Leisure power upgrade

[The Flying Scotsman]

I’m going to start buying the equipment I need to upgrade to a kick ass lithium set up that will provide a lot longer off grid camping.
Thanks to a lot of advice from @Dellmassive I've got a great idea of what to buy now. Also thanks to @Tall_Paul for solar panel advice.
So here is my proposed shopping list.
1 x Roamer 230SMART4 230amp lithium battery £840 from Roamer.

1 x Victron Orion XS 12/12 50A
DC-DC charger £290 eBay

1 x Victron solar 12/24 MPPT 100/30 solar charger £100 eBay.

1 x Victron blue smart IP65 12/15
For EHU charging £120 Amazon

1 x Victron 360w rigid solar panel £166 eBay.

Cable set. I need to upgrade all my LB wiring as it’s dangerously thin.
I’m not sure what wiring and fuses I will need so looking for some advice on that.

I’ve got a Sargent EC155 at the moment and plan to keep that for the 12v system but will disconnect the EHU from it and use the victron IP65 for the EHU charging.

Have I missed anything for this upgrade?
What cable set should I buy?
What fuse boxes and terminals will I need to hook all this up?
Do I need a solar PV isolator?
If so what’s a good one? What other isolators should I buy? Links would be great.
Also if you guys know where to get any of the above on special or cheaper than the prices I’ve quoted please provide a link.
I’d also be happy to buy any of the above second hand for forum members.
Finally anyone got a simple wiring diagram of how I need to connect all this new gear together?

Thanks always to the great bunch of folk on here who are always happy to help.
Cheers G
Pics of my existing setup.
I will also fabricate a better fixing for the leisure battery.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I’m undecided on which lithium battery to buy.
I was planning on buying the Roamer SMART4 320A at £840 but seen the Drift eco 305A for £500.
Which one would you guys go for?
Also away to buy the victron IP65 12/15 for charging on EHU.
Can this be hard wired into the van ?
My shopping list is above and so far I’ve bought the victron 50A DC-DC charger and the victron 360w rigid solar panel

 

[TallPaul_S]

With 300Ah of battery and 360w of solar, will you even need EHU? Even with heavy inverter usage (you're fitting an inverter, right?) I doubt you'd get anywhere close to depleting the battery.

With the 50a DC-DC and that solar set up I'd hold fire on the 240v charger, once it's all installed give it a few trips - I doubt you'll miss EHU. And if you need to power 240v devices, then a 2000w or even 3000w Renogy inverter will do that nicely.

Yesterday my 305w panel gave me 43Ah of charge!



On the battery - both are similar, the Fogstar doesn't have a Bluetooth BMS but tbh I'd put a Victron smart shunt in the system regardless so you don't need a Bluetooth BMS on the battery.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

With 300Ah of battery and 360w of solar, will you even need EHU? Even with heavy inverter usage (you're fitting an inverter, right?) I doubt you'd get anywhere close to depleting the battery.

With the 50a DC-DC and that solar set up I'd hold fire on the 240v charger, once it's all installed give it a few trips - I doubt you'll miss EHU. And if you need to power 240v devices, then a 2000w or even 3000w Renogy inverter will do that nicely.

Yesterday my 305w panel have me 43Ah of charge!
View attachment 253473


On the battery - both are similar, the Fogstar doesn't have a Bluetooth BMS but tbh I'd put a Victron smart shunt in the system regardless so you don't need a Bluetooth BMS on the battery.

Thanks for your reply.
Think I will go for the bigger cheaper battery then and buy a smart shunt. What shunt would you recommend to go with what I’m planning on doing?
The main reason for wanting to keep the EHU is so the microwave will work. Also to top up batteries when we stop on a site for a shower.
I’m not fitting an inverter as I’ve got an EcoFlow delta 2 that I use for anything 240v.
I’m planning on fitting the EcoFlow fast charger later for this and have a suitcase 100w solar panel for charging it also.
I’m able to plug my existing EHU on my van into the EcoFlow to power the microwave though.
I need to put in all new cables as the existing wires are dangerously thin.
Can you recommend a cable kit for this set up?
Thanks for your help

 

[ginkster]

The main reason for wanting to keep the EHU is so the microwave will work. Also to top up batteries when we stop on a site for a shower.

Agree with everything TallPaul said. Your microwave will work without needing a mains charger. You still have 240v, just not a charger plugged into it. If you are driving to a site for a shower surely your batteries will be topped up by the DC-DC while driving there avoiding the need to find a site with EHU and paying for it. Isn’t that the whole point of fitting big lithium batteries and solar panels? If you are driving regularly and/or plugging in then save yourself a fortune and fit a smaller battery.

 

[ginkster]

What shunt would you recommend to go with what I’m planning on doing?

The Victron 500a one is good. No screen, just Bluetooth. About £100 so still a big saving overall. Much more accurate than a built in BMS.

 

[TallPaul_S]

Will the ecoflow power the microwave? If so then I really don't think you'll need EHU at all - you've got 240v power from the ecoflow and solar/DC-DC charging will be more than enough for everything else.

And yep, Victron 500a SmartShunt is the one seeing as you're going all #teambluepower

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Agree with everything TallPaul said. Your microwave will work without needing a mains charger. You still have 240v, just not a charger plugged into it. If you are driving to a site for a shower surely your batteries will be topped up by the DC-DC while driving there avoiding the need to find a site with EHU and paying for it. Isn’t that the whole point of fitting big lithium batteries and solar panels? If you are driving regularly and/or plugging in then save yourself a fortune and fit a smaller battery.

