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sandman227 · 11-13-2020, 04:22 AM

I am new to the forums and this might seem like an odd thread but I ordered a 2021 Bambi 19CB to be delivered in April 2021.
I am going to install my own solar panels, controller, separate inverter(Bambi doesn't come with inverter - only has AC with shore power ) so I am getting materials etc. to be ready for my own upgrade. I am trying to figure out where the battery cables enter the cabin, I'm presuming under the roadside dinette seat? Is it the positive cable only (with negative ground to chassis?) or do they both come in through a hole or through an interface plate? How far are the positive and negative buses from this entry point? Any photos would be greatly appreciated.

lewster · 11-13-2020, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandman227

I am new to the forums and this might seem like an odd thread but I ordered a 2021 Bambi 19CB to be delivered in April 2021.
I am going to install my own solar panels, controller, separate inverter(Bambi doesn't come with inverter - only has AC with shore power ) so I am getting materials etc. to be ready for my own upgrade. I am trying to figure out where the battery cables enter the cabin, I'm presuming under the roadside dinette seat? Is it the positive cable only (with negative ground to chassis?) or do they both come in through a hole or through an interface plate? How far are the positive and negative buses from this entry point? Any photos would be greatly appreciated.

Both cables enter the coach at that point. They go into a large plastic box that has a solid bus bar for your negative terminals and a set of breakers for the positive leads. Sorry, but I don't have any photos of this set-up, but once you get into this area, it should be obvious.

**GCinSC2** · 11-13-2020, 06:53 AM

Sandman,

Sorry no help on this one. Lewster knows solar, heed his advice.

Just greetings to a Westlake'er from a former Westlake'er. We left in 96 but I grew up on Hilliard next to WHS. Not from one of those "mansions", but from an older home my parents built.

I stopped by a neighbors house here in SC that I didn't know and said hi cause they had a fold out/over off road camper on their pickup. Turns out he lived on Bassett. Small world.

I fly the Ohio flag on my rig, gets lots of what country is that flag questions.

Gary

sandman227 · 11-13-2020, 08:22 AM

Thanks Gary, always good to hear from a familiar voice. Every summer we look forward to riding our bikes down to Hilliard by the high school and follow the parade route down to Clague Park. Thanks for the reply, I will keep an eye out for any further posts to my inquiry.

sandman227 · 11-13-2020, 08:33 AM

Thanks Lewster, appreciate the info. I'm trying to figure out if I need large gauge cables to go from entry point to bus bars or if the bus bars are fixed on the wall then cables from bus bars to a Victron Lynx Distributor that I want to install as a junction point for Renogy 40A solar controller and a Krieger 2000W inverter. I am also going to install a Victron BMV-712 monitor at a shunt before the distributor. Do you see any issues with this setup? Thanks again.

sandman227 · 11-13-2020, 08:37 AM

also I am upgrading to two LifePO4 (100 ah) batteries - The BMV-712 has a temperature monitor cable for the battery, is this necessary for accurate readings and could I thread it through the same opening as the battery cables leading out to the tongue?

smsasf · 11-18-2020, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandman227

I am new to the forums and this might seem like an odd thread but I ordered a 2021 Bambi 19CB to be delivered in April 2021.
I am going to install my own solar panels, controller, separate inverter(Bambi doesn't come with inverter - only has AC with shore power ) so I am getting materials etc. to be ready for my own upgrade. I am trying to figure out where the battery cables enter the cabin, I'm presuming under the roadside dinette seat? Is it the positive cable only (with negative ground to chassis?) or do they both come in through a hole or through an interface plate? How far are the positive and negative buses from this entry point? Any photos would be greatly appreciated.

I have 2020 Bambi 20’. Battery cables enter from belly front street side. I attach photo from under hatch at that location. Lower right you can see group of cables coming through (one is red as example). Those includes the battery cables and the 7-pin. the rest is part of the rats nest and you can see the black box upper left which is partially cut off in photo and the black Atkinson charge controller. My son, who is electrically inclined (had electrician’s license in CA before he fled back east) helped me change out to a Victron 100/30 charge controller when I added an additional Zamp 90W panel to the roof. and we added a solar panel cut-off switch coming into it and a battery cut-off switch going out of it (photo not included). BTW, when I was also trying to make sure which wires were which coming into the comparment from below I could see daylight as well. So I squeezed a tube of clear silicone in there to help keep critters from entering.

sandman227 · 11-19-2020, 06:14 AM

SMSASF, Thank you very much for your input and picture. Seeing a picture is worth a thousand words. I was wondering if the opening would be potential critter entry point. One question: what is in the black plastic box to the left of the photo? I'm guessing it is the take off point for all the circuits to main DC breaker? Thanks again!

lewster · 11-19-2020, 03:09 PM

Airstream uses 6AWG cabling for your batteries. I find that it is not quite sufficient for solar. I would upgrade these cables from your batteries to a minimum of 2AWG, which is the largest size that will fit into the large holes in your negative bus bar. Connect both of your new batteries together with a minimum 2/0 AWG.

What type of inverter are you using? Is it an inverter/charger or inverter only? I ask to calculate the proper sizing of the cables from your batteries.

Thanks!

smsasf · 11-20-2020, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandman227

SMSASF, Thank you very much for your input and picture. Seeing a picture is worth a thousand words. I was wondering if the opening would be potential critter entry point. One question: what is in the black plastic box to the left of the photo? I'm guessing it is the take off point for all the circuits to main DC breaker? Thanks again!

Sandmann227, I am not sure about the black box in upper left. Not smart enough electrically or with respect to AS to know. But I suspect your guess is correct, some type of routing or transition. I think one of earler posters that responded to you mentioned something about the black box. Sorry.

sandman227 · 11-21-2020, 04:25 AM

Thanks for the reply. I was going to use a Krieger 2000 watt inverter only because the DC converter/charger is already there. I was going to run the inverter power to only the AC outlets since everything else runs off 12 volt. The inverter comes with 2 AWG cables. If I change out the original 6 AWG cables to 2 AWG, do you think it would be hard to run them through hole in the floor leading out to the battery box on the tongue?

lewster · 11-21-2020, 02:25 PM

2AWG cables on a 2000 watt inverter? Sounds very sub-optimal to me. I would use no smaller that 1/0 for your inverter connections and probably 2/0. The 2AWG is not written in stone!!