Installing a DC to DC charger - Why Not RV: Episode 7
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- Опубліковано 29 лют 2020
- Renogy 40 Amp DC-DC Battery Charger
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Connectors...
Battery Quick Connect/Disconnect Wire Harness Plug Connector
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Wires...
Jumper Cables, 25ft Long, 2-Gauge, 600 AMP
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This Week we install a Renogy 40 amp DC to DC Battery Charger in our fifth wheel RV. As all videos, this is not a video intended for you to copy what I do. Just my way of installing my dc to dc charger. Theres multiple ways of doing this job, if you are uncomfortable working with electrical I highly recommend hiring a professional.
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You assume all responsibility and risk for the use and practices of the safety resources available on or through this video. Why Not RV does not assume any liability for the materials, information and opinions provided on, or available through, this video. No advice or information given by Why Not RV or its employees shall create any warranty. Reliance on such advice, information or the content of this web page is solely at your own risk, including without limitation any safety guidelines, resources or precautions related to the installation, operation, maintenance or repair of any equipment or any other information related to safety that may be available on or through this video. Why Not RV disclaims any liability for injury, death or damages resulting from the use thereof. - Авто та транспорт
Nice installation. Don’t forget and leave it plugged in with your engine off. Since you put a jumper from the battery input to the ignition sensor port, when your engine is off, it will continue to pull power from your truck battery.
Yes! Absolutely!!!
Thanks! You just answered every question I had about what I need to do for my Ford F2 50 and a 32.5’ fifth wheel. I didn’t even think about buying a battery charger cable. I bought the same Renogy DC to DC converter, so now when my battery arrives, it’s time to go to work.
Great to hear Gary. Goals I was able to help!!!
Thanks for making this indepth video. I am looking to install this item in my school bus conversion.
Thanks for watching Vincent. I appreciate the comment. Ya we have loved it. Has worked great for us. In the coming few months I’m going to do an update video on my whole electrical system. Update review on this and other things I’ve done. Thanks again.
Honestly one one of the easiest video and DIY to follow. Thanks! I opted for DCC50S 12V 50A DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger with MPPT
Very nice. Sounds like a nice multi function unit
Thanks for the video. I’ve been thinking about doing something similar for a upcoming trip.
Absolutely, now that I've been using it on the road I absolutely love this thing.
Excellent video I ran cables for my engine as well to battery in the back of my truck
Thanks! And thanks for watching!!!
Now that it has been a year, if I could encourage you to check the 2 gauge wire you fed. There was a few places where the wires were contacting metal. These areas could cut through to your cable. Conduit would help lessen this risk or rubber grommets.
I actually changed trucks and upgraded to a dually. When I removed the wire from the old truck I did check it and not a single point of wear anywhere. While I do agree that putting it in some form of conduit is better, if you mount everything securely it works just fine.
Great video man it's just what I was looking thanks a lot 👍👍👍
Absolutely!!! Thanks for the comment and the compliment.
If you are going into the engine compartment you really should be using heat rated cables. Battery jumper cables are not raited for continuous loads. They are for 5 minutes of current, in an open air enviroment, and then go back into storage. You want SGX (125C) or SGT(105C) cable that can withstand the temps in the engine compartment. Jumper cable wire is just going to melt off, and eventually cause a short or fire.
On my new truck we did go a different route on cables but when I pulled the jumper cables out of the old one they were just fine after a full year of use. But I do agree, and some type of conduit or wire lume isn’t a bad idea either
raited and rated ? auto correct.? thanks for the comment, I was thinking of using jumper cables , so thanks a lot
Great video. Subbed. 👍🏼 I need to do this on my TT. About to upgrade to lithium batteries too finally.
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Good job and well explained
Thank you!!! And thanks for watching
FOR ANYONE READING!! WARNING!! I’m sure many people have mentioned but that positive wire along the truck chassis rail MUST be sheathed. Preferably with something thick. Slight vibrations can cut through the wire and arc to the chassis and cause a fire.
ALSO. That trigger wire to the positive IN is telling the charger to stay on at all times. It’s better to have it on an ignition trigger so that it isn’t running when the vehicle is off.
Definitely agree you should definitely sheath or some form of “conduit” to protect the wire. Having it fused is most important so the systems protected. I unplugged the Anderson connector but later switched it to run off of the running lights. So it would only turn on when lights were on.
@@WhyNotRV perfect! You know what’s up :)
you can fit 5 marine batteries sideways in the box front. put the charger under the driver seat. there's a knockout on the cab corner to run wires.
Which rig are you referencing here
@@WhyNotRV I have a 07 3500hd reg cab. I have a shortbed truck camper so have 18 inches left in front, but just the idea to charge batteries without camper and all that battery weight is in a better place. I did to be able to run ac without a generator.
Its worth noting that if you go any bigger than a 40amp charger you should start looking at upgrading the alternator else ir could strain the alternator depending on the size you've got in your vehicle (note this applies to lithium setup due to their high charge rate)
Absolutely Dale. Fortunately the big diesel trucks are already good for this extra 40 amps but a regular gas engine might need a larger alternator just for the 40 amps.
I've seen dozens of videos where they say to have a on/off switch in the cab. Run the ingen fore several minutes. Then flip on the power to the DD to DC inverter. My only problem is the little wire that's supposedly goes to a fuse and not doubled back to the positive wire.
Nice video, thankyou for sharing. How does this work with solar panels? would the charge from this feed back into the panels that are also connected to the battery?
Asean Nomad if you have solar already charging your batteries you obviously need some form of a solar charge controller. You could drive with this feeding juice into the batteries and the solar feeding juice into the batteries. It would not back feed to the panels.
Your video helped and like some have mentioned, find out what size of an alternate you have so you do not kill it. Good tip on using a jumper cable for your wire. I might recommend spending the dough and getting welding cable which has a solid, burn-resistant, cut-proof jacket, especially for the truck to RV jumper cable.
Thank you. Ya welding cable would definitely be preferred. Jumper cables are the extreme budget option lol.
What size fuse is the one before the battery
SUPERB!!! Thank you!
Hey Bearkat4160, thanks for watching. I appreciate that.
