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T3TRIS
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2017
Posts: 299
Location: Portland, OR
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 Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 12:31 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| Marinoman13 wrote: |
| T3TRIS has a nice build...but we are not running a solar farm bro! Way to many wires and excess....Stick with my build! |
Yeah for sure man, not everyone “needs” this level of build. Just like not everyone needs to camp in a westfalia, you can go out there and build your shelter out of sticks and be just fine. We camped with a guy who did just that 2 weekends ago actually. Funny thing is that we happen to bring a “portable hot tub” and he was the one who used it and enjoyed it the most. Nobody needs a hot tub while camping but dang is it nice to have. He certainly didn’t need it but boy did he like it. To each their own right?
That tub fits in a duffel bag, minus propane and heating coil, and was filled with a small 12V pump using a chainsaw battery, that could be recharged by our 320Ah battery. Oh, and it easily gets over 106° in a few hours! Nobody “needs” that.
On the other hand, some people want to be able to work remotely and not worry about battery usage or sun coverage, which is exactly why I designed this system the way it is. While your GoWesty Renogy battery and solar system “build” works well for you and can get you power for 48hrs without starting your engine, ours can support two people working for a week, powering a fridge, several laptops, phones, heated blanket, music etc and also without restarting our engine or even worrying about sun exposure. Heck we don’t even need to worry about wiring solar panels or carrying them. If anything, I’d make the case that our system uses less space than your GoWesty kit + solar panel… and we can park in the shade, rain, snow with a week’s worth of power…
The irony of the “solar farm” comment is that we intended to eliminate the need for solar panels, and therefore reduce that part of the wiring! Maybe a better term would be “gas/hydro-plant.” Besides, it’s kinda fun to wire!
Again, to each their own.
_________________
Guillaume, Jennifer & T3TRIS
87 2-knob Syncro
- 94 Subaru EJ22, 225/70-R16 CLK 16x7 ET37
- Transaxle rebuild, Mexico paint job, Front end rebuild, 320Ah LiFePO4 Battery |
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Marinoman13
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2021
Posts: 4
Location: CA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 1:55 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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  Love it bro!!! Love the camp snoopy! I live in sunny SoCal! Solar is a must! SanO surf trips Doho surf trips...My 10ft awning creates my haven! And my GoWesty Renogy supply powers ALL my goods! I run pure sine inverter so again all my important electronics run flawlessly!! |
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kamzcab86
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008
Posts: 7925
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 3:40 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| T3TRIS wrote: |
| If anything, I’d make the case that our system uses less space than your GoWesty kit + solar panel… and we can park in the shade, rain, snow with a week’s worth of power… |
I'd disagree with this part. One battery under the driver's seat + slender, portable 100W suitcase solar panel that can be stashed upstairs (or a flex panel stored under the rear mattress), means I have the entire rear seat for storing tools and such, as well as the ability to park the van in the shade. And it didn't cost me nearly $2500(!).
It's a nice system you've built, though, no question. 
_________________
~Kamz 
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
 1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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Marinoman13
Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2021
Posts: 4
Location: CA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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Lets keep the post flowing with Solar energy!! My solar set up is well under 2500
hundo....neeed to builds and hook ups!! Renogy and GoWesty will honor many coupons!! |
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T3TRIS
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2017
Posts: 299
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 7:20 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| Marinoman13 wrote: |
Lets keep the post flowing with Solar energy!! My solar set up is well under 2500
hundo....neeed to builds and hook ups!! Renogy and GoWesty will honor many coupons!! |
What’s your angle here? You don’t like this system or my demeanor about it so you want to “keep the post flowing with solar energy?” You want this thread to be flooded with solar comments so the information gets diluted, because you’re enamored with solar panels and your own GoWest investment?
Again, and again, and again, to each their own about this. The title of this specific thread is “320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar)”
It’s not “what’s the cheapest option to get off-grid electricity?”
