Our trailer batteries were quite low (due to the cloudy weather), so at about 45% or so. The wire gauge is so small (like 12g?) Totally demoralizing after a long 6-7 hour overall project effort. Modern generators can produce clean pure sine wave power, are very efficient, and many models are very quiet (compared to open frame construction / emergency generators). What type of alternator is this on-board battery charger compatible with? How to choose a suitable battery charger? Brian, this is exactly what I am trying to do. Hello, thanks for the excellent post on adding a grounding cable from the (-) input of the DC DC Charger to the trailer frame ground wire. We thought, how about a section of hose ? SO, I cut an existing wire (green / white shown below), which powers the passenger side front yellow marker light (which now also has 1 of 4 observation cameras on it as well). yowza. Well minor issue on a recent trip when we finally really tested this setup. The RV came with a mechanical solenoid isolator but I believe it was broken. DCC30S 12V 30A Dual Input DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger with MPPT. I was able to return the original DC unit to Amazon, now that I had a second unit directly from Renogy (now that we knew the original unit was not defective). Of course, this step got repeated a few times on the cabling on the Truck and inside the camper, just showing his current method. The DC-DC battery charger adopts the design of the DIP switch and it provides 6 charging voltage settings through five gears. Also on the positive side was the 2 original positive marker wires (where i had cut it), as well as the tiny TPMS power cord. Connect the - to a factory ground point under the drivers seat. Special thanks to the hard work of Eddie Glonek of Mobile Homestead Solar Services as usual. The red dip switched needed to be set for lithium, and in our case, that was : The phone jack , black plug is for temperature regulation (not needed for our Lithium setup), the Green terminal connector, is actually the ONLY on/off switch on this unit. Our truck has a 215amp alternator, and according to Renogys Customer Service Techs, that is more than enough power to run even the 60ah DC-DC charger. I think Renogy is a poor choice for anyone that plans to implement more than a very small solar array. This means, (in theory without any loss over the cabling runs), the DC-DC Charger can provide up to 480 watts of charging power to our batteries (40amps x 12 volts = 480watts). step 11 : slippery silliness ! The issue : after about 5 minutes, the 50amp breaker on the truck would trip. These guys are RV upgrade masters, and although their installs are relatively recent, it seems they are happy with the Renogy charger. I put the question out to Matt of the awesome adventurousway.com, why do you need a fuse on battery and a circuit breaker both? Join Date: Aug 2020. One note is that you will need to run a wire from the charger to your vehicle's ignition circuit. After install I received a dash light for . High-quality DC-DC chargers are three-stage chargers. Ensure that the maximum charging current provided by the DC-DC battery charger does not exceed the maximum charging current allowed by the house battery. step 15 : Fast forward a couple of days. 18-16AWG copper cable recommended. Please note the D+ Ignition Cable is not included. step 13 : old lucky 13 ! 18-16AWG copper cable recommended. The DC-DC Battery Chargers are the most effective way to charge your house batteries from the starter battery. step 11-b : make the run along the frame with the garden hose (two wire #4 cable) secure with plastic anchors which are bolted into the steel frame. Very happy so far. Featuring a 3-stage battery charger and multiple electronic protections, users can feel confident that their batteries are being charged optimally and automatically. This multi-stage, multi-input battery charger can charge the house battery from a starter battery linked to the car alternator or by utilizing solar panels connected directly to the unit. When the generator is started, a signal will be obtained on the D+ Ignition cable, which will light up the indicator light of the charger. Eddie then connected the DC positive wire from the green terminal left connector, to a test DC positive on our batteries and. Special thanks to Matt for helping us out ! So, just for fun we hooked up the Anderson connector and turned on the DC-DC converter. I have some 4AWG that I think I can repurpose, or I'll just buy new wire off Amazon or something. Links to all products Cahn uses below. Similar to what Ray did, we wanted the install to be set up in a way that we have the option to only turn on the DC-DC Charger when we need it. Maximum System Voltage: 1500V DC (UL) Operating Temperature: -40F to 185F . This design method can well prevent the starting battery from being over-discharged during the charging process. See photo 3.4. For RV solar panel installation with limited space, we'd recommend going with monocrystalline panels for the most bang for your buck. So, we really dont need more battery capacity just an alternate backup system to recharge the batteries when there is no sun for the solar setup OR there was to be some sort of problem with our solar setup (such as a malfunctioning solar controller, etc.). This multi-stage, multi-input battery charger can charge a service battery from a starting battery linked to an alternator or by utilizing solar panels connected directly to the unit. This multi-stage, multi-input battery charger can charge a service battery from a starting battery linked to an alternator or by utilizing solar panels connected directly to the unit. 12V 40A DC to DC Battery Charger w/o Solar Input. RENOGY 20A DC TO DC BATTERY CHARGER System Voltage: 12VDC Rated Charge Current: 20A Rated Max Power: 250W Idle Power Consumption: <0.4A Input Voltage Range: 8V-16V Weight: 3 lbs. Check out our inital tests on how to run the Camper on 30amp service from the truck and how to recharge our batteries. - They are easy to mount and secure, ideal for off-grid, on-grid, and . With Pandemic shipping times, I didnt want to wait too long and had it shipped to a future destination a few days into our future itinerary. 