Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Inverter and Surge protection: Critique welcome

[4270Ron]

Hi All,
I spent it seemed like forever on line researching what alternatives were available for a solar/battery/inverter and protection setup and I never ran across anything that seemed very professional or that seemed like a complete top to bottom system.

4270 Heartland Cyclone
1300 Watt Solar & 400Amp Lithium

Here is what I installed starting from after the transfer switch, let me know if you have any questions.

1. Surge Guard 35550 Permanent RV Surge Protector 50 Amp. With Remote Monitor
I would carry a spare as I've heard these will blow and are not re-settable. Or just use one that plugs into shore power before your AC cable
2. Go Power GP-IC-3000-12, 3000 WATT INVERTER / 125 AMP CHARGER - 50A TRANSFER SWITCH with Remote Monitor
This is the only unit that I could find that will pass thru both 50amp legs of 120v while your hooked up to shore power.
So basically this unit can be in-line from shore power to rv breaker panel vs the other nonsense of sub panels.
3. BEP Marinco Power Products Pro Installer EZ-Mount On/Off Battery Switch 400Amp
4. Go Power! FBL-400 Class T 400 Amp Fuse with Block
5. Copper Grounding Busbar, Ground Wire Included: No Item # 22LU64 Mfr. Model # HBBB14210A 2ea.
6. Battle Born LiFePO4 Deep Cycle Battery - 100Ah 12v with Built-in BMS - 3000-5000 Deep Cycle Rechargeable Battery
7. Outback Flexmax 80 FM80 MPPT 80 AMP Solar Charge Controller
8. Blue Sea Systems C-Series Single Pole Rocker Circuit Breakers 30A & 80A
9. SM Panel A Series CB Breaker enclosure
10. LG, LG330N1C-A5, PV MODULES, 330W, BLACK FRAME, MC4-TYPE 4ea. If you want to double this you can go to 24V wiring



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[Big-B]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

Hi Ron,

Nice looking setup. I have a somewhat similar system with 6 golf cart batteries and I haven't mounted the panels on the roof yet. Mine also doesn't have the voltage regulator thing like yours has. I'm using a 2,800 watt Magnum inverter and a Midnite solar classic 150 charge controller.

As to your panels you may get some loss from shadows from things like vents. That's one thing that I have noticed that some people use smaller panels and more of them to get them away from anything that will create shadows. Have you been using it since you got it all hooked up? And will the inverter run the A/C system?

Looking forward to hearing some updates on it.

Big B

 

[Oregon_Camper]

If you haven't already done so, you need to change the setting to "custom" on you IC3000, so it charges correctly for the Lithium. I have this documented and can send you the info you'd like. PM me your email address and I'll send it over.

Once I did this on my system, my 6 BB's were loving life!

 

[4270Ron]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

Hi Ron,

Nice looking setup. I have a somewhat similar system with 6 golf cart batteries and I haven't mounted the panels on the roof yet. Mine also doesn't have the voltage regulator thing like yours has. I'm using a 2,800 watt Magnum inverter and a Midnite solar classic 150 charge controller.

As to your panels you may get some loss from shadows from things like vents. That's one thing that I have noticed that some people use smaller panels and more of them to get them away from anything that will create shadows. Have you been using it since you got it all hooked up? And will the inverter run the A/C system?

Looking forward to hearing some updates on it.

Big B

Magnum/Midnight is the other option I liked, but have Outback at my house. Both treat the solar as off grid. I have run the ac off the system, but it really wasn't designed for that and im pretty sure that if the wfey turned on the hair dryer or coffee it might blow .
System is performing extremely well and haven't had any issues other than when plugging into bad campground power. Glad I installed the inside surge protector. It tests the power before engaging. Generator runs through system well and haven't needed it yet. I didn't use 12v panels because I would have needed like 12 of them which would not fit.

 

[Big-B]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

Magnum/Midnight is the other option I liked, but have Outback at my house. Both treat the solar as off grid. I have run the ac off the system, but it really wasn't designed for that and im pretty sure that if the wfey turned on the hair dryer or coffee it might blow .
System is performing extremely well and haven't had any issues other than when plugging into bad campground power. Glad I installed the inside surge protector. It tests the power before engaging. Generator runs through system well and haven't needed it yet. I didn't use 12v panels because I would have needed like 12 of them which would not fit.

I forgot to ask you about mounting your panels on the roof. The guy that I bought my panels from (280 watts) told me to use double stick tape under the z brackets then self leveling caulk over the screws. How did you mount yours?

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

I forgot to ask you about mounting your panels on the roof. The guy that I bought my panels from (280 watts) told me to use double stick tape under the z brackets then self leveling caulk over the screws. How did you mount yours?