Just scribed. Thanks for the vid as this is something I plan on doing soon.
Thanks for subscribing. Ya I love this thing. Actively using it as I type this lol. Boondocking for the night and charging the batteries back up to full before bed. Truck is at idle hardly burning any fuel
Excellent content and vid!
Thank you. I appreciate it
Do you use propane or electric for the refrigerator while driving since installing the dc-dc charger? And how did you run your wires from the bed of you truck to your rv batteries? Great video. Thanks for your time and effort
Bob T
While driving I keep it on electric. If we are Boondocking when we get to where we are goin I switch to propane, or if I need the extra juice to recharge batteries from a night of AC or something I’ll leave the fridge on propane. I believe I went over my full wiring in my new dc-dc video which is episode 52 on the channel.
WELL DONE! THANKS
Thank you! And thanks for watching!!!
Sweet ass sweet video👍 I used this same charger before with a manual switch until i found this Orion charger that shuts the power down on it's own and i don't have to worry about forgetting to shut it off anymore😂👍
Thanks Catherine! Ya I absolutely love this charger. Ease of use.
I just realized you commented on my old dc dc video. I have since upgraded to the Orion!!!
@@WhyNotRV Yes it is very nice and convenient and i had mine hooked up identical to yours and it worked beautifully but at times i forgot to turn the remote switch off. I still run this one in my boat and the Orion on my truck's sound system, i absolutely love them both👍
@@WhyNotRV I just came across your channel and I'm loving the knowledgeable info, got another sub from me, thanks.
Awesome! Thank you
Would you know how to connect D+ to starter input ignition circuit on starter battery?
Yes, you need to just find a circuit on your fuse panel that is post ignition. Is this in a class a, b or c? Just look up on Google the fuse panel for your rig. Run a wire for d+ from one of those fuses. If you want further help feel free to reach out in Facebook and shoot me a message.
Do you think I could have an issue running 4 gauge 500 amp cables from back of truck to charger and run 2 gauge from charger to battery?
Hey Vicki. The short answer to your question is NO, do not run 4 gauge 500 amp cables. The total run of the cables from the truck all the way to the rigs battery including going through the charger is what you need to size your cables for. The farther the run is the thicker the cables need to be. There’s several charts online that show what distance cables are rated for what amperage.
Awesome. Thanks
Thank you!
Great job, I have the same one as well, I'm a little confused though, do you have 2, 60 amp fuses, one under the hood of the truck to the battery, and one on the wall of the trailer? Where the battery is.
Yes. I have one fuse protecting the wire from the truck to the charger and another protecting the charger to the battery
Great videos. Question my diesel has two battery's does it matter which one I run to? Thanks
Hey, thanks for watching! I appreciate it. The short answer is no, either battery is fine. The preferred method is to connect directly to the alternator if possible but it only saves a pretty minimal amount of efficiency.
Does the jumper from the positive starter battery on the aux power switch of the charger keep the charger on the whole time and risk draining the starter battery until it dips below a certain set limit? Thus you will always have a slightly depleted battery when starting the engine?
If you leave it plugged in at the truck bed… yes that will happen or completely drain the truck battery. We have since wired to a marker light so when you turn on your lights, it comes on.
How did you get the cables from the storage compartment to the pin box? I can’t seem to be able to fish them through.
I use a “cable pulling / fish wire” and run it right between the “skin” of the rv and the framing of the upper deck. I’ve done it on several RVs now and always been the same
Awesome video. What kind of in line fuses and covers did you use?
Thank you. They’re ANL type fuses. amzn.to/3K54AJI
Awesome informative video, Thanks. I especially like how you simply run the yellow cable to power direct to the incoming hot wire. Simple. I haven’t seen anyone else do that. Can I ask what size fuse you run through before the battery connection. Thanks again! ✌🏽
Thank you for watching. I put a 50 amp fuse in line there.
By doing this, your RV will drain your truck battery... not a good idea
Brian, when you get to where you’re going you simply disconnect the connection in the bed of the truck.
@@WhyNotRV that’s right. Important to state this though, also to carry a booster box if you’re going to boondock, one oopsie moment and you’ll wish you ran to ignition or running light. Did you have any reason you opted for the “hot jump” over the other options?
Honestly just at the time it worked for me. I habitually unplug the 7 pin and the plug for this together every time I turn the truck off. But definitely a good idea to run a individual wire and carry a jumper box. I actually just recently upgraded my charger to a Victron Orion charger. It works by voltage detection and turns on when the truck is on and charging. Turns off when the truck turns off and the voltage drops below a certain voltage. All programmable. Super cool technology. Video on it is coming soon
I have the new 60amp version do you find it to get pretty warm when running on the output side and terminal area also ? Also does the heat under your hood make your battery cables pretty warm to the touch ?
Hey, thanks for watching. What gauge cables do you have running to and out of the unit? I have not experienced the cables getting warm at all, I routed them under the hood as far away from heat components as possible and have not experienced excess heat anywhere on these cables. I have now driven 8000 miles with this installed and being used the entire time. Electrically speaking excess heat in a wire is generally because the wire is not sufficient for the current.
Why Not RV Why Not RV hey thanks for the reply. I am running about 20-25 foot of 2 Gauge pure copper welding cable I should also mentions it’s not just those cables but every cable under the hood around the battery area it was 90f yesterday maybe that had something to do with it. I have 2 foot of 4 gauge from the charger to the RV battery also. I have a Ram 1500 if that helps for location purposes.
I would have 2 gauge on the output to the house batteries. Otherwise sounds good
Does the secondary battery or inverter still need to be grounded to chassis or is the black connection to the DC DC charger good enough?
All my negative connections go to a negative bus bar that is grounded to the frame
My class c has a solenoid from starter battery to house battery,does this charger replace that solenoid,i.e.can i remove the solenoid?
This device would replace your pre existing charging system from coach to house batteries
I'm a bit late to the discussion but what happens to the cable from the truck that runs the signal lights on the camper? Do you disable the 12v charging pin?
So in this application, I had just wired it directly to when you had the Anderson connector plugged in the charger would come on automatically. The downfall is if you forgot to unplug it when you parked and turn off the truck, it would kill your truck battery. In a newer installation, I have used the marker light From the trailer seven pin connector to be the signal wire for the charger. That way the charger only engages and turns on when the marker lights are on.
