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One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy
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Vanuber
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:32 pm    Post subject: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Introduction

I thought the world needed one more Westy auxiliary battery thread, so here we go! I want this to be a record for myself someday, but hopefully it will also help someone else along the way. There were countless hours of research and build time that went into this, and a big thanks goes to information found on this forum.

We bought a very original Westy last year. We are the second owners and the van was garaged in California for the last 35 years. It was completely unmolested other than a few essential updates - suspension and wheel upgrades, fuel line replacement, cooling system and fuel injection system maintenance, etc. With such a great starting point, I had two goals for the build:

1) Limit the molestation and keep it looking OEM
2) Add power capacity and comforts for weekend off-grid camping in the 21st century (upgraded fridge, LED lighting, charging for laptops/phones, Propex)

Wiring Diagram
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The wiring diagram shows the components, fusing, and wire gauges. I decided to use Victron Smart components throughout so they could all be managed in one app. I used Blue Sea fuses, switches, circuit breakers, and bus bars, along with Ancor marine wiring and connectors. Tool purchases included a proper ratcheting crimping tool and a Temco hydraulic cable crimper.

After a lot of back and forth over battery brand and location, I opted for a Battleborn GC2 100 Ah lithium which fits perfectly under the bench seat next to the heater. The Chinese LiFePO4’s are intriguing from a cost perspective, but the 10-year warranty and USA-based product support steered me toward the Battleborn.

A note on the two AC|DC chargers… As confirmed by Victron, their chargers cannot charge different battery chemistries simultaneously. This is unfortunate, as I had planned to us the IP22 to charge the lead-acid starting battery as well. So, I added a 7-amp IP67 to trickle charge the start battery and it all fits next to the Propex under the fridge without issue.

Mounting Locations

Under the bench seat – I knew the battery was going here and it made sense to locate the main fuse block (Blue Sea SafetyHub 150), cut-off switch, and Victron shunt here.

Under fridge and sink – The Propex was a given here as I used the Van Café Truckfridge installation kit. There was room next to the Propex for the AC|DC chargers. A 4-circuit ST Blade fuse block and grounding bus bar are located under the false floor beneath the sink.

Behind the driver’s seat – The plan was to build a panel here to house all the controls – switches, Propex, lighting dimmer, battery monitor, along with the DC|DC charger, the MPPT controller, a breaker for the starting battery to DC|DC charger connection, and an LP/CO detector. This location is out of the way visually, but the controls are readily accessible.

Build Process

All components purchased (shit just got real):
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Took a dremel to the city water outlet and converted it to a SAE solar hookup:
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Added a new water pump and water lines while I was at it and capped the city water hookup on the faucet:
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Added an additional 120 VAC outlet in the hidden compartment for the AC|DC chargers:
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I needed a route from under the bench seat into the fridge cabinet. I drilled a pilot hole at 45 degrees into the corner of the hidden compartment and then took the plunge with a 1-1/2” hole saw. The hole was just shy of the bracket on the bench side and worked out perfectly for running a couple sections of 3/4” cable sheathing. These route behind the fridge and to the control panel:
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While I was in there, I also replaced the leaky cut-off valve for the rear heater with the upgrade from Go Westy. I thought about removing the rear heater completely, but the wife protested:
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As the wiring is running under the battery, I needed to build a platform for the battery to sit on. I notched around the existing bench hardware and ended up with a nice sung fit:
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Next up was wiring in a few components. One was the vent plate charger from Camper Van Culture. It has a nice OEM look and has a 12V socket and two USB chargers. I had to use 90-degree flag terminals to get clearance for the fridge:
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I wanted the sink faucet, pump, and LED panel to run off the auxiliary battery. This ended up being pretty straight forward and the battery gauge now shows the house battery charge level – 1) disconnect wires from the relay under driver’s seat, 2) disconnect from the fuse block and tie these wires together, 3) disregard the fridge wire, and 4) preserve the remaining lead for a fused connection to the new system:
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I bought a TF-49 Truckfridge, Propex HS2000 and installation kit from Van Café. I used the existing fridge propane line for the Propex and installed per their instructions http://www.vancafe.com/v/vspfiles/instructions/TruckFridgePropexInstall.pdf