I know 3M VHB tape is used on motorhomes with fiberglass roofs but I've never heard of it being used for EPDM/TPO roofs. Not sure it would be effective. That you are using screws as well, should be good to go.

On mine, I used butyl tape under the brackets as a sealant, then SS lag bolted the brackets down and added Dicor Lap Sealant around the bracket and over the lag head.

 

[Big-B]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

I know 3M VHB tape is used on motorhomes with fiberglass roofs but I've never heard of it being used for EPDM/TPO roofs. Not sure it would be effective. That you are using screws as well, should be good to go.

On mine, I used butyl tape under the brackets as a sealant, then SS lag bolted the brackets down and added Dicor Lap Sealant around the bracket and over the lag head.

Thanks for the info Jim. I decided to use unistrut to mount my panels on. I'm wondering if I should try to hit the rafters or just put the 1/4" stainless lag bolts into the plywood roof without regard to where the rafters are. I can't remember for sure but it seems like the Bighorn has steel rafters.

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

Thanks for the info Jim. I decided to use unistrut to mount my panels on. I'm wondering if I should try to hit the rafters or just put the 1/4" stainless lag bolts into the plywood roof without regard to where the rafters are. I can't remember for sure but it seems like the Bighorn has steel rafters.

I think the trusses are aluminum. But for sure not wood.

 

[Big-B]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

I think the trusses are aluminum. But for sure not wood.

I'm pretty sure that you are right on that. If I recall correctly there are metal rafters with 1/2" plywood on top of that. Did you try to hit the rafters with your mounting screws or just go for the plywood alone?

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

I'm pretty sure that you are right on that. If I recall correctly there are metal rafters with 1/2" plywood on top of that. Did you try to hit the rafters with your mounting screws or just go for the plywood alone?

I just went for the wood. Trying to find and hit the center of the trusses would have influenced where I could mount 6 long panels on my small roof and I felt these lightweight panels would be good to go with 4 lags into the plywood. Two travel seasons and maybe 20,000+ miles says - we're good

Pics of my panels

 

[Big-B]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

I just went for the wood. Trying to find and hit the center of the trusses would have influenced where I could mount 6 long panels on my small roof and I felt these lightweight panels would be good to go with 4 lags into the plywood. Two travel seasons and maybe 20,000+ miles says - we're good

Pics of my panels

My panels are about 41 x 61 or there about and around 60# each. I think the whole things weighs around 200# with the unistrut. I'm going to shoot for the trusses as best as I can and am planning to use about 5 lags in each so 10 lags altogether. Between that and some butyl tape under the unistrut I don't think it will be going anywhere.

It looks like you taped your wires in place. Is that strips of eternabond tape? I had planned on using the little nylon loops and screwing them down but I like the idea of not putting more holes in the roof. No problems with the wind pulling up on your roof?

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

...It looks like you taped your wires in place. Is that strips of eternabond tape? I had planned on using the little nylon loops and screwing them down but I like the idea of not putting more holes in the roof. No problems with the wind pulling up on your roof?

Yes - Eternabond strips. The only reason I wouldn't use the tie-wraps with the mounting hole is UV destabilization within a couple years. The Eternabond is still holding up well after 30 months.

 

[Big-B]

Re: Installed New 1300W Solar, 400 Amp Lithium Batteries, 3000 Watt Converter and Surge protection: Critique welcom

Yes - Eternabond strips. The only reason I wouldn't use the tie-wraps with the mounting hole is UV destabilization within a couple years. The Eternabond is still holding up well after 30 months.

I got the unistrut mounted today before the rain started. Out of 10 screws I hit one wooden rafter. The rest are just in the 3/16 luan and styrofoam. Tomorrow is supposed to be dry and I'll be mounting the panels to the unistrut.

Thanks for the info on the wiring stays. I hadn't thought of UV killing those nylon straps. I'll be using eternabond tape too.

 

[diddlyv]

Wonder if the reason only 32 amps rather than 50 Amps of shore power on that one leg is because the other 18 Amps are used by the converter part of the Victron Multi 3000?

 

[diddlyv]

Wonder if the reason only 32 amps rather than 50 Amps of shore power on that one leg is because the other 18 Amps are used by the converter part of the Victron Multi 3000?

Yes exactly essentially if your distribution box had the converter wired to one breaker the multiplus should provide sufficient current to power the other loads that was on that circuit.

 

[4270Ron]

Why are you running the converter? Are your batteries not being charged by the solar panels? If you are running on batteries turn off the converter as you would be using your batteries to charge your batteries. If your on AC and solar charger is not keeping up or if you want to top off your batteries would be the only reason I can think of to run a converter.