No solar is a key part of this design and of the discussion here. You don’t have to like it, you can move on. You also don’t have to spend $2,500 on a battery you don’t want. I’m happy you have a system you enjoy! Or you can keep posting here and try to convince people not to spend their money the way they might wish to spend it. People are more than welcome to buy other batteries out there. I mean, do you think I’m trying to cheat people of their money? Heck, I even told my friends Tom and Chris that they could buy comparable capacity batteries from Amazon for cheaper if they wanted, before they chose to go with mine. They chose knowing the whole picture. Or maybe you think people won’t research this before committing? I don’t get it.
Your solar setup is well under the price of this battery, great! It’s also a fraction of the capacity and has a bunch of restrictions that don’t work for other people.
| kamzcab86 wrote: |
| T3TRIS wrote: |
| If anything, I’d make the case that our system uses less space than your GoWesty kit + solar panel… and we can park in the shade, rain, snow with a week’s worth of power… |
I'd disagree with this part. One battery under the driver's seat + slender, portable 100W suitcase solar panel that can be stashed upstairs (or a flex panel stored under the rear mattress), means I have the entire rear seat for storing tools and such, as well as the ability to park the van in the shade. And it didn't cost me nearly $2500(!).
It's a nice system you've built, though, no question. |
Thanks!
Again, it’s not for everyone. Just like with some people who buy $75,000 syncros and some people make it work just fine with $5,000 2WD.
Nobody has to buy a $2,500 battery. A couple people have (though to be 100% honest, they paid a few hundred dollars less because I was still figuring out my pricing and labor) and they are super happy with their purchase, at least from what they tell me.
I’m not hiding that this is a premium product. Heck, I’m one person assembling these in my garage as a side gig with tools and knowledge I have recently acquired (I’m also trying to find ways to reduce the price). I’m not GoWesty selling a bunch of kits, or even Renogy with a huge facility that can pump out batteries for dirt cheap. I can however build something really nice, compact, powerful and that should outlast other comparable batteries (which could matter in today’s environmentally conscious world). It takes me several days worth of work to build the enclosure, top-balance the cells, gather all the parts and materials (some of which are custom). Also, the cells themselves, materials and BMS represent a pretty big percentage of the total value. Not to mention the time that was spent planning, designing and prototyping some of these! And $2,500 is where it’s worth it for me to sink my time, energy and tools to build something nice like that, and care for it, and be proud of it.
Also, people love solar but they often live in a “solar bubble.” There are tons of people who don’t have as much sun exposure as California or Arizona. There are also many people that might chose not to camp in winter because they can’t recharge their battery as well. There’s a product for everyone. Solar is great if you want a smaller battery system and have easy access to sun, don’t mind parking strategically (if permanently mounted) or placing solar panels in your camp wherever the sun might be. By the way, we camp in summer in plenty of forest river spots that make solar panel placement a nightmare. You have to place the panel in the one spot that has sun and move it every hour as the sun moves through the trees. If you “rely” on solar, you reduce your available camping spots quite a bit, at least around here! Maybe not if you’re always camping in exposed areas, sure.
As far as how much space things take, the GoWesty kit uses the Renogy 50A charger which is 9.7”x5.7”x3.0” (166cuin) and 3.1lb. The battery is 7.8"x6.5"x6.7" (340cuin) and 12lbs. The flexible 100W panel is 19.9”x27.2"x2.8" (1516cuin) folded and apparently 27lbs. The whole system (minus wiring, alternator and other elements) is 2022cuin and 41lbs for 50Ah and 100W of sun dependent charging (+ alternator). Some people fit 100Ah or even 120Ah in the OEM battery spot too, that’s a consideration (more weight and cost of course).
The battery I built is 15.5”x9”x9.5” (1325cuin) and 64lbs. The charger is 6.5”x4.7”x1.5” (47cuin) and 2.3lbs. If we’re comparing apples to apples (in the case of this thread: being able to camp for a long time without relying on solar or starting the engine), then our comparable system is 1372cuin and 66.3lbs for 320Ah that doesn’t need sun.
This 320Ah system is significantly smaller than a setup that needs solar panels to function. The 320Ah system is basically 1.5x heavier, 1/3rd smaller and more than 6 times more powerful than a 50Ah system. And doesn’t require the sun to function for long camping stays. It does however requires a beefed up charging system.
