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Exactly !! Manuals written by Lawyers ,,, Reminds me of this; Victron’s “Customer Insulated System” is a little like “live by the sword - die by the sword. But it is cost effective for Victron 😁.

I love this video ,,, Demonstrates what @HarryN is saying about 120vac trailer to RV ,,, along with the efficiency factors considered with both setups; The difference between “Alternating & Direct” It is eye opening, & I have not seen a better video “visual” which demonstrates the VDC...

I’m kinda a “Team Blue” guy too. But I am not a loyalist, just make decisions in my self interest. I like Victron, Blue Sea, & now Kisae I have a Kisae “Dual” Alternator/Solar 1250 & love it, however I do not use the Solar side at all & 100% charge my van house battery from the alternator via...

So recently I cobbled together a box to basically utilize a Victron 100 | 50 MPPT Solar Charger. Why 🤷‍♂️? ,,, Well the first 100|50 worked very well until one day when about to hook up the alligator clamps, I stood “red 2 red” & “black 2 black” & while pondering the tiny spark I was...

I took the experimental dual ignition system out for one of my DIY airplanes & installed magnetos. I placed the ignition system I had ripped outta my plane on my work bench. The next day, my Buddy AME, who has a key to my hangar had placed some blue tape on my bench with the words written in...

Hi @JohnD0h So This post will be long. First, I am going to give you more grace than I generally do on forums, as I understand english is not your first language & that can be difficult & things can be lost in translation. I would be lost if I had to communicate in Francais. Un peu de...

Tell me about it ,,, LOL 2 more DIY projects 😁 In case you don’t see TWO DIY Projects ,,, one of them is an airstrip & the other one I can still see evidence of the paint colours in my garage @ home 😜. When I really want to waste money, I don’t do it with my “Solar Hobby” 😁.

Had mixed sun & cloud today, but the conditions were right to get 649W outta the 600W array. The Victron equipment I am familiar with sure provides a lot of data & correlates it all so I can kinda understand what is going on. Funny how “Solar” really depends upon the “Weather” 😁.

Cut from the same stuff ,,, You & I 😁 304.8mm You can read ( feel ) the true Canadian Construction Unit Experience in @OffGridForGood posts. Imperial ,,, 2x4 ,,, Ya learn the word “Nominal” as opposed to “Normal” 😁. I was chatting with a Civil Buddy of mine, where they were paving a bridge...

When I was young it isn’t about IQ, but of experience. As I have lived a life & seen the Hypocrisy of Government ,,, I want all the Good things that Government brings & none of the Evil ,,, but at what cost. Freedom, or the idea of being free is very important to me & a bigger concern as the...

I will throw this out there fir your consideration; If your van’s alternator has the capacity & you are sticking with 12v, you could consider an inverter run by the alternator then 120vac to where your batteries are to a 120vac to 12vdc charger. 120vac wiring can “go long” runs with say 12...

I did not look into the 150 | 35. I assume the Victron numbering system is the same as the 100 | 50, which indicates 100 being the max panel voltage “in” & the 50 being the max charging amps out to the batteries. So I think you purchased the right unit as the 150 | 35 I assume can take a...

I don’t live in my van, but I have 250Ah 12vdc AGM system. I think my use is about 600 Wh to 900Wh per day 0.6 kWh to 0.9 kWh per day ,,, that would be heavy use for us. My Kisae 14.7 v @ 50a = 735W puts back 700Wh every hour driving. I have AGMs, so it really doesn’t work like that due to...

Great Write Up @Sparks99 ? I recently installed the Kisae 1250 in my van & custom programmed it for the 50 amp max, so would not know if I had a lower max current if the custom resorts back to the 50 amp max default if I use the toggle ( I don’t use the toggle anyway ). I also do not use the...

@HarryN has posted about the difference in induction cooktops. So ,,, It depends 🤷‍♂️. The induction cooktop make/model matters & the power pull matters (especially if 1800W the lower setting say 800W does it by pulse “time on @ 1800W”). You might be ok or not. The trick is to “match” your...

That is an easy calculation; I will work that out & post it here 4 U; About 5 bags if 40lbs. The amount of cubic feet in a bag might vary slightly by Manufacturer ,,, but that should be close.

