORV 22FQS owner, I am also putting together a Battle Born System. I'll be starting with 3 100AH but everything else should be the same except for the charge controllers. Your videos are concise and thorough and will save me quite a bit of time. Just the routing of the cabling from the original battery has already made my day. I can't wait for the next two videos in the series. Thanks again, you guys..
Hey Kevin, thanks for watching! You'll love having lithium in your new rig! Feel free to ask any questions on your set up. 😊
Yes. I can’t wait until it’s done. Take this baby out with extended possibilities.
When routing the wires from the battery he neglected to move the circuit breakers with them. They were close to the battery up front for a reason, to protect the wire. When you move the location of the batteries you need to move the circuit breakers and fuses as well so they are as close to the battery as possible. That panel with the busbar has plenty of room to mount circuit breakers and fuses. Be safe out there 😊
You make the absolute best videos on these upgrades. I am in the process of figuring out putting 400 lithium and an upgraded inverter into my airstream. I've been looking at trying to find an installer, or doing it myself... There are not many videos on this on the net. Can't wait for the inverter video, thanks again.
Thanks, appreciate that Ryan 😊 You'll love the the new system in your Airstream either way you go. Definitely possible to do your self if you take it slow and put in the research. Not sure if you saw the battery and inverter videos on our Airstream van, but it might help with seeing the same factory components. Im working on the new inverter video and hope to get to get it out next week. thanks!
Van battery video ua-cam.com/video/qIANRToD-vU/v-deo.html
Van Inverter video ua-cam.com/video/hB_UgLR0bTo/v-deo.html
@@IreneIronTravels Ha! I'm probably 1/2 the views on your Van installs... you are the reason I started thinking I could do it myself. I am convinced I can now. Finalized quotes today for parts. Just want to take apart the airstream first so I can see the cables and what I want to tie into as I get going... and wait for a little bit warmer weather (MN resident here too!)
Lol, that’s funny. Sounds like you’ll be totally fine doing it yourself. Stay warm up there, and feel free to ask me any questions when you get to it. You can always email at IreneIronFitness@gmail.com if needed.
We installed 3x GC3’s and 1140 watts of solar on our rig and we love it! With a multiplus 2 it’s awesome!
Nice! It is a great size isn’t it!
@@IreneIronTravels We love it as it’s enough storage that you don’t have to constantly think/worry about battery levels.
Great description on process and layout. Appreciate you breaking this up into three digestible pieces!!! Look forward to the next two videos. Thanks!
You bet! Thanks for watching!
I've watched many of these and yours was the one that sunk in ,thanks
Appreciate that, thank you and have fun with your new setup 😊
Just finishing up my setup with 600ah, Nice thing is all 600ah I designed to be portable and modular. All the hardware is attached to the battery boxes. All batterys have switch's that can isolate them but one gets a 4 way switch to also run the DC systems of the camper when not using grid power.
EXCELLENT presentation & install. Over the last 5+ years I have been doing a little solar system and additions as I go on our TT. Nothing as large as yours though; but I over build just in case & for safety. Learning a lot from DIY guys like yourself. I go slow & sure as well. When you mentioned 'fireworks" it reminded me how I learned years ago about a "traveler" staying hot after I turned off the circuit breaker that went to the light I was working on. Two 'neutral' wires were tied together. Since then I triple check that everything is dead or connected correctly. Your job is well done !
6:00 My understanding of fuses/breakers is they r to protect the smallest wire that comes after that fuse/breaker from a possible short or what not. heaven forbid a wire was to come loose ur batteries don’t care what ur biggest draw was before. Granted u prob gauged the wires appropriately for that max amp draw as well but that’s not always the case. If insulation of the wires melt then u have a fire. Im no electrician but that’s how I understand it.
Love this video! Great job of explaining the system!!!!
Great video. Thank you for taking the time to post this. I have the exact same camper on order and will be looking to do a similar type system. I am looking forward to your next 2 videos.
Thanks Kevin, congrats on the new camper!
We have a 2019 ORV 21RD with a full system under our bed. I need to run the jack power line back but don't understand how your drilled through the floor under your bed and could access those wires. I opened the chloroplast compartment under our front and put a tape inside back to that metal Ibeam and came up with 25" from the front, drilling through the floor puts us well past that I beam and over our fresh water tank. Is your frame constructions that different you were able to drill in front of the Ibeam or did you somehow fish the wires, if so please explain. thanks
How fortunate I am to run into your UA-cam channel! As a gym owner ( fitness buff), picking up a 24 RKS next week and high interest in installing BattleBorn, I don’t think your channel couldn’t be a more perfect fit. Just wish I had your youth😂. I’ve watched prob five videos so far. Thank you for sharing. This detailed battery install has given me so much comfort to see this vs just a diagram. Think I might go with a similar system with just two of the Gamechangers, at least for now. Is heat an issue under the bed?
