05 Airstream Interstate converter/charger

[Hillbillyjeeper]

05 AI with a Progressive Dynamic 4546 inverter/charger not made for lithium batteries. I'm adding lithium batteries. I've got a Renogy 30 amp DC to DC charger with MPPT.
How does all this wire together?
Can the charging wire and alternator go to the DC to DC charger?
I really need some guidance on this.
No luck at Airstream with diagrams, Renogy hasn't answered my email from over a week ago and DP just told me to email their service department.
Thanks for any input.

 

[MisterSandals]

Progressive Dynamic 4546 inverter/charger not made for lithium batteries

I have this exact unit that i have been using for over a year. I mostly charge with solar but when driving or connected to shore power it works fine and charges somewhere in the 80-90% range. I have a 2P4S 206Ah battery.

If the new lithium aware PD inverter/chargers were better, i'd have upgraded. Their float charge is something like 14.6V or something ridiculous and not configurable. I am a conservative charger, with 13.8V max and float just below settle voltage (3.35Vpc) set to 3.32Vpc.

 

[MisterSandals]

Can the charging wire and alternator go to the DC to DC charger?

Does your PD 4645 (not 4546, right?) already charge from alternator?

 

[Hillbillyjeeper]

Yes it does charge with the alternator that and to add solar is why I got the DC to DC charger.

 

[MisterSandals]

is why I got the DC to DC charger.

Are you removing the PD 4645 or disabling alternator charging on it? Or will your new DC to DC charger be an additional alternator charger?
Make sure you have a big enough alternator if the latter.

Why not just add solar? (but with a decent SCC)

 

[John Frum]

05 AI with a Progressive Dynamic 4546 inverter/charger not made for lithium batteries.

I believe that is an ad to dc converter not an inverter/charger.
An inverter makes ac from dc.

 

[Hillbillyjeeper]

I am adding solar. The Renogy 30 amp DC to DC charger with MPPT will take care of the alternator and solar.
I'm asking how the invertor wire connectors to this device.
There's only one wire going to the battery.

 

[John Frum]

I am adding solar. The Renogy 30 amp DC to DC charger with MPPT will take care of the alternator and solar.
I'm asking how the invertor wire connectors to this device.
There's only one wire going to the battery.

https://www.amazon.ca/Progressive-Dynamics-Converter-Upgrade-Section/dp/B002OR2FIW

That looks like a converter, not an inverter.

 

[Hillbillyjeeper]

Yes convertor. Sorry.

 

[John Frum]

Yes convertor. Sorry.

Is this a replacement for the one that is most likely already in your ac_dc distribution panel?
If yes, then it should be wired just the same as the old one.

 

[Hillbillyjeeper]

So who has a wiring diagram for this system?

 

[John Frum]

So who has a wiring diagram for this system?

Progressive dynamics would be your best bet.

Its not hard though.
There should be 5 wires.
ac.ground
ac.hot
ac.neutral
dc.positive
dc.negative

Is your old converter broken?
If you have an inverter and want to power the ac side of the panel then special care needs to be taken to avoid a power loop.
The easy solution here is to get an inverter/charger instead of an inverter.
An inverter charger contains an inverter, ac2dc charger and automatic transfer switch.
Its the easy, sane thing to do for your situation.

 

[John Frum]

Sorry are you asking how to wire a replacement converter or a dc2dc charger, or both?

 

[Hillbillyjeeper]

No. The PD4645 works but it's not for lithium batteries.
I think a PD4645L would work.
Now the alternator goes on the input of the DC to DC charger the output to the battery.
Would I laid the converter/charger wire with the output?

 

[John Frum]

No. The PD4645 works but it's not for lithium batteries.
I think a PD4645L would work.
Now the alternator goes on the input of the DC to DC charger the output to the battery.
Would I laid the converter/charger wire with the output?

Looks like you need help creating a whole system.
Every "lithium" converter that I have seen kinda sucks.
I urge you to return it and get an inverter/charger.
Don't worry though as I won't mention it again.

The Renogy manual for your product includes installation instructions and a wiring diagram.
If you go with the converter remember that it will have to be wired in a special way as to not loop power back to your inverter.
Hope that helps.

 

[Hillbillyjeeper]

Yes you are 100% correct, I need help with the whole system. How each component ties together.