I do agree that, to some extent, some storage spots are more valuable or accessible than other spots. People hate to compromise storage under the bench, which is understandable. But also, storage is storage, volume is volume. You have a battery under your driver seat, where we now have clamps, bungees, tie downs and a subwoofer. We still have all of our tools under our bench and some spare parts and we don’t need to make space for any folding solar suitcase anywhere. We don’t need to pack it, unpack it, place it, etc… Just like the 320Ah battery takes space under the bench, the folding solar panel also takes the place that something else could be in, even if it’s slender.
In the end, the goal of this entire endeavor was to get a battery system that could comfortably provide enough power for a up to a week without the restrictions of solar and that could recharge between spots. This design works for that purpose. 100Ah under the driver seat does not solve this equation, even less-so if it requires solar panels to make it work.
If “cheapest” was part of this equation, things would be different of course.
_________________
Guillaume, Jennifer & T3TRIS
87 2-knob Syncro
- 94 Subaru EJ22, 225/70-R16 CLK 16x7 ET37
- Transaxle rebuild, Mexico paint job, Front end rebuild, 320Ah LiFePO4 Battery
Last edited by T3TRIS on Sun Jul 17, 2022 10:31 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 9618
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 10:07 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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No watts, sunlight, weather, season, shading, vehicle-positioning, panel-positioning, cable routing, or theft-item management.
No external or internal cargo volume tradeoffs for ferrying solar panels around.
Infinity storage logically "deletes" all of that power management.
Infinity storage has arrived as we all wished for.
You never even think about battery power.
Kinda like at home.
Solar is a beautiful answer if you DON'T have infinity storage.
It's pointless to discuss solar in this infinity storage thread and way off-topic, right?
Also this battery system can be DIY'd for much less than $2500 because your time is "free".
It's only $2500 if you want someone else to make it for you.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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shagginwagon83
Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 3803
Location: VA/TN
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2022 5:20 am Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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I started with 100aH (50aH useable) with 200w roof top + 130w solar. I was always chasing the sun.
I then moved to 150aH LiFePo4 and the sun chasing stopped. I mainly have a fridge as a consumer but at night I have 'party LED lights' on my van. Even with 150aH, two or three days of bad weather and I am chasing the sun. 150aH DIY is nice because it does fit in the drivers side battery box. There is hardly any extra room which is ideal.
I have 300aH CATL DIY cells that I have had for a year. I have been dragging my feet because the 150aH system works so well for me as a weekend warrior. However I am planning a Baja trip working remote with my Starlink satellite internet - so I will need that 300ah security. I plan to convert the driver battery box for spare parts.
I am thinking the Westy closet would be a good spot for my 300aH bank. Or maybe mounting it over the 2wd trans while relocating my driver battery 
My first battery system I sacrificed my rear bench seat area - because it was easy. However, if you are willing to do the install in awkward places (closets, cabinets) you can really maximize your space.
OP you have some awesome skills and I appreciate your posts. I personally like my electrical system to feel 'at home' as possible - warm led lighting, usb ports everywhere, mounted 12v fans. Heck even a hot tub, super extra I like it.
I totally dig the engine bay fuse panel. I plan to add an ARB compressor and will need a similar solution.
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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T3TRIS
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2017
Posts: 299
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2022 8:51 am Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| Sodo wrote: |
No watts, sunlight, weather, season, shading, vehicle-positioning, panel-positioning, cable routing, or theft-item management.
No external or internal cargo volume tradeoffs for ferrying solar panels around.
Infinity storage logically "deletes" all of that power management.
Infinity storage has arrived as we all wished for.
You never even think about battery power.
Kinda like at home.
Solar is a beautiful answer if you DON'T have infinity storage.
It's pointless to discuss solar in this infinity storage thread and way off-topic, right?
Also this battery system can be DIY'd for much less than $2500 because your time is "free".
