RV Inverter Installation | Victron Multiplus 3000va Inverter Charger | Full Time RV Living
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
- After installing 400 amp hours of Battle Born Batteries it is time to finish the project with the RV inverter installation of a Victron Multiplus inverter charger. 🔋Save $50 on Battle Born Batteries bit.ly/BattleB...
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How to program a Victron Multiplus Inverter • How-To: Program a Vict...
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Great video! I'm getting ready to install this as well. I'm not sure if you're aware, but you don't need the transfer switch that you already had installed. In fact, it's probably interfering with the way the Victron works. The Victron inverter already has a high qualify transfer switch built into it. So if you're watching this video, please don't use an extra transfer switch! Hope this helps.
Thanks! That transfer switch is for the Airstream system for the generator and shore power connection together. The Multiplus transfer switch is for when the 120v power disconnects it switches over to the battery power.
Unless you get a Quattro that can accept 2 AC inputs, you do need a transfer switch (automatic or manual) to swap between AC inputs (shore power and generator).
If that Romex wire is single core, don't use it. Always use multicore wire in a van or boat. Safety for moving applications is important.
I agree with you stranded is better. But they come from the factory with solid core wire 🙁.
Best video I have seen by at explaining how to re wire the panel to power the whole RV and not just a couple outlets inverted. Thank you for making this.
Awesome, thank you!
Great job...thanks for posting the video.
I got confused in keeping the transfer switch..as I thought the new inverter can do that task.
Learning a lot from your videos
Thank you! I learned a lot researching this one and I'm glad its helping out. Thanks for watching!
Obviously Battle Born was more helpful with you then I could get response with more then 3 words it was a real Battle
Hey there. May I ask what your issue is/was?
Same problem. They told me to buy the batteries, then a converter, and then the inverter/charger. Now I can't get anything installed and don't feel comfortable doing it myself, esp with a separate circuit breaker like I've seen in some systems. Had these things for a year and they are just sitting collecting dust. I'm trying to get an electrician to help but no one seems interested. Frustrating. If anyone is in southern CO and wants to make some money, let me know.
Very similar to my system. I love the multiplus as it does help when driveway docking. And it is smart. I can actually have the ac running for up to three hours on the three batteries. But I usually don’t. Anyway all has worked well for traveling. Blessings
Hey Celeste! Good to hear from another full timer that they are liking this system also. I'm glad we went with it and we are loving it too. Thanks for watching!
Should use 10/2 marine wire. It is flexible and is coated .
Edit- I used this in my new system ⚡️Marine flexible multi-strand AC wire 10/3 amzn.to/3jQ3mWe
Just starting to hear more about marine flexible wiring. Sounds like it would be a good idea to put in RV's also. Not sure why its not implemented from the factory builds on RV's as there is a ton of vibration from driving......
@@IreneIronTravels Cost. Profits !
I forgot to say , great job and video .
Thanks, appreciate it. It was a fun experience learning more about this and installing the system. Lot's to still learn!
When I had a cabin cruiser boat, the 120V was wired with marine cable - which was multi-strand wire so as to be less likely to break from vibration and cause a short. I believe the marine grade wire has an insulation that is more fireproof and comes both in tinned (for saltwater conditions) and regular (un-tinned) wire strands.
That said, the most likely area for a wiring problem due to shorts and heat build-up is at the connections. Push-on connections being the ones that have historically caused the most problems.
I don't know if you can use arc fault (AFCI) breakers in an RV panel to detect shorts, like are required in home wiring circuits.
Excellent video, very clear step by step installation . I'm looking to do a similar type setup.
Thanks and safe travels.
Thanks! I'm glad the install is over and now we get to enjoy it! I'm sure you will love it if you decide to upgrade. Thanks a lot for watching!
Love the yellow choice for positive from the mppt. 🙈😛
Airstream gets credit for that one... those are the factory PV wires. 😊💛
Dude, that was super impressive! Well done
Thanks! And Thanks for watching!
Sleeping on top of all that electrical power takes guts.
Watched both videos of your electrical work. Impressive you'd tackle a job like that. Good job. I like that all a.c. power is available all the time. Good video and very informative.
Thanks 👍 It was a big job to tackle. but I learned a lot and had fun! Glad its over!😂 Thanks for watching!
We have the 5,000 one. Throwing it in sometime really soon. Thanks for the info!
Nice 👌 We love the setup, it changed our lives!
Nice video. I have the same 1000W inverter in my 2017 interstate and was curious how to deal with the power control circuit. It’s funny how simple and complicated it can be at the same time!
Thanks! Yeah, I couldn't find a lot of detailed info on this particular swap out and it had my head spinning for a while!🙃 But, definitely not as bad as I imagined it! Super happy with the results. Thanks for watching!
Nice job.. I want a inverter like that without the charger for my house.. 1200 isn't a bad price on these..
Thanks! We are loving the Victron Multiplus so far!
Nice video. I am just collecting various parts to do same in my Toy Hauler. This helped.
Thanks! We are really loving the new electrical set up and have some friends with the same. Good luck with the toy hauler install when you get to it!
WOW - this is a lot to figure out on your own!! Way to go Aaron! I'll show this to my husband - he will understand it way better than I do! Thanks for sharing all of this - it's great info!
Noelle
Thank you! It was a fun process to learn and now we get to enjoy the reward of power!⚡
Great job! Does your van have one or two lead-acid batteries (one under the floor on the driver's side, one under the hood)? If there are two, you've got a spare house battery to do stuff with.
As for your current setup - it's perfect. The only thing I'd do is keep a second alternator in the back of your mind. With a dedicated 280a alternator for your lithium system, you can run your air conditioner right off the main engine, and charge your batteries quickly on days when there's no sun. It will give you most of the benefits of your generator, but without having to reply on propane.