Wouldn't that charger be constantly on, even when the truck is off, when you wire that yellow wire to the truck battery positive instead of a switched power?
That’s correct if you leave it plugged in. What I did when I had that setup was unplug the connection when parked overnight.
Excellent video!!! I am considering installing same on my travel trailer with LFP battery, and you helped me considerably! Just one suggestion...run that small wire coming from the "D+" port of the charger to an ignition source wire so the charger is only activated when the truck is started. Thank you, you earned my subscription!!!
Thanks for watching. Ya, I actually moved the wire to a market light so when I turn on running lights it turns on. Thank you again!!!
@@WhyNotRV So basically, by turning on your running lights, you enable the DC-DC converter? I thought the idea of just not hooking up the Anderson connector seemed clever. I also thought about setting up a second connector, modifying the existing connector to repurpose the trickle charge line on the 9-pin, or maybe put a switch near the tongue jack. Are you still using marker lights and why did you change to this? This is very helpful.
2nd question - in the Renogy manual, it only requires a 8 AWG wire to the house battery since you're under 5 feet and drawing
Correct. Lights turned on the converter. People use a secondary switch all the time and that is perfectly normal. I found the marker lights as the easiest thing to do. I just used that gauge wire because it’s what I already had and didn’t feel like buying anything different. You only need the gauge wire for the amperage that you are running through it.
@@WhyNotRV What's a marker light? 🤔
… one of the amber running lights on the rig
Are those cables copper or CCA? I'm looking to do the same thing on my truck camper, but copper wires are damn expensive. Jumper cables are a lot cheaper if they're CCA but I've heard that when using CCA wires you can't use the normal 12v wire gauge charts. Is that why you went with a 2 gauge?
Hey Martin, thanks for watching. The seller doesn’t specifically say CCA or pure copper. My assumption was CCA which is why I went bigger. It’s been 9 months now of pure use on a extremely regular basis and still haven’t had a single issue.
By running you Remote wire from your hot wire coming from your truck your setting your self up for a dead battery on your truck . Any time your truck is plugged in to your camper you are pulling power out of your starter battery if you stop over night and boondock over night with the truck plugged in for a short time your starter battery will be dead . . You need to run a separate low-voltage wire either on a toggle switch or a fuse link to your ignition to your DC DC charger
I can definitely agree with that. Part of my boondock overnight routine is to unplug (and unhitch) even if just to sleep. I've been debating on moving the control wire to perhaps a marker light on the RV so when I turn the lights on it will then turn the charger on.
My Ram 2500 has factory upfitter switches. Could I use one those for the 12v sensing wire?
I don't see why not
If there is permanent running lights from the 7 pin connector, you can wire to that light wire.
Chris, I would add an optional piece of equipment to your hook up. I would put a dual battery isolator in. This way I could go direct from the alternator to one side of my main battery and the other to the dc to DC connection. This I would not be putting any drain on my primary battery bank. Also the alternator would be charging direct to both systems.
Safe travels and roads Brian and Cindy, "xtreambydesign with passion"
Great addition here Brian.
That's what the D+ wire that he simply jumpered is for.
Damn ! That’s a clean engine area !
😂 thanks
Good video. May I strongly suggest a fusible link at the truck battery? Too many sharp edges under a truck and booster cable coating isn't designed for high abrasion conditions. I'd hate to imagine what could happen if that cable welded itself to the underside of your truck. 💥💥💥
Sorry disregard, missed that part
All good. Thanks for watching!!!
I wondered if your fuse on the camper was also a 60amp fuse
Yes it was
very good thanks
Thank you!
I wired my ignition wire off a random 12v circuit that is only active with the key on, but I added a simple switch so I can manually turn the control circuit on or off while driving. However, I'm been getting issues with the charger charging for more than 30 seconds according to my shunt. How's your experience been? I've had it a year and it's basically never worked. Renogys customer service is trash, but they say they're gonna send me a new one.
I’ve had great experience with the charger. No issues with it. Hopefully renogy will take care of you. I’ve never had to deal with them but I’ve heard good things. Best of luck
W order if your circuit just can’t provide the correct amperage?
I wanted to confirm that you fused from the starter battery to the charger, and also from the charger to the house battery? Renogy’s manual implies this in a chart, but their wiring diagram shows a fuse from the alternator to the starter battery and from the starter battery to the charger, but NO fuse between the charger and the house battery. Fuses on each side of the DC to DC charger is correct, right? Or am I missing something entirely? Thanks; helpful video.
Correct. I added the 2 fuses as you stated. Most vehicles are already fused between the alternator and battery.
How can i set the DIP to charge a AGN baterry?
You’d have to check the manual for the charge parameters your batteries are calling for.
How is the charge current regulated going into the rv battery? Is the Renogy only putting out a rate that the house batteries can accept?
Essentially the Renogy is restricting the voltage and amperage coming from the truck alternator. Only allowing what the charge profile calls for.
@@WhyNotRV thanks!
It’s really the only way to fully change your house battery. And running the Remote wire to a marker light would be a perfect fix .
Hello Chris: One of the best "how to" videos on this topic I could find. Thanks.... Question: Can you provide an estimate (i.e. 10%, 20%,30%, etc.) that the DC to DC setup has increased your boondocking time as compared to not having a DC to DC system? As an example the Brinkley Z3100 5th wheel using two Group 25 batteries will give me about 5.5 hours and Group 27 about 1 hour more of driving time on a cloudy day. Pretty obvious I will be up grading to four SOK 12.8V 206AH Group 27 batteries real soon. Thanks
I really appreciate that Joe, it’s honestly immeasurable. It’s one of the most efficient ways in terms of overall cost of a project and everything to be able to add hours to Boondocking. With a DCC charger depending on what you’re running, you can even just start your truck and let it charge your batteries before you go to bed if you’ve been out for the day. It’s notjust a while you’re towing solution.
Will this replace the charge current on the 7 pin or can it work with it?
It works with it. The 7 pin barely trickles a charge.
