5th Wheel 50AMP Build Advice

[posterchild37]

I am planning a solar setup in our 5th wheel. Below are the components I plan to use combined with between 10-12 solar panels on the roof. A victron 48v-12v DC/DC inverter with 2x 12v batteries to run 12v system. The EG4 6000xp will take shore power, generator power, and battery power management to the AC panel using single phase, one leg to each side of the AC panel in the 5th wheel giving 3000w to each side for 6000w total. Anyone see any issues with this setup, we plan to boondock 25% of our time while supplementing with generator power when we don’t have access to shore power. Our 5th wheel has 3 acs but won’t run all 3 at the same time on solar alone. Will most likely add a 3rd lifepower battery at a later time to the 2 already planned.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

The EG4 6000xp will take shore power, generator power, and battery power management to the AC panel using single phase, one leg to each side of the AC panel in the 5th wheel giving 3000w to each side for 6000w total.

As stated, this sounds wrong or at least incomplete.

The inverter is 120/240V split phase.
50A shore is 120/240V split phase
30A shore is 120V single phase
15-20A shore is 120V single phase.

The EG4 will accept 120/240V split phase input, L1, N and L2.

It will not accept 120VAC L, N input.

Generator MUST be 120/240V split phase. Many RV generators are two parallel 120V outputs - NOT 120/240V, so it may not work with your generator.

Anyone see any issues with this setup, we plan to boondock 25% of our time while supplementing with generator power when we don’t have access to shore power. Our 5th wheel has 3 acs but won’t run all 3 at the same time on solar alone. Will most likely add a 3rd lifepower battery at a later time to the 2 already planned.

While it lists a surge capability, I would only expect the ability to run a single A/C. I'd give it 50/50 to run two. No way on 3. If you install Micro-Air softstarts, definitely two, maybe three.

Unit claims 50W idle consumption. that will consume 1.2kWh/day on top of your other loads. That's about 24% of ONE of the 5.12kWh batteries. My pessimism suggests that 50W is optimistic, and it may be 50-100% higher. I would plan to start with 3 batteries.

You have a big rig. Explore the links in line #1 of my signature. An energy audit is in order.

 

[posterchild37]

As stated, this sounds wrong or at least incomplete.

The inverter is 120/240V split phase.
50A shore is 120/240V split phase
30A shore is 120V single phase
15-20A shore is 120V single phase.

The EG4 will accept 120/240V split phase input, L1, N and L2.

It will not accept 120VAC L, N input.

Generator MUST be 120/240V split phase. Many RV generators are two parallel 120V outputs - NOT 120/240V, so it may not work with your generator.



While it lists a surge capability, I would only expect the ability to run a single A/C. I'd give it 50/50 to run two. No way on 3. If you install Micro-Air softstarts, definitely two, maybe three.

Unit claims 50W idle consumption. that will consume 1.2kWh/day on top of your other loads. That's about 24% of ONE of the 5.12kWh batteries. My pessimism suggests that 50W is optimistic, and it may be 50-100% higher. I would plan to start with 3 batteries.

You have a big rig. Explore the links in line #1 of my signature. An energy audit is in order.

Is victron the only inverters that accept rv generator power, shore power, battery, and solar power?

 

[posterchild37]

Is victron the only inverters that accept rv generator power, shore power, battery, and solar power?

Is victron the only inverters that accept rv generator power, shore power, battery, and solar power?

As stated, this sounds wrong or at least incomplete.

The inverter is 120/240V split phase.
50A shore is 120/240V split phase
30A shore is 120V single phase
15-20A shore is 120V single phase.

The EG4 will accept 120/240V split phase input, L1, N and L2.

It will not accept 120VAC L, N input.

Generator MUST be 120/240V split phase. Many RV generators are two parallel 120V outputs - NOT 120/240V, so it may not work with your generator.



While it lists a surge capability, I would only expect the ability to run a single A/C. I'd give it 50/50 to run two. No way on 3. If you install Micro-Air softstarts, definitely two, maybe three.

Unit claims 50W idle consumption. that will consume 1.2kWh/day on top of your other loads. That's about 24% of ONE of the 5.12kWh batteries. My pessimism suggests that 50W is optimistic, and it may be 50-100% higher. I would plan to start with 3 batteries.

You have a big rig. Explore the links in line #1 of my signature. An energy audit is in order.

I am trying to find an inverter that will accept the generator power pass it through, shire power pass it through, solar power, and battery power to supplement and run my 5th wheel ac needs.

 

[Supervstech]

As stated, this sounds wrong or at least incomplete.