Also, make sure you carry a spare fuse with you. If it blows for whatever reason, your entire house 12 volt system is dead - which can be incredibly inconvenient.
Thank you! We have just the one bat under the floor..... had to replace it last year on the road! Good point on the second alt. I'm finding charging off the 220a main alt with the LBIM225 is mediocre at best. I plan on doing a bunch of testing videos in the next couple months on the whole system. We just boondocked for 60 days back to MN and it worked great. And I did get two spare fuses right away. Great point! 😀
@@IreneIronTravels re-watching your old videos. First thought I had was "I better suggest they get some spare fuses" only to see I did six months ago 🤣.
Hope the system has been treating you well. I'm still a weekender. I have 700 amp-hours LiFePo4, and that's enough for me to run my A/C all night in the middle of summer, and then run generator to power the A/C AND recharge the batteries during the day. Right now in the winter, I can go almost a week without recharging (I have no solar). Hopefully you'll have similar capabilities if you find yourself somewhere hot in the summer!
That's pretty funny! Haven't had to use the fuse yet, but feels good to have a spare! The victron multiplus does pretty well handling any surges so far. As far as AC we can run it none stop for about 2.5 hours. So maybe 5 hours if it cycles 50%, but it seems to run none stop if it's hot enough out. We got our generator fixed now and that's a big relief to beable to run AC longer and recharge. We found 10 days to be our max with our 300w of solar and not using the gen. Would like double that in solar.
@@IreneIronTravels If you have a spare fuse, you will never need it. If you don't have a spare fuse, you will need it at the worst possible time. Blew my only fuse the first day into a camping trip - haven't had any issues since I got spares.
In these days of uncertainty it is a breath of fresh air to watch your channel. I have one question are you not afraid of having so much electricity under where you sit and sleep in regards to electromagnetic?
Thank you for watching and your support. We really do appreciate it! Honestly, I don't know that much about the topic. As far as I know lithium iron phosphate batteries do not produce any type of EMF and we generally keep the inverter off unless we need it for a large 120v appliance. We try to keep everything 12v to eliminate the conversion loss and the 5 amp draw of the inverter. But, this is the second time its been brought up in the comments of this video and I should look into it more. Thank you for the comment!
Also, if you have any thoughts on it I would love to hear it. Thanks!
Irene Iron Fitness I have used a electromagnetic meter over the couch and under to check readings as the inverter is running. Then I used a shielding under the couch to block the rays. The cdc has always said not to put cell phones with lithium battery in front pocket because the energy can affect reproductive organs.
@@henryrosa8366 what shielding did you use?
We love you two. This video is so awesome. Have a wonderful week.
Thanks appreciate that! 🙏 We love Zamp too!⚡🌞⚡
SOUNDS EXPENSIVE!!!GREAT REVIEW!👍
It can be!
I love your video's - thanks! I look forward to hearing how this install improved your capacity. A question I have had for some time: how comfortable is the couch to sleep on, since it doubles as a bed? Thanks
Hey thanks! We have been sleeping on the bed for about a year and half now and Its good. Airstream puts good memory foam in the couch part and its holding up well. Not all couches that we tried were the same. Some too soft. A lot of people bring a mattress topper to make it even more comfortable and to their liking. We just don't have the room. It's definitely not the same as a residential mattress though.......... but it works for us! Thanks for watching!
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⏩Install video ua-cam.com/video/qIANRToD-vU/v-deo.html
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Thank you very much you did a great jod, best UA-cam video I've come across to explain the wiring process👍
Wow, thanks! Appreciate the nice comment! Thanks for watching!😃
Thanks for calling it a "water heater" and not a "hot water heater". It doesn't heat hot water... it heats cold water. 🙂
one question.
I enjoy charging my batteries off the vehicle alternator at least up to the voltage maximum for a standard vehicle battery. On cloudy days, I can supercharge the solar batteries off the alternator using a 40amp DC to DC charger (using battery isolation switches).
I see what the MultiPlus does when it receives 120VAC:
1) Sends 120VAC to the AC side of the distribution panel (I like the AC1 & AC2 outs learned in your video)
2) Sends appropriate DC voltage to Solar battery Bank for max charging.
Question is what the MultiPlus does when No AC (Shore or Generator) Present?
1) Obviously it will draw 12VDC from solar battery bank to invert to 120BAC which is then outputed to the AC brakers in the Distribution panel.
Unsure below:
1) How does the distribution panel receive 12VDC?
a) Does it come from the solar battery bank using same wire that powers the inverter for 120VAC?
Meaning perhaps the Solar Battery Bank is powering the MultiPlus with 12VDC for 120VAC inversion, as well as the 12VDC side of the distribution panel?
Seems like the multiplus only will charge the solar batteries when connected to a 120 Volt AC power source.
Set another way, this does not understand how to send appropriate 12 Volt DC power to the solar battery bank in a manner watch the same way as a DC to DC charger does?
And if this is the case, how do I introduce, or where do I connect the vehicle alternator 12 Volt DC current into the solar battery bank so that it can also provide recharging capabilities when they multiplus is not connected to a 120 Volt AC source.
This question is complicated with the fact that the multiplus can do its own internal switching, without actually having it in front of me to see it working and understand it in its place, what are your thoughts on my observations above, and my question as to taking advantage of alternator 12 Volt DC current to augment the solar battery bank charging process.
I've ask the same question in different ways and somebody said to just use a separate DC to DC charger drawing from the 12 Volt DC alternator current. Yes of course, I am doing that now, but I do want to understand if in fact it is the case that the multiplus will not be able to act as a DC to DC charger when not connected to a 120 Volt AC source.