Great job I just bought the same Dc to Dc charger for my slide in camper. My question to you is when you moved your little yellow wire over the top to the live from the live battery wire isn’t that going to keep the charger on at all times which could possibly drain your truck battery?
Yes it would. You would have to disconnect the Anderson connector to stop it from charging. In your case I would look into a different option for a switch or something. A lot of people will tap into a marker light so when you turn your lights on it activates the charger
@@WhyNotRV Thank you.
Anytime! Thank you for watching
Quick question. I used a jumper wire in the D+ (ignition) combined with a solenoid just after the truck battery. I can see no power draw with truck off, however I realized with the jumper configuration the unit stays on. I assume it's getting current from the house battery. Did you have a similar situation?
Hey fatasianone, thanks for watching... I’m trying to visualize what you have going on but am missing it... can you explain a bit further or maybe just differently?
@12:00 you use a jumper wire do the unit turns on when the ignition is turned on. I did the same thing, but the unit doesn't ever turn off.
Ok got it. Sorry. I unplug the connection in the bed of the truck and that disconnects everything. I forgot one night when we were at a harvest host and it drained my trucks battery. So you have to u plug it or put it on a switch
How did you ground the wires? did you do it to the frame at and the frame of the trailer? I having problems with heated up wire, I used 4 gauge and am moving to 2 gauge. Just would like an idea as to where I should place a ground
Hey William, I connected straight to the battery and straight to the charger.
@@WhyNotRV Thanks! I guess the trick is 2 gauge battery cables:)
Definitely want the right size cable for the amperage and fused!!!!
A DC to DC charger is a voltage booster and regulator and also mainly an amperage regulator. If you have equipped your trailor with say, 4- 6 volt agm's and hooked it up to your charging system directly you would likely burn up your alternator as those batteries can pull the maximum amperge out of almost any alternator if using large enough cables. Also if you are just using your standard 7 way trailer plug and wiring you risk burning up the wiring or plugs trying to push that many amps through those smaller wires. The DC to DC chager regulates the amperage to protect your alternator, wiring, and correctly charge your batteries. Keep in mind there are losses in these units, so 40 amps out means 50 amps in, be sure your vehicles charging system has enough headroon to support this. Also extra grounds and heavier cables from the engine block and alternator to the truck battery is a wise move. And as shown here in the video you must run dedicated heavy power and ground wires to the charger and batteries of the trailer.
Good video mate!
Hey gidderman, thanks for watching. I appreciate this comment. Very good info to add on. Thanks again.
The nice thing about the 30 and 50 amp version is you can adjust the max current in 10A increments up to the max. I set mine at 10A while towing and 40A while plugged in and getting power off the stock converter, which I isolated and wired into the DC-DC controller.
I have LFP batteries so it is truly the only way to get max charge.
Thanks for that video! On my truck camper currently have 3 gel batteries of 88 ah that get power from solar panels. But when I'm driving the batteries don't get charged thanks to the engine so if I have to drive during cloudy days the batteries won't get charged properly. The truck has 7 pins connector cable but on the back of the truck there is only a 4 wires pin from the camper that is connected into the 7 ways socket. (it's like an adapter)
There is obviously a MPPT solar regulator and an inverter. Any idea of how I could get my batteries charged while driving?
You could do exactly what I did in this video. That’s what this product does. You’ll just want to set the chargers profile to the same as your MPPT
@@WhyNotRV I have messaged you on Instagram... If dont mind trying to help me out
Ok I’ll check my messages
What do you thing about 20 Amp (40 amps) DC to DC charger with an 150 Amp Alternator (Nissan Pathfinder) ?
Hey Francois, great question, thanks for watching! As long as you aren’t running anything crazy inside the Pathfinder already (I.e. large stereo equipment or inverter) you should be just fine. However, each of these things can be a case by case type basis and I would do a bit more digging to make sure you don’t overload that alternator.
Nice video. I’m about to do the same thing. One question. Did you disconnect the trickle charge that comes from the 7 pin connector? It is a small charge but could damage the Lithium batteries on long drives.
Roland, that’s an excellent observation!!! With My new lithium bank I definitely need to do this... before I go off in research do you know which wires need disconnected for that? I just changed out this charger if you look it’s my most recent video.
@@WhyNotRV No I do not know that. Will let you know if/when I get that far. I do not like the idea that it is the BMS that shut off the charge. In my opinion the BMS is the last protection in case your charge source do not stop charging as it is programmed to do.
There’s options to double protect. For example I have a victron battery protect. You can wire one in between the charger and bus bar and use that as a safety
I don't beleive the 7 pin provides enough charge to cause any problems for lifepo4 batteries. If it did, the battery BMS would protect the battery, but I really doubt it would ever come to that.
True.
Awesome video....using for ford van...can I jump like you did with the yellow wire and then put a manual switch on the positive between the charger and van battery?.....to be able to shut it off manually...is that correct?
I would put a switch on that yellow remote wire of anything as it’s a low amperage signal wire VS the positive wire is high amperage most switches aren’t capable of that
Oh ok...that seems easier ...thanks for the info....appreciate it...👍
No worries
What size yellow wire did you use?
I believe it was around 14-16 gauge. It’s just a signal wire. Very minimal amperage
Great video. There was no issues on how you used the D+ wire to power up the charger? Thank you
No need to reply, I see you have answered my question in other peoples post. Thanks
Thank you!!!! I always appreciate my viewers and love to help and answer any way I can.
How did you do the dip switches for your battle born battery? Just another step that could be covered that’s over a lot of people’s heads.
Hey Kevin, Thanks for watching. Unfortunately I don't have Battle born batteries. I have AGM batteries and I set the dip switches for the AGM setting. I don't recall what that is but it was right there in the manual.
Why Not RV though I saw battle born’s. Sorry. Just a thought that it’s the details that normally scare people out of projects like this.
No problem. Thanks for the input. Im actually working on a video that will cover an update on this as well as a few other electrical upgrades I have made.
how big are the eyelets you use to attach on the renogy ? Can I put an on-off button on the ignition cable?
I don’t specifically recall the size eyelets. Probably around 1/4-3/8. I have since changed to a Victron charger. You can put a simple inline switch no problem. You can also wire it to a marker light and when you want it on just turn on the running lights.