It's only $2500 if you want someone else to make it for you. |
Thanks Sodo, exactly! And yep, this system can certainly be done DIY, and people should if they want more Ah and a fun project! I shared this post earlier that has a nice series of photos breaking down our prototype. That forum is also an amazing resource for anything LiFePO4 or solar, just like TheSamba is to Vanagon. And this post in this thread has information on our install.
As you said, people can certainly build it yourself for much cheaper!
| shagginwagon83 wrote: |
I started with 100aH (50aH useable) with 200w roof top + 130w solar. I was always chasing the sun.
I then moved to 150aH LiFePo4 and the sun chasing stopped. I mainly have a fridge as a consumer but at night I have 'party LED lights' on my van. Even with 150aH, two or three days of bad weather and I am chasing the sun. 150aH DIY is nice because it does fit in the drivers side battery box. There is hardly any extra room which is ideal.
I have 300aH CATL DIY cells that I have had for a year. I have been dragging my feet because the 150aH system works so well for me as a weekend warrior. However I am planning a Baja trip working remote with my Starlink satellite internet - so I will need that 300ah security. I plan to convert the driver battery box for spare parts.
I am thinking the Westy closet would be a good spot for my 300aH bank. Or maybe mounting it over the 2wd trans while relocating my driver battery
My first battery system I sacrificed my rear bench seat area - because it was easy. However, if you are willing to do the install in awkward places (closets, cabinets) you can really maximize your space.
OP you have some awesome skills and I appreciate your posts. I personally like my electrical system to feel 'at home' as possible - warm led lighting, usb ports everywhere, mounted 12v fans. Heck even a hot tub, super extra I like it.
I totally dig the engine bay fuse panel. I plan to add an ARB compressor and will need a similar solution. |
Thanks man! And congrats on getting that 150Ah to fit under the driver seat, that's awesome. I remember you sharing that with us on Instagram (and sharing input on EJ22 coolant temps too). Did you have to do any modifications to the battery box for the cells to fit, I don't remember that part?
As Sodo mentioned, the "set it forget it" approach for electricity is pretty awesome... It definitely has changed camping! I'm really curious to see how it works out long term for our friend Chris and his 25A Redarc DC-DC charger. It's all a matter of making this formula work, isn't it?
Ah of usage x nights of camping = Ah of charging x hrs on the road
And yeah, storage priorities is totally subjective and personal. Some people will never sacrifice a certain area. There are also people who weren't quite able to visualize that the OEM battery compartment would then become available as storage too. Our brains don't all work the same but what I mean by that is that it's easy to get stuck in a habit without seeing potential value elsewhere. Heck I do that all the time and am always reminded that I don't always "know better."
That engine bay fuse box is pretty great. We have the Blue Sea SafetyHub 100 right next to the battery, which is absolutely awesome, water tight (that's overkill for being under the bench) and super well made but it's also over $100! The VW battery fuse box terminal is around $20 and does the same thing with more large fuses. It's not as refined, not quite as water tight and and comes pre-wired with specific large capacity fuses. I used it more as a power distribution block with some fuse capacity. For instance, our ARB air compressor is on the 50A circuit of the VW fuse box but I left the ARB 45A inline fuse. Heck, that thing could easily replace the Blue Sea SafetyHub 100 under the bench, might even be a better idea.
_________________
Guillaume, Jennifer & T3TRIS
87 2-knob Syncro
- 94 Subaru EJ22, 225/70-R16 CLK 16x7 ET37
- Transaxle rebuild, Mexico paint job, Front end rebuild, 320Ah LiFePO4 Battery |
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shagginwagon83
Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 3803
Location: VA/TN
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| Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:17 am Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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I keep coming back to this thread for inspiration/tips.
I just bought an OEM VW fuse holder on ebay for $20. Is the input upgradeable? I plan to add an ARB compressor so great score for engine bay fuse panel.
I am really looking into that redarc unit. I love idea of using my solar panels while driving. Right now my system cuts off solar when driving.
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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revolution337
Samba Member
Joined: May 23, 2009
Posts: 372
Location: Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 10:31 am Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| shagginwagon83 wrote: |
I keep coming back to this thread for inspiration/tips.