Hey there 👋 thanks for watching! I don’t think heat will be an issue under the bed as many people have their systems installed like that. But, we’ve only had this since fall and haven’t experienced the high heat of summer. So far no issues, but I’ll keep an eye on the temps!
Great upgrade and all of your videos have been fantastic!
Thanks 🙏
Nice work Aaron! Pretty dramatic difference between the ‘“rats nest wiring” of the OEM vs your super clean work. Following this closely as my “rats nest “ was worse than your “rats nest “ and I’m contemplating a fix.
Thanks Roman! Yes, fixing the rats nests always seem to be waaayyyyy down on the list of things to redo!🤣
Are you showing in a part 2 video how you hook up shore power to the invertor and how you disable the charger/invertor that came with the camper? First video I have seen that explain it clearly enough I feel confident in doing this myself to my camper thanks alot much appreciated.
Hello 👋 yes, that will be explained in the next video that would be out with in a week!
The reason some people put the switch before the fuse is that you can shut power off to change the fuse. There would be no battery power to the fuse.
We have a 24RLS from Outdoors RV coming in a few weeks, so this is very interesting. I'm guessing that there was already a port in the black coroplast on the bottom of the trailer to make it easy to re-route the wires from the tongue battery.
Nice, congrats !! Yes there is a hole with a grommet that goes through the access panel. This was surprisingly the easiest step to switch the cable to the new battery bank!
Nicely done sir! I've done something similar in our 5th wheel with 4 Lion LifePo4 batteries. That 800AH of lithium is really going be nice this summer! Looking forward to the rest of your videos! On a side note, we just bought a Cosori Air Fryer for our rig as well. Tell your wife she just cost me a 100 bucks from the last video... :)
Thanks Rick, appreciate that! It is nice to have lithium power isn’t it! Chris says sorry…. 🤣 but your gonna love it!😊
Thank you for sharing this video with me!! As always BS &BK
Thanks Larry bs & bk !!😁
Thanks for this video!! Lots of information packed in 😎
Thanks Shelley! Yes, I tried to warn everyone in the beginning! Boring long detailed electrical video 🤣
@@IreneIronTravelsCan't have too much detail when doing electrical installations 😉
wonderful video. Curious as to how you set up/ran the truck power to the batteries. Did you use a dc to dc converter?
We didnt use a DC to DC in this set up. It would definitely help with maybe 30 amps while driving, but we found the 1200 watts of solar was enough to charge up.
Great job! I’m about to buy GC3 batteries during Black Friday. It seems everyone gets regular GC3. I live in the Midwest where it gets cold. Should I get the heated GC3 batteries??
Thanks! We've had unheated lithium batteries in our RV's full time since 2020 and have not had a problem becuase they are inside (with us) where it is above freezing.
You can still use your lithium battery below freezing, but it just wont charge until the temp rises.
If you plan to have your batteres be in sub freezing temp and still need to charge them, you would want to go with the heated. 👍
I want to mount a lithium battery under the bed on our 22FQS so I will need to run cables up from the junction box under the belly. I don't have the auto leveling system on my trailer so I'll need to drill an access hole.
Can you please describe where the hole on your 22 FQS is located so I'll know where best to drill and at what angle? I assume I'll need to drill top down.
I watched your video and have an basic idea where the cables passed thru but any photos you might have showing the exact hole/wire location would be very helpful. Thanks
Hey Kevin. Go ahead and send an email out to IreneIronFitness@gmail.com and I’ll see what I can do for you.
Great work! Something not discussed much are the mechanical loads created by heavy components in a crash. It is common for shock accelerations to exceed 15g, so your 50 pound battery or inverter could generate 750 pounds of force and do some serious damage.
Thanks Paul! Yes, that's very true...... not thought of much...I would hate to see what happens in a crash.
Great job explaining everything!
Thanks!
Hello, I want to replace the batteries of my motorhome for a 300ah lithium. I bought the victron isolated smart dc-dc 12v 30 amps. Can I connect the victron changer with the wires that are currently connected to my auxiliary batteries (by adding 60 amp fuse protection at the input to the output) to my new lithium without modifying the old installation...