====
right now for me to use the DC to DC charger powered by the alternator current of the vehicle, I need to use a series of battery isolator switches when in fact I use the DC to DC charger to charge a solar batteries. When not on, I simply keep the solar battery and the vehicle DC current systems tide together so that they all can take advantage and be topped off while I'm driving. The only problem though is I have to mechanically switch these switches on or off in order to use the DC to DC charger.
If on spending 1300 bucks on intelligent system as the multiplus, I want to understand that either it can or cannot perform the DC to DC charge of the solar battery bank batteries before I spend that kind of money on a device.
It's interesting, even in your system, you still had to install a transfer switch to switch your AC power source. However, my understanding of the auto transfer switch was to switch either from shore slash generator power or inverter power. If I recall correctly in the video you actually have the two separate inputs as being short power or generator power and then that 120 Volt AC going into the multiplus? This kind of answers a question whether or not there is and auto transfer switch capability in the multiplus. Again this understanding would help alleviate either to spend money on a separate auto transfer switch, or not.
It looks like the multiplus does not have its own auto transfer switch. But it does have smart passthrough capability to send whatever 120 Volt AC comes to its input onto the AC distribution panel AND then at the same time generating the 12 Volt DC power which it sends to the 12 Volt DC side of the distribution panel as well as and intelligent 12 Volt DC output directly to the solar battery bank battery terminals.
I actually thought the multiplus had a built in transfer switch to detect such a scenario with two separate AC inputs so that it knew where they're not it was receiving generator, or alternator powerI enjoy charging my batteries off the vehicle alternator at least up to the voltage maximum for a standard vehicle battery. On cloudy days, I can supercharge the solar batteries off the alternator using a 40amp DC to DC charger (using battery isolation switches).
I see what the MultiPlus does when it receives 120VAC:
1) Sends 120VAC to the AC side of the distribution panel (I like the AC1 & AC2 outs learned in your video)
2) Sends appropriate DC voltage to Solar battery Bank for max charging.
Question is what the MultiPlus does when No AC (Shore or Generator) Present?
1) Obviously it will draw 12VDC from solar battery bank to invert to 120BAC which is then outputed to the AC brakers in the Distribution panel.
Unsure below:
1) How does the distribution panel receive 12VDC?
a) Does it come from the solar battery bank using same wire that powers the inverter for 120VAC?
Meaning perhaps the Solar Battery Bank is powering the MultiPlus with 12VDC for 120VAC inversion, as well as the 12VDC side of the distribution panel?
Seems like the multiplus only will charge the solar batteries when connected to a 120 Volt AC power source.
Set another way, this does not understand how to send appropriate 12 Volt DC power to the solar battery bank in a manner watch the same way as a DC to DC charger does?
And if this is the case, how do I introduce, or where do I connect the vehicle alternator 12 Volt DC current into the solar battery bank so that it can also provide recharging capabilities when they multiplus is not connected to a 120 Volt AC source.
This question is complicated with the fact that the multiplus can do its own internal switching, without actually having it in front of me to see it working and understand it in its place, what are your thoughts on my observations above, and my question as to taking advantage of alternator 12 Volt DC current to augment the solar battery bank charging process.
I've ask the same question in different ways and somebody said to just use a separate DC to DC charger drawing from the 12 Volt DC alternator current. Yes of course, I am doing that now, but I do want to understand if in fact it is the case that the multiplus will not be able to act as a DC to DC charger when not connected to a 120 Volt AC source.
====
right now for me to use the DC to DC charger powered by the alternator current of the vehicle, I need to use a series of battery isolator switches when in fact I use the DC to DC charger to charge a solar batteries. When not on, I simply keep the solar battery and the vehicle DC current systems tide together so that they all can take advantage and be topped off while I'm driving. The only problem though is I have to mechanically switch these switches on or off in order to use the DC to DC charger.
If on spending 1300 bucks on intelligent system as the multiplus, I want to understand that either it can or cannot perform the DC to DC charge of the solar battery bank batteries before I spend that kind of money on a device.
It's interesting, even in your system, you still had to install a transfer switch to automatically switch from AC or generator power.
I actually thought the multiplus had a built in transfer switch to detect such a scenario with two separate AC inputs. This may not be the case given there is a Victron Quattro with two AC input switching feature.
Hey Mike thanks for the comment. I'll try to answer it, but you can also check out my two new videos in our new RV where I install the Battery system ua-cam.com/video/QLY2wwIviJs/v-deo.html and also the Victron inverter ua-cam.com/video/IA6NncKIg7U/v-deo.html
For us, the inverter is separate from the 12-volt system and when there is no shore power or generator, the inverter doesn't do anything....its off. We just run from the 12 volt batteries and the solar panels charge up the batteries. The 12-volt system is separate from the inverter and doesn't run through it. You'll see this in the first video above.
The only purpose for the inverter for us is to turn on while "off-grid" to give 120-volt power to our RV distribution panel so we can run all appliances..including Aircon, microwave, air fryer, water kettle, etc.
While plugged into shore power or a generator than the inverter does a passthrough of the 120 volts... as well as charges the 12volt battery bank up to 120 amps. The "transfer switch" Victron talks about refers to when an interruption of shore power 120 volt happens, it while supplementing that by inverting the 12-volt batteries to 120 volt so you don't get an interruption of power.
Okay watched the whole video 😉
My take away was~old 1k inverter = 3 outlets.
3k inverter = EVERYTHING!! 😃
Got one question did Chris run to every plug try it out & giggle and wiggle?? *hahahaa*
Aaron you ROCK!!!
Best Wishes
Yes and yes! Haha😂, you're so funny! We got a kick outta this comment! Thanks again for watching the whole video!
