Check my wire diagram

[samcreate]

I'm re-doing my battery and solar setup and adding in a Victron battery monitor. I've diagramed out the setup and wanted to have someone double check my work or point out flaws.

Another question (does not appear in the diagram) off my fuse box, I have my 12v lights that currently ground on the van body (not the negative bussbar seen on my diagram) and wondering if this works with using the shunt? Or should I lay a negative wire from the lights to the shunt?

THANK YOU for your help!

 

[Weight]

Most solar controllers, while they have a load connection, are better served using the battery for loads and the controller charges the battery. Your negative bus with the chassis return is right. The lights powered by the house bank can return by chassis and then will return to battery through shunt using what you diagram. I need to see more than one fuse. For the inverter at the battery. For the fuse panel at the battery. For the charge controller at the battery. Fuses at or very close to the battery positives. You could use a positive bus bar to keep positives organized.

 

[samcreate]

Most solar controllers, while they have a load connection, are better served using the battery for loads and the controller charges the battery. Your negative bus with the chassis return is right. The lights powered by the house bank can return by chassis and then will return to battery through shunt using what you diagram.   I need to see more than one fuse. For the inverter at the battery. For the fuse panel at the battery. For the charge controller at the battery. Fuses at or very close to the battery positives.  You could use a positive bus bar to keep positives organized.

Thanks. I really appreciate you spending the time to look over these. I've added another fuse between the battery and the inverter. 

For load-out on my solar controller, it has a feature that will disconnect the load when the battery has been discharged to a pre-set voltage and according to the manufacturer, "The load output is short circuit proof." that's why I didn't add add a fuse between the load-out to the fuse panel.

 

[John61CT]

Have you ever read

Fuses are there to protect the **wires**.

The protection built into devices is a separate issue.

Note that load terminals on controllers often don't support all device types, and output very limited amps.

LVDs are IMO best deployed per consumer orby group.

Big loads should be run off the batt/buss.

 

[tripper]

The Victron controllers have a load output that is equal to their amp rating, i.e. a 75/15 can have up to a 15 amp load on the load terminals; not all Victron's have a load output, it is model dependent. I would leave the controller set on battery life algorithm and use the load output if your combined loads (other than inverter)  will not ever exceed the controller max (the controller will auto disconnect if higher load). Note: Do not connect motors or loads with high inrush currents.

Battery Life Algorithm will allow the controller to automatically adjust the absorb times based on battery voltage at sunrise.

I really like the idea of using the load terminal as it prevents over discharging the battery, also gives you a rough idea of amps being drawn on the system (other than inverter).

I would use circuit breakers instead of fuses, makes it easier to disconnect items and no need to have spares. Where you have "power kill" on diagram can easily be a circuit breaker, the controller also has a software load output disconnect, as you stated however; the load does not require one.

You did not state wire gage, Blue Sea Systems has a very nice app you can download (or use webpage) that will give the appropriate wire size to use.

 

[Weight]

Breakers are another device with movable parts. If used as a switch they have a shortened life. Some times with a heavy short the contacts can burn and not work. Fuses are inexpensive and it is easy to carry spares. By having a switch I can use one that is rated for 300+ amps and have very little voltage drop. Especially critical in solar charging circuits. The solar can not produce the full rating of the controller at all times. Take your loads from the battery bank and let the solar charge the battery.

 

[Weight]

Do you intend to charge your house bank and starter battery from the alternator? If so you need some sort of disconnect between the two battery systems. Such as this; https://shop.marinehowto.com/products/blue-sea-7610-automatic-combining-relay

 

[tripper]

Breakers are another device with movable parts. If used as a switch they have a shortened life. Some times with a heavy short the contacts can burn and not work. Fuses are inexpensive and it is easy to carry spares.  By having a switch I can use one that is rated for 300+ amps and have very little voltage drop. Especially critical in solar charging circuits. The solar can not produce the full rating of the controller at all times. Take your loads from the battery bank and let the solar charge the battery.

I use a circuit breaker on my e-bike to disconnect power. I have probably cycled it 500+ times over the last few years with no problems, it sees 58 volts and 30 amps thru it.

 

[Weight]

yes. But have you used it to switch off an active circuit as one on the charger to a battery? And can we be sure the OP will use a quality breaker? I did install DC breakers on Pleasure Yachts in the late 60's. But they were made by the original Texas Instruments and cost plenty even back then.

 

[John61CT]

Quality breakers spec sheet show the cycles rated.

Unloaded is many more than while current is flowing.

Cheap circuit breakers are dangerous, the whole purpose of the category is safety, like skimping buying a cheap Chinese propane blowout valve, you'd have to be nuts!

 

[samcreate]

Thank you Weight, Itripper, John61CT for your help.

I've attached an updated diagram (sorry for the messiness, first one I've made). Below is the list of adjustments I've made. Let me know if there's anything that stands out...

• added a fuse from battery 2 + that will act as a hub for the inverter and the fuse-box
• I've added my lighting system to the diagram. I decided to put it's positive feed to the solar controller to utilize it's "auto disconnect" incase of too low of discharge. This is hard to describe, but I have a "touch" light slider that sometimes turns on if there's too much humidity in the van. This becomes a problem if I've left the van parked for a long period of time and I forget to turn off the main power switch to off. My thought, is that this might be my catch-all to save my batteries in that situation.

Also, I have an isolator from start battery but currently I have it connected to the + of Battery 1. Is it possible to overcharge your batteries this way? I'm assuming that it wouldn't but maybe I should feed it into my Solar controller's PV to manage it?

Thanks again!

 

[Weight]

You are using the same fuse for both fuse panel and the inverter. Are the wires all the same gauge? I prefer separate connections and fuses to enable upgrades later. You need a fuse on the solar controller wire, at the battery positive. You need a negative return for the load terminal on the Victron. If you have a isolator to charge from the engine, you can connect at the starter battery to the house bank. Or from the alternator. You need a fuse at each end. Positive house battery and positive engine connection. I recommend a negative return for that system, not a chassis connection.

 

[DLTooley]

The load terminals on the Victron will record your actual power use, that's important info.