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Here's my truck camper setup

Zwy

Solar Wizard
Joined
Jan 3, 2021
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5,669
Location
Timbuktu, IA
First photo is general view of components. Positive and negative busbars. 200a breaker goes to inverter, ANL fuse to fuse panel and 40a breaker on far left is for the buck converter. As this is a 24v system, I was able to use lighter cable as it was quite tight with tight bends in various places. I would never have been able to make the bends if I went with a 12v system. 24V system.jpg

Second photo is the Daly BMS and the 8 cell 24v battery.

Battery and BMS.jpg

Third photo is the shunt on the negative cable from battery, and ANL fuse on the positive cable. The small white wires are for the heater blanket under the battery which I have not installed the thermostat yet.

Shunt and ANL.jpg

4th photo shows PV cables and battery cables running thru the rear wall and to the Growatt All In One. Running PV cable was accomplished by removing refrigerator and down thru that cavity (refrigerator is above this cabinet) from the refrigerator vent. This cabinet was insulated on sides and back to ensure in cold weather the battery temp was maintained.

Cable run thru back wall.jpg

5th photo shows main battery switch, after the ANL fuse and the inverter precharge button. The 50 ohm resistor is mounted inside above the door opening and pulls it's power from the fuse panel shown in first photo.

Main switch and precharge.jpg

6th photo is shunt display and screen for BMS. These were installed when refrigerator was out. The red led switch is for switching on the Growatt inverter remotely. The white switch was a factory installed switch for outside lighting.

Displays.jpg

On the opposite wall is the 12v fuse panel shown in photo 7.

12v fuse panel.jpg

I found a nice access door on Amazon the just fit between the furnace and the wall in the left. The brown switch above the fuse panel is to switch off the factory AC to DC converter. I left the converter in place and use it only for running the power jacks. The 12v fuse panel required a buck converter and cable run from the 40a breaker shown in photo 1. This required running down the back wall, under the floor and thru the floor joists, then up under the false floor for the shower and thru a wall to the original power center. It was quite the effort.

Photo 8 shows the breaker for the fuse panel and corner of the buck converter. I just bent a busbar to from the buck converter 12v output to the breaker input.


Buck converter and breaker 2.jpg

Photo 9 shows the box attached to the rear of the camper.

Growatt camper.jpg

This photo was taken while I was installing it. Photo 10 is a closeup of the bottom of the box.

Bottom of box.jpg

RV detachable cord port on the left, ventilation fan in the middle. On the right is a switch to turn off the PV array. The Growatt has the annoying beep when the PV array doesn't put out sufficient wattage and will keep cycling on/off the charge controller/All in One which will drain the battery. I used a pvc LB to make the corner for the cables and wires that were shown in photo 4. I actually used the plate for an electrical mast reversed and screwed a pvc fitting into it with pipe dope to make the connection to the LB. The square box was used to cover the hole where an outlet was from the factory that stuck thru the wall in the way of the battery. It was the only way I could find a way to cover the hole and install a 120v outlet right above it. The rear 120v outlet is handy for charging our ebikes.

I will continue the photos in the next part of this thread.
 
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Next photo is photo 11 which shows the stainless marine vent. The center cap can be removed for ventilation and if it is raining, there is a stainless hood that can be screwed into the vent. I couldn't find anything in plastic, only stainless and this one cost about $170 USD with the hood. Side vent.jpg

Photo 12 is inside the box showing the thermostat for the fan control. Inside the box.jpg

Photo 13 is shows the tilting PV panels along the roof air. Eventually roof air will be removed and 2 more 100w pv panels installed in the middle. Tilting solar panels.jpg

Photo 14 shows the tilting mechanism and how the mechanism pulls a rod back to lock the panels down. No climbing for me. Tilting solar panel mechanism.jpg

Photo 15 is the TC on the truck, note there are panels ahead of the tilting panels. These are 4 100w Renogy panels, the dimensions were just right to fit 4 across. As there was a slight tilt to the roof area, I left these 4 fixed. We currently haven;t been using the 3 way refrigerator in the camper, I have a Dometic CFX95 in the extended cab of the truck and run that off the truck 12v system and the solar system when parked. Works great. Truck camper.jpg

Photo 16 is from the recent 2000 mile trip my wife and just took 2 weeks ago. We were able to boondock and dry camp in areas like this for the whole time, we never needed to stay where there was shore power. Boondocking.jpg
 
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If you put the photos inline you can annotate them easier.

