Adding a solar system

[RocknRoll]

With your budget and the deal you have with installation, you have a lot of options!

I boondock with the mentality that it is "camping" and have a relatively simple system. The few times I've boondocked (2-3 days), I do without the high draw appliances (microwave/coffee maker), but have a small 600W inverter to run my TV, keep stuff charged and not worry. For an approximate $1500 investment, my current setup gives me some luxuries and keeps things topped off. If I ever did decide to go full-time (currently not in the cards), I would spare no expense to make sure I was comfortable.

Originally Posted by creativepart

Just replacing your single AGM battery with two BB LiPo batteries would be a big improvement for your trip.

Couldn't agree more. LiFePo4 clearly has some distinct advantages over AGM.

• Weight
• Charge time
• Maintaining SOC (especially with parasitic loads)

With weight a factor, shedding the (2) 6V batteries allowed me to carry an additional 100 lbs of gear.

Originally Posted by Marine359

If you haven’t made a final decision on roof mounting 380 watts, the cost of soft foldable panels has come way down, under $200 for 110w. This setup should collect almost 50% more amps over 5 hours of the same wattage of panels on the roof.

Agree! You may never know the conditions when/where you're boondocking. Sunshine AND shade may be at a premium so IMO, having a combination of roof and portable is key.

Originally Posted by AJMike

True, but the cost of Lithium batteries is dropping so quickly that you might end up getting more for your trade with the batteries than the cost of a new install. Or at least come close and get new technology.

A turnkey solar setup would be very attractive to a new buyer if deciding to sell.

[Marine359]

John,
One other thing. If you buy any LiFePo4, you must also buy and install a new battery charger that can support the LiFePo4 charge profile (not likely your 6 yr old can be reprogrammed). Failure to do so will severely shorten the life of your batteries. Also, if you buy an inverter, you must install a transfer switch which will bypass the inverter when you’re connected to shore power. Alternatively, you can buy a LiFePo4 enabled inverter/charger that does all of the above functions (charge/invert/transfer) for not much more than the cost of all the other individual components. Two brands of inverter/charger also offer power sharing, and Bluetooth. Idk your total budget, but it seems you may need to crank these in.

[creativepart]

Many, most? WBGO motorhomes come with a small inverter to run TVs DVDs and a bedroom clock, etc. Does your 2015 Itasca Viva 23L already have one of these?

Update! I just checked your Operators Manual and see that your TV and DVD are both 12v models. So, yes, you do need an inverter to run even a few 110v appliances. And if you add an inverter you will need more battery power storage.

Everything you have planned makes sense. It’s just that your plan is pretty much top of the limit for what you could add.

New owners of RVs are best served by getting to know their needs by using the RV a lot and taking some baby steps with initial upgrades. I think what most of us are saying is that your plan is more like a giant leap and many of your needs could be achieved with far less expenditure.

Also as Jim mentioned above, your plan totally ignores the special charging needs of the LiPo batteries. Your choices there are to drop the LiPos and add AGMs or FLA batteries instead so that you don’t need to address this issue OR change your converter/charger and address your Viva’s chassis alternator if you stick with LiPo batteries as planned.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Marine359

Why do you need more than 6ft? A wired only BM (remote display) has zero range. I don’t know what the max range for the Victron is, but I can pair with it while sitting in my pickup truck, or anywhere in the trailer.

For me the most important use for the BM is when I am driving. When camping I can keep an eye on what is happening with the solar and battery by checking the solar controller to see how much solar power the RV is getting, but I can't do that when driving.

Typically the compressor refrigerator, fans, electric tea kettle and toaster mean that in the morning right before we go somewhere the battery power is down to perhaps 65%, Lower in the summer, higher in the Winter. Given that I want to be sure that the DC-DC Charger is working properly and charging the batteries when I am driving and the only way to do that is with the BM display on my smartphone. If the sending unit is too far away from the smartphone I can not see what I want to see.

The Victron 712 smart has a long bluetooth range, perhaps 30 feet, and I have no trouble seeing the display while driving, but the sending unit for the smartshunt would be next to the batteries and hence more than 6 feet from the driver's seat and so a limited BT range would mean that I could not see the display when I need to see it.

[BobC]

Originally Posted by RocknRoll

With your budget and the deal you have with installation, you have a lot of options!

