Ski RV's, who's sleeping in parking lots?

[climberevan]

I have a Renogy inverter and a Renogy DC-DC charger, but my solar charge controller is Victron. All have been reliable. However, IMO keeping the functions separate is wise. If your solar array isn't big and you're willing to go generic, there are suuuper cheap options for MPPT controllers that you could pair with a $100 DC-DC charger and still have money left over for a spare controller.

[fastfred]

Shitty Day To own a van

[byates1]

Nice rapido Frederico

[Cruiser]

Is that a full replacement front bumper? Damned thing looks burly

[Stuntmonkey]

Surprised the parking guys let these dudes this close to the front. No idea how they got out.

[Trackhead]

Anyone have experience with this DC-DC charger? https://www.renogy.com/dcc50s-12v-50...ger-with-mppt/

Fairly simple and would be perfect for my truck camper but worried its trying to do too much. Most of the reviews/comments are from solar dorks

I have the Renogy 40a but not the built in solar compatibility. As far as the dc-dc it’s super awesome. I personally have almost zero use for solar (low power use in summer/fall, solar kinda sucks in winter).

[fastfred]

Backwoods adventure mods front and back bumpers

Van compass suspension upgrade and skid plates

Ready to party

Did some off roadin today warming up for next weekend

[evdog]

Anyone have experience with this DC-DC charger? https://www.renogy.com/dcc50s-12v-50...ger-with-mppt/

Fairly simple and would be perfect for my truck camper but worried its trying to do too much. Most of the reviews/comments are from solar dorks

I have the 30A version. It works exactly as advertised. Wouldn't hesitate to go with one of these again. Separate functions sure, if money was no object.

What are you planning for panels and battery capacity? For a truck camper seems like the 30A should suffice. The only time my battery gets drawn down is when the truck doesn't leave the garage for a few days.

[muted reborn]

Is that a full replacement front bumper? Damned thing looks burly

Whole Foods parking lot is always packed and hard to turn around in.

[Conundrum]

And if your traction boards don't get you off the shopping cart you high centered on, the shackles are already ready to hook a tow strap to a Tesla to get you back on the road.

[BFD]

Anyone have experience with this DC-DC charger? https://www.renogy.com/dcc50s-12v-50...ger-with-mppt/

Fairly simple and would be perfect for my truck camper but worried its trying to do too much. Most of the reviews/comments are from solar dorks

I bought the CTEK version of that which someone here recommended. I installed it in my truck camper. No issues, small, easy to install. I think that renogy unit will work fine. I screwed up the other day and didn't take a photo. Couple were towing a trailer with an Earthcruiser. The trailer was built to carry the Tesla. The trailer had 9000 watts of solar panels mounted on it.

[adrian.bee]

I have the Renogy 40a but not the built in solar compatibility. As far as the dc-dc it’s super awesome. I personally have almost zero use for solar (low power use in summer/fall, solar kinda sucks in winter).

I just have a 105ah AGM and same, pretty low usage in terms of my camper: furnace, lights, water pump, phones. Just like to keep the battery topped up.

DC-DC charging is next course of action but my camper is already wired for solar I'd like to have something up there even if it's just one panel.

[climberevan]

If you're using an AGM battery your can just use and isolator instead of a DC-DC. They are really only required for lithium batts. I can explain the reasons if you care.

You can just get a cheap relay isolator and a cheap charge controller and be in business.

[Trackhead]

If you're using an AGM battery your can just use and isolator instead of a DC-DC. They are really only required for lithium batts. I can explain the reasons if you care.

You can just get a cheap relay isolator and a cheap charge controller and be in business.

I did that for a few years with my other truck camper. Worked fine. As long as you don’t have a gigantic amp hour system placing a huge burden on the alternator.

Could also just run cheap charge controller if only running one solar panel if amps output of solar is lowish. So cheap charge controller plus cheap isolator. If that’s your thing.

[Snow Dog]

If you're using an AGM battery your can just use and isolator instead of a DC-DC. They are really only required for lithium batts. I can explain the reasons if you care.

You can just get a cheap relay isolator and a cheap charge controller and be in business.

I disagree. Your vehicle charger is set up to charge the vehicle battery. If you house batteries are close then your direct connect would be ok. If your house batteries are 30' or more (of wire) away then the voltage drop means they will never be fully charged. That leads to sulfation and a short battery life. Lead acid batteries like to be fully charged.

