Hello, looking for advice on installing solar panels, mppt, dc to dc charger, inverter. Have a Ford F450 Diesel dually with 360Amp Alternator, Lance 1172 Truck Camper. 2x 80Ah Lead acid batteries, 100w existing solar panel and a GoPower 30amp PWM controller. Looking at upgrading to Victron 30Amp DC to DC charger to camper battery bank, with up fitter switch controller in cab (I run 3 way 6 cu ft fridge on Batts while driving), I plan to add 2x 100W renogy solar panels to truck camper roof rack. Planning two 100w portable panels to aim at sun. Would like an easy plug in interface for portables. Remove PWM replace with Victron MPPT solar controller, not sure what voltage or amps sizing yet maybe 150V 45amp?. Will operate primarily in Rocky Mountain West in extreme cold -15 F winter and hot environments some +100 summers at altitudes usually 8,000' to as high as 10,500'. Considering 2x 100Ah Weize LiFEPO4 Thermal Regulated (heated) batts, plus add a 2000W inverter (maybe Giandel). I also have an efficient/quiet Honda 2200 inverter generator I prefer over the Onan propane onboard 2500 gen that uses way too much propane. Would appreciate recommendations from those of you with experiences and wisdom on this. Thank you in advance.
I'm not sure how I stumbled upon your post and at this point it is over 4 months old, maybe 5. I built a slide in camper right around the same time you created this post so I thought I'd share with you what I did and how it has worked out for me so far.
I have a 10.5' early 90's Wilderness slide in. I bought it because it was cheap and it had a layout I could use to build my camper with the cold weather features I thought were most important. First thing I did, and this likely will not apply to you, is I gutted the camper's plumbing system, got rid of the toilet and sink from the bathroom, got rid of the 40ish gallon fresh water tank, and the grey and black water tanks. I ran a simple hose from the kitchen sink through the wall to the outside. For my fresh water I have a quick connect fitting on a 7 gallon portable water jug that quick connects to a hose that goes to my electric pump, then to my kitchen sink. Simple and effective. I can disconnect the quick connect from my water jug and then stick it in a gallon jug of RV antifreeze, run the pump for a few seconds, and I'm winterized again.
The 7 gallon water jug and my inverter and batteries take up the space that once house the large 40ish gallon fresh water tank. I used (2) 100Ah SOK LiFePo⁴ batteries and a 12/3000 Victron (original) Multiplus...the Multiplus 2 would not have fit this space. I do not have solar hooked up as of yet, but I may get around to addung a single 160W panel and small Victron SCC this summer. I also plan to install a Victron 12-12 30A DC charger for use when driving. I think 30A is plenty as I do not want to run long lengths of 50A rated cable through my truck. Also, if I'm driving with my camper on it is usually for a long period of time anyhow so the extra amperage availablility would be pointless.
For heat I installed a diesel heater plumbed into a 6 gallon outboard boat motor fuel tank. This can provide 7-14 days of heat depending on outside temps and if it is running 24/7 or only when I'm stopped. The current draw of this diesel heater is laughably minimal...in the 12-20W range once it is up and running. The propane furnace is also still intact.
As yet another heat source I have installed a small wood stove. It was very inexpensive, it is airtight and can be turned down low enough to not run you out of the camper, and it has a reburn system for added efficiency. It heats for about 3 hours from only a couple of pounds of wood.
I completely gutted my bathroom and this became a utility room of sorts and is where my Honda 2200w genny, fuel, diesel heater and diesel tank, a small chain saw, axe, broom, etc. are stored.
I have used this camper in EXTREME cold. It was about -43°F when I went out to test my setup. I wish I could report perfect success, but I cannot. My lithium batteries would not turn on, so I had no way to turn on my inverter to run my battery heating pads, or the diesel heater, or the propane heater. I fired up the wood stove, plugged into shore power (camper was in my driveway at home) to get the battery heaters going and sat there with my toes beginning to turn to ice cubes! It took nearly 3 hours between the heating pads and wood stove to get the batteries warm enough to turn on and attempt to run my diesel heater. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough fuel additive in the diesel to prevent it from gelling. I tried the propane furnace. Same thing. It worked, but produced very little heat because at that temp Liquid Propane Gas no longer boils and very little vapor is given off to run through the furnace. So, while it turned on and did give off SOME heat, it was negligeable. I think my diesel heater would have worked fine if my fuel had been treated properly beforehand.
On the trips I have used the camper since, in more reasonable weather ranging from 15°F to about 50°F, it has performed very well. The 200Ah of power storage has been sufficient to last about 3 days between recharges at our levels of use (TV, DVD player, lights, occasional water pump). Refrigerator is running on propane and would likely run for a couple weeks on the 14 gallons of propane. I am thrilled with my choice of inverter/charger; this Victron will recharge my batteries VERY quickly. It also has the ability to accept just about any AC power from a generator unlike most All In One units. It can also be programmed to only draw 75% of your generators rated constant output for best efficiency. If I run the generator for an hour or two every couple of days it would be plenty to keep our lights on and DVDs playing. This charge interval could be extended with the DC-DC charger and some solar input, but a single gallon of fuel in my generator could easily last a couple of weeks without any other charging involved.
My toilet is a Gatoraide bottle which then gets dumped down the sink and rinsed and a 5 gallon bucket with a seat and garbage bag for emergencies when another toilet is not available.