Nice job on fitting everything in such a compact space.... With the MultiPlus, how do you keep something from switching over to the inverter? We have a toy hauler with a fridge that runs on either AC or Propane and switches to the most economical source. If the inverter was to be on, the fridge would switch from gas to Inverted AC. So how do you prevent the fridge from switching other than turning off that circuit breaker? Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Our fridge is a compressor driven fridge that is AC/DC only. So it is always running off the batteries, except when we turn the inverter on and then it runs off AC. I see your point with the propane fridge though. Is there a switch on the fridge to run on propane only? Suppose that would be too easy..... We do keep the inverter off most of the time while boondocking as it has a 5 amp draw just being on. We try to run everything off 12v to be as efficient as possible and then turn the inverter on as needed for the larger appliances. Thanks for watching!
The wire true that "Hole" i think it' measuring the current on that wire! Solid wires in a RV in Germany are not allowed. Because it could break easily on vibrations!
Yes! It seems that Europe has much better standards on the multi strand flexible AC wires than the States. I used Marine Anchor multi flex on my new RV.
This was an interesting video. The 2021 Midwest Auto Designs Passage 170 I'm picking up, thankfully, is using a Victron MPPT solar charger, but what I'm not sure of is the actual inverter. What I'm seeing in their documentation is that it's a 2K inverter, but I noticed the words "Victron" so, I'm hopeful that it's an actual 2K Victron. The thing I find strange is that the unit comes with an induction stove, and no where do they mention the fact that you need to fire off the generator to actually use the induction stove. Moreover, the unit comes with a huge Relion 8D-330 coach battery. Which is a 330AH, 187lb AGM Battery? So I'm curious how this will all flesh out. I guess I'll know more on Sunday when I actually (and finally) pick it up. None the less, appreciate the installation video. Have you been able to gauge the actual use time of your A/C while running on your 400AH?
That's pretty cool they are putting in Victron equipment. I have seen that 330ah agm battery in the Coachmen galleries with a 2k inverter. They have the whole coach hooked up to the battery except for the AC. ( only works with shore power or gen). So, I would bet yours Is the same. Induction stoves are 1300 to 1800 watts so no problem with 2k inverter. Just remember with AGM batteries it's best to only use 50% before charging back up. So about 165 amps. If your induction is 1800 watts at 12 volts that is 150 amps. (1800/12=150) . So you could run the induction for about an hour and then your bat would be pretty close to 50%. Just an example....... With lithium you can go down to zero without ill effect on them. So same example on my AC, which is about 1800 watts I might get about 2.5 hours or so. But, that is one of the videos I plan on doing for a test! I'm super excited for you and your new coach!
@@IreneIronTravels Great, Thank you for the update. I wasnt quite sure how/what the intentions were since there was not a propane stove, even though I will be carrying propane, save for the water heater only. I'm guessing the Passage is the same AC/DC layout as you mention about the Coachmen as well. To be honest, this was an impulse buy, although something I've been wanting for more than a few years now. But good news is that Relion (perhaps others?) makes a Lithium battery that matches this very same battery in size, so perhaps that may be a future upgrade. The only unknown at the moment is the actual inverter. Again, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. Much appreciated.
Hopefully you are still monitoring this. Are you concerned about the recommended clearance for the Multi... top and sides? I was especially interested in how far off of the floor it can be mounted, since I will likely mount it fairly close to structure above. Any problem with heat so far? Nice Vid, Aaron. I had to laugh with the look on your face when you asked Chris to turn on the DC switch, not sure if that was intention! Moment of truth.
Hello and thanks for watching! We have never had any heating issues with the multi in that location. Having it mounted vertical is the best position they say for cooling. With the bed up it has pretty good clearance on all sides (not quite the 4 in reco on the driverside but there is space) but we really didn't have anywhere else to mount it. When the bench seat is down it does touch the top of the case, but the vents on the sides and intake on the bottom are always open. If its working hard(usually not at night) it does vent a lot of hot air back there. Not sure if you have the Multi yet, but the very top top cover is actually removable, exposing the vent fan to help with ventilation. Love the inverter! We will be going with the same one in our new travel trailer later this fall when we get it!
If its an rv, where are you getting your shore power from? Don't you need it in order for it to charge your batteries up?
Hello, we can charge our batteries from 4 different sources; the van's alternator, the onboard generator, the 300 watts of solar panels, and by plugging into shore power.
Great video! Thanks for putting this together. Did you need to do any programming? I don't have the dongle so I had to order the programming device so I can change the settings. My system is very similar to yours, except I have 300ah of battle born.
Thanks! Yes, I had to use the MK3 to usb with the computer to change the settings also. Bummer the bluetooth dongle doesn't allow simple programming like their solar charge controllers. But, love the whole system so far!
Pro tip, never use solid copper wire in any application where there is any movement. Copper work hardens when subjected to vibration and the thicker it is, the more its subject to breaking. This can lead to higher resistance and heat, and possibly even a fire.
Thanks, it is interesting that all RV manufacturers use solid core wire. Here is a link to multi-strand marine AC wire I'm using in my new setup. ⚡️Marine flexible multi-strand AC wire 10/3 amzn.to/3jQ3mWe
Great information Thank You. I'm wondering if you have any concerns about all those electronics being approx 6-10 inches away from your heads & bodies when sleeping. Any "radiation" or ill electric "effects" on the body. There are different thoughts on the topic? Thanks. Really enjoy learning form you two
Hello, thanks for watching! I do think there is something to the topic for sure, but its hard to know the exact effects....... Years ago I stopped leaving my cell phone in my pocket all day and also sleeping with it right next to my head after reading an article! The inverter is off at night to safe power and really its off most of the time unless we need a 120v appliance. If we were plugged in at an RV park the way I have it hooked up, the inverter does need to be on to be the pass though. This could be hooked up a different way if needed, but we don't plan on being in RV parks that much. Maybe a quarter of the year???...... From what I've read the Lifpo4 lithium batteries are very safe.......... But, it is really tough to avoid this in a small space like a van. We just try to offset it as much as possible by being outside in the fresh air!