Hi @Tomthumb62 So today, I used my Van & before starting it up after several days sitting I thought about your question & those Amazon Reviews of 5W standby parasitic drain. So I ran an experiment to get you data, so here goes; To help you understand this, the following is once I turn on my...

So @HarryN asked me to post a bit about my Rolls AGM experience. I have purchased 3 sets of; Rolls AGMs “S6-275AGM-RE For a couple of Van builds & also my Off Grid Cabin. I have had great success with these 6v AGMs as a 2 battery bank in series to make up 12vdc @ 250Ah. The systems I use...

I heard once the most feared organization in the world is the IRS.

I’m not sure, but You might find the following video very interesting. It is showng the difference in a switch AC & DC. AC 1st then DC for the last minute of the video ( higher voltage 220 ,,, but you will see a difference ). Big Difference;

I like the Kisae 1250. It is a dual DC2DC & Solar Charger ( up to 50 amps ); https://www.kisaepower.com/products/dmt1250/ Also it is very “User Programable”; https://www.kisaepower.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AbsoCharger_Manual_DMT12V_24V-Series_Rev-D_190612_Print.pdf Here is some...

Thanks for that in-depth explanation around those Lifeline AGMs & more towards the extreme side of cold ? ? I think LFP can be wonderful, but @ -15F overcoming a cold soaked battery can take some time. We all have to pick out what will work best for our intended use / environment when it...

Ya ,,, I have heard the statement “That’s not to Code” many times in my career & it always makes me chuckle to which my typical response(s) are; 1) “Which Code” 2) “But is it what You Designed” 😁 ,,, Which opens up a different can-O-worms 3) “Which part of What Code” 4) “Do You Want it Right...

@ColoradoMtnMan1 I don’t have any monopoly on cold weather, but quoting stats @ -4F is a far cry from what I understand what you are up against @ -17F Not all AGMs are created equal of course. The 1st van I built also has Roll’s AGMs & it now lives in Whitehorse Yukon ,,, seen -44C No...

Power Needs & Functionality We could chat “High Altitudes” ,,, best that topic be kept for later. The Propex uses about 2 amps ,,, diesel 10 amps to light them back down to 3 or 4. edit; Just did a screenshot of the Propex propane furnace running; So that 2.14 amps is the total system...

I have built out a couple of Promasters. Not #vanlife , but more TravelVans. So a 24v house battery for your Sprinter ? Seems reasonable 👍. My recommendation is to not buy anything yet. Perform a load calculation spreadsheet or what some might refer to as an “energy audit” first...

Hi @Taco Supremo Looks Good 🙌 A couple of pointers; Buy a Blue Sea fuse block with a “negative” distributive bus & buy 2-wire (red / black) marine grade wire; Ancor is another decent brant. Note the above wire is 2-wire red / black “flat cable” & the rating spec is written on the right...

Well @Echo Dawn ,,, My Experience ,,, It will be like drinking from a fire hose 😳 Tons of knowledge & very experienced members here. I typically like @sunshine_eggo posts as he stands out to be very knowledgeable ,,, but there are many members here that are very experienced. If you have an...

Hi @steves_ambo IMO, these decisions can only be made after you know your needs / wants, “load calculations”, preliminary design, etc. But, that being said, the equation you are boils down to harvesting as much energy outta whatever alternator you will use while not burning out your...

Correct You can also see the “Zero load power” consumed is 13W It has a search mode of 3W, but it starts getting tricky for fridges ,,, they need to have a mechanical thermostat not “electrical” digital. You will also see the rating is @ 25C temperature & things change as the temperature...

A couple of days ago, I traveled to our remote off grid cabin & re-commission it. This consisted of reinstalling the 250 Ahr 12vdc Rolls Batteries & hooking up 1/2 the array 3S (3 - 100W) Solar Panels. North of the 49th parallel & some crappy weather ,,, sun, clouds, & a bit of rain. Still am...

I have a Cabin North of the 49th ,,, I do not use it in the winter much & pull out my Rolls AGMs & keep them in Canada for the winter where I can maintain, taste, feel, & see them. I also have these Rolls AGMs ( 2 - 6 volts in series ) in my Promaster Van. I’m often in 0C or below & I have...