Installation of the Propex, Victron IP22, and IP67 chargers under the fridge:
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Bus bar and ST Blade fuse block installed beneath the false floor under the sink:
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I looked at a few ways to route wiring from the starting battery to the DC|DC and IP67 AC|DC chargers. After some experimentation, I quickly realized running the wires inside the van was not going to keep an OEM look (one 6 AWG and one 12 AWG duplex wire take up more space than you’d think) and decided to run the wires underneath the bus.

I found a diagram on Van Café showing the exact point to drill in the driver’s side battery box to avoid all the things you wouldn’t want to drill into below. A 5/8” hole allowed enough room for a rubber grommet and both wires. It was tricky to fish the wire across the fuel tank but I finally managed after getting some paracord across first, then taping it to the wires and pulling them through. It was very simple to then run the wires up the “mouse highway” into the starting battery compartment:
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I really only wanted the stereo on the aux battery system and the Go Westy aux battery guide - https://www.gowesty.com/files/AUX-7000.pdf - puts the map lights and cig lighter on the aux battery as well. Based on the fuse diagram, I only cut the red and white wire at fuse #9. I connected this wire and the aftermarket stereo ignition wire to a 10 AWG wire routed from the driver’s pedestal, under the carpet, and up to the fuse block. (Turns out this wire also powers the emergency flashers and passenger side map light). While I was in the fuse block, I also installed the Bus Depot Vision Kit relays:
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Next up was the mission control panel to be mounted behind the driver’s seat. I printed paper templates that I created in CAD to get the dimensions worked out. I used two existing bolts in the original cabinet as mounting points. I had to drill one new hole toward the front of the cabinet.

I cut the panel out of 5/8” plywood, routed a 1/16” edge groove to mount GW brown tee molding and laminated with the GW tan plastic laminate. Note, the laminate chips easily, so I would recommend putting painter’s tape down before drilling holes:
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House lights – I went with Acegoo LED puck lights after seeing them on Samba, Far Out Ride, and other places. These pucks are only 2.7” in diameter and have a warm 3200K temperature. I debated on LED strip lights and some other surface mounted options as I was very reluctant to drill holes in the existing casework. But in the end, I thought the recessed mounted LED’s are the least obtrusive and look OEM-ish.

The house lights are on a dimmer – the Blue Sea Deckhand 7A with Contura switch. This is a great product. The only downside is the dimmer control unit is pretty large, so you have to think about where to mount it.
Routing the wiring was easier than I expected. The tray above the stove is easily disassembled and there is plenty of room for 16 AWG duplex above the wood base that holds the curtains and below the upper metal channel. I drilled a 5/16” hole at the top of the B column, dropped in a nut tied to paracord and fished it through the existing hole at the bottom of the B-pillar, under the sink (I had to cut the vinyl over the hole). This took about 10 minutes.

I removed the entire tray assembly to drill two 2-3/8” holes for the puck lights. I also removed the crossbar cover panel at the edge of the top bunk and added two puck lights here as well. (This channel also has plenty of room for wiring). Samba user Westified shows better photos of these wiring paths in this thread - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=...mp;start=0

Finally, I ran an additional circuit for the existing dome light and replaced the bulbs with LED’s:
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Rear LED reading lights – I looked at quite a few options for rear reading lights. I was leaning toward surface mounted eye-ball LEDs that were directional until I tested the Acegoo puck lights with the Deckhand dimmer. At maximum dimming you can look directly at the lights without any discomfort. They have a very pleasant glow and keeping the same fixture throughout the van was a bonus. The Deckhand dimmer remembers the last setting, so they won’t blind you at every flip of the switch.

