24V Van System Drawing. Get your overripe tomatoes ready!

[HaldorEE]

After months of pontificating, I have finally pulled together the electrical design for my RV conversion.

Let me know what you think. This is my first version and I would much rather fix as many problems at the pixels on a screen stage as I can.

 

[Zil]

What a great drawing. I will have to get to details later.

 

[HaldorEE]

What a great drawing. I will have to get to details later.

The details are where the devils hang out.

 

[HaldorEE]

Added battery pack details.

 

[HaldorEE]

Updated to use galvanically isolated alternator charging.

 

[Bob142]

Updated to use galvanically isolated alternator charging.

Page 2 (Battery Pack): 6 AWG on house battery wiring? Typo?
(I expected 1/0 like the other side of the Anderson SB175 on page 1).

 

[HaldorEE]

Page 2 (Battery Pack): 6 AWG on house battery wiring? Typo?
(I expected 1/0 like the other side of the Anderson SB175 on page 1).

Wires built into the Dali BMS. These are going to only be a few inches long. The wires from the battery pack to the system will be about 8' long, round trip.
I thought about replacing these wires, but they use weird termination on the BMS. I will just cut them to minimum length. I did up the size of the red wire inside the battery pack to 4 AWG since this wiring will be about 1' long. Thanks for the catch.

 

[KBWaldron]

I checked the manual on the Multiplus and I see that it has a ground relay, such that when connected to an external AC source the neutral is connected to chassis ground, and when connected to external power neutral is disconnected from chassis ground, thus I believe, achieving correct bonding.
You don't show any type of lightning surge protection for your solar panels. Is this the case? If you do have protection, where does the ground connection for that go to? I would think this would require a "true" grounding rod.

 

[HaldorEE]

I checked the manual on the Multiplus and I see that it has a ground relay, such that when connected to an external AC source the neutral is connected to chassis ground, and when connected to external power neutral is disconnected from chassis ground, thus I believe, achieving correct bonding.
You don't show any type of lightning surge protection for your solar panels. Is this the case? If you do have protection, where does the ground connection for that go to? I would think this would require a "true" grounding rod.

This is a van. Not sure if the campground host would be very impressed by me driving a ground rod into the parking pad.

 

[HaldorEE]

Is lightning surge suppression required or even practical in a mobile application?

I hadn't considered this. More to research.

I guess I need to buy the UL standard and start reading it.

 

[KBWaldron]

I checked the manual on the Multiplus and I see that it has a ground relay, such that when to connected to an external AC source the neutral is connected to chassis ground, and when connected to external power this is disconnected, thus I believe, achieving correct bonding.

This is a van. Not sure if the campground host would be very impressed by me driving a ground rod into the parking pad.

Mine is a custom built travel trailer. I still want to protect my power investment. So no grounding on the panels? I have the MidNite Solar surge protectors and they specify a good ground is required (<25 ohms). In a campground you could always hook to a metal pipe or fence post.

 

[KBWaldron]

Is lightning surge suppression required or even practical in a mobile application?

I hadn't considered this. More to research.

I guess I need to buy the UL standard and start reading it.

I think the likelihood of a lightning strike is lowered since there is no direct connection between the vehicle and ground. And I'm still wondering whether making a connection increases the chance of a strike.

 

[HaldorEE]

Mine is a custom built travel trailer. I still want to protect my power investment. So no grounding on the panels? I have the MidNite Solar surge protectors and they specify a good ground is required (<25 ohms). In a campground you could always hook to a metal pipe or fence post.

I will most likely be plugged into shore power at a campground. Boondocking it is not going to happen.

I will look up solar surge protectors. I only have one panel and the solar panel frame will be electrically bonded to the van chassis.

 

[HaldorEE]

The MidNite Solar device goes on the AC connection. I thought you were referring to something between the solar panels and the SCC. My bad.

Amazon.com: MidNite Solar Surge Protection Device MNSPD-300-AC: Electronics

Buy MidNite Solar Surge Protection Device MNSPD-300-AC: Surge Protectors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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Looks like this is required per UL 1449. Is this only for systems that backfeed the grid?

 

[KBWaldron]

MidNite has one for the panels. It connects in at the combiner box. Basically, it will route surges on the positive or negative solar line to ground.

 

[HaldorEE]

MidNite has one for the panels. It connects in at the combiner box. Basically, it will route surges on the positive or negative solar line to ground.

I could definitely see the value of this for residential where there could be extended lenth wiring between the panels and the rest of the system. My system, the panels will be within a few feet of the SCC and the wiring will be inside the van body (shielded). I need to look at the surge specs of the Victron Smart Solar.

I found this Square D SPD that looks like it would work for the shore power connection.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Square-D-36-kA-Single-Phase-Panel-Mounted-Type-1-Surge-Protection/3127491

Thanks for pointing out the need.

 

[HaldorEE]

Updated to add AC surge suppression.

 

[sduser]

That is a nice schematic. What drawing software are you using? Apologies if I missed it.

 

[HaldorEE]

Visio. I have Altium at work for PCB design. But for just capturing concepts, Visio is more immediately productive.

 

[HaldorEE]

Added RFI/EMI filter. Simplified AC. Added details to battery pack.