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10-17-2018, 09:49 AM
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#1
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4 Rivet Member
2023 30' Classic
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Jonesboro
, Arkansas
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 491
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My Lithium/Solar Upgrade is Complete
My Lithium/Solar upgrade is complete so I thought I would post some pictures in case it might be helpful to someone else thinking about this. I did not do this myself, but spent a bunch of time with the guys that did, my primary takeaway is that I was glad I did not try doing this myself.
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10-17-2018, 12:03 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2018 27' Globetrotter
Apollo Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,401
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That installation looks like artwork to me. It’s a shame to hide it.
Let us know how it performs after you get to use it. You are going to enjoy your solar powered Airstream. I have the same four solar panels with the same Victron 100/30 controller and continue to be impressed by their performance. I’m sitting under an overcast sky with nearly complete tree canopy as I type and am getting up to 80 Watts of solar and 6 Amps at the battery.
__________________
2021 Northern-Lite 10-2 & F350 DRW PSD, 600W Solar/Victron/600A BattleBorn
146 nights 31,000 miles (first 10 months!)
Sold: 2018 GT27Q, 74 nights 12,777 miles
Sold: 2017 FC25FB, 316 nights 40,150 miles
Sold: 2013 Casita SD17 89 nights 16,200 miles
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10-17-2018, 12:17 PM
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#3
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4 Rivet Member
2023 30' Classic
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Jonesboro
, Arkansas
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AirMiles
That installation looks like artwork to me. It’s a shame to hide it.
Let us know how it performs after you get to use it. You are going to enjoy your solar powered Airstream. I have the same four solar panels and Victron 100/30 and continue to be impressed by their performance.
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Thanks! Job was complete last Wednesday and we left Friday to dry camp for 4 days at Cades Cove Campground in Great Smoky Mountain NP. The first 2 days, we ran microwave a couple times per day maybe 5 minutes total each day otherwise everything else dc usage but made no special effort to conserve. The system would draw down into the mid 80's on remaining power in the morning and the solar had it back to 100% by dark. The last 2 days we ran the Dometic Blizzard NXT 15,000 BTU on FAN ONLY for 10 hours Sunday night and 9 hours Monday night, everything else roughly the same usage. I ran the generator (Honda 2,000) for 3.5 hours Monday and left Tuesday morning with 51% Battery life remaining. The system worked flawlessly!
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10-17-2018, 12:36 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
2018 27' Globetrotter
Apollo Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,401
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Is Cades Cove is a shady place? I know most of the campgrounds in the smokies are shady. I spent some time in the area earlier this summer. Today I’m at Jeff Busby Campground on the Natchez Trace Parkway. That’s near your home. You May know the shade conditions here. Very little open sky to be found. But still my batteries should be fairly well charged by nightfall.
__________________
2021 Northern-Lite 10-2 & F350 DRW PSD, 600W Solar/Victron/600A BattleBorn
146 nights 31,000 miles (first 10 months!)
Sold: 2018 GT27Q, 74 nights 12,777 miles
Sold: 2017 FC25FB, 316 nights 40,150 miles
Sold: 2013 Casita SD17 89 nights 16,200 miles
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10-17-2018, 12:50 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
1963 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Central
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,919
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AirMiles
Is Cades Cove is a shady place? I know most of the campgrounds in the smokies are shady. I spent some time in the area earlier this summer. Today I’m at Jeff Busby Campground on the Natchez Trace Parkway. That’s near your home. You May know the shade conditions here. Very little open sky to be found. But still my batteries should be fairly well charged by nightfall.
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We camped last weekend at Rocky Springs further south on the trace. We snagged a sunny site and managed to keep the old batteries charged. I'm installing a lithium this week and we may head to Jeff Busby Saturday.
My setup is nowhere near as nice as the op's! It does look like Art!