Radio active???
Wholly-Molly like a nuclear reactor??
Silly me I stand in front of the microwave while I wait for my popcorn.
*probably explains why*
*I’m the way I am*
Great video thanks for sharing. Unrelated Question is on that set of dumbbells I see in the back. They look like an adjustable set. Where did you get them?
We bought them used from a private sale. They are called hoist adjustable dumbbells and are 75lbs apiece, but they don't make them any more. Another company called Ironmaster now makes a similar set. We have a link to amazon in our video descriptions to them. We do love them! Thanks for watching!
@@IreneIronTravels Thanks.
Was there any reason that you didn't wire your batteries in series to get a 48 volt system? Wire gauge would have gone from 4/0 to around 3 B&S, making wiring much easier and cheaper. You would have needed a 48 volt Multiplus instead of 12 volt, but both are around the same price and you could have used two Victron Orion DC to DC chargers, one for charging from your alternator and one for 12Volt house current. The smaller cable would have made life much easier than using 4/0 in such a restricted space.
As a suggestion I think that you need to cover all exposed terminals, - with 400 Ah and such heavy conductors, an accidental short circuit could burn your pride and joy to the ground.
It looks like he is running a lot of appliances off 12V directly.
Yes, thank you! We try to run everything off 12 volt and only turn the inverter on for large loads. That and I don't know anything about the 48 volt systems! 😂
Success! Enjoyed watching that. Great job. How's the fan noise when your in the back? Noticeable?
Thanks, Brian! The fan is not too bad with a light load on it, but when we use the water kettle(1000w) or the induction stove(1300w), you can hear it kick up. When we turn on the A/C I'm sure it's whirring, but then we can't hear anything anyways!😱 There is a low hum or electrical buzz I can hear if the inverter is on (no load) and it's dead quiet. But, as you know, when boondocking its best to have it off....... I think stand by on is around 5 amps. 31 days straight with no shore power or geny!
@@IreneIronTravels Thats great not needing shore power or gen isn't it? We pretty much leave our 2K inverter running until we go to bed. It draws roughly 2 amps. Sometimes we leave in on through the night if we need a 120VAC fan on. 👍
Nice, you guys got it down pat! My next bottleneck is only have 300 watts of solar. It's good, but we lose about 10% battery per day. We need to get some sliding stack-able solar panels like on this rig. ua-cam.com/video/woZH85EiHNY/v-deo.html
You're a pretty good fabricator..... think you could make something like that??
My electrical panel with converter, I ripped out and threw away, then I rewired into new fuse panels and into the multiplus. It was like 95 degrees outside, 100% humidity so I was not gonna try to figure it out.
Sounds like a good way to just get it done!
Hello Chris and Aaron! Thank you very much for this highly informative video! I heard you talking about transfer switch wires and such and though "great....more wires to fiddle with" :-( But, I guess our trailers don't have a transfer switch since they don't have generators? And, the overall system would be able to differentiate that I was plugging the trailer into a shore power vice a portable generator as it is the same level of power?
Holy cow....that moment of truth of turning on the overall system switches is fairly daunting! Maybe I'd have our fire department standing by hehehehe
QUESTION: I hear people talking about that it is better to be able to turn your inverter off when you don't need it, such as maybe at night while you sleep (to save the couple of amps that the inverter consumes). Can you control the on and off of your inverter through the app? Or, do you have to go to the inverter and push that black switch that you used to initially turn on your system?
Safe travels!
Hey Alan! I still haven't got to the inverter install yet.... on the list for this week. But, yes, no transfer switch, so it should be fairly easy install, but the biggest challenge is the distance from the main panel and the inverter. A lot closer in the van! The bluetooth dongle for the victron inverter amzn.to/3lOgiNE allows you to turn it on and off from your bluetooth device yes! We only turned on the inverter when we needed it..otherwise it was off. The most efficient use of the battery power is to run everything you can from 12volt.
very helpful, thank you!
You're welcome!
Thanks for posting. You did quite the puzzle there fitting it all in nicely!
Mounting Mutiplus 3k this week. Considering horizontal vs vertical mount but thinking convection would allow better pass through and possibly less fan operation in vertical?
I was surprised by the amount of solid core, non-stranded wiring your AS coach had.
⚡️Marine flexible multi-strand AC wire 10/3 amzn.to/3jQ3mWe
Hey, thanks! Yes, it was a tight fit for sure, but I am really happy with the turnout. Yes, I feel the same that vertical does have better natural cooling, but I do know a few RV'ers that have it horizontal and have not expressed any issues, so I think either is fine as long as there is enough room around it for proper ventilation and not enclosed in a small space.
It seems solid core is standard procedure in the RV world for the 120v. I did receive a few comments about it not being safe and should never be used( and I should even redo it), but I believe that comes more from the marine specifications side of things. Of course, cost always comes into play in manufacturing. Thanks for watching and good luck on your install!
@@IreneIronTravels In the US it is a code violation to use solid wire. Section 551 on RV's states clearly that stranded wire is required. It's not a marine thing, the wire will move and vibrate when the vehicle moves and this will harden the wire, causing it to crack and break.
You see a lot of solid wire because it is cheaper, easy to find and was not installed by an electrician. It is not safe, should never be used and violates the National Electric Code.
Article 551 is pretty big and reading code is well like... reading Greek ...can you be more specific please with the exact code. I would like to stay factual in this so we can all be educated. I won't disagree stranded is better in a mobile application, but to state its a code violation, should never be used and wasn't installed safely doesn't make sense to me. Millions of RV's are on the road and produced from the factory with solid core wire (NM Romex style) and they are inspected by the RVIA and sold to consumers daily. Are all the major RV manufactures violating code? My 2014 Airstream has solid core in it and my 2022 travel trailer does as well. That being said..on the new inverter install I used Ancor Marine stranded wire.