The inverter is 120/240V split phase.
50A shore is 120/240V split phase
30A shore is 120V single phase
15-20A shore is 120V single phase.

The EG4 will accept 120/240V split phase input, L1, N and L2.

It will not accept 120VAC L, N input.

Generator MUST be 120/240V split phase. Many RV generators are two parallel 120V outputs - NOT 120/240V, so it may not work with your generator.



While it lists a surge capability, I would only expect the ability to run a single A/C. I'd give it 50/50 to run two. No way on 3. If you install Micro-Air softstarts, definitely two, maybe three.

Unit claims 50W idle consumption. that will consume 1.2kWh/day on top of your other loads. That's about 24% of ONE of the 5.12kWh batteries. My pessimism suggests that 50W is optimistic, and it may be 50-100% higher. I would plan to start with 3 batteries.

You have a big rig. Explore the links in line #1 of my signature. An energy audit is in order.

As long as you KNOW by TESTING you are feeding ONLY from a true split phase input, it should work.
But, as you say, it will not ALWAYS work... because some situations are not split phase...

 

[Partimewages]

If you're going to run air conditioning for any extended time you're going to need more batteries!

 

[posterchild37]

If you're going to run air conditioning for any extended time you're going to need more batteries!

Lifepower4 rack batteries have 5100wh, I plan to use 2-3 of them….

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Is victron the only inverters that accept rv generator power, shore power, battery, and solar power?

I don't know.

The victron 2x120 units are actually single phase 120V inverters with L2 pass through as follows:

Inverting: 120VAC output to each leg. 0V between legs
120VAC shore/generator: 120VAC passthru output to each leg. 0V between legs
120/240VAC shore/generator: L1 120VAC passed through inverter and can be used to charge battery, L2 120VAC bypasses the inverter and goes directly to second leg. L2 input can't be used by the inverter. 240V between legs
120VAC generator with two in-phase legs: First leg passthru/charge; second leg bypass to 2nd leg of panel. 0V between legs.

The more flexible your need, the tougher it gets.

If you want true split phase, you can use two Victrons in split phase config. They can be configured to charge using only L1, OR only L2 OR BOTH L1 and L2 in split phase. In this case, you would only get 50% of your generator output as you would want to disable the second output of the generator. 120V or 120V/240V split phase shore would be handled automatically.

 

[Partimewages]

Lifepower4 rack batteries have 5100wh, I plan to use 2-3 of them….

That will be used up in just a few hours!

 

[Supervstech]

Lifepower4 rack batteries have 5100wh, I plan to use 2-3 of them….

You had better do the math on ac loads, 1500ish Wh will not last long with multiple ac units running if they arent inverter variable speed units.

 

[posterchild37]

I wish there was a affordable all in one solution that you didn’t have to run a pair of to accomplish this…

 

[sunshine_eggo]

I wish there was a affordable all in one solution that you didn’t have to run a pair of to accomplish this…

You don't have to run a pair. The "2x120" (a model designation, not a quantity) versions are single units designed explicitly for installation in 50A RVs in North America.

There's a reason Victron released the 2x120 versions. They came up with a solution, and to my knowledge, nobody else has.

I'm guessing your 3 A/C rig was incredibly expensive by some standards. What does "affordable" mean to you?

EDIT: nevermind. only in 12 and 24V volt. Thought they had a 48/5000 unit, but that's just the standard MP.

 

[JasonHaws]

I am planning a solar setup in our 5th wheel. Below are the components I plan to use combined with between 10-12 solar panels on the roof. A victron 48v-12v DC/DC inverter with 2x 12v batteries to run 12v system. The EG4 6000xp will take shore power, generator power, and battery power management to the AC panel using single phase, one leg to each side of the AC panel in the 5th wheel giving 3000w to each side for 6000w total. Anyone see any issues with this setup, we plan to boondock 25% of our time while supplementing with generator power when we don’t have access to shore power. Our 5th wheel has 3 acs but won’t run all 3 at the same time on solar alone. Will most likely add a 3rd lifepower battery at a later time to the 2 already planned.




View attachment 175791

Here is how I plan on handling my mobile setup.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Here is how I plan on handling my mobile setup.

What happens when only 30A shore power is availble?

 

[JasonHaws]

all 120v single phase outlets, which includes 30amp shore power, goes thru the chargeverter to keep the batteries charged.

 

[RvNaut]

Make sure the DC/DC 48/12 converter has enough amps behind it... I went with the 30amp Victron. I have a 12v deep cycle battery in line to act as a load buffer. I have slide motors/hyd jacks motors that such up to 45 amps. YMMV IANAL.