Redarc house Battery setup

[BunkieJeeper75]

Thank you …Great points and I knew them but need to review them again!
My current inverter has an on/off switch on unit. I assumed I would turn off when not in use. The whole point of me adding an inverter is “ because I can” mentality but surely it will use more power when on.
I currently have 200 watts of solar panel but yes yesterday (a sunny day in Louisiana) I was only able average generate about 100 amps over about a 4 hour period. The sun was very low in the sky so o guess that affected it because last time I checked in August I was getting about 150 amps.
My fridge consumes about the same as yours.
Thanks again for your input! I posted here because I knew I would get some head stratching input.

Hey, just a thought on your electrical system. Is there a reason why you are planning on an inverter? I mean an inverter implies you are planning on having AC loads. I only ask because, as an example, a RedArc 400W Pure Sine Wave inverter has an efficiency of 88% This means that if you were running a fridge (my Dometic CFX55IM although it is AC or DCuses roughly 24aH/per day) then it would use 24aH/88%=27aH of the battery. Inverter losses can take a big bite out of your electrical storage. Even when the inverter is on but there are no other loads, it is consuming power.

When you then factor in using solar panels (which your diagram suggests) which have a very low efficiency even when getting full and direct sunlight, you may find that your AC devices gobble energy faster than you can "make" it without running the engine.

You may be aware of all of this already and, in that case, disregard my diatribe. But if you aren't aware of it, you should really think about what loads you need to run, how much power they use, how much storage you will have and how much power you can send to the storage devices.

Please don't think I am naysaying or tearing your idea apart. I want you to build a system that actually meets your needs when you are out in the field, which can save you money and frustration. I have literally had to expand my solar collection and upsize my battery because I hadn't thought far enough ahead and learned some "hard/expensive" lessons. Food for thought

Oh I failed to mention that I planned on running my frig from the aux panel/switch cigarette lighter receptacle.

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[HooliganActual]

Oh I failed to mention that I planned on running my frig from the aux panel/switch cigarette lighter receptacle.

Is that the Aux Panel/Switch you have in the pic that will be in the bed?

When I was originally doing the research on building my house system, I read a lot of accounts of people running their fridge that way only to find that bumping along the trails caused that plug to disconnect at some point and then they would arrive at camp with a warm fridge.

Not sure what fridge you are running, but I know ARB and Dometic both have this unit as an accessory:

Instead of the cigarette lighter style plug, this one screws into the outlet. This is the Dometic version and it has two "outlets" one that screws in and one that is the cigarette lighter style. So my fridge is positively connected AND I can plug something else into the cigarette lighter plug.

 

[BunkieJeeper75]

Yes I’m running an Iceco but I like the Dometic plug setup better.
Someone suggested switching plugs out using the Anderson type connectors. I need to ask Iceco for suggestion before I assume that is the way to go!
Thank you

 

[Jaxmax]

I think Iceco can use the ARB receptacle and cord setup, I have my ARB fridge on it and as stated above it will not move around or fall out and even more importantly won’t get moisture or dirt in it. The ARB unit looks like a lighter plug but that unscrews and allows it to go in ARB plug, I mounted mine facing down as I power wash the instead of my cap sometimes after fishing tough surf.

PS: the RSI cap has help up great in the salt, sometimes the whole interior is white after a rough weekend, caps still looks new.

 

[BunkieJeeper75]

Thanks … I will look into those

 

[HooliganActual]

I think Iceco can use the ARB receptacle and cord setup, I have my ARB fridge on it and as stated above it will not move around or fall out and even more importantly won’t get moisture or dirt in it. The ARB unit looks like a lighter plug but that unscrews and allows it to go in ARB plug, I mounted mine facing down as I power wash the instead of my cap sometimes after fishing tough surf.

PS: the RSI cap has help up great in the salt, sometimes the whole interior is white after a rough weekend, caps still looks new.