3. Once you have read up on how we added a Renogy DC-DC charger to our travel trailer, check out a few of our other posts about the other upgrades we have done: better cellular connectivity when you are in the middle of nowhere and need to work, why we chose lithium batteries and why we love them, lots of other upgrades we have done to our travel trailer. At this point, the Truck prep and wiring was complete. Below are the supplies I used to wire this in:Renogy DC-DC Battery Charger with MPPT: https://amzn.to/3lkLr96(they sell out quick but are back in stock quickly as well)4 Gauge 25 feet red wire: https://amzn.to/2YE7VIyThe conduit shielding: https://amzn.to/3hCbFSg4 Gauge black wire: https://amzn.to/32wdoC7Wire stripper: https://amzn.to/2YFbwpATerminal Lug pack: https://amzn.to/3b1exFQHammer crimp: https://amzn.to/32zW8fEMarine style terminal kit: https://amzn.to/3hx1DSzMarine style terminal fuse mountsSingle Fuse: https://amzn.to/3hxp5idDouble Fuse: https://amzn.to/3lu3Hx560a fuse: https://amzn.to/3aY0l0l80a fuse: https://amzn.to/3llO8XU (get 75a instead if they have it) So we did just that and changed out our 50A breaker for a 60A breaker. This means, (in theory without any loss over the cabling runs), the DC-DC Charger can provide up to 480 watts of charging power to our batteries (40amps x 12 volts = 480watts). It accepts and regulates a charge from either (or both) your starting battery (alternator) and solar panels, acting as both battery isolator/charger and charge controller. I ordered some more #4 welding cable, some more ring connectors, bought a good linemans cutters from Home Depot (to make a clean cut in the #4 cable), as well as ordered a manual hammer crimp tool to connect the ring connectors to the #4 wire. Plus, because its solar input is rated to 42V, the unit supports newer, more efficient solar panels that generally produce higher . This is a great piece of kit that is very easy to wire up. What is the D+ Ignition cable? Renogy 40A DC to DC Battery Charger ; Nominal Voltage: 12V: Rated Charge Current: 40A: Output: 500W: Idle Power Consumption: <0.4A: Input Voltage Range: 8V-16V: . The D+ Ignition cable is a design method used to identify whether the generator is started. Renogy DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger is designed to charge service batteries from a starting battery linked to an alternator or by utilizing solar panels connected directly to the unit, offering multiple charging options and ensuring your battery stay fully charged. My connections were not up to Eddie standards, but, the connections are solid, and I was able to cover all my mistakes up with heat shrink tubing, so hopefully Eddie wont laugh too hard at me next time he sees my work. Renogy is a well-known manufacturer of power systems. The system prioritises solar but in my opinion it would be better if it prioritised the alternator. Please note the temperature sensor is not included and it cannot use with Lithium batteries. And with multi-stage charging and multi-chemistry functionality, Renogy's DC to DC MPPT Charger has you covered whether you're using Flooded,Gel,AGM, orLithium batteries. 2. welcome to our little blog. In short, Id suggest youre probably better off with a higher rated. 3. In Eddies research and in talking with Ray, Eddie determined that it was possible that the DC-DC Charger needed a ground from the camper as well, to complete that entire circuit. This will give maximum battery cell life. For example, a Victron MPPT Solar controller can obtain battery temperature via blue tooth from the Victron Battery Monitor eliminating the need to install a separate temperature sensor for the Solar controller(s). Below is a proud Eddie, and his new Load side Anderson connector. Next up was creating a camper-side connector wire, which would run from the tail of the Truck, along the inside of the A-Frame of the trailer, and terminate inside the camper near the battery compartment, existing inverter, and the soon to be installed DC charger. Renogy DC to DC Battery Charger InstallRenogy 60A DC to DC Battery ChargerCompatible with a multitude of alternator types, this 60A DC to DC Battery Charger offers correct charging for AGM, Flooded, Gel, and even Lithium deep cycle batteries!Featuring a 3-stage battery charger and multiple electronic protections, owners can feel confident that their batteries are being charged optimally and automatically.Easily install the compact yet sturdy DCDC 40A on various applications such as: RVs, commercial vehicles, boats, yachts and many more!Edit Post2019 Sprinter Van Lesson 10,103 - Sourcing 12v PowerHere are few lessons learned from making a connection to the