@@IreneIronTravels Solid tends to become brittle in situations where vibration is possible as in a travel trailer. True in stationary situations solid would be the preferred product but vibration can destroy it over time. Use the stranded in your trailer. The voltage cares not solid or stranded but vibration must be considered in a Trailer. Boats and RVs are very similar in the way they are used (either bouncing down the road or bouncing thru the waves) and the ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council) that writes the marine standards forbids the use of any solid copper cable in boats. Why should RVs be any different?
Why the "transfer switch"? What does it do what the inverter cant?
Hello. The external transfer switch allows for more than one input to the Victron. We have our generator and shore power combining in the transfer switch and then one output going into the Victron. The internal transfer switch in the Victron will switch to the batteries if our shore power or generator power was interrupted. Hope that helps some... it is a complicated topic to learn.
Thank you so much for sharing.
😊
Well done. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
@@IreneIronTravels Stop by our Antique Store/Studio the next time you guys are in Southern California
Hi, wondering how much heat is produced from this unit. I had renogy and had to get rid of it because the heat was to much in a small space like what ur showing.
It produces a bit of heat if it's charging the batteries or running a high load for a while. The fan kicks on and it also has a "over heat" protection, We never had a problem with it getting too hot, but it was worse when the bed was down because it sat right on top of the inverter. These are really good units and have had three of them now in different RVs!
awesome info I need to do same exact replacement not Sure I need quite as much offshore time but def want to do battles and a new inverter etc have solar panels on roof but shore batteries old lifetimes and nothing really works at all when no shore power so need to get a set up that would work for at lease like a 2 day off grid and just really solid power setup do you have any recommendations about doing possible just two of those battles with a new inverter and then any idea who I could get to hook all this up without going into airstream does battle have vendors they recommend to do installs?
Hello! Yes, you could easily do just 2 of these batteries and a smaller inverter like a 2000 or 1000 watt. If you call Battle Born up (855) 292-2831 they can help you size a system and put you in touch with an installer in your area. They are having a battery sale right now too! Tell them Irene Iron sent you from UA-cam! Thanks and enjoy your new found freedom!!
Did your RV come with coach batteries from the factory? I have a 24 1/2 foot airstream. My two coach batteries are mounted below the chassis, so I believe my install will be a bit easier.
Hello, yes the factory batteries were 2 AGM Lifeline group 24 batteries. I think they started putting the batteries underneath in around 2015. Are you putting in lithium batteries? Inside or were your old batteries were?
Irene Iron Fitness The new lithium batteries would replace the two AGM's that are mounted under the chassis. I will contact Battle Born next week, as to any other components that I will need.
Thanks.
👍 Just watch out for low temps in a non heated compartment.
Low temperature: < 25F
The BMS will not allow a charging current.
How'd you wire your alternator to converter? DC to DC?
How did you work the power to start your generator? I am doing this upgrade on a 2018 Airstream GT and it seems the generator starter is connected directly to the old Coach AGM batteries. Very helpful video.
If you go back to 7:27 of the video you'll see me point to the transfer switch where our AC power comes in from shore and also our generator. And at 16:24 you'll see me remove the main AC wires from the 30 amp breaker and that is the wire that comes directly out of the transfer switch. You do have some sort of "fire fly" or auto generator system in the 2018 so it might be slightly different than our 2014. But try to look underneath at the generator and follow the AC wires up. Mine went right to that transfer switch....good luck!😊
@@IreneIronTravels Thank you. I was just thinking the starter for the generator (propane engine) would have a DC starter. I did follow your steps cited above. Thanks for the quick response. I'm trying to get it buttoned up so we can try it out this weekend.
Does the power control system still shed loads like it used to when it thinks you don't have enough power, even when you now do with the 3000w inverter? I've got an AI and upgraded last year to 2 battleborns and now need to get 1 more and upgrade to this Victron inverter, basically replicating your setup. Anything you'd do differently after living with it for a couple of months? Great job on the install, BTW!
I have not seen the PCS shed a load since the new system. The Multi Plus, being a hybrid, now just pulls the extra power needed from the batteries and everything keeps working. Pretty cool, with the AC, induction, and microwave all on at the same time! We REALLY like the new setup. I don't think there is anything we would change with it, besides wanting more solar. I do need to do some review videos as we just completed 60 days being unplugged and NO generator. The only real limitation is running the AC for extended periods of time. You will still need a generator for that or figure out a way to fit 1000 plus watts of solar on a AI roof! I think you'll really enjoy the power of the BB's once you upgrade your inverter.
Irene Iron Fitness Thanks for the response. We have 2 Battleborns now, and I was thinking of getting just 1 more. How do you think your experience would be impacted by having 3 battleborns instead of the 4 that you have?
We aren’t full timers, but I’d like to be able to cool down the coach with the a/c as we’re out and about it’s been sitting in the sun in a parking lot. We just have 50 watts of solar but our sterling 60 amp dc to dc charger does a good job at charging the 2 battleborns quickly as we drive from place to place. Other than that it would be for the water heater, microwave and an induction cooktop, all for short use ages (prob less than 10 min each).