I just bought an OEM VW fuse holder on ebay for $20. Is the input upgradeable? I plan to add an ARB compressor so great score for engine bay fuse panel.
I am really looking into that redarc unit. I love idea of using my solar panels while driving. Right now my system cuts off solar when driving. |
Can you share a link to the OE VW fuse holder you purchased? I'm a sucker for quality electrical components. I've used Ancor and Bussmann plenty with great results, but its nice to have options.
And also as a Redarc owner for the past year or so (BCDC1225D), I can say I am very please with performance and overall quality of the product. I've had to reach out to their customer support a few times, and it was always a very pleasant and helpful experience.
_________________
1982 Westfalia AEB 1.8t
2017 VW Golf Sportwagen
2001 Audi A4 4.2 V8 swapped
2000 BMW Z3 roadster
-Mark |
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shagginwagon83
Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 3803
Location: VA/TN
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| Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 12:03 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| revolution337 wrote: |
Can you share a link to the OE VW fuse holder you purchased? I'm a sucker for quality electrical components. I've used Ancor and Bussmann plenty with great results, but its nice to have options. |
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124478765245
OP linked an amazon model that includes the subharness for the small fuses. I haven't sourced that piece yet.
10/28 - confirmed this pigtail works, VW oem part too!
https://www.amazon.com/MTC-4924-1J0-937-773-Connector-Volkswagen/dp/B01CUGP4MK#customerReviews
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan
Last edited by shagginwagon83 on Fri Oct 28, 2022 12:02 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Howesight
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2008
Posts: 3274
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
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| Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| shagginwagon83 wrote: |
I keep coming back to this thread for inspiration/tips.
I just bought an OEM VW fuse holder on ebay for $20. Is the input upgradeable? I plan to add an ARB compressor so great score for engine bay fuse panel.
I am really looking into that redarc unit. I love idea of using my solar panels while driving. Right now my system cuts off solar when driving. |
Shaggin:
I don't think that the REDARC dual input unit allows you to use solar power AND alternator power at the same time. Mine doesn't. (I have the 40 amp version charging my 280 Amp/Hr LiFePo4 battery). But the solar capability uses an excellent MPPT system that inputs more amps and more appropriate voltage than most of the stand-alone MPPT charge controllers. Therefore, it you are using both inputs (albeit not at the same time), the REDARC is still a great unit.
If the REDARC actually allowed simulataneous alternator and solar charging, note that you would need a LOT of panels, not shaded by trees, buildings, bridges, etc, to equal the 40 amp input from the alternator. You would need an actual 600 watts of panels. Note that the 600 watt figure would seldom be achived by 6 one-hundred watt panels - - they rarely put out the rated capacity in actual operation.
If you have a fairly long drive to your camp spot, but intend to stay there for day after arrival, this input combination is still great and one or two 100W solar panels on hand will be more than adequate for most actual uses. The beauty of the REDARC for those of us with unreliable sunlight (like Vancouver and Seattle), is that we can rescue a camp stay with a short trip or just idling the engine, if battery charging is needed and no usable sunlight exists.
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'86 Syncro Westy SVX |
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shagginwagon83
Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 3803
Location: VA/TN
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| Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| Quote: |
| Featuring a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) solar regulator, the BCDC1250D will charge from both solar and the alternator simultaneously. And, with built-in Green Power Priority it will select solar charging first, meaning less load on the alternator. |
https://redarcelectronics.com/products/dual-input-50a-in-vehicle-dc-battery-charger
I have 200w of solar on rooftop. It just feels wrong to see the solar controller not charging when there is indeed sun outs
Less alternator strain would be better on life on alternator and on fuel savings right?
One attractive part of the unit is how small it is for what it does. I have a Renogy 40 amp dc to dc and it’s huge!! Plus I have a victron mppt and it’s just more space.
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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fxr
Samba Member
Joined: December 07, 2014
Posts: 2325
Location: Bay area CA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2022 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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Why not use the Renogy DCC50S for $180 less, that does the same thing?