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10-17-2018, 12:56 PM
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#6
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4 Rivet Member
2023 30' Classic
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Jonesboro
, Arkansas
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AirMiles
Is Cades Cove is a shady place? I know most of the campgrounds in the smokies are shady. I spent some time in the area earlier this summer. Today I’m at Jeff Busby Campground on the Natchez Trace Parkway. That’s near your home. You May know the shade conditions here. Very little open sky to be found. But still my batteries should be fairly well charged by nightfall.
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I love driving the Natchez Trace, but I have never stayed there, how do you like your campground?
I would say our site was around 50% tree covered. Here's a picture of our site, although its hard to tell from the picture.
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10-17-2018, 12:58 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2018 27' Globetrotter
Apollo Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,401
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV
We camped last weekend at Rocky Springs further south on the trace. We snagged a sunny site and managed to keep the old batteries charged. I'm installing a lithium this week and we may head to Jeff Busby Saturday.
My setup is nowhere near as nice as the op's! It does look like Art!
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I’ll probably be at Jeff Busby through the weekend so I’ll be watching for you. I’m in the last campsite and there will be room next to me. We can have a solar system race!😊😊😊
__________________
2021 Northern-Lite 10-2 & F350 DRW PSD, 600W Solar/Victron/600A BattleBorn
146 nights 31,000 miles (first 10 months!)
Sold: 2018 GT27Q, 74 nights 12,777 miles
Sold: 2017 FC25FB, 316 nights 40,150 miles
Sold: 2013 Casita SD17 89 nights 16,200 miles
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10-17-2018, 01:01 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
1963 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Central
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,919
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Question. What is the component just to the right of the fuse?
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10-17-2018, 01:02 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2018 27' Globetrotter
Apollo Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,401
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghaag
I love driving the Natchez Trace, but I have never stayed there, how do you like your campground?
I would say our site was around 50% tree covered. Here's a picture of our site, although its hard to tell from the picture.
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This is a great campground. Tree canopy looks similar to your picture. Swing over here this weekend and we’ll have a mini-rally on the Trace.
__________________
2021 Northern-Lite 10-2 & F350 DRW PSD, 600W Solar/Victron/600A BattleBorn
146 nights 31,000 miles (first 10 months!)
Sold: 2018 GT27Q, 74 nights 12,777 miles
Sold: 2017 FC25FB, 316 nights 40,150 miles
Sold: 2013 Casita SD17 89 nights 16,200 miles
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10-17-2018, 01:04 PM
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#10
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4 Rivet Member
2023 30' Classic
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Jonesboro
, Arkansas
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AirMiles
I’ll probably be at Jeff Busby through the weekend so I’ll be watching for you. I’m in the last campsite and there will be room next to me. We can have a solar system race!😊😊😊
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I would love to be there, unfortunately, I will be in a HOTEL in Louisville, KY.
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10-17-2018, 01:14 PM
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#11
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4 Rivet Member
2023 30' Classic
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Jonesboro
, Arkansas
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV
Question. What is the component just to the right of the fuse?
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Are you referring to the Lynx Distributor? If so, I believe it monitors the condition/status of the fuses.
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10-17-2018, 01:17 PM
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#12
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Site Team
2017 30' International
Broomfield
, Colorado
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,555
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Very nice - very similar to my install. You are going to enjoy the 600ah and having full residential power whenever, wherever you like.
Who did the work? Looks like AM Soar....
Did they located the equipment in the front or rear of the trailer? (just curious)
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10-17-2018, 02:26 PM
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#13
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4 Rivet Member
2023 30' Classic
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Jonesboro
, Arkansas
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wulfraat
Very nice - very similar to my install. You are going to enjoy the 600ah and having full residential power whenever, wherever you like.
Who did the work? Looks like AM Soar....
Did they located the equipment in the front or rear of the trailer? (just curious)
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Gateway Engineering did the work for me. We located the equipment in the front bedroom, and I used this as an opportunity to convert from a queen bed to twins.
