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Future FWC Hawk owner...


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#21 Jon R

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Posted 23 November 2022 - 01:32 AM

When I was deciding what to buy originally, the price difference for the isolated unit was small, so I weighed all the different concerns I could imagine, and decided to go isolated. One concern that swayed me was I didn’t want to tie the 120VAC ground of the camper shore power system to my truck ground in case of some wiring fault at a campground. . Now that I have realized I will never hook up my 120VAC anywhere but at home, it’s not a concern.
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#22 RLS

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Posted 30 November 2022 - 04:57 PM

After watching a bunch of reviews on solar panels, I've settled on a HQST 190 watt panel.  I've decide to limit my Hawk roof to one panel. Will be carrying two kayaks with me on most trips so there's the probability of shading. I'm now looking for a good portable panel for the rear connection on the Hawk. I've read where you should try to match up voltages on your panels if in parallel. I'm guessing that most of the top-end units are equal in quality. 


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#23 RLS

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Posted 04 June 2023 - 04:35 AM

Well, seven months later and the new FWC Hawk is in it's new home :-)

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Edited by RLS, 04 June 2023 - 04:35 AM.

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#24 RLS

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Posted 04 June 2023 - 04:56 AM

The first task is to install the DC/DC charger. I purchased a SOK 206AH lithium battery. It fits nicely inside the rear battery compartment. The charger is a Victron 12/12-30. 

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#25 RLS

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Posted 04 June 2023 - 05:41 AM

I'm pretty inexperienced on DC electrical. I've read a lot of the electrical threads on WTW and thought I had a pretty good grasp on things, but am finding it difficult to figure some things out. I contacted one of the members, Jon R, but am unable to respond to his message for some reason. Jon R, if you read this, sorry:-)  My first issue is in regards to the incoming 8awg wire that FWC is now putting on the new campers for DC/DC charging. I pulled that set of wires up and through the hole into the camper. The hot and ground wires go into the battery compartment. The hot connects to the Redarc  BCDC1225 DC-DC/solar charge controller that came with the Hawk. The ground wire connects to the negative post on the battery. Since I'm replacing that 8awg wire with 4awg wire from my engine compartment, it seems like I could just cut those two 8awg wires and cap them off. Does that make sense?


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#26 Jon R

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Posted 04 June 2023 - 03:00 PM

Sorry. It was my a problem on my end. I had messed with my profile settings and unintentionally turned PMs off. It’s fixed.

I had not previously picked up on the fact that you had bought a camper with the Redarc solar/dcdc charger. Mine was wired for lead acid with a Blue Sea ACR because I planned to do my own lithium and solar installation, so my previous PM description of the oem wiring would not be correct for your camper. Sorry for my confusion.

Edited by Jon R, 04 June 2023 - 03:38 PM.

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#27 RLS

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Posted 04 June 2023 - 04:26 PM

Jon R,

 

I, too, did not get the solar package. I chose to do the installation myself. :-) My camper came with the standard single AGM battery. The DC-DC/Solar controller that FWC installed seems to be an older version made by Redarc. Here is a quote from something I found online from a year ago:  

 

"Our BCDC1225D is our current model charger, the BCDC1225" (which is what is in my Hawk), "is an old model we no longer have available. The BCDC1225 requires an RK60 relay kit to make it compatible with solar, also it is not suitable for lithium batteries". 

 

So it appears FWC is using this controller, along with upgraded truck-to-camper, 8awg wiring, for DC-DC charging the AGM batteries in their new models.


Edited by RLS, 04 June 2023 - 04:39 PM.

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#28 Jon R

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Posted 04 June 2023 - 05:14 PM

Your layout in the compartment looks similar to mine. FYI, and I’m not sure how much difference it really makes, but I put the Orion charger in the lower position because of the reports that it generates quite a bit of heat while operating. I figured it would cool a little better if low in the compartment.
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Jon R

2021 Grandby Slide-in Front Dinette

2021 GMC 3500HD CC LB SRW Gas

1993 Chevrolet K2500 Ext Cab LB


#29 RLS

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Posted 06 June 2023 - 04:35 PM

I'm pleased with how the DC-DC charging project turned out. On the trial run it appeared I was getting from 28-32 amps from the charging battery. Thanks Jon R for the help. I ended up leaving the DC-DC controller in the upper position. I didn't feel like messing with it anymore. It's a real pain working in the tiny battery compartment. :-)

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#30 RLS

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Posted 10 June 2023 - 09:29 PM

Went on an overnight camp trip. Battery and DC-DC charger working great! Propane furnace on the other hand, not so great. It worked fine at home and plugged into shore power. I went ahead and removed the ducting. Got out to the camp spot, which is at sea level, and no heat. It goes through three attempts to light, then cuts off. I got home and took the exterior cover off, tried it again. Same thing, only now I see a red light on the circuit board flashing three times then off for about three seconds, then another three flashes and so on. Called FWC and after trying a couple diferent things with no success, they are sending me a new circuit board. Keeping my fingers crossed.
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