I boondock with the mentality that it is "camping" and have a relatively simple system. The few times I've boondocked (2-3 days), I do without the high draw appliances (microwave/coffee maker), but have a small 600W inverter to run my TV, keep stuff charged and not worry. For an approximate $1500 investment, my current setup gives me some luxuries and keeps things topped off. If I ever did decide to go full-time (currently not in the cards), I would spare no expense to make sure I was comfortable.

RocknRoll-

"Camping" is indeed the secret to power management while boondocking.

It would be helpful if you could describe your $1500 system.

[BobC]

Another comment with regard to LiFePO4 batteries:

As I mentioned previously, I've had good experiences over the years with 6v golf cart batteries and will continue doing so for the time being since my MH is pretty much sitting in storage due to Covid and some other issues that are currently limiting our use of it.

However, if I was actively using my MH, I'd seriously consider converting to LiFePO4 batteries. I should add that I've been a naysayer for a couple of years, but the more I learn about them, the more sense they make for an active RVer, especially as the price continues to drop.

I've subscribed to Will Prowse's YouTube channel that I previously mentioned so I can stay current on them. They are a different animal from lead acid batteries and a comprehensive understanding of all the details is important.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by JohnW2837

I'll do a little more research before moving forward, including continuing to read this forum.

One other thing I think that is important to keep in mind is that different people camp differently and have different needs, and so you may see people offering conflicting advice. Someone may suggest using golf cart batteries, someone else may suggest AGMs and a third person Lithium. Some may suggest using a BIM and others a DC-DC Charger. All of those people may be right in suggesting something that works for them, but may not work for a different hardware configuration, so keep that in mind when reading the posts.

I suggest Lithium batteries, a large solar array and a DC-DC Charger because our RV has a compressor refrigerator and thus needs a lot of power, we live in Arizona so sunlight is plentiful and our alternator supplies plenty of power so we use a DC-DC Charger to manage the charging of our Lithium batteries. But if someone lived in Seattle or Portland where there was not much steady sunlight their needs might be different. An absorption refrigerator has far different power needs than a compressor refrigerator.

Think about where you will be camping, what the conditions are likely to be, how you camp and then try to figure out what your needs are. Then you can decide what equipment to add. And you might want to do that in stages so you don't have to spend all of the money at once. You may find that you don't need everything, and thus save money.

[Marine359]

Originally Posted by AJMike

The Victron 712 smart has a long bluetooth range, perhaps 30 feet, and I have no trouble seeing the display while driving, but the sending unit for the smartshunt would be next to the batteries and hence more than 6 feet from the driver's seat and so a limited BT range would mean that I could not see the display when I need to see it.

Agreed that the 712 is far superior to smartshunt. I just measured and can connect up to 10ft away. That’s probably not sufficient in a large MH. I chose the smartshunt because it works for a TT, was way less money, and was an easy diy install. Sorry to suggest otherwise. Unlike you, I don’t need to monitor while driving.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Marine359

Agreed that the 712 is far superior to smartshunt. I just measured and can connect up to 10ft away. That’s probably not sufficient in a large MH. I chose the smartshunt because it works for a TT, was way less money, and was an easy diy install.

Like you I was immediately attracted to the SmartShunt and it is still sitting in the cart on my Amazon account. I was concerned about the 6 foot BT range but if it can connect 10 feet then it may be good enough. I have to check and see exactly where the negative of the battery bank is and do a quick distance check, keeping in mind that it has to go through a metal battery box as well.

The 712 smart would be a sure bet but the SmartShunt might be OK if the BT is strong enough. And you are right. It is very appealing given the simple installation (which even I can probably do) and the lower cost. I would much rather pay $130 than $206 - about an $80 difference when the tax is taken into account.

Originally Posted by Marine359

Sorry to suggest otherwise.

No need to be sorry. We all have different setups and it is always helpful to have a different opinion. Your original comment about this led to your measuring and that led to the 10 foot distance comment, so that was helpful information for me. If you had not made the first comment I would not have learned that.

[Marine359]

Keep in mind that my shunt is mounted in my pass-thru, so signal only has to pass through the forward bulkhead of the trailer. I’m pretty sure you would get less than 10ft if you mounted in the battery tray of your MH, as the signal would have to pass through steel. You should probably stick with the 712.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Marine359

Keep in mind that my shunt is mounted in my pass-thru, so signal only has to pass through the forward bulkhead of the trailer. I’m pretty sure you would get less than 10ft if you mounted in the battery tray of your MH, as the signal would have to pass through steel. You should probably stick with the 712.