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10-17-2018, 04:32 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1991 34' Excella
1963 26' Overlander
1961 26' Overlander
Central
, Mississippi
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,919
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My Lithium/Solar Upgrade is Complete
Quote:
Originally Posted by ghaag
Are you referring to the Lynx Distributor? If so, I believe it monitors the condition/status of the fuses.
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Not that. I am thinking it's your shunt, all of mine are dumb and don't have 12V+ going to them. Yours must be one of them smart 'un's
Very nice install.
I just installed my BB 100ah battery and Boondocker charger. $1,100 worth of stuff and it only took 1:30. Kind of a fast, expensive weight loss program.
As soon as I powered it up, the Trimetric went straight to 40amps charging, climbed to 14.5 volts then idled back to 1 amp. All in about 2 minutes. Now THATS what I wanted!
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10-17-2018, 04:35 PM
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#15
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4 Rivet Member
2023 30' Classic
2014 30' FB FC Bunk
Jonesboro
, Arkansas
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 491
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV
Not that. I am thinking it's your shunt, all of mine are dumb and don't have 12V+ going to them. Yours must be one of them smart 'un's
Very nice install.
I just installed my BB 100ah battery and Boondocker charger. $1,100 worth of stuff and it only took 1:30. Kind of a fast, expensive weight loss program.
As soon as I powered it up, the Trimetric went straight to 40amps charging, climbed to 14.5 volts then idled back to 1 amp. All in about 2 minutes. Now THATS what I wanted!
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That’s great!
__________________
__________________
WBCCI #8996
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10-18-2018, 12:35 PM
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#16
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3 Rivet Member
1985 31' Excella
st. Paul
, mn
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 240
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Yes it is a shunt , but does not necessarily smart , it just allow high current to pass and still have low current sense connection .
__________________
85 Excella , 31' , electric brakes , R. twin [ would like it to be a single ] , future upgrades , composting toilet [ replace black water tank with a 2nd fresh ] , solar power , instant hot water heater .
Tow 94 Dodge Ram , 4x4 , Cummins , AT .
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10-19-2018, 11:41 PM
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#17
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Rivet Master
2016 30' International
redondo beach
, California
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 772
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Really nice upgrade.
__________________
Randy and Beth 15 F250, 16 30' International, ProPride, Dexter 3" lift, Michelin 16, Dill TPMS, Centramatics, Battleborn x4, Victron BMV and 1.2KW inverter, Orion DC/DC, BlueSolar MPPT, 300W solar, Alpine iLX, Polk MM1, Samsung smart 42"
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10-20-2018, 10:28 AM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2011 22' Sport
Portland
, Oregon
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HiHoAgRV
Not that. I am thinking it's your shunt, all of mine are dumb and don't have 12V+ going to them. Yours must be one of them smart 'un's
Very nice install.
I just installed my BB 100ah battery and Boondocker charger. $1,100 worth of stuff and it only took 1:30. Kind of a fast, expensive weight loss program.
As soon as I powered it up, the Trimetric went straight to 40amps charging, climbed to 14.5 volts then idled back to 1 amp. All in about 2 minutes. Now THATS what I wanted!
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Victron BMV feeds the positive into a connector on the shunt so you only have to run the one wire to the display panel, rather than having to find a fused DC+ where the panel ends up. It was a good assumption that positive is readily available where the shunt is, rather than expecting it where the display is
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10-24-2018, 09:19 AM
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#19
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New Member
2016 Interstate Lounge Ext
Weaverville
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 1
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Can I ask a round about cost not counting the remodel of the bedroom?
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10-24-2018, 09:54 AM
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#20
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2 Rivet Member
2015 27' FB International
Oro Valley, Arizona
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 30
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Who did your install? I had Marvin Braun, Precision Solar in Casa Grande Az do mine In February of this year. It’s like sprouting wings metaphorically speaking as you gain so much freedom without sacrificing quality of living. Enjoy.
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