@@WhyNotRV thx for the reply! Why did U make tye switch? was renogy not good?
Not at all. The renogy is great and I still highly recommend that product. I made the switch for no other reason except I wanted all of my charging devices (solar, converter, dc-dc) to be the same brand for consistency in charger profiles.
The way you have it wired, wouldn't the charger be running all of the time that it is connected to the vehicle? That positive wire is hot 100 percent of the time, I would run the trigger yellow wire to another source that is switched.
Yes. The way this originally was done was just that. I actually just released a new dc-dc install video from my most recent install and I wired the trigger wire to the running lights of the trailer that way I control it charging with the lights. There many ways to accomplish the same goal
Hello on your dc to dc charger the yellow wire ( d+ 12 volt positive feed) you put over to your input. Does that work? I thought it has to go to one of the ignition feeds so when you turn the vehicle on the unit starts? Just curious because I just received the charger. Thanks
Hey, thanks for watching. Ya, so the input of the charger is obviously 12 volt so it has worked fine for me as I have that plug in the bed of my truck so when I plug it in, it instantly turns the charger on. I have since seen many people wire it to the running lights of the rig so when you turn the lights on, it turns the charger on. Either works. And of course there are many more ways of accomplishing the same goal there.
Why Not RV Thanks appreciate the fast response. Doing a Van Conversion now on my UA-cam channel & starting the whole electrical part soon. 👍👍
No problem. Good luck with the project.
Question: shouldn’t that lead be switched? I’ve seen other people connect it to the running lights, for example. With the jumper wire as you’ve done, won’t it continue to draw power from you starter battery the entire time that your trailer is plugged in? Even when stopped / engine not running? Not sure what the draw is, maybe it’s insignificant.
@@icecreamtruckguy It’s only when ignition on. Plus I have a on/off toggle switch that stops all current. I appreciate the look though. 👍👍
Great video, even though it is four years old!! I have a 2016 GMC Sierra HD ( it's not as clean as yours underneath :) ) and it has two batteries. Does it make a difference as to what battery I connect the wires too? Keep up the great videos and happy travels.
Thank you for your comment and kind words. No, from your main truck, you can either run it from the alternator, or either positive from your batteries. It’ll all get the same job done. The alternator is the most direct route if it has a post on it with Room.
I'm curious how you decided on what amperage of charger to use? I've heard that there's a maximum amount of amperage of charger relative to the amperage of the battery bank that you don't want to exceed. Also, 2ga wire from the charger to the batteries seems like overkill since it's such a short run, any reason you didn't go with like 6ga? Does that model of charger you used automatically detect what type of battery and then adjust the charging profile to match the battery?
Hey, Thanks for watching. I decided based on what my load is while towing. My fridge and ice maker stay running while towing and together pull almost 40 amps DC through the inverter. They are both intermittent to full load so when they're not this thing charges my batteries and when they are this will maintain current charge. After using it on the road for 3 month I am extremely happy with it and it has worked flawlessly and every time we move we have full batteries at the next stop. In terms of the too much amperage, this is significantly lower than my converter which charges the batteries while on shore power so that’s definitely not a concern of mine. The 2ga wire is overkill but when you are messing with heat and wires I would much rather be safe than sorry. The charger has a few dip switches on it so you can tell it what charging profile you want for it based on your types of batteries. Let me know if you have further questions.
Hi, I have been fielding the same question to youtubers and RVers for days. I want to use the biggest charger I can for maximum battery charge when driving. It seems the vehicle alternator is the limiting factor. I have read/heard over and over that too many amps = hot alternator and potential burn out.
When the battery is low, the current will max out to the charger's limit. Anyone who has big battery storage (2-300 Ah for me) would want the fastest feasible charge time, No? Seems to me the charger size should be selected by the "headroom" amperage the alternator has above the usual demands of the vehicle (headlights, heater, wipers etc.). So far, nobody (including Renogy) has been able to tell me what size I can use with a 160 amp alternator.
I am getting ready to install dc to dc and bought 3 Guage jumpers because they were cheaper and had connectors already installed on one end
2 Guage not 4
It has tiny switches he's on the back where to set your type of battery. There tiny and hard to see. I have one.
How do you determine size of wire to alternator? How do you determine voltage needed to charge at rate you want.
Different wire sizes are rated for different amounts of amperage. Just Google what size wire you need for what amperage you are going to be charging with. I have a chart that is right on Google that I use for 99% of my wire sizing needs. The battery you were charging will tell you what the voltage you need to be doing your charge rates at. If you don’t know, contact the manufacturer to ask. But the information is typically online for every battery on the planet.
@@WhyNotRV thank you so much. Noobie here. Great video.
Thank you
can you do a close-up on your yellow wire placement on the dc to dc charger? I have the 20amp version and tey are talking about a d-splice on the ignition wire and more... yours seems like the perfect and easy connection, thanks "the American wanderer on youtube
I no longer have this rig so I can’t necessarily show a close up. The yellow wire is strictly the remote wire to activate the charger. You can flap into a marker light and use your lights to activate the charger or you can do it how I did and just go from the main power in and tap it to the remote but keep in mind that means the charger will instantly activate when you plug in the Anderson connector so if you stop overnight and don’t disconnect the truck you have to be sure to unplug the charger or it will deplete your truck battery overnight.
Can it be used with built in converter?
A converter takes AC power (shore power) and converts it to DC power for the dc system and to charge the batteries. This is going to take your trucks dc power and safely and efficiently charge your RV batteries while driving or running your truck. You wouldn’t really have both at the same time. However, o say all that to say, yes they can work together and both charge at the same time.
FYI, I would connect the negative wire at truck to the engine block, not to the battery.... the engine block is the mother of all grounds in your truck. Why you ask? Consider this, if your negative wire from the battery to the engine lost connection or got a poor connection, the current would (could) flow out your charger's negative wire to the RV then through your DC-DC charger to the RV battery. Then it would flow to the frame of the RV, back through your hitch to the frame of the truck and also the ground wire of your 7 pin connector. Then from the truck frame through the bonding straps to the engine block. The starter takes several hundred amps and a diesel starter takes more than a gas engine starter. None of this stuff it will flow through is designed to carry hundreds of amps. Smoke will follow along with likely arc welding your hitch connection at the trailer. Might never happen, but if you lost engine ground it would be bad. Just saying....