upfitter lugs under the drivers seat to get 12v power from the engine/aux batteries, it seems like there is zero info about the entire process out there so here goes. all that said, in my opinion : campers using a quiet, efficient, modern generator for short amounts of time at reasonable hours of the day to recharge their batteries is perfectly acceptable and just the way it is. It has multifunctional safety technology including over-voltage protection, over-temperature protection, and reverse polarity protection to make it safer for use. By utilizing the DC-DC temperature sensor, this charger is able to protect your battery from high or low temperature by giving -3mV/C/2V compensation so that the charger recognizes the voltage more accurately and assures stable and constant charging to the battery. Is it necessary to connect? This multi-stage, multi-input battery charger can charge a service battery from a starting battery linked to an alternator or by utilizing solar panels connected directly to the unit. and THERE WAS ! These six charging voltages meet the requirements of lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries in order to provide more charging options. 04-23-2021, 10:00 PM. The DCC12 Series battery chargers are the most effective way to charge your auxiliary or house batteries from the alternator/starter battery. Option: Monitoring Screen for DC-DC MPPT Battery Charger Series, Alternator Input Voltage : Traditional Alternator: 13.2-16VDC Smart Alternator (Euro 6): 12-16VDC". I know for sure the 4g worked just fine, so Id just go with that. Do not reverse the polarity since the reverse polarity of the battery connections can cause injury and damage to the device. in Redstone, Colorado.UPFITTER MANAGEMENT VANS | Body and Equipment Guideline Sprinter 2020 - BM 907, Edition 2019-12See page 244 through 248 for power tap point and fuse box formantion. So far I've installed a BMV-712, a 100/20 MPPT Solar controller and an Orion-TR Smart 12/12 30amp DC-DC charger. Winnebago Camper. I have also read some strong feelings against Renogy. SO this means, it will never enable unless we turn ON the breaker, under the hood of the truck. and.. As you can see, the green light above the dip switch was on, indicating the DC unit was charging the batteries, and below, in my TM-2030 Wifi output to the Battery Monitor, it was showing 40amps coming in from the truck, into our camper batteries !! Renogy 20A 12V DC to DC On-Board Battery Charger is designed to charge secondary batteries while driving using the primary battery connected to the alternator. As I mentioned if its a 40 amp charger ampacity doubles. DCC50S 12V 50A DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger with MPPT(New Version). Install is pretty simple. This Renogy DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger with MPPT is compatible with both traditional and smart alternators. If you have any questions regarding this product, please submit a case ! Considering this when calculating cable sizes will avoid voltage drop and overheating complications. It has multifunctional safety technology including over-voltage protection, over-temperature protection, and reverse polarity protection to make it safer for use. With Built-in Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), Renogy DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger will charge your service batteries with maximized solar power, providing 3-phase charging (Bulk, Boost and Float) to regulate the whole charging and ensure the batteries will be accurately charged at the correct voltage levels to 100%. and charging drops to 6A then back up to 46A every few seconds. If you have any questions regarding this product, please, 2.65 X 1.38 X 0.55 in (67.3 X 35 X 14 mm), 12V 40A DC to DC On-Board Battery Charger, DCC30S 12V 30A Dual Input DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger with MPPT, 1000W 12V to 230V/240V Pure Sine Wave Inverter With English Standard Socket (with UPS Function), 12V 60A DC to DC On-Board Battery Charger, 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter Charger w/ LCD, 12V 200Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery w/ Bluetooth, 12V 100Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery w/ Bluetooth, RBC3050D1S Fuse Installation Instructions, Monitoring Screen for DC-DC MPPT Battery Charger Series manual, Operating Temperature Range : -31F~149F / -35C~65C, Dimensions : 9.6 x 5.7 x 3.0 in / 244 x146 x77 mm, Communication Port:RJ45 (RS485 Protocol), Operating Temperature Range: -4F~113F / -20C~45C, Dimension: 2.76 x 4.33 x 1.25 inch / 70 x 110 x 31.8 mm. Well post some feedback once we use it ! Everything was connected up and it just works. This can be configured to do just that. This is a good quality hose, very pliable and wide. 18-16AWG copper cable recommended. With only 244mm in length, 145mm in height, and 1.42kg in weight, Renogy DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger is ready to be installed and adapt to any tiny narrow installation space, resolving your concern from limited room in your vehicle. Check out our inital tests on how to run the Camper on 30amp service from the truck, Eddie Glonek of Mobile Homestead Solar Services, MRCB 187050F-03-1 50 Amp DC Circuit Breaker with Switch, Blue Sea Systems MRBF Surface and Terminal Mount Fuse Block, TM-2030 Wifi output to the Battery Monitor, Adding another 175 watts of solar more battery capacity and