That's nice tight install. Looks great!
What do you mean by inline?

It was tight as this is a truck camper and limited room. There wasn't a spot in the interior where I could hang the GW, hence the outside box.
 
Don't use the "Attach files" button. Use the "Insert Image" button above the edit area and the image will insert where your cursor is.
 
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What size 24/12 VDC buck transformer did you use? It appears to be the Cllena from one of the pics.
I have a similar 24V system on an older Host McKinley truck camper with a 40A buck transformer and it is not big enough to run the Atwood ball and screw jacks. In fact, it is not big enough to run a single jack.
 
What size 24/12 VDC buck transformer did you use? It appears to be the Cllena from one of the pics.
I have a similar 24V system on an older Host McKinley truck camper with a 40A buck transformer and it is not big enough to run the Atwood ball and screw jacks. In fact, it is not big enough to run a single jack.
I had to do some digging on the Attwood ball and screw jacks, most were manual but they did have a power version. Bearing problems were common, they tended to rust up. I have Happijac jacks, the jacks were manual originally but the last owner added the motors.

My 24/12 buck converter is Cllena and 720 watts. I don't use it to run the jacks. Works well for everything else, I run a Dometic AC/DC fridge freezer in the backseat of the truck with it in addition to the truck camper power. Plenty of power there. I do derate any China made electronics to about 60 to 70% of capacity just for the times there might be a slight surge. I doubt I'll see 30 amp draw on the 12v system. The fridge, furnace, roof fan and water pump are the 4 biggest draws and that roof fan probably only draws 2.5 amps at the most. Heating element in the fridge is about 360 watts but I never run it on 12v. I'd run it on 120v AC off the inverter using the 24v system when traveling if I used it. 3 way fridges run on 12v were just a maintain temp situation, AC heating element is much larger. When parked, I'd run off propane For now we just use the original fridge for storage but I will probably replace with a 24v compressor fridge in the future.

I left the AC to DC converter in place, it's sole purpose is to provide power for the jacks. Originally I planned on removing it but had an idea pop into my head to run the jacks with it. I did add a small 15Ah AGM battery just to smooth out any surges from initial start up of the motors. AC to DC converter input power is thru a switch, just a regular light switch will work as shown in the photo, switch is to the left of original power center. I left the circuit for the jacks still connected to the power center fuse panel, it is the only circuit in there. I run all 4 jacks easily, I have run it both plugged into shore power and thru the Growatt Inverter. Works fine either way. I did an initial test before wiring this up using a graphing digital storage oscilloscope with an amps probe and initial turn on of jacks was a peak of 45 amps for just a few milliseconds with 28 amps running all together raising the camper.
 

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First photo is general view of components. Positive and negative busbars. 200a breaker goes to inverter, ANL fuse to fuse panel and 40a breaker on far left is for the buck converter. As this is a 24v system, I was able to use lighter cable as it was quite tight with tight bends in various places. I would never have been able to make the bends if I went with a 12v system. View attachment 67642

Second photo is the Daly BMS and the 8 cell 24v battery. View attachment 67649

Third photo is the shunt on the negative cable from battery, and ANL fuse on the positive cable. The small white wires are for the heater blanket under the battery which I have not installed the thermostat yet.View attachment 67650

4th photo shows PV cables and battery cables running thru the rear wall and to the Growatt All In One. Running PV cable was accomplished by removing refrigerator and down thru that cavity (refrigerator is above this cabinet) from the refrigerator vent. This cabinet was insulated on sides and back to ensure in cold weather the battery temp was maintained. View attachment 67652

5th photo shows main battery switch, after the ANL fuse and the inverter precharge button. The 50 ohm resistor is mounted inside above the door opening and pulls it's power from the fuse panel shown in first photo.View attachment 67658

6th photo is shunt display and screen for BMS. These were installed when refrigerator was out. The red led switch is for switching on the Growatt inverter remotely. The white switch was a factory installed switch for outside lighting.View attachment 67659

On the opposite wall is the 12v fuse panel shown in photo 7. View attachment 67660 I found a nice access door on Amazon the just fit between the furnace and the wall in the left. The brown switch above the fuse panel is to switch off the factory AC to DC converter. I left the converter in place and use it only for running the power jacks. The 12v fuse panel required a buck converter and cable run from the 40a breaker shown in photo 1. This required running down the back wall, under the floor and thru the floor joists, then up under the false floor for the shower and thru a wall to the original power center. It was quite the effort.