[climberevan]

I'm not sure how you'd get 30' of wire between your alternator and a battery in a truck camper, but anyway voltage drop can easily be eliminated but using the right gauge of wire.

Using AGM vs lithium implies that OP is on a budget. If cost were not a concern it would be lithium, DC-DC, and mppt all the way, obviously.

[Trackhead]

My run is 14’ from truck battery to truck camper battery. Battery is at front of camper, but opposite side, so the distance adds up quick.

[altasnob]

I have AGM battery and isolator/alternator. The isolator/alternator is not the ideal way to charge and will never get your battery fully charged no matter what the wire run (becuase it is not a smart charger going through bulk, absorption, and float stages at specific voltages). But it is better than nothing and it is cheap. The important thing is to either have your battery plugged into shore power when parked at home, or solar. Otherwise, you will be storing your battery not fully charged, which kills your battery.

I only got two years out of my first AGM battery but I did not have solar and was not plugging in when parked. I am three years in on the new battery with no issues still using the alternator/isolator but now I have solar to keep it charged when parked. I sometimes wonder if isolator/alternator is doing harm to my battery (or alternator) becuase it is charging it at much higher voltage than what the battery wants. I will upgrade to dc to dc if I ever get a lithium battery.

[Snow Dog]

My run is 14’ from truck battery to truck camper battery. Battery is at front of camper, but opposite side, so the distance adds up quick.

And there are two wires so it's 14' out and 14' back.

On my slide in camper the batteries are in the back and opposite the connector. From the connector it's about 20' (8' across + 10' back + 2' down). The truck is a QuadCab so the battery to the camper connector is another 17' (3' down + 8' back + 6' cable). It adds up fast.

[Trackhead]

And there are two wires so it's 14' out and 14' back.

On my slide in camper the batteries are in the back and opposite the connector. From the connector it's about 20' (8' across + 10' back + 2' down). The truck is a QuadCab so the battery to the camper connector is another 17' (3' down + 8' back + 6' cable). It adds up fast.

I’m not a physicist, or that smart, but guess you’re right. The circuit includes both the hot AND ground. Well anyway, I’m running #2 wire and the Renogy 40a DC-DC seems to like it. I think it’s around 2% voltage drop at 14v.

[Snow Dog]

I’m not a physicist, or that smart, but guess you’re right. The circuit includes both the hot AND ground. Well anyway, I’m running #2 wire and the Renogy 40a DC-DC seems to like it. I think it’s around 2% voltage drop at 14v.

The voltage drop is determined by the resistance and the currant (amps). 2 gauge is a big wire. At 10 amps your voltage drop is 0.04V. At 40 amps the drop is 0.175V.

This is why a DC-DC converter is useful (as long as it's close to the target battery) - it'll boost the voltage to the correct level in spite of the voltage drop.

[Trackhead]

The voltage drop is determined by the resistance and the currant (amps). 2 gauge is a big wire. At 10 amps your voltage drop is 0.04V. At 40 amps the drop is 0.175V.

This is why a DC-DC converter is useful (as long as it's close to the target battery) - it'll boost the voltage to the correct level in spite of the voltage drop.

Yeah and 28' of #2 isn't cheap. But it's better than starting a fire.

[DanoT]

Yeah and 28' of #2 isn't cheap. But it's better than starting a fire.

Can one reduce the amount of ground wire needed by mounting the DC-DC charger close to the target battery and then running the ground wire to the DC to DC charger from the neg terminal of the close by target battery or alternately, running the ground wire to the frame?

[crashidy]

Surprised the parking guys let these dudes this close to the front. No idea how they got out.

Because this guy at the end of the day can sit and enjoy a beer or eat and wait for everyone else to leave!

[Trackhead]

Can one reduce the amount of ground wire needed by mounting the DC-DC charger close to the target battery and then running the ground wire to the DC to DC charger from the neg terminal of the close by target battery or alternately, running the ground wire to the frame?

I’m not really sure but it seems like that would work?

I attached the sensing “D” wire to the fuse that manages the trailer brakes (I’m not towing/it’s in truck camper). So it turns on when ignition is turned over, but not before. Works great.