L/Battery - go large or go lithium?

[ginkster]

Thank you,

I’ve disconnected panels for now.

I have left all panels in cupboards accessible to try and understand problem.

I have ordered some chunky auto electrical wire to see if I can temporarily wire positive if mppt to LB and see if that is stable. If so I may need to consider routing a permanent cable (thus obviating the need for the cbe spades).

On the problem of hab not receiving power from LB, I will try and replace all fuses one at a time under driver seat and see if that reinstates power.

Does that sound reasonable?

Forget the solar for now. As I said earlier today and Roadtripper is also saying the issue is likely the feed from the LB to the back of the van. If that isn’t working correctly you will get the 2 symptoms you have (no hab and odd solar). Check that cable for continuity using your multimeter. Check connections at both ends and any fuses. Once you have the power working correctly to the back then start reintroducing the solar MPPT first, panels once the MPPT is working.

All those piggybacked spade connectors look like a potential source of problems too and I would look to tidy that up once you have solved the issues with a busbar to ensure secure connections in the future.

 

[Chris1983]

Forget the solar for now. As I said earlier today and Roadtripper is also saying the issue is likely the feed from the LB to the back of the van. If that isn’t working correctly you will get the 2 symptoms you have (no hab and odd solar). Check that cable for continuity using your multimeter. Check connections at both ends and any fuses. Once you have the power working correctly to the back then start reintroducing the solar MPPT first, panels once the MPPT is working.

All those piggybacked spade connectors look like a potential source of problems too and I would look to tidy that up once you have solved the issues with a busbar to ensure secure connections in the future.

Would this be as simple as a positive busbar and all connected and then one onward positive?

 

[Chris1983]

Forget the solar for now. As I said earlier today and Roadtripper is also saying the issue is likely the feed from the LB to the back of the van. If that isn’t working correctly you will get the 2 symptoms you have (no hab and odd solar). Check that cable for continuity using your multimeter. Check connections at both ends and any fuses. Once you have the power working correctly to the back then start reintroducing the solar MPPT first, panels once the MPPT is working.

All those piggybacked spade connectors look like a potential source of problems too and I would look to tidy that up once you have solved the issues with a busbar to ensure secure connections in the future.

And on this continuity and checking, what does that actually look like beyond replacing fuses, am I correct in that it’s probably the wire that disappears into floor from the little fuse block?

 

[ginkster]

Pulled the 40 and lights flickered, and then realised needed to disconnect solar, so the 40 is ‘all hab stuff’ it seems, but not sure what the 5 and 25 do.

It will be this one from what you said earlier. Identify the other end at the back of the van and using your multimeter make sure it’s getting power. Give all the connections on this cable a wiggle and check they are secure, especially the front where you did the work. Check the fuse is ok and properly seated.

A pos busbar at the rear would distribute the power from this cable in a tidy and secure way. Solve your other problems first before getting distracted on this.

A diagram of the rear wiring would help you (and us!) understand what’s going on. How are the fridge, lights, sockets etc all connected up, where are the fuses….?

 

[Chris1983]

Started to try and map what’s going on.

Yellow box obvs goes into fridge etc control panel,

Green into 240v sockets and 12v power

Fusing is then in think next to EHU

 

[TallPaul_S]

This is the problem with inheriting someone elses install with no documentation, it doesn't help that it's all in conduit either!

That's giving me a headache just looking at it!

 

[Chris1983]

This is the problem with inheriting someone elses install with no documentation, it doesn't help that it's all in conduit either!

That's giving me a headache just looking at it!

And you understand what you are looking at. I haven’t the foggiest.

I did get some stuff branded hillside in a book, but when messing with original solar install, someone commented on here wasn’t very accurate.

I will post when I get home later.

 

[Stay Frosty]

They could have just put a bit of skeleton trunking vertically and not bothered with any of that Kopex, even laced with spiral wrap would have looked neater and leave easier access to individual cables.

 

[ginkster]

As the others have said it’s rather messy and not very user friendly! However, your problem of no power from LB to hab should still be relatively easy to find. You can discount many of the upper ones as they are control panel switches, 240v, USB socket and heater.

What are the cables coming up from below (circled in red)? It’s possible one of these is from the front.

Have you identified all the pos cables attached to the multiple spade connector (circled in white)? If not that is a good place to start as one of those could also be from the front, although they are all rather small cross-section. This is the bit I would tidy up with a busbar once you have solved the current problem (one step at a time!).

 

[Chris1983]

As the others have said it’s rather messy and not very user friendly! However, your problem of no power from LB to hab should still be relatively easy to find. You can discount many of the upper ones as they are control panel switches, 240v, USB socket and heater.

What are the cables coming up from below (circled in red)? It’s possible one of these is from the front.

