Easy to maintain RV setup for retired step-dad (EG4?)

[Shale MacGregor]

My stepdad retired and moved into an RV after my mother passed away. He is not very technically, minded and I am trying to come up with a user friendly setup for him to help with his travels.

The existing RV is based on 12v but the inverter and battery setup needs a major retrofit. Based on calculation of his usage I think 1 or 2 of the server mount batteries with a compatible inverter would work great with his space considerations.

I have been looking at 2 of the EG4 rackmounts with one of the compatible inverters to monitor and make it easy for him to check battery levels.

Are there any major concerns with a setup like this in a traveling RV? I know I can insulate and add some residual heat to his enclosed battery compartment with a redundant temp monitor combined with some heat strips so lifepo4 shouldn't be an issue.

Appreciate any feedback, mostly on if this setup would have any vibration concerns? Going to keep an eye out for some deals and hoping to surprise him.

Thanks!

 

[wme]

How will the batteries be charged, Solar??
Rack mounts are 48v, you will need some how to reduce to 12v for RV to function

 

[Shale MacGregor]

The batteries would charge with a supplemental solar array he can set up when that works and RV park charger when he is heading into heavily wooded areas.

I would look at a few options, either 48v to 12v or get 12v converter but still evaluating options when looking at efficiencies. His hot water needs replaced so once I replace a few things and if I do switch him to 48v for the extra power the LEDs and lower powered devices that remain on 12v wouldn't be a problem if I set him up properly.

 

[Rocketman]

Take a good look at Victron- yes it is a more expensive tier 1 equipment… but there are several benefits.

After living in a MotorHome w/Victron equipment for 3 years - I believe it is worth the additional up front costs.

Main Benefits:
Inverter - very low running draw. In an RV w/never enough solar - this is VERY important.

Information- the Cerbo &Touch shows exactly what is happening currently- battery SOC, solar in - DC watts & AC watts.

VRM- the ability for other to see and help over the internet may be important or not. When needed it is priceless.

VictronConnect App: Over the last three years I have been amazed at all the information available on the app from each piece of Victron gear. They keep updating it. Currently one of my favorite features is on the device list screen - it can now all the voltage each device s receiving. Very helpful for finding bad connections. Also it keeps data for the last 30 to 45 days, so for example I can see on my mppt’s - solar voltage, solar amps, battery voltage, battery current, watts and battery temp at any time over a he last 30-45 days! Wow!

Also other stuff can be hooked up too, temp sensors - tank sensors- etc.

For full-time in an RV - it is really great!

Good Luck with your project

 

[jberger]

I'm running the (3) EG4 Lifepower 4 12V models in our RV, the way the pack is built (welded terminals) I don't think you will have any issues with vibration. We've got probably 25K miles on ours and nothing has come loose yet. If I was doing it all over again, I don't think I'd use the server style packs and install in the lower compartment. I'd use the waterproof versions and leave them in the regular spot. They do take up a lot of space.

In regards to the RV, what year and model is it?
It might be easy to just swap out the converter center to accept LFP, and leave it 12V.

If it has levelers, they are probably connected to the current house bank, so check that out if you decide to leave 12v behind.
The emergency start switch and generator might also be tied to the house, so check and see if you need to separate those as well.

FWIW, My dad has asked me to help him convert to his RV to LFP. I'm going to keep his 12V just so he doesn't have to relearn or do anything different. Keeping 12V makes it much simpler since they don't need to relearn the details.

 

[midwestsolarnoob]

How will the batteries be charged, Solar??
Rack mounts are 48v, you will need some how to reduce to 12v for RV to function

EG4 makes their rack mounts with 12v, 24v, 48v

 

[midwestsolarnoob]

The batteries would charge with a supplemental solar array he can set up when that works and RV park charger when he is heading into heavily wooded areas.

I would look at a few options, either 48v to 12v or get 12v converter but still evaluating options when looking at efficiencies. His hot water needs replaced so once I replace a few things and if I do switch him to 48v for the extra power the LEDs and lower powered devices that remain on 12v wouldn't be a problem if I set him up properly.

You can get the EG4’s in 12v

 

[janizona]

Interesting thread. I'm researching adding EG4s to moms house but now I want a mini split for my 5th wheel. These A/C units (Coleman) are terrible and noisy. And energy hogs! We full time boondock with 1500W and 420AH lithium batteries. All my components are Victron. Hoping to figure out how to put a split on our rig. Good lucj!

