Victron DCtoDC charger problem need help

[Tadfar]

I have an Isolated Victron Orion-TR Smart DC-DC Charger installed in an 2022 Airstream Flying Cloud 23CB. The tow vehicle is a 2021 Jeep Gladiator Ecodiesel.

I first wired it as the direction stated, Black 7-pin wire to positive input, white 7-pin (ground) to negative input. Then Black positive output to positive busbar in same spot the direct wire was before. And the white negative output was wired to the negative budbar.

In the above configuration none of the outside lights including turn signals and brake lights worked, seems the white 7-pin wire needed to be grounded to have the exterior (7-pin lights) work.

So i rewired it once again returning the 7-pin white directly to the busbar. And wired both input and output negatives to the same busbar. In thid configuration the lights work.

However in both configurations as soon as the charger kicks in the voltage of my alternator drops to 9 volts and the charge shuts off, shows error of engine shut down detection.

I tuned engine shut down detection feature off. And then the low voltage shut off happens when it drops to 9 volts.

In the gladiator at idle it puts out 12.5 to 12.9 volts, when i put it in drive it goes up to 13.2 to 13.9 volts, still idling in the driveway. But either in park or in drive as soon as the Victron Charger kick in the voltage drops to 9 volts. As soon as the charger shuts off due to engine shutdown or low voltage the Gladiator voltage climbs back up to 12.5 volts in park and 13.2 in drive.

A couple of minutes later when the charger kick back on the same process starts again.

Any ideas? Is my alternator bad? Wired charger wrong? Is the Victron Charger bad? Do i need a non isolated charger?

Charger set to lithium, tried manual settings same result.

I am at a loss.

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[Mr._Bill]

Does it have an adjustable charge level? If so, turn it down so it's not trying to pull so much from the truck. It just needs to be able to charge the trailer batteries to full while traveling so you have power when stopped. Changing the type of batteries connected just changes the charging method and not the amount of power drawn to do the charging.

The ground for the trailer lights should be attached to the negative side on the input to the charger, not the output side going to the trailer power system.

 

[Josh00333]

Why in the first place would you need a dc to dc charger? On every RV I have every had there is a hot from the 7 way that runs power to the batteries when the rig is connected/running.

Edit: Oh oh Lithium, got ya. Sounds like it's a 30a charger and it's trying to draw to much.

 

[4S50]

Tad, did you get this figured out? I added a Renogy DC-DC charger to my travel trailer and I think I may be having a similar issue. I use a Curt Echo brake controller, which uses the 12V+ to the trailer to activate the trailer brakes. It shows a low tow vehicle voltage warning at times, although the dash display will show 13.9V at the same moment.

 

[chorky]

I have an Isolated Victron Orion-TR Smart DC-DC Charger installed in an 2022 Airstream Flying Cloud 23CB. The tow vehicle is a 2021 Jeep Gladiator Ecodiesel.

I first wired it as the direction stated, Black 7-pin wire to positive input, white 7-pin (ground) to negative input. Then Black positive output to positive busbar in same spot the direct wire was before. And the white negative output was wired to the negative budbar.

In the above configuration none of the outside lights including turn signals and brake lights worked, seems the white 7-pin wire needed to be grounded to have the exterior (7-pin lights) work.

So i rewired it once again returning the 7-pin white directly to the busbar. And wired both input and output negatives to the same busbar. In thid configuration the lights work.

However in both configurations as soon as the charger kicks in the voltage of my alternator drops to 9 volts and the charge shuts off, shows error of engine shut down detection.

I tuned engine shut down detection feature off. And then the low voltage shut off happens when it drops to 9 volts.

In the gladiator at idle it puts out 12.5 to 12.9 volts, when i put it in drive it goes up to 13.2 to 13.9 volts, still idling in the driveway. But either in park or in drive as soon as the Victron Charger kick in the voltage drops to 9 volts. As soon as the charger shuts off due to engine shutdown or low voltage the Gladiator voltage climbs back up to 12.5 volts in park and 13.2 in drive.

A couple of minutes later when the charger kick back on the same process starts again.

Any ideas? Is my alternator bad? Wired charger wrong? Is the Victron Charger bad? Do i need a non isolated charger?

Charger set to lithium, tried manual settings same result.

I am at a loss.

running your DC/DC from the factory harness will not work and is a big fire hazard. First, what is your rated output amps of the DC/DC? Someone mentioned above it's 30a? If that is accurate that means your DC/DC could draw up to 60 amps! The factory wiring is no where near large enough for that. So your charger is attempting to draw massive amps from a small wire not rated for it, which means resistance goes WAY up, thus pulling your voltage down. Doing this you are risking a fire.

Any form of charging different than the standard trailer harness will require a much larger wire and a separate plug to go from your truck to the trailer. In your case you probably need Anderson plugs and a 4ga wire for positive and negative. Maybe even 2ga depending where the batteries and charger are located in the trailer.

Example - I am putting a DC/DC charger in the bed to charge a 100 or 200ah lithium battery, and will be running 4ga wire. The DC/DC is a 30a max output, which can draw up to 60a. that is approximately a 20' wire run. Your looking at double that probably - so 2ga to be safe

always reference a wire chart before wiring things - it is rarely plug and play
https://afe.solutions/2019/09/20/dc-wire-size-charts/

 

[4S50]

Here is the wire chart from Renogy, for reference.

 

[Tadfar]

It was the thin factory wire, so i ran 6AWG SOOW cable from the Gladiator battery to a andersen connector at the bumper and then to the trailer.

Solved the issue, at idle i was getting 17 amps of input and it charged my battery great

 

[just_another_guy]

Tad, did you get this figured out? I added a Renogy DC-DC charger to my travel trailer and I think I may be having a similar issue. I use a Curt Echo brake controller, which uses the 12V+ to the trailer to activate the trailer brakes. It shows a low tow vehicle voltage warning at times, although the dash display will show 13.9V at the same moment.

Yours should have a limit charge +12v input that might help with this issue. On my 20a renogy charger it cuts the charging current down to 10a which would reduce the voltage drop seen by your Curt Echo

 

[4S50]

Thanks, I will check.

Yours should have a limit charge +12v input that might help with this issue. On my 20a renogy charger it cuts the charging current down to 10a which would reduce the voltage drop seen by your Curt Echo

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