I recognize that 60 amper Yous Gots 😁;

I use the same totes ,,, mine had food grade alcohol in them from a booze manufacturer ,,, they were pretty sterile. Regardless, I disinfect them each year before use ,,, I also fill them with “Municipal Water” that of course is treated & most importantly “tested” constantly. Canada adopted...

100% Harry !! I have a Cabin in Canada & have a small bank of decent AGMs mostly charged up by solar & when that won’t do it a gas generator. It gets colder than -20C sometimes over the winter. I shut the system down & take the battery bank home over the worst of the winter.

I’m in Canada so can get cold in the winter; I look at Lithium batteries & think they are wonderful ,,, Everything But What I call the 3C’s; Cash Cold Charge Complexity I use “Good Quality” “Decent Performance Specifications“ AGMs In my Van & Cabin. I would switch to “Lithium” in a heartbeat...

I do not know a lot about the Transits. @HarryN might chime as he has Transit experience & knows about the smart alternator. He also would know about 12vdc to 24vdc B2B chargers. If you are near San Fran, also a great source of assistance. Depending on your use & area, Alternator charging...

The Victron 12 | 3000 | 120 Multi I purchased this inverter/charger for a van project in 2018 & decided not to install it into that van. So it sat in the corner for 6 years collecting dust. I have installed it in my Cabin but have limited to load to the 120vac fridge & the other 120vac load...

Hi @Blakes I have many vehicle “starter batteries”. Where I am considering LFP for my Harley motorcycle, there is a zero chance I install LFP in my airplanes. There are pros & cons to all battery chemistries. I have a Van & a Remote Cabin ,,, both run AGMs ,,, mostly due to sub-freezing use...

I mentioned this before @Taco Supremo Neutral is a term used in AC “Alternating Current” wiring. ( AC wire is Black - Hot / bare copper - ground / Neutral - White ). For DC “Direct Current” I do not believe there is a “Neutral” ,,, there is ( Positive - Red ) & ( Negative - Black ). I’m only...

Caveat Emptor; This old video has a marketing idea that I agree with; I basically; 1) Research as best I can 2) Take a Chance & Buy Stuff 3) Test it out myself 4) If it is a Great or Good Product I tell people about it 5) When in the future I need another “thing” I research & keep in mind...

@Jejochen I am very sorry that happened to You & Your Family, & I am glad all of you made it out alive & seemingly not physically injured. I wanted to post here & state how grateful I am for your bravery & reporting of your personal disaster. Your selfless act of bringing this to the...

African or European ?

Very Nice 👍 !! In the Aviation Circles around here we call the “Olympic Mountain” rain shadow that starts @ Sequim ,,, “The Blue Hole”. It hits a part of Victoria called Oak Bay & also San Juan Island. Victoria has the lowest snow fall in Canada & there is lots to see. Aviation around this...

I like the Kisae 1250 12vdc & 50amps max (user can dial it back) dual - Alternator & Solar All Chemistries Very User Programable https://www.kisaepower.com/products/dmt1250/ You did not identify your alternator from what I read ,,, unless I missed it? PNW ,,, You can chat with “Vancouver...

Yes & probably not running 24/7 either 🤷‍♂️ ? I’m guessing it is a 12vdc fridge with a 120vac plug in that converts the 120vac to 12vdc ? If I am correct, then your daily energy use was grossly overstated & you could run it off the 12vdc system taking the inverter out of 24/7 operation ,,, per...

For my needs I have had good success with “Rolls Batteries”. I have been using AGMs as my 12vdc use is pretty minimal & Canada & Cold ??

So 5W is about 400 mA. There is a “boot up” when I first turn the unit on, & that is a bit greater then the Standby but as my “Victron BM712 measures in 100mA or 0.1A & have not tested it other than looked at the BM when operating my switch ,,, not Kisae’s on/off. I can confirm in my setup...

So ,,, Daily consumption 1800Wh. That estimate might be a little high, but seems reasonable. Here is an idea of my recent use @ my Cabin which is recharged pretty much 100% Solar “North of The 49th”; The low energy days are days that are unoccupied days. So my energy use is about 350Wh...