Have you identified all the pos cables attached to the multiple spade connector (circled in white)? If not that is a good place to start as one of those could also be from the front, although they are all rather small cross-section. This is the bit I would tidy up with a busbar once you have solved the current problem (one step at a time!).

View attachment 254695

One of those is deffo how I added in Solar.

 

[Chris1983]

One of those is deffo how I added in Solar.

I’ll strip all conduit and post pics.

From a bus bar pov, I get all will be added to bar, but one lead then goes…..towards battery? Or one is just one of these current leads to complete the electrical circuit?

 

[ginkster]

I’ll strip all conduit and post pics.

From a bus bar pov, I get all will be added to bar, but one lead then goes…..towards battery? Or one is just one of these current leads to complete the electrical circuit?

No need to strip all the conduit. Just some at the bottom to identify what’s what. The upper stuff into the sockets and control panel is known so pointless stripping that.

The busbar is simply to tidy up those spade connectors to give a secure and safe connection. It would be a single cable from the fuse box to the busbar and all those existing cables that are piggybacked onto the busbar.

Before any of that you need to identify the cable(s) that is bringing power from the LB to the back of the van. That cable is probably where your issue is. Next identify what each of the cables into that CBE fuse box are (one may be the cable from front). You will then have an understanding of what is what.

 

[Chris1983]

40amp fuse bottom right had blown, changed and I now have power to the rear!

Now onto the solar weirdness

 

[Chris1983]

Ooosh

 

[Chris1983]

And all looks like working fine?!

 

[Chris1983]

No need to strip all the conduit. Just some at the bottom to identify what’s what. The upper stuff into the sockets and control panel is known so pointless stripping that.

The busbar is simply to tidy up those spade connectors to give a secure and safe connection. It would be a single cable from the fuse box to the busbar and all those existing cables that are piggybacked onto the busbar.

Before any of that you need to identify the cable(s) that is bringing power from the LB to the back of the van. That cable is probably where your issue is. Next identify what each of the cables into that CBE fuse box are (one may be the cable from front). You will then have an understanding of what is what.

One spade appeared a bit loose, I’ve tightened that connector for now and reinforced with the cloth tape. I’ll look into a busbar etc as per your guidance after doing shunt and isolator for lb.

Presume on leisure batter, I take all positive stuff off post, attach all of that to a bus bar, then attach the isolator switch wires into the circuit, prior to taking wire back to bus bar?

 

[TallPaul_S]

View attachment 254698

40amp fuse bottom right had blown, changed and I now have power to the rear!

Now onto the solar weirdness

So that fuse would seem to be your master fuse for all your 12v stuff (and the solar?).

 

[Chris1983]

So that fuse would seem to be your master fuse for all your 12v stuff (and the solar?).

Presume so, so not too sure what the smaller fuses do, but I am glad I have surmounted one little hurdle at least

 

[ginkster]

One spade appeared a bit loose, I’ve tightened that connector for now and reinforced with the cloth tape. I’ll look into a busbar etc as per your guidance after doing shunt and isolator for lb.

Presume on leisure batter, I take all positive stuff off post, attach all of that to a bus bar, then attach the isolator switch wires into the circuit, prior to taking wire back to bus bar?

Great stuff. Thought it would be that cable somewhere. Keep an updated diagram as you learn what is what then if you have any issues in the future or want to upgrade anything you don’t have to re-learn everything again.

Solar isolator looks good.

For the pos side of stuff from the LB the order is:

1. LB post
2. Short cable to main LB fuse - 100A should be fine as battery can only put out 100A max. It must be less than cable is capable of though.
3. Cable to isolator (can be any length to help with positioning). Same cross-section cable as above.
4. Isolator. This will be M10 posts.
5. Cable from isolator to busbar (same cable as 2 and 3 above).
6. Busbar.
7. Individual existing cables with new crimped connections attached to busbar. from busbar. Each must be fused very close to busbar to protect cable.

You could use the existing fuses or use something like the mega/midi fuse box I linked earlier from 12voltplanet which is busbar and fuses in one.

 

[Bigsidavies]

I’ve recently used a couple of these. Very sturdy and great cable access.

12V 300A AMP Heavy Duty DC Power Distribution Positive Bus Bar - 4 X M8 Terminals

Heavy duty positive bus bar suitable for high current applications such as inverters and main 12V power distribution in your camper van. 12V 300A Rating Module design for easy configuration and fitment Removable windows all round Blank space for easy identification Approx dimension 130mm X 69mm...

www.wiredcampers.co.uk

But tbh if doing it again I’d use the midi fuse distribution block that @ginkster linked above.
Depends on space and whether you want to keep and use your current fuses and just wire the cables into a basic bus bar.