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I Wish George Was Still Around

My Wife is an RN ,,, they have a 50 / 20 Rule 😁; When You Turn 50 years old you are given 20 rungs of a ladder. Every birthday you loose a rung ,,, You can perform “the math” Any way one day I drive up my Dad’s driveway & he is 86 years old & up a step ladder & cleaning leaves outta the...

I have learned very little from the successes I have made in life ,,, On The Other Hand; Sometimes I have Learned a Lot & My Life has been Shaped by My Failures If I am going to make a mistake, I try to make a new one each time 😁

AC vs DC 220V ,,, Some Differences 😁;

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 😁.

Hmmm 🤔 I have heard these words before somewhere; “The Battery Will Balance Itself”

Hi @matttelz Not saying what I did is good or right ,,, but; 3 PT Fence posts 8’ pounded in over 3’ 2x6’s Metal angle

Exactly We All Have Different Needs/Wants !! - It isn’t a one size fits all situation with Batteries. We have an off grid cabin in Canada 🥶🥶 We have Rolls AGMs We typically use the Cabin sporadicly “April to November”. It can get 3’ of snow in the winter time & temps bumping -30C. So far...

Agreed; We all Know “VACTRON” sucks ,,, Sometimes it really Blows; @shaqsfriend has asked for product recommendations ,,, “No Team Blue”. Let’s Give what is asked.

Thanks Guys ,,, Lots to consider here & I really appreciate All of Your Insights !! A few points I should have mentioned; The inverter is only on when we are at the cabin & when we are not there the daily “parasite & small fan in the composting toilet” is 80Wh per day. The next thing is we...

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” 😁.

I recently upgraded my Cabin from a 12vdc very efficient fridge to a Hisense I purchased at Costco for $450 Info here; https://diysolarforum.com/threads/tiny-cabin-what-to-do.85978/ Typical running Watts is about 35W to 40W; So note below; 68W running & the system standby is about...

Hi @Gueyog8a7 Your question, I take it as is which is more cost effective “Alternator Charging” or “Solar Charging”. The answer is “It Depends”. The reason why it depends are because of the variables, some of which are; The Weather, The Season, The Sun, How much You Drive, The type of RV you...

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” 😁.

Ya ,,, Not my gig either. Even plants “Compete” for sunlight. This kinda reminds me of “Animal Farm” ,,, “All Animals are Equal ,,, Just some are More Equal than Others” 🤣🤣;

We all have different levels of experience & knowledge. I believe, if you start a new thread under an appropriate section & post your needs/wants & preliminary design the ideas & help that will come outta This Forum is incredible. I have learned a lot on here & if I had a new electrical system...

Thank you for posting this @Lt.Dan In my life’s journey, I have learned far more from my failures than my successes. Any time a Forum Member is willing to post a safety item such as this thread I very much appreciate it. These posts can be priceless to help other avoid such events. None of...

Keep in mind aviation bolts are a different thread ,,, but you can sort it out or get an Anchor Nut maybe that fits the “knob thread” you have. The aviation Anchor Nuts are also “lock nuts”. You could use “pull rivets” to set the anchors (typically we use solid rivets), but either way you...

I have liked Victron’s Wire Unlimited as a guide for newbies. https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/The_Wiring_Unlimited_book/43562-Wiring_Unlimited-pdf-en.pdf I love the “Characters” 😁. Just look at that menacing cowboy 😜 Volts & Amps look like they have a symbiotic relationship...

I always thought “Lucas” was “The Prince of Darkness” 😜 Or so it seemed in my 1968 GT6

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...

Togetherness 😍 Here is a Screenshot of Family “V” Togetherness; So I drove my Van up to my Cabin. The Van’s Rolls 12v 250Ah batteries were fully charged by Kisae 1250 DC2DC charger using energy from the Van’s Alternator & then I shut the Van’s electrical system off with the “Big Red” 4...

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 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...

More of observations @HarryN North of the 49th & array facing south (600W - 60v @ 10a); Sun behind panels @ 6:14am 6:45am Sun @ 7:17am - just coming around & poking thru the trees; So my Victron 100 | 50 wants battery voltage + 5 volts from the array - to start charging. Although it...

@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...

On my 12vdc systems with an inverter, I like to use double MRBF holders directly on the battery positive terminals. Then I like to split those double fuses into 2 sides of the DC system; 1) Inverter or Inverter/Charger (Think Mega Amps) & 2) Everything Else (Think Lower than Mega Amps) I...

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;

Welcome back @Jejochen There are many “Impressive” Members on The Forum ,,, And IMO You are “One of Them”. Wishing You Specially a “Very Happy New Year” All the Best to You & Your Family for 2025. I want You to know, your thread/story has helped me pay more attention to my own designs &...

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...

Or the answer is similar to; You Can Skydive Without a Parachute at Least Once. But seriously - No & Welcome to the Forum @revlee

Hi @77BusGirl I am over on “The Island” ,,, Victoria. If you don’t have a great alternator shop, I can tell you in Victoria ( ever since I was a kid ) “Brian Roberts” https://brae.ca/ I love Victron ,,, & Blue Sea. I also have a Kisae 1250 ( dual alternator & solar ) but do not really use...

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...

As I Said; You can still buy panels for that charger if you want to.

@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...