 

[Tomthumb62]

Rack mounts are 48v, you will need some how to reduce to 12v for RV to function

There are 12v and 24v rack mounts available as well. Same capacity and form factor size, just different voltages.

 

[Alkaline]

My stepdad retired and moved into an RV after my mother passed away. He is not very technically, minded and I am trying to come up with a user friendly setup for him to help with his travels.

The existing RV is based on 12v but the inverter and battery setup needs a major retrofit. Based on calculation of his usage I think 1 or 2 of the server mount batteries with a compatible inverter would work great with his space considerations.

I have been looking at 2 of the EG4 rackmounts with one of the compatible inverters to monitor and make it easy for him to check battery levels.

Are there any major concerns with a setup like this in a traveling RV? I know I can insulate and add some residual heat to his enclosed battery compartment with a redundant temp monitor combined with some heat strips so lifepo4 shouldn't be an issue.

Appreciate any feedback, mostly on if this setup would have any vibration concerns? Going to keep an eye out for some deals and hoping to surprise him.

Thanks!

If you are using solar to charge the 48v, your going to needs something in the range of like 150V dc from solar for it to work. I think many people don't realize that on a RV its hard to get up into these high voltages. Most of the 48v charging capable controllers need quite a high voltage. Make sure you have room to install enough panels to get to these voltages.

 

[Tomthumb62]

I would stick to 12v to keep things simple. And safer should he try to tinker with it.

What are his loads? If he can do with a 2000W inverter or less, he’ll be fine on 12v.

 

[justinm001]

As long as they're lithium there really isn't a difference in how easy they are to maintain. I completely agree with @Rocketman about going Victron. He missed the most important benefit.. with Victron is you'll be able to see and edit all the settings remotely on it for him. He'll get notifications from email telling him low battery or whatever.

 

[MTC1014]

If you are using solar to charge the 48v, your going to needs something in the range of like 150V dc from solar for it to work. I think many people don't realize that on a RV its hard to get up into these high voltages. Most of the 48v charging capable controllers need quite a high voltage. Make sure you have room to install enough panels to get to these voltages.

newbie question here. does the voltage remain the same on the solar array, or does it drop depending on how much power they are producing? I'm currently deciding between a 12v system on my travel trailer, or going 48v. I believe I can fit 6x 250w panels up top, VOC being 27.28 per panel. I used the calculator on explorist life's site, and it shows temp compensated array voltage at 205V. I'm thinking that should be fine if the voltage remains the same all the time?

my travel trailer currently has 1x 12v battery, and the main reason I was thinking I wanted 48v was for the form factor of the Eg4 All-in-one, and also the efficiency for converting to AC. but then I would need to use a step down converter to power the current 12v items. is there a constant draw on the step down converter? I've read a few posts on here and now I'm wondering if the efficiency saved with 48v to the inverter would be wiped out by having a step down converter running all the time?

another reason for 48v was so I can fit as many panels up top as possible.

 

[Vigo]

Voltage does not stay the same all the time, but if you look at the difference between VOC and Vmp, that proportion of voltage change is what you can expect the voltage to drop by, under good solar conditions. However, under bad solar conditions it will drop much further. So if you have a solar controller that needs 150v to start working and you put a 205voc string on it, there WILL be times when you get nothing because even though power is available from the panels, the voltage is dropping out of the MPPTs operating range.

 

[Alkaline]

On my LV2424 which was a 24V anything less than 80V incoming made pitiful power like only 100 watts. I had to be over 100v for it to start making power.

It may be just the controller but I generally only have found success if I triple the incoming voltage to what my battery are rated for.

 

[Rocketman]

For Victron mppt’s, you need 5v over the battery to start. So at 13.5v (basically full 12v lithium battery) - you need 18.5v to start.

On my RV I like the putting panels in a 2p arrangement- like 2s2p, that way if the front two panels have shade (tree) the rear two may be in sun. I think I get more power from that array than the 3s array that has panels in front - mid - and mid-rear.

My mppt’s are 100/50 and 100/30 - so I am limited to 100v - but the 3s is in the mid-60’s and the 2s2p is in the mid 40’s volts.

Consider having a “x”s2p array with front and rear panels.