Rupes
New Member
Hi all,
After some input. I have a 2009 Rosa bus conversion I've been working on. We take it out in varying temporary stages. Currently have a Victron 5000/48 inverter, 4 x 550w domestic panels mounted in pairs front and rear lengthways as they are 2.4m long x 1.1m wide. Top panel overlaps 2/3rds of the panel beneath it but they spread apart when parked using linear actuators. Currently only the top pair are connected to a 150/35 that I used for a time on 4 static smaller panels. I've got a second 150/35 for the lower pair so even though theres only a 3rd showing I should get something out of it while driving. Battery is a rack mount 90amp 48v made locally by a guy that does off grid and commercial. System is fine and we can manage on the battery if weather is good. Electric frypan, starlink, tv, integrated fridge etc. Just have to keep an eye on it. I have 16 EVE cells, a DIY box and JK inverter BMS on the way as the 90a battery was always temporary and we have a fan and split system cassette AC to install. I also have a 240v Bluesmart 12v 20a charger looking after a 100amp Renogy for the bed lift motor, actuators, car audio, couple pumps etc. There is another 240v Bluesmart 24v 5amp charger looking after the vehicle batteries as sometimes it sits for months.
We usually drive a few hours, park up for a 2-3 days and head home for shore charging. I've been looking at options for charging besides solar as I'm at my limit with that. Honda 3k generator but would have to find a spot for it, run it for a couple hours at a time and deal with fuel for it. Its a commercial truck gearbox and I looked at perhaps a generator mounted to a PTO but cant really drive with the PTO engaged so would have a noisy bus motor running and idling at 1000rpm however that would happilly drive a 6 or 8 kilowatt generator so wouldn't be for that long. Then talked to someone about a 48v alternator and figured there are 2 AC compressors no longer used that I could replace with a 48v alternator. However on looking there is so little room to work in there I think fabricating anything without dropping the engine is a no go. The existing 24v alternator is an 80 amp unit. I could perhaps upgrade that but would still have to try and charge the 48v house battery with it and looking at Victron stuff the current capacity of 24 to 48v converters isnt great. So what I was thinking of was to replace the existing alternator with a 48v Nations unit, taking care of all possible power requirements including running the AC while driving as the original ducted system has been removed. Then deal with how to keep the vehicle batteries charged and run the vehicle headlights and indicators, ECU and I don't think too much else. All the other existing 24v loads have been removed such as the huge AC blowers, under seat heater blowers, electro hydraulic handicapped lift etc etc. I was thinking a Skylla or Centaur charger or something.
Open to opinions. Is this a poor way to do it. My priorities are having overhead in the system, redundancy and robustness. Cost isnt a major consideration if it works and is reliable. We will probably park this up for extended periods next year and use it to power temporary accomodation while we build something on acreage.
After some input. I have a 2009 Rosa bus conversion I've been working on. We take it out in varying temporary stages. Currently have a Victron 5000/48 inverter, 4 x 550w domestic panels mounted in pairs front and rear lengthways as they are 2.4m long x 1.1m wide. Top panel overlaps 2/3rds of the panel beneath it but they spread apart when parked using linear actuators. Currently only the top pair are connected to a 150/35 that I used for a time on 4 static smaller panels. I've got a second 150/35 for the lower pair so even though theres only a 3rd showing I should get something out of it while driving. Battery is a rack mount 90amp 48v made locally by a guy that does off grid and commercial. System is fine and we can manage on the battery if weather is good. Electric frypan, starlink, tv, integrated fridge etc. Just have to keep an eye on it. I have 16 EVE cells, a DIY box and JK inverter BMS on the way as the 90a battery was always temporary and we have a fan and split system cassette AC to install. I also have a 240v Bluesmart 12v 20a charger looking after a 100amp Renogy for the bed lift motor, actuators, car audio, couple pumps etc. There is another 240v Bluesmart 24v 5amp charger looking after the vehicle batteries as sometimes it sits for months.
We usually drive a few hours, park up for a 2-3 days and head home for shore charging. I've been looking at options for charging besides solar as I'm at my limit with that. Honda 3k generator but would have to find a spot for it, run it for a couple hours at a time and deal with fuel for it. Its a commercial truck gearbox and I looked at perhaps a generator mounted to a PTO but cant really drive with the PTO engaged so would have a noisy bus motor running and idling at 1000rpm however that would happilly drive a 6 or 8 kilowatt generator so wouldn't be for that long. Then talked to someone about a 48v alternator and figured there are 2 AC compressors no longer used that I could replace with a 48v alternator. However on looking there is so little room to work in there I think fabricating anything without dropping the engine is a no go. The existing 24v alternator is an 80 amp unit. I could perhaps upgrade that but would still have to try and charge the 48v house battery with it and looking at Victron stuff the current capacity of 24 to 48v converters isnt great. So what I was thinking of was to replace the existing alternator with a 48v Nations unit, taking care of all possible power requirements including running the AC while driving as the original ducted system has been removed. Then deal with how to keep the vehicle batteries charged and run the vehicle headlights and indicators, ECU and I don't think too much else. All the other existing 24v loads have been removed such as the huge AC blowers, under seat heater blowers, electro hydraulic handicapped lift etc etc. I was thinking a Skylla or Centaur charger or something.
Open to opinions. Is this a poor way to do it. My priorities are having overhead in the system, redundancy and robustness. Cost isnt a major consideration if it works and is reliable. We will probably park this up for extended periods next year and use it to power temporary accomodation while we build something on acreage.