Great video. I know it’s two years old. But really curious about the ac/dc charging of this rig when hooked up to shore power. The built in charger controller from the factory unit prob doesn’t have the correct output to charge your LiFe batteries. I’m curious how you sorted that out. I’m in a similar journey with our RV and looking to upgrade the house batteries to LiFe. But stuck on how to charge them.
Hello thanks! Yes, I’ve been meaning to do a video on just subject. Most newer RVs will have a “ selectable “ converter. Ours has a little switch that you just move to lithium. Some are auto sensing on voltage. But basically it just changes your charge setting from around 13.6 to 14.6 volts. If you don’t have one you can just replace your converter with a new style. amzn.to/3uAm1O6 just check what kind you have and most manufacturers have a lithium replacement.
@@IreneIronTravels awesome. Thanks for the info. I will definitely take a look. The upgrade to LiFe is a must. I hadn’t heard much about battleborn. I have experience with Renogy.
Do you have a wiring guide for this project? Looking to do the same setup and was curious if you had something you can post. Awesome job.
Thanks Brandon. No, sorry I don't have a diagram on this one. Since this was my third system install I just did it out of my head. I haven't found a good free software to do the diagrams in.
Great video. Very clear and very helpful to other DIY’er’s
Thanks Nick 🙏
Hey... that blue cap on your shore power connector may cause you trouble. We have a 2020 ORV camper that came with the same cap. I found that it retains water. I discovered this when I noticed my camper brake lights were very dimmly powered on, caused by water in the plug causing a short. We stopped using it and have had no further trouble.
Good to know, thanks I'll check that out closer!
Really well done!! I am looking forward to the solar panel install video. When will you be releasing it? We ordered a ORV and planning my system and am curious how you got 5 panels on the roof.
Thank you! Still working on the solar video but will hopefully will be done soon. We put five 240 watt panels up there and you you can see the layout in the beginning of this video if you haven't seen it. ua-cam.com/video/10zhTGlKQGY/v-deo.html
Concern: if you look at the 2x’s for the frame they are simply stapled together from the top. This is pretty standard RV construction. I would remove the frame and ensure they are screwed and glued together. The weight of these and bounce aft of the axles may mean that frame will collapse.
Yes, those staples were concerning to me as well. I reinforced the framing with the 2x3's I showed in the video. Also there was screwed framing on the 2 of the 4 sides. All good after 4 months and a couple thousand miles.👍
I would like to see info about the design and component selection process. Who did you work with on that part and did they give you a detailed wiring or schematic diagram? THX
Hey there. I designed it and didn’t do a schematic on this one. I just researched, read, and watched a lot of videos. This was my third install, ( van and truck) so a diagram wasn’t as necessary for me. But I agree it does help to have a diagram for sure!
Hello. thanks for the great video. I am currently planning my lifepo4 battery/inverter/solar conversion and this is very useful. I noticed you used the 300A blue sea switch which is rated under what the inverter can draw (400A). is there a potential issue that it will melt over long period of use? the 500Amp version is very pricy :(
Hello, thanks! I agree there is a "hole" in the switch sizes and it would be great if they made a 400 amp version. I used their 350a version on our van build and was unable to buy that this time so I had to get the 300a. From Blue Seas Website - The 300a version can handle 500a for 5min and 900a for 30 sec. The 350a version can do 600a and 1200a respectively as well. So you can see these switches are built very well and can handle quite bit of amperage. The inverter I had is 2400 watt continuous. So 2400watts / 12volts is about 200 amps continuous. Of course the inverter can peak all the way up to 6000 watts I think for a brief amount. But the normal usage is way below the 300a continuous switch and the most we usually would draw would be around 150 amps. So if for some reason the system surged over 400 amps, the main 400 amp fuse would blow to protect everything and the 300a switch is rated for 500a for 5 min. Does that make sense?
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Hopefully the training is going good. Ok time for video.
Very informative. Did you put a dc/dc converter in the 7 pin line to keep the camper from stealing power from the truck battery? I see small blurbs about this occasionally and I'm not sure if it has to be done or not.
Thanks. Not I didn't add a DC/DC on this one. I do already have one in the truck for the second battery I put under the seat that runs our Dometic cooler though. On the camper, when plugged into the truck the 7pin does send about 70 watts or 5 amps into the camper batteries. Some people think it will hurt the alternator....but it's such a small draw.
I just happened to ask BattleBorn that question yesterday and they said that was not a concern w the 7 pin connector
Great explanation on the install :)
Thanks! 👍
If you don't mind me asking, how deep is the compartment under your bed where you put the batteries?
It's about 9.5 inches deep.