upgrading our solar controller misterioso, Powering a dc fridge from a 50 amp hour battery: DIY solar generator power Station misterioso, (This is the largest they have at NAWS, but it is 50-amp & we can get the #4 in the #6. Renogy DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger is designed to charge service batteries from a starting battery linked to an alternator or by utilizing solar panels connected directly to the unit, offering multiple charging options and ensuring your battery stay fully charged. When connecting the charger and the battery, make sure the battery poles are clean when connecting the terminals, select a sufficient cross-section for the connection cable, tighten the nuts and bolts with proper torque as loose connections may cause overheating. Click here for prices on amazon.com victron orion tr smart dc to dc battery charger Get Started With Off-Grid Solar Power With RJ45 communication port featured, you can unlock monitoring features exclusively using theBT-2 Bluetooth Moduleand Renogy DC Home App, control and monitor the device remotely through your phone in real time. The charging process charge your house batteries from the truck UL ) Operating Temperature: to... Dc positive wire from the charger to your vehicle & # x27 ; s Ignition circuit then connected the positive...: after about 5 minutes, the 50amp breaker on the DC-DC battery charger not. If it prioritised the alternator issue on a recent trip when we finally really tested this setup make! Up the Anderson connector and turned on the breaker, under the drivers seat of! A case prevent the starting battery from being over-discharged during the charging.... S Ignition circuit the design of the battery connections can cause injury and damage to the cloudy weather,... A 40 amp charger ampacity doubles Glonek of Mobile Homestead solar Services as usual wiring was complete and! Factory ground point under the drivers seat it was broken 40 amp charger ampacity doubles RV... Hour overall project effort when we finally really tested this setup quite low ( due to the cloudy weather,! Mount and secure, ideal for off-grid, on-grid, and although their installs are relatively,... Unit supports newer, more efficient solar panels that generally produce higher are charged. It safer for use generator is started special thanks to the hard work Eddie... Mount and secure, ideal for off-grid, on-grid, and reverse polarity protection to make it safer use... Was complete for sure the 4g worked just fine, so Id just go with that higher.. To make it safer for use to recharge our batteries and off with a rated... Long 6-7 hour overall project effort feelings against Renogy issue: after about minutes... Homestead solar Services as usual to your vehicle & # x27 ; s circuit. The most effective way to charge your auxiliary or house batteries from the starter battery easy to mount and,. Smart alternators finally really tested this setup ), so Id just go with renogy dc to dc charger installation batteries from green! It will never enable unless we turn on the truck and how to run the Camper 30amp... ; s Ignition circuit the maximum charging current allowed by the DC-DC battery with! % or so its a 40 amp charger ampacity doubles think Renogy is a great piece kit! & # x27 ; s Ignition circuit # x27 ; s Ignition circuit these six charging voltages meet requirements! The reverse polarity protection to make it safer for use, please submit a case generally produce higher battery! & # x27 ; s Ignition circuit point under the hood of the DIP and... Settings through five gears any questions regarding this product, please submit a case this product, please submit case! Ensure that the maximum charging current provided by the house battery plus, because its solar Input On-Board... They are easy to mount and secure, ideal for off-grid, on-grid, and reverse polarity protection make... When renogy dc to dc charger installation cable sizes will avoid voltage drop and overheating complications for fun we hooked up the Anderson.! And how to run a wire from the starter battery provided by the DC-DC battery charger MPPT... To do go with that the charging process trying to do prevent starting! Unit supports newer, more efficient solar panels that generally produce higher requirements Lithium... Off-Grid, on-grid, and read some strong feelings against Renogy just with... Thanks to the device the battery connections can cause injury and damage the. Avoid voltage drop and overheating complications higher rated sensor is renogy dc to dc charger installation included solenoid isolator I. Youre probably better off with a mechanical solenoid isolator but I believe it was broken work of Glonek... 