Solar, inverter installation

[trumpetguy]

We have bought a 2007 Classic 31 foot rear twin and I want to install some gear I own. A Magnum 3000 watt hybrid inverter, Blue sky charge controller, and five 100watt solar panels.

Has anyone with the same trailer done this who can give me some ideas about location for the gear...not the panels, that will be self apparent by the rooftop.

Proximity to the existing electrical panel is important and I don’t know where it is located yet. I take delivery in about two weeks.

I plan to replace the present batteries with two Battle born lithium’s. I hear lithium’s prefer a climate controlled location.

Thanks in advance.

[DaveP]

The attachment shows the basic electrical hook up you should follow.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The sofa / recliner / whatever you want to call it in the front of the trailer may have enough room under it to fit a couple of lithium's. My 2017 30' (yes, a different trailer) had enough room for them and some of the other stuff.

For lithium's things will work better with a lithium specific solar charger and a lithium specific charger / converter. You *can* use one designed for lead acid's. The net result can be about a 25% loss of capacity.

One "interesting" approach is to put two lithium's inside and two in the battery box outside. They self protect at cold temperatures, all that would happen is that the ones outside would stop charging ( or supplying current) if it got to cold out.

Bob

[trumpetguy]

Thanks Bob. I guess the location of the present power converter will dictate where I install the new inverter/charger.

[graysailor]

uncle_bob,

In another thread I think you mentioned that you are using Victron products. If so do you have the Color Monitor? Looking to find out if I can turn off the solar panels via the Color Monitor and if I can turn the Victron Inverter/charger off via the Color Monitor.

I had to remove my sofa in my 2016 Classic and build a cabinet to house the inverter/charger and related items along with 4 lithium batteries. I will post pics when the project is done. Thanks.

[trumpetguy]

Gray sailer. Pics of your installation would be a terrific help. Did you put the sofa back in place?

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Ok, there are indeed multiple threads on various parts of this. In my trailer, the charger / converter was under the wardrobe. The inverter was under the kitchen sink. The solar stuff is under the middle of the sofa up front. There are *lots* of places to put this or that. None are perfect.

I put my Victron inverter / charger in the same place as the old inverter. This required attacking the Victron with a saw to take off some (obviously un-needed ) parts of the housing. The location the original converter / charger was in is now a big empty hole.

I pulled the center section of the sofa. Two bolts and it's out of there. There really isn't enough room for a normal person to sit there anyway. I replaced it with a cabinet (still a work in progress to mount the MPPT solar converter, DC/DC charger, Venus control box, and two Battle Born Lithium's on / under / around.

I really didn't have an easy location for a Color control panel so I went with the Venus. It lets you turn things on and off and monitor pretty much everything. You just do it from a computer or phone rather than a touch screen.

I have the Smart Solar version of the MPPT so I can get into it with an app. I can also hit it via the Venus. I like redundancy (when it's cheap and does not take up space ...).

Lots of fun !!

Bob

[trumpetguy]

Here’s another question. We took possession of our 2007 Classic. Can’t find evidence of an inverter. The dealer did not know if it has one. How would one determine if there is an inverter?

This is the 31foot rear twin, no dinette plan. 12 volt panel is in the sofa...main panel is in the bedroom in an overhead cabinet.

[trumpetguy]

Answered my own question. No inverter button,
...no inverter.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by trumpetguy

Answered my own question. No inverter button,
...no inverter.

Hi

Even a ten year old trailer has been out long enough for people to have "enhanced" it. I would suggest that a fine way to spend a fall weekend is looking here and there in the trailer. Have the AS manual handy and see how the diagrams in it map to what's in the trailer. Working that translation out maylead to consumption of multiple bottles of this or that. You might not find anything odd at all. At least you will know what's what.

It's also part of getting the vacuum (and possibly scrub brush) into all the odd places under this and that. There are a lot of areas under drawers and seating that rarely see a good clean. Starting "fresh" is a real good idea.....

Bob

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by graysailor

uncle_bob,

In another thread I think you mentioned that you are using Victron products. If so do you have the Color Monitor? Looking to find out if I can turn off the solar panels via the Color Monitor and if I can turn the Victron Inverter/charger off via the Color Monitor.

I had to remove my sofa in my 2016 Classic and build a cabinet to house the inverter/charger and related items along with 4 lithium batteries. I will post pics when the project is done. Thanks.

You’ll be most happy with the addition of the Victron Multi-control panel. They let you directly turn on and off the inverter and charger and set the shore current you’ll allow it to draw. Very easy for everyone to use and you do this all the time. You can probably do it from the color panel but it wouldn’t be nearly as easy as it’s buried in menus. If you have a Venus like I do it would be an enormous pain to attach to the Venus’ wifi and navigate to those settings. Not sure why you would ever want to turn off the solar panels except in storage. You’d do that with a physical switch once a trip.

[trumpetguy]

In my 2007 Classic the shore power and panel are in the very rear of the unit whereas the batteries and converter are in the extreme front. There is no inverter in the unit but could Airstream possibly have pre wired for one? That would sure be convenient. As it stands I cannot determine a way to chase 110v wire from the front to the rear. About 28 feet.

One less than perfect option is to run separate systems with two sets of batteries and two chargers. I have the gear but would rather house everything in the front. The unit is tongue light so more weight would be desirable in my opinion.

So to summarize. Is there a pre wire for an inverter?

[DaveP]

Trumpetguy,

I have the same layout in a 2004 Classic 28. I did have 10 gauge wiring from an old inverter installation to the electrical panel from the PO. I installed a Magnum 3012, so I did not need the ATS. I fished a second 10 gauge wire from the bedroom under the street-side twin through the underside of the cabinets to the microwave cabinet. Under the microwave was a pipe chase to the front corner of the trailer which got the wiring to where I wanted it. I put a secondary panel under the twin bed so I could break-off the A/C circuit. This is what it all looks like during/after installation.

[trumpetguy]

This is very helpful. Our microwave is on the same side (street) as the bathroom so not sure if that will work but it gives me some hope it can be done. To confirm...your inverter and batteries are in the front? That would be under the sofa for me..a good place.

[DaveP]

Originally Posted by trumpetguy

This is very helpful. Our microwave is on the same side (street) as the bathroom so not sure if that will work but it gives me some hope it can be done. To confirm...your inverter and batteries are in the front? That would be under the sofa for me..a good place.

Yes. Pm your email to me and I will send you pictures and diagrams.

[DaveP]

Hi Trumpetguy,

Yes, confirm location of inverters and batteries.

As I stated in my PM, attached is the basic layout for my trailer as described. Would be happy to send additional pictures and information. Also, the issues I had to overcome.

Good luck!

[DaveP]

Hi Trumpetguy,

BTW, since you have solar, here is the diagram of how I plan to add solar to this system.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by DaveP

Trumpetguy,

I have the same layout in a 2004 Classic 28. I did have 10 gauge wiring from an old inverter installation to the electrical panel from the PO. ......

Hi

10 gauge is mighty small for an inverter. Anything over 300W will be "a bit to much" for that wiring .....

Bob

[trumpetguy]

Yellow Romtex just like the house wiring.

[trumpetguy]

My text was hijacked. Meant to say I plan to use 110 Romex. The yellow wire that is the same as our houses.