& on another note; Many DIYers (& especially in vans for some reason), seem to just buy or build their electrical system without an Energy Use Spreadsheet 🤷‍♂️. Electrical Design is performed from “The Loads” back to the “Panel & Batteries ,, etc”. On my Van Build Thread here...

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...

I’m working on an iPhone 🤪 ,,, I originally forgot to multiple the 7% mileage hit & carried on that long post ,,, I was performing the math & units as I went along. Regardless, on another forum I have been an advocate for alternator charging vs fixed solar panels on the roof with Our Van Use...

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.

When Your Outdoor Adventure is “Virtually” not enough 🤣🤣 Do You have “Bear Spray”? ,,, No, I use a Flashlight !!

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...

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...

For me if an inverter is being used I would perform an energy use spreadsheet similar to this; If the Inverter is big enough then I would go 24v batteries. Design your system 1st & understand your needs before buying components. That 100 | 50 @sunshine_eggo mentioned can do 12v or 24v...

That thread & fridge energy use is here; Thread 'Tiny Cabin - What To Do' https://diysolarforum.com/threads/tiny-cabin-what-to-do.85978/

Hi @brainbone IMO ( & I have a 12|3000|120 I originally purchased for my Van, but installed in my Cabin instead ) you are way way better off with 24vdc or 48vdc house batteries. Caveat ,,, It really depends upon your intended loads & use. In order if I were you, I would; 1) Perform an energy...

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...

Hi @wds_pdx I have a remote cabin & you can see my current setup here; Thread 'Tiny Cabin - What To Do' https://diysolarforum.com/threads/tiny-cabin-what-to-do.85978/ So your Toyo is 120vac ( 275W Pre-Heat & 60W Running ). If it were me, I am performing a “Load Calculation Spreadsheet” of...

African or European ?

🤔,,,🤔 Theoretically ,,, but it depends on “Where The Rubber Hits the Road”. Solar Panels fixed on your roof cost you a fair bit of fuel economy ,,, if you got them you got them so no added fuel / mileage loss. In my case, I charge by alternator for my travel van, & I do not have solar panels...

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...

4 Posts & Ghosts It would be nice if forum members shared their successes (or failures) after asking for help.

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...

Hi @Ronwattson I would have to know more about your system & application, but instead of altering the battery bank, why not just add a Solar Charger & panels ?

This; Per above ,,, Design 1st then Purchase Stuff. I don’t know what you need as until a few moments ago I thought your fridge was using 3.1kWh per day. If you were in doubt, and the return date of your inverter is closing on you, then why don’t you just return it until you do a proper...

Congratulations @mecdatlanta Good Luck with the New Home Build !!

Hey @Learning_as_I_go None of us were born knowing any of this stuff, so we all have learned it somewhere of from someone along the way 😁. It can be a steep learning curve, but once you learn it you (hopefully) only learn it once & can then build from that knowledge.

https://www.kisaepower.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/AbsoCharger_Manual_DMT12V_24V-Series_Rev-D_190612_Print.pdf Yes;

After all, A Bumblebee flies because it doesn’t know it can’t ?

😁 👍 ,,, Otherwise this would be my array; If ya gotta ask , ya can’t afford it !!

I prefer “fuse protection” & a “manual switch” over a “breaker switch”. Blue Sea makes decent switches; The 4 position switches can be extremely useful. Some of these switches are HD & 600 amp continuous rated. AC & DC are different animals. This video shows why ,,, 1 minute in he...

Yup; 1 - 20LB propane tank holds the same amount of energy as 116 - 100Ah 12vdc Lithium batteries

Overthinking ,,, That will pretty much describe me sometimes. When I don’t know “Things & Stuff”, I think about them a lot. In a World Full of Truth, Lies, Deception, Human Errors, & Human Nature I “Trust, but Attempt to Verify”. I do not know if it is Nurture or Nature, but I believe I am...

Hi @Donvanhugenstein Lot’s of great advice posted above for you 👍. Where about in the World are you setting this up ? I have a small remote cabin in BC, Canada. All things “Heat” by Propane. A small 600W Solar system & 12v 250Ah Rolls AGMs “Canada” 🥶🥶 April to October we run the Cabin...

Hi @Jessica Chou You might get a bit more action on here regarding your question if you describe more what you are trying to accomplish; Approximate Location & Time of Year for weather How many batteries you intend in “S” & “P” Maybe a bit more about your “Tiny House Loads” for these...

I know each cell has different internal resistance, but I am sure each charges and discharges to the same levels daily 🤔 You are sure ? ,,, because you have empirical data.? In Science, you can not study what you don’t not record. If you have this daily data please share 👍

We can raise our children in the same household, as similarly as possible, but they will each have very different personalities and direction. Maybe it is the same if you “raise AI” 🤷‍♂️ ?

This isn’t a bad idea in theory, but YMMV. If a novice homeowner who does not have experience in the construction industry attempts it, there can be cascading issues; Unfamiliar Trades like “The Framers” Lumber has become crappier & crappier over the years Quality & Care / Attention of the...

Correct standby 13W minimum, but down to 3W on search mode & the specs on “The Phoenix” are what they are. Contact @Tomthumb62 if you are interested in what he went thru to get a fridge to work on search mode ,,, & I will try to find a thread here where @sunshine_eggo had a funny post talking...