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Questions regarding "So, you want to setup a good electrical system in your camper?"


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#151 Utah

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Posted 07 January 2023 - 01:15 AM

Thanks Paul. The fridge will indeed be supplied power from the camper battery. It is only the common negative/ground that will be connected back to the truck battery.

If you see this differently based on my wiring diagram please let me know. My understanding is that the Victron Orion will keep the truck battery isolated from the camper battery (even though there is a common ground).
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#152 PaulT

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Posted 07 January 2023 - 02:29 AM

Looking at circuit diagram on my desktop with large display makes it clear. I first looked at it on my phone. Not smart with old eyes.

I saw a conclusion and jumped for it.  :)

 

Paul


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I thought getting old would take longer.

#153 craig333

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Posted 07 January 2023 - 04:08 AM

I can easily use my camper batteries to start the truck and before I bought new truck batteries I actually had to do that twice. 

 

Once I gradually lost all power in the truck. I never did figure out what the cause was and it never repeated but it was sure comforting to throw the switch in the camper and bring the truck back to life especially since it was night in the middle of nowhere.


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Craig K6JGV_________________________ 2004 2500 CTD 4X4 FWC HAWK 1960 CJ5


#154 Wallowa

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Posted 07 January 2023 - 04:11 AM

What switch is that?

 

"comforting to throw the switch in the camper and bring the truck back to life.." 


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#155 ntsqd

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Posted 07 January 2023 - 06:32 AM

Some isolators have the ability to be "forced" to close and connect the batteries. Other's employ a marine battery combiner switch in parallel with the isolator. I have such a system on one vehicle. A 'house battery' and a main starting battery with an Auto-Charging Relay and a battery switch between them. Can start it from either battery, or both if necessary.


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Thom

Where does that road go?

#156 craig333

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Posted 07 January 2023 - 04:03 PM

I don't use an isolator, just a simple marine switch. My camper didn't come with a battery so it also didn't come with an isolator and I saw no reason to add one. It requires a bit more thought from the user though. 


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Craig K6JGV_________________________ 2004 2500 CTD 4X4 FWC HAWK 1960 CJ5


#157 ntsqd

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Posted 07 January 2023 - 05:12 PM

I run the cables to the battery switch, then the leads from the ACR are run to each battery's terminal on the switch. Makes the install simple and clean.


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Thom

Where does that road go?

#158 Utah

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Posted 18 March 2023 - 05:20 PM


Looking into my battery compartment while I ponder the possibilities…
——-
BACKGROUND: I am replacing my old AGM batteries with new LiFePO4 battery. With this upgrade I will install a new Victron Orion DC/DC charger (here on the left wall) as well as a 1500W pure sine inverter (still thinking about where to place that).

I am NOT installing or hooking up solar panel or a solar MPPT charge controller (AT THIS TIME).
———
QUESTIONS:
(1) For future reference, is that the factory rooftop wiring shown on the right (marked “solar”)? Does this wire run directly from the rooftop plug to the battery compartment? If so, then that would be the input to an MPPT charge controller (for future consideration)?

(2) The wire on the left side is coming from the rear plug (for solar panel?) That wire appears to be running forward (to the fuse box?). If I were to hook up an external solar panel (future), why wouldn’t that connection be directly to the battery here in the battery compartment?

Thanks for any input.
Attached File  photo-output.jpeg   149.72K   23 downloads
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#159 goinoregon

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Posted 18 March 2023 - 05:41 PM

my rear plugs, and rooftop solar uses green positive wires.  apparently that is solar?   from ATC


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#160 Jon R

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Posted 18 March 2023 - 06:42 PM

Looking into my battery compartment while I ponder the possibilities…
——-
BACKGROUND: I am replacing my old AGM batteries with new LiFePO4 battery. With this upgrade I will install a new Victron Orion DC/DC charger (here on the left wall) as well as a 1500W pure sine inverter (still thinking about where to place that).

I am NOT installing or hooking up solar panel or a solar MPPT charge controller (AT THIS TIME).
———
QUESTIONS:
(1) For future reference, is that the factory rooftop wiring shown on the right (marked “solar”)? Does this wire run directly from the rooftop plug to the battery compartment? If so, then that would be the input to an MPPT charge controller (for future consideration)?

(2) The wire on the left side is coming from the rear plug (for solar panel?) That wire appears to be running forward (to the fuse box?). If I were to hook up an external solar panel (future), why wouldn’t that connection be directly to the battery here in the battery compartment?

Thanks for any input.
photo-output.jpeg

Not sure what camper you have.

On my 2021 Grandby FD with no factory solar components, the solar panel connector wires looked just like the ones you point to on the right side of your picture, and like yours they were coiled, capped, labeled solar, and did not have split loom over them. The wires from the roof and rear wall solar panel connectors are paralleled within the cabinet and that coiled wire pair routed to the battery compartment is connected to the paralleled connectors. If your camper is a recent FWC I suspect it’s the same. If that’s the case I have no idea what the other coiled wire with split loom is.

One of the handiest tools I ever made for electrical testing was a pair of light gage wires with alligator clips on both ends. One short, one about 12 feet long. They live in my meter case, and allow me to extend the test probes and fix them to something. With the camper battery and all truck connections disconnected, put your ohmmeter on audible beep and go exploring to see what’s connected to what!

Edited by Jon R, 18 March 2023 - 06:43 PM.

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Jon R

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