Photo 8 shows the breaker for the fuse panel and corner of the buck converter. I just bent a busbar to from the buck converter 12v output to the breaker input. View attachment 67663

Photo 9 shows the box attached to the rear of the camper. View attachment 67664

This photo was taken while I was installing it. Photo 10 is a closeup of the bottom of the box. View attachment 67666

RV detachable cord port on the left, ventilation fan in the middle. On the right is a switch to turn off the PV array. The Growatt has the annoying beep when the PV array doesn't put out sufficient wattage and will keep cycling on/off the charge controller/All in One which will drain the battery. I used a pvc LB to make the corner for the cables and wires that were shown in photo 4. I actually used the plate for an electrical mast reversed and screwed a pvc fitting into it with pipe dope to make the connection to the LB. The square box was used to cover the hole where an outlet was from the factory that stuck thru the wall in the way of the battery. It was the only way I could find a way to cover the hole and install a 120v outlet right above it. The rear 120v outlet is handy for charging our ebikes.

I will continue the photos in the next part of this thread.
A couple small critiques.
Beware of those style breakers. There are a LOT of knock off versions out there. Make sure yours are buss or Blue Sea branded… otherwise, the rating on them is irrelevant… the 40 might be a 200, and the 100 might be a 20…

Also, I am concerned about the main positive passing through the aluminum plate. I see the shrink wrap on the bussbar, and the bushing around the hole, but that exposed lug scares me silly.
I would want additional coverage around the lug, and maybe a plastic shield isolating the plate from any contact.
 
I had to do some digging on the Attwood ball and screw jacks, most were manual but they did have a power version. Bearing problems were common, they tended to rust up. I have Happijac jacks, the jacks were manual originally but the last owner added the motors.

My 24/12 buck converter is Cllena and 720 watts. I don't use it to run the jacks. Works well for everything else, I run a Dometic AC/DC fridge freezer in the backseat of the truck with it in addition to the truck camper power. Plenty of power there. I do derate any China made electronics to about 60 to 70% of capacity just for the times there might be a slight surge. I doubt I'll see 30 amp draw on the 12v system. The fridge, furnace, roof fan and water pump are the 4 biggest draws and that roof fan probably only draws 2.5 amps at the most. Heating element in the fridge is about 360 watts but I never run it on 12v. I'd run it on 120v AC off the inverter using the 24v system when traveling if I used it. 3 way fridges run on 12v were just a maintain temp situation, AC heating element is much larger. When parked, I'd run off propane For now we just use the original fridge for storage but I will probably replace with a 24v compressor fridge in the future.

I left the AC to DC converter in place, it's sole purpose is to provide power for the jacks. Originally I planned on removing it but had an idea pop into my head to run the jacks with it. I did add a small 15Ah AGM battery just to smooth out any surges from initial start up of the motors. AC to DC converter input power is thru a switch, just a regular light switch will work as shown in the photo, switch is to the left of original power center. I left the circuit for the jacks still connected to the power center fuse panel, it is the only circuit in there. I run all 4 jacks easily, I have run it both plugged into shore power and thru the Growatt Inverter. Works fine either way. I did an initial test before wiring this up using a graphing digital storage oscilloscope with an amps probe and initial turn on of jacks was a peak of 45 amps for just a few milliseconds with 28 amps running all together raising the camper.
Here is a data point for those that may look at this in the future. I tried my OEM 12VDC 45A charger from Progressive Dynamics as the sole and direct power source to the jack controller. It provided enough to run a single front jacks. Not enough to run two jacks (even 2 rears with a lower weight load). The addition of a small battery will provide the additional required amps, but at the cost of another maintenance item and more space. I'll keep trying with a power supply and possibly a power amp until I find a combo that works. I have another thread where I will post my results.
 
A couple small critiques.
Beware of those style breakers. There are a LOT of knock off versions out there. Make sure yours are buss or Blue Sea branded… otherwise, the rating on them is irrelevant… the 40 might be a 200, and the 100 might be a 20…

Have you seen the video for the fuses I linked in another thread? Interesting video, just because it might be a brand name does not mean you have protection. https://diysolarforum.com/threads/fuse-testing.30289/

I understand what you're saying however. I do oversize wire compared to breaker rating.
Also, I am concerned about the main positive passing through the aluminum plate. I see the shrink wrap on the bussbar, and the bushing around the hole, but that exposed lug scares me silly.

