My Solar/Battery/Inverter installation in an Elkridge

diddlyv

Member
I am also starting down the Solar System Rabbit Hole. I am building my own 310 AH Lithium FEPO4 Batteries 2 from Chinese Cells 8 of them are supposed to be on the boat. The plan is to mount 4 210 Watt solar panels on the roof 2s and then run each of the series pair to their own 40 AMP SCC and connect each of the SCCs to one of the 310 AH batteries that are wired in parallel. I too want to use the victron multiplus 3000 and take out the on board converter. It is my understanding the Victron Multi 3000 has the transfer switch built in. I have the Elkridge XtremeLite E292 and am wondering what kind of wire Elkridge used to connect the shore power connector to the Breaker Panel. I have not puled the panel and looked yet. My plan is to run 6 gage wire from the shore power connector to the Victron Multi 3000 and then reroute the existing wiring from the breaker to the Victron. I really don't want to have any splices in any of the high current runs. I plan to mount the batteries either in the current battery bay if they will fit, alternatively will mount the batteries in the front tray and the Multi Plus in the current battery bay. All this depends on what fits where
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Re: Battleborn Lithium batteries/Victron 3000 Multiplus install

I am also starting down the Solar System Rabbit Hole. I am building my own 310 AH Lithium FEPO4 Batteries 2 from Chinese Cells 8 of them are supposed to be on the boat. The plan is to mount 4 210 Watt solar panels on the roof 2s and then run each of the series pair to their own 40 AMP SCC and connect each of the SCCs to one of the 310 AH batteries that are wired in parallel. I too want to use the victron multiplus 3000 and take out the on board converter. It is my understanding the Victron Multi 3000 has the transfer switch built in. I have the Elkridge XtremeLite E292 and am wondering what kind of wire Elkridge used to connect the shore power connector to the Breaker Panel. I have not puled the panel and looked yet. My plan is to run 6 gage wire from the shore power connector to the Victron Multi 3000 and then reroute the existing wiring from the breaker to the Victron. I really don't want to have any splices in any of the high current runs. I plan to mount the batteries either in the current battery bay if they will fit, alternatively will mount the batteries in the front tray and the Multi Plus in the current battery bay. All this depends on what fits where

Howdy!

Curious as to why you prefer to use separate solar charge controllers for each battery? Perhaps you already have the SCCs? That aside, generally, the output of SCCs will connect to a positive bus bar and then the battery outputs and your loads also to the bus bar.

Yes on the MultiPlus - it is an inverter, charger and switch all in one. A really nice unit if the power output suits your needs. I have one in my 50A travel trailer and am inverting leg 1 of my breaker panel.

If your Elkridge is a 50A unit, Heartland will have used 6 AWG wire. 6-3 w/ ground to be exact. Generally, it's going to be low strand count wire - really stiff and not fun to work with. Your plan on wiring shore input and inverter output is solid. Consider adding a double-pole 50A breaker in a box for your shore power right before your inverter for safety.

When in bulk charge mode, depending on how depleted your bank is, the MultiPlus throws off an awful lot of heat. You'll want to account for this in terms of where you locate it and how to ventilate it. Mine is under my bed and to do over, I would put the MultiPlus in my storage bay and leave my batteries under the bed. I have a small travel trailer, so I have fewer choices than you do. Anyway - no one likes a hot bed in the summer! :)

Best wishes on your install. Have fun and be safe.
 

diddlyv

Member
Re: Battleborn Lithium batteries/Victron 3000 Multiplus install

Howdy!

Curious as to why you prefer to use separate solar charge controllers for each battery? Perhaps you already have the SCCs? That aside, generally, the output of SCCs will connect to a positive bus bar and then the battery outputs and your loads also to the bus bar.


Best wishes on your install. Have fun and be safe.

THe reason why I am looking at using 2 SCCs is 2 good 40 Amp SCCs cost considerably less than 1 60 Amp controller. Also I am running 150 AMP bms on the 310 AH Li FEPO4 batteries I will build
 

diddlyv

Member
Received a call from Heartland. Apparently in 2016 the E-292 roof is essentially made up of 4 ft x width of roof panels with C channel aluminum frames with Styrofoam in the center and no ribs in between. I will verify this with my stud finder. I have received the 4 10 foot pieces of strut channel and the angle adjustable brackets are in the mail. I should be able to mount the brackets to the roof with self tapping metal screws into the aluminum frame members. It looks like there are 2 channels that come together every 4 feet allowing 2 screws for a total of 6 per 10 ft strut. With that many screws and butyl double sided tape and dicor pretty sure the panels won't go anywhere. Now to figure out where to mount everything then fabricate all the wires and cables to hook everything up. The major question is where to mount the Victron multi plus II and the 2 batteries and BMS units. Once I have that figured out the SCCs, Breakers, Switches, precharge circuits for the SCCs and Multi Plus as well as Shunt New 400 Amp bus bars and the AC wiring will be fairly simple but probably not easy to accomplish. I am torn between getting 4 pv wires down thru the sink vent or cutting a hole in the roof and mounting a box on the roof next to the vents. The box may facilitate cell phone booster intall at some point.
Re: Battleborn Lithium batteries/Victron 3000 Multiplus install



THe reason why I am looking at using 2 SCCs is 2 good 40 Amp SCCs cost considerably less than 1 60 Amp controller. Also I am running 150 AMP bms on the 310 AH Li FEPO4 batteries I will build
i
 
I started with the battery / inverter / charger install in a Torque T26.
It’s all in the generator bay. We came across 4 300 watt solar panels.
I’m planning on setting up 2 series strings in parallel. That’ll be about 80v/18A.
I’m about to start installing solar panels and am researching how to attach them to the roof.

@diddlyv, how has your roof install been going?
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