The BT signal on the 712 Smart in our current RV is so strong that I can easily see the battery SOC when the RV is in our driveway and I am in the house. The idea that the SmartShunt only has a 6' or 10' BT range is very puzzling. Part of me things I should try it because the installation is so easy and the cost so low, but deep down I worry that it would not work well enough for me to get the information I need and I would end up having to buy the 712 anyway.

[BobC]

How about a Bluetooth extender? If you buy via Amazon and it doesn't work for you, it can be returned. Just make sure free returns are noted on the order page.

https://thewiredshopper.com/best-blu...enders-to-buy/

The top rated extender in the above article is $29.95 at Amazon, with free returns.

https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Bl...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Tight metal enclosures can be a problem since they'll act as a Faraday Cage and suppress radio signals.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by BobC

How about a Bluetooth extender?

That sounded like a good idea so I went to the Amazon webpages for "bluetooth extender" but it is not clear that the extenders shown are for data signals rather than voice. Pretty much all of the videos show how to use the extenders to connect to earphones or TVs, but I did post a question about whether the extender would work for a data signal meant for a smartphone and I will see what responses I get.

Thanks for the idea.

[creativepart]

The Victron Bluetooth dongle works perfectly to extend the range of the SmartShunt. That’s what I use. However, the cost of the two combined is only $40 or so less than the 712 BMK.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by creativepart

The Victron Bluetooth dongle works perfectly to extend the range of the SmartShunt. That’s what I use. However, the cost of the two combined is only $40 or so less than the 712 BMK.

What Victron bluetooth dongle? I am not familiar with that. Do you have a link?

[RocknRoll]

Originally Posted by BobC

RocknRoll-

"Camping" is indeed the secret to power management while boondocking.

It would be helpful if you could describe your $1500 system.

Hi Bob, I've probably mentioned a few times in other posts, but am of course happy to oblige!

This post describes my setup with a few pics back in December. I've since re-mounted the Victron to plywood.
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...ml#post3883776

$525 - LifeP04 Battery (Valence)
$165 - Li Charger/Converter (WFCO WF-8950L2-MBA)
$200 - Victron 100/30 Charge Controller
$130 - 100W Flex panel
$160 - 100W Rockpals Suitcase panel
$250 - 600W Samlex Inverter
$100 - Misc. wire, fuses, etc...

Total $1530

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by AJMike

That sounded like a good idea so I went to the Amazon webpages for "bluetooth extender" but it is not clear that the extenders shown are for data signals rather than voice. Pretty much all of the videos show how to use the extenders to connect to earphones or TVs, but I did post a question about whether the extender would work for a data signal meant for a smartphone and I will see what responses I get.

Thanks for the idea.

I posted a question about the ability of the BT extender to work with data and the answers I got back all said it was for voice only. Perhaps there are BT extenders that would work for data but apparently not the low priced one mentioned.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by AJMike

What Victron bluetooth dongle? I am not familiar with that. Do you have a link?

Did some research and perhaps you are referring to this?

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Energ.../dp/B01CGFF8Q2

[BobC]

Originally Posted by AJMike

That sounded like a good idea so I went to the Amazon webpages for "bluetooth extender" but it is not clear that the extenders shown are for data signals rather than voice. Pretty much all of the videos show how to use the extenders to connect to earphones or TVs, but I did post a question about whether the extender would work for a data signal meant for a smartphone and I will see what responses I get.

Thanks for the idea.

It'll be interesting to see what you find out. Bluetooth is a radio signal and I would think that signal boosting would be independent of what's being sent. I'm a Ham radio operator and code or digital signals can be sent much more efficiently and can be received at larger distances via radio waves than voice.

Also, most Tire Pressure Management System (TPMS) manufacturers offer Bluetooth extenders for their products, which send data.

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by AJMike

Did some research and perhaps you are referring to this?

https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Energ.../dp/B01CGFF8Q2

That’s it. Just plug it into the port on the SmartShunt and place it up and under the chassis somewhere. I found a screw on a wire loom on a chassis rail and used that to secure it.

With that I can pick up the BT signal a two in my coach.