install in phases instead of all at once.

[Calaverasgrande]

Here is my idea.
Right now I want to install just a charge controller, inverter and one LiFePo battery.
Then later on add a 2nd battery and 2-4 PV panels.

My current shopping list is something like;

• Renogy DCC30S 12V 30A Dual Input DC-DC On-Board Battery Charger with MPPT
• Renogy 12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
• Renogy 3000W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter

With appropriate fuses buss bars and such.

Then later this year or early next year add in;

• Renogy 12V 100Ah Smart Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery
• 200 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel

Some of this may need some explanation.
3000W inverter may seem a lot. But I plan on occasionally running music gear off of this set up.
Also, until I install solar, I am counting on the battery bank charging off the alternator. As I am going to be doing some driving every day.

Guess my questions are;
Is this a bad idea.
Is Renogy worth it or should I go for another brand?
Will there be an issue mixing a 3-6 month old LiFePo battery with a brand new one?
Am I overlooking any component aside from obvious things I didn't mention like inline fuses, breaker box etc.
thanks

 

[DLTooley]

The LiFePo4 market is getting competitive, you might well be able to do everything at one pass if you shop around. There of course are folks that will go out of business too.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

There of course are folks that will go out of business too.

Yeah that is a major concern for me with electronic stuff.
Not so much for support. I'm accustomed to todays normal of zero support from companies.
I just hope that there is still parts and PDFs in the future.
Also a lot of these LiFePo ads I am suddenly seeing after a couple google searches seem to be fly by night companies.
That is what attracted me to Renogy. They arent just doing batteries or PV panels. They have a suite of products, even if some are rebadges.

 

[wayne49]

Samlex makes PSW inverters, I have a 1000W PSW unit, with zero problems over two years.

GoPower is another good brand.

Lately my Samlex has been working well in 100+F temps, powering a Whynter 65 qt fridge working hard in the same temps, obviously.

 

[MrNoodly]

Also, until I install solar, I am counting on the battery bank charging off the alternator.

Do you plan on driving a lot every day?

 

[Weight]

Another up-vote for 12 volt Samlex PSW 2000W inverter. But in your case you will hate any 3000W inverter on such a small battery with charging from an alternator. 3000W at 12 volts requires 250 amperes from the battery. I can't recommend any inverter over 2000W with a 12 volt system. With 200 ah LiFePo you are near the bottom edge for any heavy use of a 2000W inverter.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Do you plan on driving a lot every day?

Yeah, I'm going to be driving up and down the East Coast and through the South.
I'm also going to be avoiding solar and other exterior refurbishments for a while.
I'd like to preserve the stealth capability of my white cargo van when I'm car camping in city limits.
Spring and summer I plan on being more out in the woods for days at a time.
At that point I'll want to have a few hundred watts of PV up top. May install a hitch so I can put a propane carrier on the back too.

 

[NctryBen]

Is that even legal to carry propane on a hitch mounted carrier? Sounds explosive... haha!
Are you putting in a heavier output alternator? Sounds like a lot of load for one 100a battery. I’d hold off on the inverter until you had battery enough to power it if your doing it in steps.

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Another up-vote for 12 volt Samlex PSW 2000W inverter.  But in your case you will hate any 3000W inverter on such a small battery with charging from an alternator. 3000W at 12 volts requires 250 amperes from the battery.  I can't recommend any inverter over 2000W with a 12 volt system. With 200 ah LiFePo you are near the bottom edge for any heavy use of a 2000W inverter.

I'm aware of the limitations. I have some electrical engineering experience from audio electronics, pedals, amps and guitars.
So my spec here is to design in headroom for future expansion.
Start with a single 100AH battery just to run my fridge on low and run my Macbook Air, phone and a 5W light.
After I get a few other systems in the vehicle done, I'll add in more battery capacity.
I want to eventually have 400AH of LiFePo batteries.
The further complication of this is that I'm already living in the van full time.
So I don't have the luxury of leaving wires dangling while I ponder what my plan forward is.
I am thinking about scaling back to 2000W inverter, since my revised energy use estimate is starting to look more 12V than 120V.
The fridge, lights, AC/fan and some of my portable music gear are all 12v.
So only the computer some power tools and the more serious music gear must be 120v.
This has me optimistic. As no matter how good an inverter is, they are less than 100% efficient. The more stuff I can shove over on to 12V the better.
Though Part of me really wants to dig my Bodum bean grinder and kettle out of storage and use them for my coffee snob breakfast. But those are 700 and 900 watts!

 

[Calaverasgrande]

Is that even legal to carry propane on a hitch mounted carrier? Sounds explosive... haha!
Are you putting in a heavier output alternator? Sounds like a lot of load for something meant to maintain just your vehicle battery.

I've got the Ford fitment guide PDF. There is some info in there about how to interface 3rd party gear for just this purpose.
If I have to upgrade the alternator I'll do so.
As far as propane mounted on a cargo carrier on a hitch.
I've seen it done many times before.
I believe that in some states it's technically illegal to have internally mounted propane tanks because of danger of leaks, or you know, van sitting in direct sunlight reaching 135 Fahrenheit inside and pfoom. No more van.

 

[NctryBen]

I'm aware of the limitations. I have some electrical engineering experience from audio electronics, pedals, amps and guitars.
So my spec here is to design in headroom for future expansion.
Start with a single 100AH battery just to run my fridge on low and run my Macbook Air, phone and a 5W light.
After I get a few other systems in the vehicle done, I'll add in more battery capacity.
I want to eventually have 400AH of LiFePo batteries.
The further complication of this is that I'm already living in the van full time.
So I don't have the luxury of leaving wires dangling while I ponder what my plan forward is.
I am thinking about scaling back to 2000W inverter, since my revised energy use estimate is starting to look more 12V than 120V.
The fridge, lights, AC/fan and some of my portable music gear are all 12v.
So only the computer some power tools and the more serious music gear must be 120v.
This has me optimistic. As no matter how good an inverter is, they are less than 100% efficient. The more stuff I can shove over on to 12V the better.
Though Part of me really wants to dig my Bodum bean grinder and kettle out of storage and use them for my coffee snob breakfast. But those are 700 and 900 watts!

that sounds like a good approach.