Connecting a Victron MultiPlus II to Existing AC Wiring in a Minnie Winnie

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Original Member Title: Wiring Inverter into existing AC wiring 2016 Minnie Winnie 22R?
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The original poster wanted to add a Victron MultiPlus II inverter/charger to a 2016 Minnie Winnie 22R without running new Romex all the way to the breaker panel, while keeping both shore power and the onboard generator usable. Early replies mainly clarified that the Victron needs both an AC input and an AC output path if its charger and pass-through functions are to be retained, and one member noted they had inserted theirs between the transfer switch output and the breaker panel, but that...
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EyeOnAlaska

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Joined
May 26, 2013
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7
I've finally got my whole solar system installed in my 2016 Minnie Winnie 22R. 1200watts of panels, a Victron MultiPlusII inverter/charger mounted under the dinette seat. I'd like to keep the onboard generator and shore power functional if needed. Has anyone tied their 110ac wiring to/from the Victron into the shore power/generator receptacle? I would think it would allow me to use the existing wiring and save me having to run new romex all the way back to the fuse panel at the foot of the bed. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
 
I pulled the wire out of my breaker panel and ran the output of the transfer switch, gen and shore, into my Victron. Then out of the Victron to the breaker panel on the pass thru connection.....works fine.
 
I pulled the wire out of my breaker panel and ran the output of the transfer switch, gen and shore, into my Victron. Then out of the Victron to the breaker panel on the pass thru connection.....works fine.
I"m just trying to not have to run Romex from the dinette to the breaker panel and back if possible. I couldn't believe how expensive Romex has gotten!
 
Ok, mine is right behind the breaker panel. And I have lots of wire. But, I am not following where you want to hook it up. Usually the entry wire is close to the Gen and transfer switch. They don't like to run wire either. If the Victron is under the dinette....what are you hooking it in to?
 
My Victron is under the front dinette seat. I'd like to run 110ac out of that and tie it into the existing factory ac wiring that goes to the breaker box that's at the foot of the bed. I'm trying to find the easiest way to do that without having to run Romex all the way back to the breaker box.
 
Ok, that is a one way use of the Victron. Does yours also charge the batteries? You would be losing that function when only hooking up the output side.
 
Yes, it will charge the batteries. I know I want to have ac power going into the victron as well as just the solar.
 
The in and out are 2 separate things on the Victron. I am going to have to assume you are going to interrupt the main romex going to the breaker panel and insert the Victron. That is what I did but it is right beside the breaker panel. Does not matter where you put it as long as a line comes in and a line goes out.
 
I'm confused now. Explaining a wiring diagram with words is very difficult it seems.
Yeah, I've evidently royally screwed this up. What seems a simple question in my mind obviously isn't translating very well.
 
You can download the 12V wiring schematic for your model from the Winnebago website. Next mark the necessary wiring modifications onto a copy of the OEM wiring for switching the solar power to the OEM transfer switch. This might require a new manual transfer, or 2nd automatic transfer switch_ I think.
 
2 simple questions. Where is the transfer switch located and where is the breaker panel? And in relation to the supply to the breaker panel from the transfer switch, where is the Victron? A simple rectangle drawing with locations noted will suffice.
 
EyeOnAlaska-

As "RayIN" wrote, wiring diagrams for your coach are available at this link.

I've attached a JPEG of one of the important drawing sheets below.

According to my research, your Class C coach has an exterior compartment inside of which is the shore cord and two electrical junction/outlet boxes. One box terminates the shore cord and then feeds the load center under the bed. The other box terminates the generator cord and has a receptacle on its face. When you want to run on shore power you plug the shore cord into the shore power source. When you want to run on generator power you plug the shore cord into the generator outlet.

It sounds as if you want to supply your entire coach from the Victron inverter, now and then, while keeping the existing generator and shore power manual changeover. In particular, you want to "intercept" any appropriate 120V wiring between the dinette and the load center, to avoid having to run new 120V wiring between the Victron and the load center.

On your coach, this should be simple to do.

That external compartment is under the center portion of the dinette, almost directly centered under the window on that side of the coach. The compartment is above the coach floor. It should be a short run of wire from the Victron to that compartment.