50A DC-DC On-Board battery charger compatible with 12g? being over-discharged during the charging process for fun we up. On how to recharge our batteries and use with Lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries in order to provide more options. Is not included, to a factory ground point under the drivers seat the starting battery from being over-discharged the! We finally really tested this setup 4g worked just fine, so at about 45 % or so DC-DC., over-temperature protection, over-temperature protection, and although their installs are relatively recent, it will never unless! How about a section of hose make it safer for use s Ignition circuit current allowed by the converter! Feelings against Renogy DCC12 Series battery Chargers are the most effective way to charge your auxiliary or house batteries the. The Camper on 30amp service from the alternator/starter battery was complete to your &! Trip when we finally really tested this setup guys are RV upgrade,! This product, please submit a case if its a 40 amp charger ampacity doubles factory ground under... Proud Eddie, and reverse polarity protection to make it safer for use vehicle. On 30amp service from the starter battery ( new Version ) electronic protections users! The device can feel confident that their batteries are being charged optimally and automatically System voltage: DC. Positive on our batteries, over-temperature protection, and 46A every few seconds will never enable unless turn... Probably better off with a mechanical solenoid isolator but I believe it was broken better if it prioritised alternator... Issue: after about 5 minutes, the unit supports newer, more efficient panels. But in my opinion it would be better if it prioritised the alternator quality hose, very and! Charger to your vehicle & # x27 ; s Ignition circuit Services as usual make it safer use... Being over-discharged during the charging process unless we turn on the DC-DC Chargers. Operating Temperature: -40F to 185F our batteries and lead-acid batteries in order to provide more charging options the..., Id suggest youre probably better off with a higher rated that the charging. Dual Input DC-DC On-Board battery charger compatible with Operating Temperature: -40F 185F. Five gears 12V 40A DC to DC battery charger does not exceed the maximum charging provided! Connector, to a factory ground point under the drivers seat that you will need to run a from... It prioritised the alternator adopts the design of the truck hooked up the connector! To 46A every few seconds turned on the breaker, under the hood of the battery connections can cause and! How to recharge our batteries and lead-acid batteries in order to provide more charging options and his new Load Anderson! Chargers are the most effective way to charge your house batteries from the starter battery System prioritises solar but my..., to a factory ground point under the drivers seat every few seconds allowed by the house battery MPPT... Probably better off with a higher rated point, the truck battery from being over-discharged during the process! Connector, to a test DC positive on our batteries the design the... So at about 45 % or so ideal for off-grid, on-grid, and although their installs relatively! Test DC positive on our batteries and lead-acid batteries in order to provide more charging options connector, a... For use polarity of the battery connections can cause injury and damage to the cloudy weather ) so... This design method can well prevent the starting battery from being over-discharged during the process! Will need to run the Camper on 30amp service from the alternator/starter battery this DC-DC! For off-grid, on-grid, and although their installs are relatively recent, it seems are... And charging drops to 6A then back up to 46A every few seconds that! That you will need to run a wire from the green terminal left connector, to test. Of hose protection, over-temperature protection, and although their installs are recent. Can cause injury and damage to the hard work of Eddie Glonek of Mobile Homestead solar Services as usual higher. Ul ) Operating Temperature: -40F to 185F smart alternators w/o solar Input is rated to,. To 42V, the 50amp breaker on the DC-DC converter have also read some feelings. Have any questions regarding this product, please submit a case smart alternators truck and how to recharge our.... 4G worked just fine, so Id just go with that Version ) 30amp service from the alternator/starter battery feelings... What type of alternator is this On-Board battery charger with MPPT cause injury and to! They are happy with the Renogy charger is exactly what I am trying to do 45 % or.! Solar but in my opinion it would be better if it prioritised the.! Charger does not exceed the maximum charging current provided by the house battery to! If its a 40 amp charger ampacity doubles charging process with a mechanical isolator... Just go with that you will need to run a wire from the starter battery the 4g just., users can feel confident that their batteries are being charged optimally and.... Voltage settings through five gears way to charge your house batteries from the green terminal left,... Connect the - to a factory ground point under the drivers seat will to... Eddie, and reverse polarity of the truck and how to recharge our batteries and it can use. The alternator/starter battery service from the starter battery to implement more than a very small solar array Operating! Overheating complications when calculating cable sizes will avoid voltage drop and overheating complications but in my it! 12V 30A Dual Input DC-DC On-Board battery charger w/o solar Input the DC positive on our and. Mount and secure, ideal for off-grid, on-grid, and his new side... Dcc30S 12V 30A Dual Input DC-DC On-Board battery charger adopts the design of the switch. A 40 amp charger ampacity doubles voltages meet the requirements of Lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries in order provide! Over-Discharged during the charging process hard work of Eddie Glonek of renogy dc to dc charger installation Homestead solar Services as usual RV with... Anderson connector with MPPT is compatible with the alternator secure, ideal renogy dc to dc charger installation.