Thanks … I will look into those

Take a look here. @bowtiejc discusses uses an ARB plug on an IceCo unit.
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/iceco-vl65.76449/post-1248140

 

[Jaxmax]

Robert LOL, I'm all over that thread making my friend Jerry an excellent trouble shooting electrician, but he does have an Iceco and the ARB plug fits!......Jack

 

[HooliganActual]

Robert LOL, I'm all over that thread making my friend Jerry an excellent trouble shooting electrician, but he does have an Iceco and the ARB plug fits!......Jack

I knew that but you didn’t point @BunkieJeeper75 to that thread. I quoted you you to give you credit for all of that.

 

[RubiNewbCB]

I on

No I have not and I will look

Checkout the EcoFlow setup too, they have a nice complete kit, that's all plug and play.

https://www.ecoflow.com/us/ecoflow-power-kits/series?activeTab=product&params=2kWh

 

[chorky]

Thank you …Great points and I knew them but need to review them again!
My current inverter has an on/off switch on unit. I assumed I would turn off when not in use. The whole point of me adding an inverter is “ because I can” mentality but surely it will use more power when on.
I currently have 200 watts of solar panel but yes yesterday (a sunny day in Louisiana) I was only able average generate about 100 amps over about a 4 hour period. The sun was very low in the sky so o guess that affected it because last time I checked in August I was getting about 150 amps.
My fridge consumes about the same as yours.
Thanks again for your input! I posted here because I knew I would get some head stratching input.

Theres no way you generated 100 amps in 4 hours. By the math that means each of your panels were pushing 12.5a/h, which is more than double what an average 100w panel can produce in optimum conditions. At best, high quality solar panels (100w) will only produce just over 5a in optimum sun conditions. For 2 high quality 100w panels, this is a little under 50a generated in 4 hours. So you either have 400-600w worth of solar, or I think some math got mixed up somewhere....

Have you done an energy audit? Everyone really really needs to take time to sit down and do a honest and realistic energy audit before going and buying lithium batteries that are a thousand bucks. You might find you really only need a decent quality AGM at half the cost. Also, consider if you will be needing to utilize the system in temps below 40. Lithium and low temperatures do not play well together. It is certainly great option. But energy audits are a important and often forgotten or not cared about task that can save you from frustration and unnecessary spending.

 

[BunkieJeeper75]

Theres no way you generated 100 amps in 4 hours. By the math that means each of your panels were pushing 12.5a/h, which is more than double what an average 100w panel can produce in optimum conditions. At best, high quality solar panels (100w) will only produce just over 5a in optimum sun conditions. For 2 high quality 100w panels, this is a little under 50a generated in 4 hours. So you either have 400-600w worth of solar, or I think some math got mixed up somewhere....

Have you done an energy audit? Everyone really really needs to take time to sit down and do a honest and realistic energy audit before going and buying lithium batteries that are a thousand bucks. You might find you really only need a decent quality AGM at half the cost. Also, consider if you will be needing to utilize the system in temps below 40. Lithium and low temperatures do not play well together. It is certainly great option. But energy audits are a important and often forgotten or not cared about task that can save you from frustration and unnecessary spending.

My error .. I meant watts not amps

 

[HooliganActual]

Theres no way you generated 100 amps in 4 hours. By the math that means each of your panels were pushing 12.5a/h, which is more than double what an average 100w panel can produce in optimum conditions. At best, high quality solar panels (100w) will only produce just over 5a in optimum sun conditions.

lol, when I first read that I thought “D@MN!!! I need those panels!! But I let that dog lay…lol

 

[Blitzinger]

Whatever happened with this? Did you set it up? I just got a redarc manager30 with rogue and red vision. Plan to put it in side bin in smartcap with two 230aH batteries in the bed.

 

[BunkieJeeper75]

Whatever happened with this? Did you set it up? I just got a redarc manager30 with rogue and red vision. Plan to put it in side bin in smartcap with two 230aH batteries in the bed.

Yes I did. works great! I’m still working on adding aux switches/plugs, but it runs frig which is most import to me at this time.

 

[scotticus]

Where/how did you get your main power from the front into your bed? I'm doing a similar setup and am wondering how others are running the main leads into the bed. Thanks!

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