Bruce brings up a great point here. I personally did not consider the truck losing its own ground. Again, great point Bruce and solid advice.
Using same charger. Gets so hot I can’t touch it for more than a few seconds! Is that normal? I’m using 6awg wire and 60amp fuse at the battery.
Is the burning hot normal?!
It does nothing but produce heat. Where do you have it mounted? What is it mounted to? Wood wall? Metal? Carpet?
@@WhyNotRV I have it mounted in the bed if my truck inside an 80/20 aluminum cabinet. It’s mounted to 1/2 plywood. I’m thinking I may install a fan on the cabinet top right above the charger to pull out that heat.
I saw someone else also say they put an aluminum plate behind their charger to help dissipate the heat. Not sure where I’d get that.
Thanks for the quick reply. Great video btw
Yes, both a fan and an aluminum plate will help. You can get aluminum from various places. Tractor supply for example.
What amp is your alternator? Mine is 160. Is that enough for 40 amp dcdc
I’m not entirely sure but the majority of diesel engines have bigger alternators that can easily support the extra 40 amps. 160 is plenty big depending on what else it’s charging or being used for.
Have found no answers anywhere on that matter, only "not too many amps or burn up the alternator"! I suspect 160/40 amps is a safe ratio, but I wonder what a realistic limit is? Even Victron and Renogy seem to publish no numbers. Like everyone, I'd like the maximum charging and best bang for my buck and efforts. I'll probably run the truck with headlights, blower and everything running and see what the alternator puts out.
I have a renogy 20 amp dc to dc should I still use a 2 gauge wire like you for this or use 4 gauge
You need to account for the heat from the engine and what not. As well as the overall length of the run. There is tons of wire size charts online to reference.
@@WhyNotRV ok I know it's about 20 ft I think travel from my van battery to back of my van .I just really determined that by taking a 20 ft battery jumper cable .
Gotcha. 6 gauge should be all you need there
Did you need any kind of ignition relay between the battery and D+ or the charger to keep your starter battery from draining? If so, what relay? Also, what kind of cable did you end up switching to for your new truck? Thanks!
You can wire the D+ to a marker light on the trailer and have your lights being on be the control for the charger. In this install I kept it simple. So when parked overnight I would just unplug the Anderson connector in the bed of the truck.
@@WhyNotRV Cool. What kind of cables did you use for your new truck? I noticed a comment where you said you went a different route with a new truck.
I went with this cable… amzn.to/3EbdSBS
@@WhyNotRV Cool. So 6 awg was sufficient for that long of a run for 40a?
I never had a problem with it. Voltage drop doesn’t really start to come into play till around 50’ or more
thanks for the video, i guess i'm just wondering if you have the yellow wire connected to the positive input on the charger, why wouldn't the setup drain the starter battery while the truck is off? wouldn't it always be taking a positive charge regardless of if the engine is running?
In this setup yes thats exactly correct. I later went on to wire it to a marker light so when I turn the lights on the RV it would activate the charger. and then I upgraded the charger to a big Tron charger which has engine start and stop detection
Victron* lol. Darn auto correct
@@WhyNotRV where can I get myself a big tron charger
amzn.to/3PMwZ7O
@@WhyNotRV The marker light thing works great because my lights turn on with the motor running, but you have to remember to not turn on the lights without the motor running you you can have a dead starter battery. Is the aux pwr off when the truck is not running? I could use that instead for the sense wire if so. I know there is a relay for it....
I understand the install but what do you do about the trickle charge your batteries are already getting? How do you keep your lithium batteries from not damaging your alternator?
The wires are so small there it’s not doing anything significant. I’ve had to set up for a couple years now and do not have any issues with either set of batteries. Multiple people have done the same type of thing and don’t change anything with the seven pin with zero issues.
Then why all the fuss about lithium destroying your alternator?
Go on the Victron community blog. There’s a great write up on there about it
Great video, please tell me where to get the fuse that’s attached to the positive battery terminal
Thanks
Thank you. I believe you are talking about this ANL fuse. amzn.to/3IAMzkH
Thanks for the super fast response!
I’m running a 2019 f250, I ran 6ga to the input side of the 20 amp charger 50 amp busman inline fuse on the pos terminal,and have been trying to figure out from videos what type of fuse and where to get it… pretty new at this . Switched over to a Lifepo4 Lion energy( want 2 ) and a progressive dynamics 60 amp 9100 series charger.
I don’t have any solar yet so do I need to also tie this back into the breaker panel or just to the battery? Thanks again.
Just the battery. Or whatever distribution bar you may be using. The breaker panel (dc side) will pull what’s needed from the batteries and the charger refills the battery
Thanks again! I just ordered the fuses and a couple of spares… do you have an affiliate store with Amazon? I don’t mind buying through affiliates that help me👍
If you clicked my link in the above comment I should get credit for it. I do appreciate it!!!
why 60a fuse instead of 40a?
The fuse is meant to protect the wire. And works off of heat. The charger will pull 40 amps, engine heat can add quite a bit and blow a fuse prematurely.
That looks easy enough. My dc to dc brand is ximalta or ximata 40A but the brand should not matter. Are your wires live constantly or do they power down when the truck is off?
The wires from the alternator to the back of the truck at the Anderson connector are live all the time. If you have the Anderson plugged in from the camper, that’s live all the way to the charger itself.
@@WhyNotRV so you must unplug the connector if parked overnight so you do not run down the truck battery?
My situation is I built a 5x8 flatbed into a livable box, has 3-100ah lithium litime batteries, 40a mppt controller so far 300w solar on truck canopy (with 4-100w panels in storage) to go on the trailer, and I plan to live in the setup full time, the truck already runs down the battery when sitting due to an aftermarket cd player/changer install. I already had to put a battery disconnect at the battery. I just do not want the battery to run dead overnight if I don't disconnect the battery disconnect.