So now that you've spent time with this system do you feel like it was overkill? And maybe you could have used fewer batteries, i want to upgrade my tt but im just turned off by the price, im thinking maybe a 400ah sytem would be fine, im not full time, i have panels already and on board generator, thanks
You would probably be completely happy with 400 ah. We had 400ah and 300 watts solar in our sprinter van we lived in full time for 2.5 years. It was great except for the low sun winter days and we really couldn't run the "big" AC appliances for long periods of time. The goal with the new system was to be able to run those big items like Air con, water heater, induction cooktop, air fryer, etc for many ours a day a not worry about it. So for this new system is an amazing way to live off grid. We are still testing the limits of the system but we rarely go down past 50% right now. But we are also pretty much getting all sunny days here in the SW and have''n't ran into a cloudy streak. That's where that big bank would really shine. As well as looking forward to running the Air con for many hours in the summer time.
What kind of power can you push through your 7 pin connector. Big battery capacity is nice but you eventually need to charge it.
7 pin only does about 70 watts or 5 amps. Most charging is done through the 1200 watts of solar or close to 85 amps peak in the summer. Doing good in the winter so far…. And then the inverter charges at 120 amps as well if we plug into shore power.
Great job. Thank you flor sharing.
So I hooked my system up like you outlined in your video. What is stopping the solar from back feeding the system? When I'm disconnected from shore power and both 12 volt disconnects in the off position, I'm still measuring 12+ volts on the buss bar. Does the solar need a separate disconnect switch to stop the current flow from the panels to the buss bar? I'm reading 12+ volts on the line side of the 3000 watt inverter with everything turned off. Am I overthinking this?
Yes, the solar should have a disconnect so you can shut off the power completely. Some manufactures install solar directly to the batteries and after the disconnect switches so that it still charges the battery but the coach power is off. Try the reading at night and see if you then get the zero volts.
@@IreneIronTravels thank you! I'll give that a try.
Hope your getting along with your recovery and feeling better. Great video and explanation of this part of the system. I forgot that you can mount the batteries on their sides. That should help me when fitting new batteries into my compartment.
We are also full time and move around quite a bit. Was it challenging to setup and receive delivery from Battleborn? Do you know of any distributors in the southwest? Would you say it would be worth it to buy the tools for a one time install? Or just buy pre made cables?
Thanks for your time and info. I appreciate it.
Thanks! Yes, slowly getting better. Pretty bad swelling for a week and I'm still not walking on it yet.....but improving. Battle Born can deliver to any FedEX pickup location that can receive hazardous waste materials. (lithium battery) So we've never had an issue with deliver and its pretty quick. Also you can give them a call and they can tell you the closest distributor to you, but deliver was easy for us. I think its worth it for the tools, just because It would be so hard to get the correct pre made sizes. Maybe if you were just doing the batteries, but all the components and inverter vary so much in sizes and lengths. You could probably re sell the tools on Craigslist/Facebook marketplace if needed or even check for used ones to buy.
@@IreneIronTravels Thanks for the quick reply. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope your channel doesn’t grow too fast or too big. Meaning it’s nice to ask questions and get replies. And to learn from your experiences. In all seriousness I do wish you guys continued success!
🤣 thanks 🙏 appreciate it!
Any worries about the heat that’s being created under the bed while sleeping. Does it get hot while sleeping
No, nothing much is really on while sleeping. And there really isn’t a noticeable amount of heat at all from the batteries and components. But the inverter can produce a lot of heat when charging batteries and also running big appliances. I’ll keep monitoring the temp as we get into summer months.
Big help. Thanks!
Do you have someone that you would recommend in an advisory role to assist in a DIY Solar & Battery upgrade. Perhaps someone who sells the parts & equipment as well? Wanting someone to sort of hold my hand through all of it and make ordering all the appropriate parts and spare me from any "got ya's"
Aaron = smart AF
😂🤣 not really…. But appreciate that🙏😁
Did you have to change out your stock converter for one that will properly charge your new lithium batteries? Nice set up- by the way.
Thanks! The progressive dynamics converter that came with our 2022 Outdoors RV has a switch on it that changes the charging voltage for lithium. So we did use that until we installed the Victron inverter charger. I then disconnected the PD converter as it’s not needed once we have the Victron inverter charger.
@@IreneIronTravels So if you are ever connected to shore power, what does that power hook to? This is where I get lost a bit in thinking through how it all works.
I totally get it.. that confused me as well at first. This all gets explained better in the next video with the inverter. So the shore power now goes to the new inverter first (called a pass through ) and then the power goes back to your RV’s breaker panel to power your AC appliances. The new inverter charges the batteries if needed and also provides a small amount of power (float mode) to keep the batteries full when you use 12 volt appliances like lights,fans,etc.