You have two options:

1) If you want the Victron to be "just another 120V power source," mount a junction box inside the exterior compartment. Wire the Victron output to a receptacle on the face of that junction box, same as the generator. When you want to run on inverter power, plug the shore cord into the Victron output receptacle. Call this the "manual" option.

2) If you want to use the Victron as a 120V transfer switch, mount a junction box inside the exterior compartment. Move the shore cord termination from its current junction box to the new box. Wire the Victron input to the shore cord inside that box. Next, wire the Victron output to the load center input in the existing (and now half-empty) shore cord junction box. Call this the "semi-automatic" option, because for generator use you still must plug the shore cord into the generator output receptacle.

Both of the above should accomplish what you want.

That said, I question whether or not you want to run your entire coach from the Victron and whatever battery bank you have. You don't mention if you have replaced the factory battery bank or enlarged its capacity. If you have not, I expect you will not be able to run the air conditioner off the Victron inverter and factory battery bank. The "old school" way of getting around this is to put all (reasonable) inverter loads on a separate 120V breaker panel and use an inverter to feed that, leaving the A/C connected only to the load center, so it can run on shore power and generator, but not on the inverter.

Finally, if you are unclear of what is needed, or unsure of your abilities around 120V electrical systems, please hire a professional to do the work. Then, check his work.


000200769_3_5100.jpg
 
EyeOnAlaska-

As "RayIN" wrote, wiring diagrams for your coach are available at this link.

I've attached a JPEG of one of the important drawing sheets below.

According to my research, your Class C coach has an exterior compartment inside of which is the shore cord and two electrical junction/outlet boxes. One box terminates the shore cord and then feeds the load center under the bed. The other box terminates the generator cord and has a receptacle on its face. When you want to run on shore power you plug the shore cord into the shore power source. When you want to run on generator power you plug the shore cord into the generator outlet.

It sounds as if you want to supply your entire coach from the Victron inverter, now and then, while keeping the existing generator and shore power manual changeover. In particular, you want to "intercept" any appropriate 120V wiring between the dinette and the load center, to avoid having to run new 120V wiring between the Victron and the load center.

On your coach, this should be simple to do.

That external compartment is under the center portion of the dinette, almost directly centered under the window on that side of the coach. The compartment is above the coach floor. It should be a short run of wire from the Victron to that compartment.

You have two options:

1) If you want the Victron to be "just another 120V power source," mount a junction box inside the exterior compartment. Wire the Victron output to a receptacle on the face of that junction box, same as the generator. When you want to run on inverter power, plug the shore cord into the Victron output receptacle. Call this the "manual" option.

2) If you want to use the Victron as a 120V transfer switch, mount a junction box inside the exterior compartment. Move the shore cord termination from its current junction box to the new box. Wire the Victron input to the shore cord inside that box. Next, wire the Victron output to the load center input in the existing (and now half-empty) shore cord junction box. Call this the "semi-automatic" option, because for generator use you still must plug the shore cord into the generator output receptacle.

Both of the above should accomplish what you want.

That said, I question whether or not you want to run your entire coach from the Victron and whatever battery bank you have. You don't mention if you have replaced the factory battery bank or enlarged its capacity. If you have not, I expect you will not be able to run the air conditioner off the Victron inverter and factory battery bank. The "old school" way of getting around this is to put all (reasonable) inverter loads on a separate 120V breaker panel and use an inverter to feed that, leaving the A/C connected only to the load center, so it can run on shore power and generator, but not on the inverter.

Finally, if you are unclear of what is needed, or unsure of your abilities around 120V electrical systems, please hire a professional to do the work. Then, check his work.


View attachment 2453755
Thank you so much for this response. You've described exactly what I want to do. In answer to your question about the batteries, I have greatly expanded the house battery system to 480amp hours of AGM batteries, which are being fed by solar panels. The batteries are also mounted under the dinette seats near the Victron. The Victron should become my primary 120volt power supply. I just want to be able to plug in the shorepower while parked at home, and to have the generator flowing into the Victron as backups in case of extended cloudy weather while we're boondocking. Your solution are exactly what I've been thinking about.
 
There is no problem running the power thru the Victron, just be aware of what you are turning on. I run all power thru the Victron. I have a little more power then you, and it is lithium so I can use more of it....but I don't plan to run the AC and expect it to last more then 4 hours or so. And that is running steady. I don't see the need for another breaker box to separate loads.
 

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