I wanted to mount them inside the AC cabinet to leave the rear shelf open and untouched. I had to remove the AC cabinet from the van to do the job properly. This was also straight forward and user djkeev has a post that details it well - https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=634984. Basically, you disconnect the two drain hoses and remove 4 bolts and 2 screws. After removal, it was easy to drill holes for the lights and mount the Contura on/off and dimmer switches.

After reinstalling the AC cabinet, the final wiring is routed through a 1/2” hole in the front left ceiling of the closet, along the inside corner at the latch side of the door, and exits at the bottom behind the bench seat. This circuit connects directly to the SafetyHub fuse block:
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Final wiring at the control panel – I tried to keep the wiring nice and tidy with cable sheathing, clips, and plenty of zip ties. One lesson I learned is do not try to skimp on cable lengths. Marine grade cable is expensive, and I tried to limit my runs. This made tidy wiring much more difficult. In retrospect, I should have left a few feet of slack at the end of each cable run for final connections. I am happy with the result, but for example, the wiring behind the control panel could have been cleaner:
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Final wiring under the bench seat – This was a tough area to work with as 2/0 AWG wire is thick stuff and does not bend easily. I tried to keep the ground wire path circular, which helps the outcome. My primary ground is to the seat belt attachment bolt. I Dremel-sanded the paint down to bare metal and used some ½” star washers to make a good connection (this bolt is 7/16” diameter). The final touch was an acrylic cover for the wiring here. A big reason to do this was to protect the Victron shunt with its fragile data and monitor wires and capacitor hanging out there. This allows storage of flat things on top of the wiring. One other wiring lesson… Label your wires! I ended up using Avery printer labels:
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Finally, I decided to upgrade the alternator to starter harness after learning this was a bottleneck in the alternator charging system. I bought the Go Westy harness that includes the fuel injection supply and alternator field wire upgrades. This install was also straight forward except for accessing the terminal nut on the starter without a lift:
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Final Photos

Mission control:
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Truckfridge with GW laminate and Van Café installation kit:
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Under bench seat:
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Under sink area:
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Hidden compartment:
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House lights:
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Rear lights:
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Original galley light only:
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House lights maximum dimming:
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House lights full power:
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House, galley and rear lights full power:
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Rear lights maximum dimming:
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Rear lights full power:
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Full van photos:
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Conclusion

The project was a lot of fun and I am really happy with the outcome. I am anxious to see if 100 Ah is enough juice. On our first camping trip since the build, we used 30 Ah on a cold night (Propex) and a full fridge. We have yet to purchase a solar panel and I realize that will be critical to staying charged up. It would be easy to add a second battery later, though I don’t want to take up any more space under the bench seat. I am ready for some longer weekend camping to really test it out.

The Victron gear has been amazing so far. The IP22 functions as a charger or power supply. So it powers everything while plugged into shore power. With the DC|DC charger on the breaker, it can be turned off when not needed sparing the load on the alternator. The Orion DC|DC runs very hot when charging at 30A, so be aware of where you mount it. It will be interesting to see if the heat lowers output on longer rides.

Having real-time readouts in a single phone app is pretty awesome. I can check the battery level from inside my house when charging up for trips. I can see exactly how many amps each component is drawing, real-time charging current, battery level, control charger settings, timers, alerts, etc. I will follow up after I have some more camping experience.

Happy trails!
_________________
'85 Westfalia 1.9L
'72 BMW R75/5
'71 BMW R75/5
'02 Subaru Forester 2.5L


Last edited by Vanuber on Thu Jun 17, 2021 2:01 pm; edited 2 times in total
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4Gears4Tires
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 5:56 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

That is a lot of really nice work! Shocked
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 6:53 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Excellent post, instructions and final result!

Thanks for the detailed write-up, I'm getting lots of good ideas on how to improve my current setup.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:31 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Outstanding write-up. Thanks.