Actually, it can't go anywhere, I fabricated a plastic bushing that can't come out of the hole. There isn't any possibility for an arc to occur or any contact.
I would want additional coverage around the lug, and maybe a plastic shield isolating the plate from any contact.
I was looking for a snap over cover that has a 90 in it. Might have to fab one someday. I'm not too concerned, the complete system is mounted in a cabinet with a locking door and everything is securely fastened down. If anything makes contact, I probably have much bigger problems.
 
Here is a data point for those that may look at this in the future. I tried my OEM 12VDC 45A charger from Progressive Dynamics as the sole and direct power source to the jack controller. It provided enough to run a single front jacks. Not enough to run two jacks (even 2 rears with a lower weight load). The addition of a small battery will provide the additional required amps, but at the cost of another maintenance item and more space. I'll keep trying with a power supply and possibly a power amp until I find a combo that works. I have another thread where I will post my results.
I think you need to take your jacks and install new bearings possibly. That is a big draw compared to mine. Is there any gearing in the head? You're looking at 45A x 4 = 180A if you were to get the jacks running all at once. You certainly don't have battery cable running to each jack.

I did all my testing with no battery. I only added the battery later, I used one found in older battery booster packs. I know a guy that gets the used AGM's from large wind towers (battery backup for electronics) here when they replace them as part of maintenance every 2 years.

I could capture the amp draw again on the graphing DSO. I don't think I saved the screen.
 
Here is a data point for those that may look at this in the future. I tried my OEM 12VDC 45A charger from Progressive Dynamics as the sole and direct power source to the jack controller. It provided enough to run a single front jacks. Not enough to run two jacks (even 2 rears with a lower weight load). The addition of a small battery will provide the additional required amps, but at the cost of another maintenance item and more space. I'll keep trying with a power supply and possibly a power amp until I find a combo that works. I have another thread where I will post my results.

This is with all 4 jacks operating at the same time, powered completely from AC to DC converter. Peak of 30 amps at initial start of all 4 jacks, raising the camper with all 4 running together shows just under 24 amps. It will run this amperage all the way up and down. Sweep shown on screen is 1 minute but time doesn't matter, once the load is in place it still draws just under 24 amps. Hope this helps you with your setup.

Jacks raising camper.jpg
 
A couple small critiques.
Beware of those style breakers. There are a LOT of knock off versions out there. Make sure yours are buss or Blue Sea branded… otherwise, the rating on them is irrelevant… the 40 might be a 200, and the 100 might be a 20…

Also, I am concerned about the main positive passing through the aluminum plate. I see the shrink wrap on the bussbar, and the bushing around the hole, but that exposed lug scares me silly.
I would want additional coverage around the lug, and maybe a plastic shield isolating the plate from any contact.
Found a terminal cover that worked, simply used a large 2/0 ga cover. I believe it was these. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RHDD43L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'd prefer a plastic cover that snaps together, wish I had a 3D printer for some of the odd stuff I need on occasion.
 
How’s the mini-split install going? Would love to see some pics.
 
Thanks for posting all your hard work. Looks good.
My only comment is that ANL fuse is not suitable for a Li battery catastrophic fuse. The ANL do not have enough interrupt capacity. I would have a Class-T fuse and holder closer to the battery positive terminal.
 
How’s the mini-split install going? Would love to see some pics.
Made a swing away mount for the condensing unit when I remodeled the shower (was able to locate the supports on the inside of the wall before installing tile). Have to remove the bunk over the couch next and build a cabinet for the microwave and install the air handler along it, run the lines after that. Outside mount is swing away so when parked for a few days it allows more clearance for entering and exiting the back door.

It will be some time before the next step, I'm actually loading the camper tonight. I've been working the solar install for house in my free time.

Here's the shower. Shower pan.jpg
 
Thanks for posting all your hard work. Looks good.
My only comment is that ANL fuse is not suitable for a Li battery catastrophic fuse. The ANL do not have enough interrupt capacity. I would have a Class-T fuse and holder closer to the battery positive terminal.
You have to remember when this was built, no one here was using Class T fuses. This was built over the winter of 2020.
 
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