The goal for our system is to sit for up to 7 days without driving or running the generator. 4 BB's and 300 watts of solar will do this if we get adequate sunshine. BUT, its amazing how much power we actually use per day. Up to 150 amps! So if we didn't get sun for two days we'd be outta power with 3 BB's. I will be doing a video on AC usage, but basically ours consumes about 150 amps per hour. So while its not a problem to use your AC in between camps sites with electrical hookups, you could see how this could be a problem while boondocking. Let's say we left a campsite with 100% bat and we went to the grocery store and a few other close stops and Chris went in while I stayed out. (Common for us) After two hours of AC use we would be down to 100 amps or 25% battery. If our boondocking spot was only an hour away our battery would only charge to about 33% as we only have a LBIM225 that charges about 35 amps per hour. This would only be enough to last a couple days boondocking. You can see how more solar or a 280amp second alt would help the situation. But, everyone's needs are different and my advise is if its in your budget and you have the space for it... bigger is better with energy. Think of it in percentages also. How long does 2 BB's last you? Adding one more battery will get you 50% more power than you had before, or 2 more will double your power needs. I would also recommend upgrading the 50 watts of solar. No solar our batts last about 3 days and with solar we have done up to 10 days with a hour drive in.
Irene Iron Fitness thanks for the advice. I’ll do the easy upgrade initially with solar from 50 to 100 watts, since it’s just that oem panel swap with the same mounting brackets. Then probably re-evaluate once I see how we do on that. I may do the battery upgrade one at a time as well so we can see how 3 goes. Thanks again for your time!
Irene Iron Fitness sorry, one more question for you. My AI is in storage right now so I can’t look, but did you add/replace the 400 amp fuse to an existing fuse block, or did you add the block and the fuse? Wondering if I need to just buy the fuse, or if I need to buy the block and fuse together. Thanks in advance!
Great video Aaron. How do you control (on/off) the inverter? Do you need to open the back door and manually turn it on/off or is there a remote switch? Thanks
Thanks! It is bluetooth from that dongle I referred to. That's what i like about the victron app is I can control and monitor the inverter, solar, and batteries from the phone/laptop/ipad. You can also install a hard on off control panel but I choose to skip it.
@@IreneIronTravels Thanks for the quick reply. Perfect!
What water heater is that?
Good job its helpfull thanks
Glad it helped! Thanks for watching😀
It is a bidirectional inverter, not a hybrid... hybrid will have an input PV, Input DC and an input and output AC. The multiplus which is a great inverter has an input DC and input and output AC.
Hey there. Victron refers to it as a hybrid power assist technology. Just meaning it can use power from two sources at the same time. AC from the grid/generator and power from the batteries to power the load. The same thing from Magnum Energy also as they even put the word hybrid right on the inverter casing. It could just be a difference in words...either way no big deal. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Romex should never be used in a vehicle. It is not designed for the vibration and temperature swings of a vehicle. The solid conductor can break from repeated flexing under vibration. This will lead to arcing inside the jacket that can catch the paper inside on fire and then things will escalate quickly.
Any insurance company that sees it installed, especially in a claim is going to end poorly.
Please only use DOT approved cable inside vehicles. It's not that much more and isn't worth risking your mobile home or perhaps someone's life.
Hey there. I appreciate you watching and your comment, but it sounds like you are not familiar with the RV industry and their code for wiring. (I am not saying I am a professional by any means, I'm just replacing what was used by Airstream, the manufacture, on all of the 120v wiring in this coach. ) This style of wire is used in millions of RV's on the road and the commercial manufactured RV's are inspected by RVIA for electrical, plumbing, heating, fire saftey, etc.
Edit- used this in my new system ⚡️Marine flexible multi-strand AC wire 10/3 amzn.to/3jQ3mWe
It's not a 3000W inverter, it's a 3000VA or 2400W inverter.
Huh...good catch. I learned something new, thanks. 3000 watts looks to be commonly used by many people and even companies that are selling this Multiplus. I looked a little deeper for those reading this and are interested in the difference. Appears sometimes they are equal and others are not, depending on the load type. shop.pkys.com/Watts-VA.html for the full article
"The Power Factor effect means that with resistive loads the formula Watts = Volts x Amps is true but with inductive loads the Watts is a lesser amount, Volts x Amps x Power Factor. That's why you will see inverter manufacturers quote their rated output in VA - its because it is the higher number and so looks better on the spec sheet. Everybody does it. If your inverter is running a toaster or a coffee maker it doesn't matter but if you are running a vacuum cleaner or power tools it does and you need to be looking at the Watts figure."
@@IreneIronTravels spot on. VA = Watts for resistive loads like an incandescent light bulb or electric stove (power factor of 1). But anything with a motor or power adapter has a lower power factor and the two aren't equal. This is such a big deal that factories and other large consumers of power are actually billed based on VA rather than KwH, so the power factor is considered.
Hey iron !
first of all thank you very much for your great stuff! it is of excellent quality!
I have a question, I am building an electrical system in a van of 4 batteries battle born of 100 Ah connected in parallel, all this for a Victron Energy MultiPlus 2000VA 12-Volt system.
When I turn on the inverter, everything is well connected according to the green led, measuring with a tester the voltage of the sockets is 120 volt.
When I connect the charger of a cell phone or a vacuum cleaner, it works correctly.
Now when I plug in the Bosch 2.25 gallon (1440 watts) water heater, the inverter turns on the red alarm LED, and turns off.
What do you think it could be? I am really stuck here.Is the MK3-USB driver really necessary? I'm thinking that might be the problem, basically because of the configuration.
Greetings friend! and thanks again
I had to purchase the MK3 to change the charging settings for the lithium batteries, but I don't think I had to change anything else in there. I noticed the 2000va has a max of 1600 watts and down to 1450watts at 25 degrees c (77f). Is it hot where you are at? Also do you have the Bluetooth dongle or a remote monitor so you can change the amps settings on the limiter? Maybe it is set too low. www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-Phoenix-Inverter-1200VA-5000VA-EN.pdf
@@IreneIronTravels Maybe it can be that configuration . because I also have those batteries . So if there is no way to change it I should buy it.
I am in Atlanta Georgia, the weather here is very variable, but it has not been hot lately.