There's a lot here so I'll start with the chargers: why did you choose the IP67 to charge the start battery and the IP22 for the house battery? The primary differences I see are that the IP67 is waterproof and they come in different amp ratings. Did it come down to picking the model with the preferred amp rating?
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Current: 1990 Westy Camper - Bostig RG4, 2wd, manual trans w/Peloquin, NAHT high-top, 280 ah LFP battery, 160 watts solar, Flash Silver, seam rust, bondo, etc., etc.

Past: 1985 Westy Camper - 1.9 wbx, 2wd, manual trans, Merian Brown, (sold after 17 years to Northwesty who converted it to a Syncro).
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[email protected]
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 3:50 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

pnwkayaker wrote:
Excellent post, instructions and final result!

Thanks for the detailed write-up, I'm getting lots of good ideas on how to improve my current setup.


Agreed, great write up that will help many in the future. One suggestion, flip the fridge panel. That way your plugs can be accessed with table in place. As an aside, on cable runs it's always nice to have some slack for future work.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 5:54 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Hands down, one of the best documentation and installation! awesome work...
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:10 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Thanks for the excellent information, explanation, and documentation.
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Vanuber
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 7:03 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Thanks for the comments!

jimf909 wrote:

There's a lot here so I'll start with the chargers: why did you choose the IP67 to charge the start battery and the IP22 for the house battery? The primary differences I see are that the IP67 is waterproof and they come in different amp ratings. Did it come down to picking the model with the preferred amp rating?


Yes, it came down to amps. I only wanted to trickle charge the start battery and the IP67 had the 7A option. The IP67 does come in a 25A version, so I considered one of these for the house battery. But the IP22 offers 30A, up to 3 outputs if I wanted to add a second house battery, and it functions as a power supply for shore power situations.

[email protected] wrote:
One suggestion, flip the fridge panel. That way your plugs can be accessed with table in place.


Great suggestion... I realized this pretty quickly on our last trip and will do as you suggest.
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PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2021 10:05 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

This looks amazing!

what am I missing with all these circuit breakers, doodads, etc? Am I in for a world of hurt for my design?

Solar and state plugged in to renogy DCC30S (DCDC, MPPT). Renogy to aux panel, aux panel to electrical goodies. Renogy to LiFePo4 120ah setup.

You're making me feel like I'm gonna inflict danger in my van. :p
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PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2021 12:38 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Fantastic write-up. Thank you for taking the time and effort to document this.
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PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2021 6:24 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Thanks for the comments.

ProspectiveOwnergon wrote:
This looks amazing!

what am I missing with all these circuit breakers, doodads, etc? Am I in for a world of hurt for my design?

Solar and state plugged in to renogy DCC30S (DCDC, MPPT). Renogy to aux panel, aux panel to electrical goodies. Renogy to LiFePo4 120ah setup.

You're making me feel like I'm gonna inflict danger in my van. :p


Do you have a wiring diagram? Basically, every circuit should have a fuse or breaker to protect from a wiring meltdown/fire in case of short circuiting /overloading. Sounds like you might be accomplishing that with the "aux panel" you mention. Does the Renogy DCC30S have built in circuit protection?
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PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2021 3:17 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Here is my intended design.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Open questions are:
Do I need to fuse the power from solar panel?
Do I need a fuse inline to the fuse panel?
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PostPosted: Fri May 21, 2021 3:56 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

WOW, last post ever needed! Setting the bar high.

Question: Tell me about your fridge vent. This looks custom.
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Vanuber
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PostPosted: Sun May 23, 2021 5:05 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

ProspectiveOwnergon wrote:
Here is my intended design.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Open questions are:
Do I need to fuse the power from solar panel?
Do I need a fuse inline to the fuse panel?


Looks pretty good so far! A few things:

1) Some people may disagree, but my take is that you do not need a fuse going to the solar panel if you are using 10 or 12 AWG wire. A 100 W panel can only produce 5-6 amps, so it is not capable of overloading the wiring.

2) Yes, I would put a fuse between your house battery and the fuse panel. You need to figure out the maximum amp pull that your accessories could put on the panel and size your wiring and fuses accordingly. (Mine is 60A for example).