_________________
Jim Crowther
1984 1.9l EJ22 Westy Wolfsburg Edition
Vespa GTS 300 |
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shagginwagon83
Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2016
Posts: 3803
Location: VA/TN
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| Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 2:06 am Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| fxr wrote: |
| Why not use the Renogy DCC50S for $180 less, that does the same thing? |
Size but mainly because the restraint with dual power inputs (limits to 25A each when it senses both solar and alternator) and the max input on solar. So on a cloudy day you will see like 26 amps… assuming 1a solar
_________________
Brandon
"Jo Ann" - '83.5 Westfalia EJ22e w/Peloquin
Instagram @joannthevan |
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oldskewlsk8ter
Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004
Posts: 347
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 9:15 am Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| shagginwagon83 wrote: |
| fxr wrote: |
| Why not use the Renogy DCC50S for $180 less, that does the same thing? |
Size but mainly because the restraint with dual power inputs (limits to 25A each when it senses both solar and alternator) and the max input on solar. So on a cloudy day you will see like 26 amps… assuming 1a solar |
I guess I’m confused by this. If you’re driving and charging with alternator, just turn the solar off? I have a circuit breaker on mine and shut it off so I get the full 30A from my DCC30S when enroute.
_________________
1986 Hightop w/EJ25 DOHC & 4EAT auto
1965 Kombi project |
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Howesight
Samba Member
Joined: July 02, 2008
Posts: 3274
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
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| Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| fxr wrote: |
| Why not use the Renogy DCC50S for $180 less, that does the same thing? |
For me, the answer when I bough my Redarc DC-DC charger, was the many bad reviews at the time (during the pandemic) for the Renogy unit. I think their quality control was suffering at the time. I suspect that their design was likely fine, but quality control led to uneven customer experiences. Those with no problems would clearly be pleased with all the benefits of the DC-DC system. Those with problems . . . not so much.
For us Canucks, the $CAD to $AUD exchange rate was also not too bad at the time, compared to $CAD to $USD.
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'86 Syncro Westy SVX |
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veedubzzz
Samba Member
Joined: February 05, 2022
Posts: 21
Location: Everett WA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| oldskewlsk8ter wrote: |
| shagginwagon83 wrote: |
| fxr wrote: |
| Why not use the Renogy DCC50S for $180 less, that does the same thing? |
Size but mainly because the restraint with dual power inputs (limits to 25A each when it senses both solar and alternator) and the max input on solar. So on a cloudy day you will see like 26 amps… assuming 1a solar |
I guess I’m confused by this. If you’re driving and charging with alternator, just turn the solar off? I have a circuit breaker on mine and shut it off so I get the full 30A from my DCC30S when enroute. |
What kind of circuit breaker? I also have the DCC30S considering adding that so I can get the full 30A while driving on a cloudy day  Nice to have that sort of flexibility. |
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T3TRIS
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2017
Posts: 299
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 11:26 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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We have that Redarc BCDC1250D 50A dual input though only on the alternator (no solar). I did a comparison earlier in this thread with the renogy and their sizes plus features.
| T3TRIS wrote: |
I’m not sure our devices are necessarily that comparable though. If you have the Renogy 40A, it’s 10.3”x6.9”x2.7” (193cuin) and 4lbs, with ventilation fans. If you have the 50A dual input, it’s 9.7”x5.7”x3.0” (166cuin) and 3.1lbs and a significant heat sink underneath. The Redarc 50A is 6.5”x4.7”x1.5” (47cuin) and 2.3lbs and its outer shell is the heatsink.
Just based on volume and weight to power ratio, the Renogy options have much much more thermal mass and volume. The insides of the devices might be somewhat comparable but the heat dissipation characteristics seem quite different. And to be fair, Redarc does insist on a well ventilated area (they don’t recommend engine bay mounting for LiFePO4 charging) and strongly recommend mounting it to metal. |
The fact that renogy limits each input to 25A when it detects some power from both is a deal breaker for many. Plus, it’s about 3.5 times larger!