@@IreneIronTravels Thank you. So the converter is no longer needed to convert AC to 12v because they are powered from your battery bank system and its and no longer needed to charge the batteries because you have a charger on the inverter. So its now redundant. But you do need the breaker portion of the unit built in unit? I think I have it. Cant wait to see the next video.
Yes exactly! Yup, the factory breaker panel, including AC breakers and 12 volt fuses all stay the same. Except, the main 30amp breaker is now wired from the inverter instead of straight from the shore power. Shore power now goes to the inverter.
I may be wrong here but I believe 4/0 cable will not carry 400amps which would leave your wire melting before the fuse blew. I think that's why everyone uses a 250amp fuse.
Most inverter manufacturers and sellers do recommend 4/0 cable with a 400 amp fuse. The reason for the larger fuse is to account for the larger surge start up loads like that of an air conditioner. You could blow a 250 amp fuse every time you start it. Some might not ever plan to run a larger load and never have a problem. Our most continuous load would be 250 amps but our system can surge for a split second to 500 amps for the start up loads. And that s the reason the pros recommend fuses at 1.5 times your max continuous load.
@@IreneIronTravels However if you look at the National electrical code 4/0 cable is only rated at 230amps. Therefor your cable will get hot and melt and possibly start a fire before the fuse will blow should the system pull the full 400amps.
It depends on the length of the cable and the c rating as well. 1/0 105c can carry 350 amps for short runs.
True, lots of variables!
@@matthewwhite8129 Hey Matthew could you send me a link to the chart that shows this. I have not been able to find it. Thanks
Hey Aaron! Bill here, your fellow ORV owner and Minnesotan again. This is off subject I know, but curious what kind of mileage you guys are getting with your Tremor after owning it for a few months. Evidently, our GMC Duramax, according to our dealer, says there's nothing wrong with the truck. We're averaging about 8mph gallon when towing. So......I was in the local Ford dealer spec'ing out a Tremor package. My neighbor just bought an F350 and we're going to pull the trailer with both trucks. If the results are what I'm expecting, we'll be ordering the Ford next week. Just curious what you guys are seeing with the mileage....Thanks Aaron, and happy travels to you both!
Hey 👋 bill! Yes, 8 sounds pretty bad for a diesel for sure! We’ve been getting 12.5 to 13.5 towing. Around 16 city and upto 20 hwy. pretty happy with the mpgs so far!
@@IreneIronTravels Thanks for the quick reply Wow! That's really quite awesome and reassuring! Our last trip to IN we spend about $.50 per mile for the entire trip! Crazy. We're heading to Moab in a few weeks and will break our bank acct with fuel expenses🤪 Thanks again, and hope all is well! PS Just finished with our solar install 1050 watts and will be installing a Cel-Fi Go cell signal booster this coming week. Hoping that works as well as what the reviews are saying...
What year is your duramax? I have a 2021 2500hd and towing a i average 14.8 according to the monitor, the trucks got 13k miles now
Kind of funny nowadays how many people are selling expensive victron parts , you don't have to , shop around my system charge my lithium batteries fine with a champerion Generator and a upgrade converter i did myself.
👍 Nothing wrong with different options and doing things a less expensive way that still works for the persons situation. But, nothing wrong with using high quality expensive parts either. 😊
You used 4/0 cable but would 2/0 have been sufficient? Not criticizing your choice at all...just curious.
4/0 is recommended by the inverter manufacture as well as most installers. I'd rather over do it as well for the little amount of extra money. Maybe $50 bucks.... Also, 4/0 will dissipate heat better than 2/0.
Thank you for this.
👍
Super Job !
Thank you 🙏 appreciate it
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My experience with these batteries was very disappointing, I had 5 batteries of this brand in a sailboat that I bought and the fact of having these batteries drives me to buy the boat because of the supposed quality of the batteries.
I started having low battery performance and did a check of each of the batteries I found one battery out of the 5 I have in bad condition below 10 volt and I tried to charge it and I was never able to charge this battery again
Why did this battery fail?
The Batterborn technical service gave me several explanations on how to resuscitate her but she did not return.
the other 4 are still working perfectly,
Why did this battery fail?
Finally, because I didn't have a receipt for the purchase of a battery that has a 10 year warranty, they didn't give me warranties on the battery.
Finally, because I didn't have a receipt for the purchase of a battery that has a 10 year warranty, they didn't give me warranties on the battery.