I don’t know how your brand dc-dc charger works. The Victron has engine detection shutoff so it does not drain or use juice at all once the truck is off. On my new setup o wired the trigger wire that activates the charger to my headlights so overnight I can stay plugged in and it does not discharge at all. I imagine the ximata has some form of a trigger wire or activator that tells the charger to activate and draw
I have a travel trailer. Can anyone give me opinions on whether it's better to put the DC to DC charger on the truck or on the trailer?
I suppose it’s perfectly fine to do either one. I would do it on the trailer time and time again. I’m not sure what benefit you gain by mounting it to a truck somewhere. On the trailer it’s easy to put in a weather sealed compartment, it’s a charger meant to be programmed for the trailers batteries.
@@WhyNotRV I guess I was thinking about the truck as an option because of the dual battery set ups on some overland/off road trucks. You bring up a good point about its purpose
Did you installed a 60 amp fuse ?
Yes. Both on the truck side and on the charging side
Nice idea with the yellow cable.. does that mean the charger will be drawing from your starter battery 24/7 even when the engine is off ?
Correct. However, I disconnect the cable in the truck bed so that disconnects the trucks battery and stops the charge
I have actually now since replaced the charger with a Victron smart charger so it turns on and off based on the engine output voltage.
@@WhyNotRV @Why Not RV thanks for the reply man. I have this dc charger currently installed and want to wire it like this. How about if I install an isolator switch so that I can manually disconnect if I'm stopping for longer periods of time? Would that work? Thanks again
That’s another option absolutely. Just don’t forget or you’ll wake up to dead starter batteries lol
How about if I connect it to the wiring under my passenger seat that controls seat position? Would that be a part of the ignition circuit? Thanks again man.
Shouldn't that yellow wire be connected to the ignition switch or better yet to a relay, something that activates the DC-to-DC charger only when the truck is running and charging the starter battery? Otherwise the house batteries will tend to drain the starter battery when the truck is not running.
Hey Frank, thanks for watching. Some people do wire it to the running lights so it turns on when you have the running lights on. I have found that as part of my routine when I get somewhere I disconnect the electric connections from the truck every time. Works for me.
I just wired mine to the 12V wire coming from the 7 Pin RV plug. That output is switched on my truck and is only hot when key is on.
@@boulderwy3387 good idea
exactly what gary said, just a year later. thanks
I appreciate it!!!
should put a protective tube on that cable.
Definitely not a bad idea at all
What size is the fuse ?
50 amp
Any issues with cable wires heating up?
Not even close. I had this installed for a bit over a year. No issues with it.
Thanks. Good info
How did you take something so technical and make it so understandable.... Thank you.... Making time this weekend too binge on your videos.... Liked and subbed...
Please can you provide info on a converter mod upgrade that can handle charging lithium batteries in shore and generator power... I from speaking to other rv'ers... It's a 50 % equation... 200 battery amp hours can be charged a maximum of 100 amps... My goal is to avoid dollar panels... Use an upgraded alternator when driving with a dc to dc charger like you have here..... When dry camping... Use the generator to charge the lithium batteries with the lies run time possible...
Would this merit a video from you?
Thank you
I appreciate the comment. This is the reason I started this channel. If you want to reach out to me on Facebook I can try and answer any specific questions. The rule of thumb on charging is definitely subjective and doesn't apply to all battery types. I would look up your specific battery specs and see what they can take. I didn't replace my converter when I changed batteries.... I did the Victron Multiplus route which is inverter/converter (amongst many other things) combo. There are tons of chargers out there, I recommend finding one that is programmable so you can change it up as things change... again, shoot me a message if you have more questions.
dude what setting did you toggle on the charger ?
Every battery type is different and requires different settings. At the time of that install I had AGM batteries. Now have Lithium and have switched to a different charger.
@@WhyNotRV for I have my start battery to my AGM
Different manufacturers have different recommendations. If you look at page 16 of the manual you can see how to set charger voltage. I had all of my dip switches set to ON but that’s just me.
How do I know my Alternator will take the extra load of the Dc to Dc charger?
Most diesel trucks have oversized alternator capable of charging 20-40 amps no problem. When you get into the 60 amp charger or 2 of these in parallel is where you might need to consider running a dual alternator setup.
@@WhyNotRV I have a Colorado Diesel. Mid-size truck. Looks like the Alternator would be 120-150 Amps. Isn't there any way to know for sure? I would like to put in a 40Amp dc to dc. I have 2 AGM Batteries 200 amp/h. Thanks :-0)
Just Google oem alternator for your year make model and engine and see what it says.
@@projet2907 call any auto parts store and they can look it up within seconds.
Give them your Vin # .
cant you take neg and pos off cranking battery direct to aux battery ? wont that charge the aux battery (using a battery isolator) ? The guy in the 4x4 sold me every thing i need to charge aux battery but never mention a DC-DC charger,
No, The proper charging profile of your house batteries are different than how a starter battery charges and is used. A dc-dc charger allows you to properly and optimally charge your house batteries
@@WhyNotRV thanks for reply mate but i have never heard of the expression 'House battery' Im in a 4x4 will be in the bush not in a house. I have a cranking battery and an auxiliary AGM deep cycle battery. CHEERS
House batter is the battery for the rv itself not the motor. I’m not sure what your situation is and what the battery is running.
Links to the wire and connectors would help.
Keeb, absolutely I’ll get that posted in the description but here you go...
Connectors...
HYCLAT 2-4 Gauge 175 A Battery Quick Connect/Disconnect Wire Harness Plug Connector Recovery Winch Trailer www.amazon.com/dp/B01KHQR0K4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.D9JEbD886CWY
Wires...
ABN Jumper Cables, 25ft Long, 2-Gauge, 600 AMP - Commercial Automotive Vehicle Booster Cables - Motorcycle Car ATV www.amazon.com/dp/B00R516D3K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_nF9JEb42RDDA4
Hi. I just installed the Renogy 20amp charger. After install, I was able to use my multimeter and determine I have 14.4 volts at the input side, but nothing on the output. I’ve wired the power wire to my trailer lights and the green lights turns on and remains a steady green. I’m trying to figure out why I have no power/voltage on the output terminals. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thx.