That said, the Redarc needs to be installed properly to get the full 50A. It doesn’t have a fan, so proper heat dissipation is crucial.
| Howesight wrote: |
| I don't think that the REDARC dual input unit allows you to use solar power AND alternator power at the same time. Mine doesn't. (I have the 40 amp version charging my 280 Amp/Hr LiFePo4 battery). But the solar capability uses an excellent MPPT system that inputs more amps and more appropriate voltage than most of the stand-alone MPPT charge controllers. Therefore, it you are using both inputs (albeit not at the same time), the REDARC is still a great unit. |
As for using both inputs, the instructions mention that the unit will prioritize solar and supplement with the alternator to reach 50A of charging. I asked Redarc directly about that and this was their answer:
“The BCDC1250D uses green power priority and will draw as much from solar as it can whilst using the alternator simultaneously.
When using both solar and vehicle the BCDC will still be able to supply the full current of 50 amps.
For example the BCDC may be charging the auxiliary battery at a rate of 50 amps with a split of 10 amps from solar and 40 amps from vehicle. If cloud covered appeared the solar may drop off and the split would change to 5 amps solar 45 amps alternator.”
_________________
Guillaume, Jennifer & T3TRIS
87 2-knob Syncro
- 94 Subaru EJ22, 225/70-R16 CLK 16x7 ET37
- Transaxle rebuild, Mexico paint job, Front end rebuild, 320Ah LiFePO4 Battery
Last edited by T3TRIS on Mon Oct 24, 2022 1:14 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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T3TRIS
Samba Member
Joined: October 30, 2017
Posts: 299
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2022 11:29 pm Post subject: Re: 320Ah LiFePO4 battery system charging with alternator (no solar) |
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| T3TRIS wrote: |
We have that Redarc BCDC1250D 50A dual input though only on the alternator (no solar). I did a comparison earlier in this thread with the renogy and their sizes plus features.
| T3TRIS wrote: |
I’m not sure our devices are necessarily that comparable though. If you have the Renogy 40A, it’s 10.3”x6.9”x2.7” (193cuin) and 4lbs, with ventilation fans. If you have the 50A dual input, it’s 9.7”x5.7”x3.0” (166cuin) and 3.1lbs and a significant heat sink underneath. The Redarc 50A is 6.5”x4.7”x1.5” (47cuin) and 2.3lbs and its outer shell is the heatsink.
Just based on volume and weight to power ratio, the Renogy options have much much more thermal mass and volume. The insides of the devices might be somewhat comparable but the heat dissipation characteristics seem quite different. And to be fair, Redarc does insist on a well ventilated area (they don’t recommend engine bay mounting for LiFePO4 charging) and strongly recommend mounting it to metal. |
The fact that renogy limits each input to 25A when it detects some power from both is a deal breaker for many. Plus, it’s about 3.5 times larger!
That said, the Redarc needs to be installed properly to get the full 50A. It doesn’t have a fan, so proper heat dissipation is crucial.
| Howesight wrote: |
| I don't think that the REDARC dual input unit allows you to use solar power AND alternator power at the same time. Mine doesn't. (I have the 40 amp version charging my 280 Amp/Hr LiFePo4 battery). But the solar capability uses an excellent MPPT system that inputs more amps and more appropriate voltage than most of the stand-alone MPPT charge controllers. Therefore, it you are using both inputs (albeit not at the same time), the REDARC is still a great unit. |
As for using both inputs, the instructions mention that the unit will prioritize solar and supplement with the alternator to reach 50A of charging. I asked Redarc directly about that and this was their answer:
“The BCDC1250D uses green power priority and will draw as much from solar as it can whilst using the alternator simultaneously.
When using both solar and vehicle the BCDC will still be able to supply the full current of 50 amps.
For example the BCDC may be charging the auxiliary battery at a rate of 50 amps with a split of 10 amps from solar and 40 amps from vehicle. If cloud covered appeared the solar may drop off and the split would change to 5 amps solar 45 amps alternator.” |
_________________
Guillaume, Jennifer & T3TRIS
87 2-knob Syncro
- 94 Subaru EJ22, 225/70-R16 CLK 16x7 ET37
- Transaxle rebuild, Mexico paint job, Front end rebuild, 320Ah LiFePO4 Battery |
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