Blue Sea has a great wiring chart - http://assets.bluesea.com/files/resources/newsletter/images/DC_wire_selection_chartlg.jpg

Regarding fuse sizing, a rule of thumb 1.5 x the draw. So, the DCC30S at 30A should have a 45A fuse or breaker.

A couple final thoughts:

You should consider a MRBF or Class T catastrophic fuse at the house battery positive terminal. This is a failsafe if the battery were to short circuit, for example directly to the frame of the vehicle (think vibrating vehicle and chafing of the wire sheathing). A 100 Ah battery is capable of a massive quick discharge in such a situation resulting in fire etc. The BMS should have some protection built in as well, but it is another layer of safety.

Also, you might find a main cut-off switch helpful. Most of the time, my van is sitting between trips. I want to detach everything from the house battery so it is not seeing any parasitic draw. It is nice to have control of when the house battery is active.
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PostPosted: Sun May 23, 2021 5:46 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

ProspectiveOwnergon wrote:
Here is my intended design.

Open questions are:
Do I need to fuse the power from solar panel?
Do I need a fuse inline to the fuse panel?


Looks good.

This is almost exactly my setup with my 120ah battery. I think my fuses are bit larger than yours. I did not put one on the solar positive nor did I put a fuse to the fuse panel figuring they were all individually fused anyway.
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PostPosted: Sun May 23, 2021 10:33 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Thank you both! I'll look into the battery cutoff. My starter battery has a different ground than I've seen elsewhere, but like the idea of being able to disconnect everything.
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PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2021 9:33 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

I see in the diagram that the DCC30S is fused at 45amps from the starter, and not at all from the solar. However my understanding is that the DCC30S is only 15 amps per input.

Should it not need only 22.5 amps of fusing (15*1.5) - lets say 25 amps for each input - via solar and via starter battery with a 45 AMP on the output to the house battery?

I read the specifications here: https://www.renogy.com/dcc30s-12v-30a-dual-input-dc-dc-on-board-battery-charger-with-mppt/.

Specifically "Maximum Charging Current : 30A (15A Alternator / 15A PV)"

I ask because I am going to take this route given my minimum solar input and house battery size and want to get the fusing correct.
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PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2021 11:26 am    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

sphet wrote:
I see in the diagram that the DCC30S is fused at 45amps from the starter, and not at all from the solar. However my understanding is that the DCC30S is only 15 amps per input.

Should it not need only 22.5 amps of fusing (15*1.5) - lets say 25 amps for each input - via solar and via starter battery with a 45 AMP on the output to the house battery?

I read the specifications here: https://www.renogy.com/dcc30s-12v-30a-dual-input-dc-dc-on-board-battery-charger-with-mppt/.

Specifically "Maximum Charging Current : 30A (15A Alternator / 15A PV)"

I ask because I am going to take this route given my minimum solar input and house battery size and want to get the fusing correct.


The Renogy manual is pretty clear on their recommendations (below). I stated earlier that I don't think fusing the solar panel is neccessary if using a decent gauge wire. They show an inline fuse however.


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PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2021 12:27 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

Vanuber wrote:

The Renogy manual is pretty clear on their recommendations (below). I stated earlier that I don't think fusing the solar panel is neccessary if using a decent gauge wire. They show an inline fuse however.


Thank you I did not look closely enough at the online documentation.
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PostPosted: Tue May 25, 2021 12:37 pm    Post subject: Re: One more auxiliary battery installation – ’85 Westy Reply with quote

sphet wrote:
Vanuber wrote:

The Renogy manual is pretty clear on their recommendations (below). I stated earlier that I don't think fusing the solar panel is neccessary if using a decent gauge wire. They show an inline fuse however.


Thank you I did not look closely enough at the online documentation.


Also, 10 AWG seems pretty light for 40-45 Amps. I would use 8 AWG at least. Just my 2 cents!
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