Jason
I’d start with confirming your have the dip switches set properly for your batteries, secondly, plug it in, make sure it’s on (green light) wait about 1-2 minutes and test voltage. It senses your battery voltage …
@@WhyNotRV Hi. Thanks for your reply. After I hit send, I realized I should’ve mentioned my DIP switches are set correctly (at least according to the manual and the help of others who have provided additional feedback). Also, the unit is plugged in and I have a steady green light: nothing blinking flashing or red. Lastly, you mentioned something about it sensing my battery voltage. Does that mean the the unit senses the batteries are sufficiently charged, it will not output current? If so, is it possible to adjust the range at which it begins charging? Thanks again.
How is this wired? You said the output has zero voltage but if it’s hooked up to your battery you should be reading the battery voltage at least
@@WhyNotRV absolutely right. Yes, I have the same voltage on the output terminals as I do when I test the voltage directly from the battery terminals. However, if I disconnect the Renogy unit from the trailer batteries, but it’s still connected on the input via my truck (alternator battery), shouldn’t I get a voltage reading on the output side of the Renogy? Plus, my Victron smart shunt is not registering any positive voltage coming in, only negative out. Thanks again for your help and asking great questions. Hopefully, we can figure this out.
Unfortunately I no longer have a renogy charger so you may just have to reach out to them directly. I’m not sure, however, I believe if you disconnect the rv batteries The charger will not put out any voltage as it knows it’s not connected to a battery. Lastly, have you confirmed with your Victron shunt essentially no load? Meaning, when the RV is all hooked up and ready for tow what is your discharge amperage from minor ghost draws or whatever you have running? Then confirm ZERO change when charger is hooked up?
I bought one of theses, the 20A Renogy DC-DC on board battery charger, model DCC1212-20. I placed a 30A breaker on the pos line from the starter battery to the device, as per the instructions. However, the breaker keeps flipping. I changed it out, but the new one keeps flipping. So this device is not charging my house battery because of this. I have a 150 amp alternator. Before I bought the device, I called Renogy and was told to buy the 20A device. Now, the Renogy customer service number hangs up after it plays the initial introduction message.
What do you recommend?
Hey Dave, thanks for watching and great question! If the breaker is tripping it more than likely means you have a short in the wire somewhere. With a multimeter, I would start by checking the wire for continuity to ground on either side of the breaker. That should tell you which side of the wire is bad. From there I would either locate the grounded portion and repair or just replace the entire wire depending on difficulty. Let me know if this works for you or if you have further questions.
@@WhyNotRV I don't think this is it, not as far as I can tell. Also, the breaker is not popping immediately. It pops after a minute or so.
In that minute do you get charging? Do you have a battery monitor to be able to know if it’s putting out 20 amps during this minute?
@@WhyNotRV I have a battery monitor, which says it is charging, but I'm not sure what the amps are. I can hear the device switch on, and the fans come on...but usually I am driving so I'm distracted with watching the road. Now that I am home from my trip (when all this became apparent) I recharged my battery using shore power...which was probably a mistake, at least for the moment, since the charger isn't working very hard now...when the battery drops, then I'll be able to see how many amps it pulls on a bulk mode charge. Since the battery is full, it is only pulling 1-2 amps, presumably an ABS type charge rather than a bulk charge.
I ordered a self-resetting 30a breaker from amazon, which someone suggested. At least I won't have to manually reset it every time it pops. This is an attempt to get a charge. But this really doesn't tell me what the issue is. I use 8 awg cables, maybe 16ft long, which is supposed to be to spec.
Well let’s backup and look at the theory in a breaker. It doesn’t measure anything. It trips based on temperature. If the wire going through it gets too hot it’ll trip. There could be a problem with the charger itself, the wire might be rated for the length and amperage but depending on ambient / engine temps it might not be enough. That’s about the extent of my diagnosis. lol
Great video. Where do you come up with these ideas.
These were kind of a series of installs before our big trip I wanted to get some upgrades in. I have tons of ideas on a list. Currently working on about 5 videos for the next 5 weeks and next week I’ll have another and one will be posted. Just keep them rolling
how do u no wich one to use? the 20, 40 , 50, 0r 60a model?
Hey, thanks for watching. It just depends on your charging needs and battery bank. Depending on your batteries they might only be able to take a certain amperage from a charger.
@@WhyNotRV oh wat up dawg. jeez so any amp model will work is wat your sayin? oh no wait will this charge 24v bateries? i think is the real question
What’s goin on... No this will not charge 24v. I think victron has one that can have different voltages. Not sure though.
@@WhyNotRV oh man good thing i asked thank u sir
No problem. Good luck finding what you need
I'm consider this unit as well. 11:31 is exactly what I was looking for - the style of connectors on the unit. Thanks for showing that.
I've already got upgraded cables, which I show here: ua-cam.com/video/nZMQp5CGcRE/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching. Glad it helped you. I’ll go check yours out.
That wasn't showing how to install the dc dc charger
Just what was it then?
Could you just mount your negative to the chassis closer to the charger to save cable
Of course technically you can but I wouldn’t. You’d have to fuse the cable feeding the frame and you’ll also need to make sure your negative off the battery is gauged properly for the load.
@@WhyNotRV ok maybe my setup is dangerous then I've got my 40 amp renogy hooked up after my old school dual Battery isolator that only pumps out 25 Amps max. Because I'm running a 100ah lithium ion phosphate in the back I put a DC in between to protect my alternator maybe I need to go see an auto electric guy I suppose. Thanks for the reply my mehanic mate allways said a little bit of knowledge is dangerous. I thought I was onto a good thing as then I don't need a switch as the isolator would only allow the charger to work when running. And those set ups run the earth from anywhere in the back
Those jumper cables appear to be copper plated aluminum. That stuff is awful for running any current and will cold-creep and loosen in the crimped connectors. I would advise against using it. I would also strongly advise using a hydraulic hex-crimper rather than that hammer-type one which only crimps in a small area.
I’ve been using them for over 5000 miles of towing and charging. A max of 40 amps going through them. I have constantly checked the cables and connections to ensure they’re not heating up at all. I do agree a hydraulic crumpet is the way to go. Will definitely be investing in the future.
Soldering them and water tight shrink tube is the way to go.
What cables would you recommend?