Dual charging PV and 110V

Just an update on my system. We took a 51 day, 12,000mile, 13 National Park roadtrip this summer and the step-up converter charging method I installed performed flawlessly. We would camp in our Ford Transit camper van and use the AC200P to power a microwave, refrigerator, Maxxfan, Zero Breeze air conditioner, small 12V circulation fan, and dehumidifier (ProBreeze - small, inexpensive, and it worked very well overnight). Then we would charge the AC200P back up while driving the next day. One added feature of the 12V cooling fan for the converter - when the AC200P gets to full charge, the voltage from the converter goes up and the fan speed changes a little - but enough to hear it. We then know it’s fully charged and we turn off the upfitter switches feeding the alternator voltage to the converter. We’ve camped several more times since we got back from the roadtrip, and the charging system continues to operate flawlessly.

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Great to hear your long term use of both the AC200 and the step up converter. That is the only way to go when you are doing a big chunk of driving and need to charge up.

This is a BIG ask, but could one of you summarize what you did in a step-by-step process? Reading through this thread (twice) and am a little overwhelmed.

Thanks in advance.

1-Connect the listed 12 volt to 48 volt step up converter input directly to the vehicle battery.
2-connect wires from the output of the 12 volt to the 24 volt step up converter to the AC200 solar charging input cable.
3-Start the vehicle and begin charging the AC200 at high wattage.

There is a user who added a computer pancake fan to the mix to cool off the step up converter and you can also put a switch in line to turn the step up converter on or off as well as have an in line fuse connected.

Thank you! This makes sense. Appreciate your simplicity.

Hello KKS,
Feeling a little overwhelmed by this sort of project is a very appropriate and healthy reaction for 95% of the general public.

Although the high-level architecture of this DC-to-DC charging system is easy to describe (as Scott-Benson has done above), the devil is in the details.

DIY projects of all kinds can be great experiences. However, many come with non-obvious risks.

Anyone contemplating the installation of a high-power electrical accessory in their vehicle must understand that there many potential mistakes to be made. Some of those mistakes will merely lead to hassles, others can lead to costly damage to the vehicle, and a few can lead to a vehicle fire.

To me, the most concerning aspects of this particular project include the following.

  1. The DC-to-DC converter you choose largely determines the power flowing through the system, and thus the extra load on your vehicle’s alternator. If you overload the alternator, it will overheat and fail (possibly at a very inconvenient time). Almost no one can tell you with confidence how much extra load YOUR vehicle can handle. You have to make an educated guess, and hope for the best.

With significant effort, it is possible to measure the load on the alternator under various conditions. However, for most vehicles there is no published specification for the maximum continuous load the alternator can handle. The output amperage written on the alternator is the maximum it can produce, not the amperage it can safely produce continuously.

  1. Designing and properly installing the wiring and fusing required for this system to be safe and efficient is a significant task. Anyone can learn the skills required, and buy the tools required. However, experience with household wiring is not, by itself, adequate preparation for this high-power DC wiring task. DC wiring is subject to vibration (which can cause metal fatigue and damage to wiring insulation). DC wiring uses crimp connections and ring terminals, which require certain tools and procedures. None of this is rocket science—but it’s not on the same level as installing a ceiling fan, or doing some PEX plumbing in your home.

Best Regards,
Patrick

Yes sir. The link is contained in the thread which shows all of the pictures as well as detailed discussion on how to connect

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Appreciate and respect your comments. Personally, doing this is above my competency. I do, however, want to understand what is needed in the event that I hire someone to do it for me.

Sorry if I missed something. what is the “sogen”

Solar generator. In my setup it is an AC200P

got it thanks Jkennon! I am running the ac200max.

can I connect it to the ccp? which terminal if so?

I don’t know. My Ford Transit has factory installed upfitter switches that I used to make the connections

JK and Scott, thanks for your posted dialog. I am more of a carpenter than an electrician, but your dialog and pictures in this feed are really great. JK could you post a picture of your connection to the up fitter switch?

gentlemen all…I have to try this but it is over my head as you said Quitter (but you didn’t quit :slight_smile: I have a ford transit with CCP connections next to the battery. The battery compartment has space for the converter. Could I just come off the CCP to the converter…a distance of maybe 18" with wire wiggle, and use 8g wire? I believe that the CCP has a 60A fuse on it already

Scott, there are converters at 20A which are much cheaper. What are we looking for to ensure a quality converter?

The big square box and not the small sealed ones. Cost about $100

thanks. That is straight forward, and makes sense since a larger box gives a larger heat-sink

Scott,
I have my 12-24 V converter and ready to connect. On a 2019 Transit the distance from my battery to my AC200 is about 5 feet. If I go from the battery rather than the CCP do I need a breaker or fuse or can I just go from the battery to converter with 6AWG (it will be located on the pedestal rear, and then go from the the converter to the AC200 with 10AWG that gets downsized to fit the bluetti plug? That seems too simple. I can add a fan if the heat is an issue. But won’t this draw from the starter battery at all times? so at least a switch/breaker would be better to put in before or after the converter?

Yes, it will draw from the battery at all times and needs a switch in order to turn off. If you are running a 12-24 volt converter your wire ga. is more than enough. If it was me, I would use a circuit breaker that will also act as a switch in order to turn the converter on and off. I would use a 40 amp breaker.