I have the "Digital Multi Control 200/200A GX" monitor but I think I only regulate the AC input with that .
My only suggestion before buying it is to make sure the current limit on the 200gx is set to 15 amps or more and try it again. Other wise you can ask the Victron community page and they might have the answer for you. Good Luck! community.victronenergy.com/questions/5154/did-i-undersize-my-multiplus.html
@@IreneIronTravels I didn't have that page in mind, thank you so much Iron and good life !
Hi. Your SmartSolar's wiring looks suspiciously thin! I wouldn't want to put 300watts through it!
Hello, 👋 what size wire do you recommend?
You said 400ah, and the charger is 100amp? How long does it take to charge at 3000w at 100amp?
The batteries are 400 AH, the inverter is 3000VA and the charger part of the inverter is 120 AH. So you have 3000va to use while inverting for appliances and when you are charging your batteries it is 120 amps per hour. 400AH dived by 120 AH is 3.3 hours to charge from dead batteries. Hope that helps!
@@IreneIronTravels okay I found it on amazon, I think you should like again. It’s a 70 amp and a 120 amp the one you have. It’s rated at 120amp charge. I don’t think its 120ah charge. I’ve been wrong and my bad if I’m incorrect. But all chargers are rated at amps you may have taught me that all are rested at amp hour.
Nice set up ! I have 2006 Leisure travel free spirit / Mercedes chassis. I would love to set up a lithium pack just like yours but I'm a little confused. The two house batteries are separated, one under driver side and the other one all the way down to under rear bed. Any thoughts ?
Hello! Yes, batteries do not have to be right next to each other, but the shorter the battery cable run the less loss of power. So it is best to have them close by with short connecting bat cables, but sometimes you run into space constraints. You might also have to use larger
diameter battery cable as well with a longer run. Our chassis battery (engine starting battery) is under the front driver floor and not under the hood.
@@IreneIronTravels I meant it is under the passenger seat. both house batteries are 12V. Did you have 6V electric system before switching ?
The system is a 12v system, but we did have two 6v batteries hooked in series, before we upgraded again to the 12 volt lithium batteries.
@@IreneIronTravels You're a good man. Thanks for your help !
What is the total weight?
Are those 4/0 cables into the Victron Multi?
Yes 4/0 battery cable for the batteries, inverter, and busbar connections.
@@IreneIronTravels how did you decide to use 4/0 for that short of a run? Seems to be overkill but perhaps I'm missing something.
Victron recommends a 400 amp fuse for this inverter and the constant draw can be up to 200 amps. (2400 watts), but surges can be up to 6000 watts. I tried to size everything based on 3000 watts or 250 amps. According to the charts I used (explorist.life) 2/0 is good for 3% voltage drop up to 10 feet on 150-200 amps..... so maybe you could use 2/0 if you don't max out your loads....but I wanted to build it so we could run everything and not worry about it. The next size up cable is 4/0 and the cost difference was pretty small between 2/0 and 4/0. I also based it on advice from a few others that have built similar systems and are more experienced than I am. Also Victron recommends battery cable size of 2x 50mm2 and I think that is equal to two cables of 1/0 on each pos and neg.....pretty confusing for sure!
Do you have a dedicated battery monitor? or do you only use the App?
We did have the BMV 712 in the van that had bluetooth and the dedicated battery monitor that I put in the upper cabinet. In our Truck and our also our new RV I went with jus the Victron smart shut (amzn.to/3GiqyGf) that is bluetooth only. I never really looked at the physical monitor and I really like having everything bluetooth and on my phone!
@@IreneIronTravels That is smart, does all this Victron stuff work together on it's own network,. so when you are away from wifi or cell signal you can still connect? Great Videos, Thank you.
Yes! To control and monitor most Victron items outside of bluetooth, you need one more device called the Cerbo GC ( amzn.to/3m7nyEh ), which allows you to connect all of the devices with network cables and then the Cerbo can be connected to your wifi. This will allow you to control/monitor it from anywhere in the world as long as you have a wifi signal at your Victron location and then cell or wifi from your remote location via phone/laptop/tablet...etc. We just got one, but haven't installed it yet. Pretty cool!
@@IreneIronTravels Thanks for the replies, another question, Did you look at using the Victron Lynx Distributor 1000 dc instead of using the Buss Bars and fuse holder?
I didn't at the time....and I also didn't use it in my new setup.... but I have seen it more recently. I do really like it and think it can add an extra element of organization. I don't think its nessasay.... but I would like to try it on my next system.
Are you as disappointed as I was finding that the smart Bluetooth dongle is extremely limited in its functionality-you can’t even configure the batteries!!! What a rip
Yes, I didn't expect that either, because the Victron smart controllers for the solar do allow much more config!
Nice👍
Thanks ✌
I grind my teeth at RV companies using Romex..This is a damn Vehicle. They should treat them as such. As your fixed house is not traveling down the road. In Hot and Cold weather, fighting condensation, and Vibration all the time. Why I wire all my customers RV with Automotive grade wiring. Housed in flexible conduit. Color coded to the voltage that is inside it. Then wrap it with TESA tape.
I would add. If you have no clue what L1 and L2 means. Neutral and Grounds are. Call a damn Commercial Electrician..As they don't teach it as Electrical Theory 400 years later for nothing...This shit can kill you if you get it wrong. And I buried many an Electrician that made assumptions.
Nice job on fitting everything in such a compact space.... With the MultiPlus, how do you keep something from switching over to the inverter? We have a toy hauler with a fridge that runs on either AC or Propane and switches to the most economical source. If the inverter was to be on, the fridge would switch from gas to Inverted AC. So how do you prevent the fridge from switching other than turning off that circuit breaker? Keep up the good work.
Turn to gas only on refrigerator and not auto.