My microwave and van 240 sockets only work when I’m on EHU at the moment. I don’t care about the vans sockets as I have the delta 2 for 240v.
But would love the microwave to work on my vans own power. Are you suggesting this can be done with the new set up?
But by the sounds of it I will have plenty power to run everything on this set up and on the odd occasion of wanting my microwave working I can just plug it into the delta 2. I did use the EHU to charge the delta 2 but intend on buying the new fast alternator charger for it.
Thanks for your help

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Will the ecoflow power the microwave? If so then I really don't think you'll need EHU at all - you've got 240v power from the ecoflow and solar/DC-DC charging will be more than enough for everything else.

And yep, Victron 500a SmartShunt is the one seeing as you're going all #teambluepower

I like the victron blue gear.
I see there’s a new 500A shunt.
An IP65. It looks the biz. EBay £84.
Think it’s my next investment
There’s a video on the new one on this link if you scroll through the pics about old one.

https://amzn.eu/d/28KcjOT

Victron Energy SmartShunt IP65 500A Bluetooth Enabled SHU065150050 | eBay

Victron Energy. The SmartShunt IP65 500A is an all in one battery monitor, only without a display. Your phone acts as the display. Alternatively the SmartShunt can be connected and be read by a GX device.

www.ebay.co.uk

Forgot to say the microwave runs fine on the delta 2

 

[TallPaul_S]

The ip65 version is only needed if it's going to get wet, otherwise the std 500a one is exactly the same.

Although they're pretty much the same price anyway.

 

[TallPaul_S]

My microwave and van 240 sockets only work when I’m on EHU at the moment. I don’t care about the vans sockets as I have the delta 2 for 240v.
But would love the microwave to work on my vans own power. Are you suggesting this can be done with the new set up?
But by the sounds of it I will have plenty power to run everything on this set up and on the odd occasion of wanting my microwave working I can just plug it into the delta 2. I did use the EHU to charge the delta 2 but intend on buying the new fast alternator charger for it.
Thanks for your help

So long as your delta 2 can provide enough watts for the microwave then I see no reason why you'd need EHU

Which not only saves you money for the charger, also saves money on EHU fees, and/or finding sites with EHU.

 

[ginkster]

Forgot to say the microwave runs fine on the delta 2

Result! Looks like a plan is sorted. You could always fit a mains charger at a later date if you really find you need one but I think you will be absolutely fine without.

 

[Drive Wayne]

I’m undecided on which lithium battery to buy.
I was planning on buying the Roamer SMART4 320A at £840 but seen the Drift eco 305A for £500.
Which one would you guys go for?
Also away to buy the victron IP65 12/15 for charging on EHU.
Can this be hard wired into the van ?
My shopping list is above and so far I’ve bought the victron 50A DC-DC charger and the victron 360w rigid solar panel

Gord, I presume you mean the Roamer 230Ah at £840 ? The 320Ah is quite a bit more.
I have a first gen Roamer 200Ah which is still performing well after 3+ years. Their after sales (even now) is great, they will advise you on the install and be your friend for evermore it seems.
Roamer and the blue Victron stuff will be my go to for the forseeable future. 180 watt flexi solar panel, never needed a hook up, I tend to switch off the B2B at the moment, the solar keeps things topped up nicely. In the winter months that may not be the case, but we don't 'do' the winter!

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Gord, I presume you mean the Roamer 230Ah at £840 ? The 320Ah is quite a bit more.
I have a first gen Roamer 200Ah which is still performing well after 3+ years. Their after sales (even now) is great, they will advise you on the install and be your friend for evermore it seems.
Roamer and the blue Victron stuff will be my go to for the forseeable future. 180 watt flexi solar panel, never needed a hook up, I tend to switch off the B2B at the moment, the solar keeps things topped up nicely. In the winter months that may not be the case, but we don't 'do' the winter!

The roamer 230 is £840 but the drift eco 305A is £500

 

[Drive Wayne]

The roamer 230 is £840 but the drift eco 305A is £500

I would pay the extra personally for Roamer care!

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Result! Looks like a plan is sorted. You could always fit a mains charger at a later date if you really find you need one but I think you will be absolutely fine without.

After some thought and for the comparatively small extra to put in an EHU charger whilst I’m doing the rest of the work I think I will fit one.
If only purely to fast charge the delta 2 when we stop at a site for a shower. I’m not too fussed about paying an extra £5 for an electric pitch when in reality all the rest of my night’s pitches are free.
Can I hard wire the IP65 charger in my van for EHU ?

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

The ip65 version is only needed if it's going to get wet, otherwise the std 500a one is exactly the same.

Although they're pretty much the same price anyway.

Will probably go for the new waterproof one. It’s same price both £84 from eBay

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I would pay the extra personally for Roamer care!

It’s just 230A for £840 compared to 305A for £500. It’s quite a difference in power and price.

 

[Drive Wayne]

It’s just 230A for £840 compared to 305A for £500. It’s quite a difference in power and price.

75Ah difference, and yes a few earth pounds, but peace of mind, you'll never use 230Ah of power! Plus I'll lend you a few bob mate! The only time I was down to 20% on my little Roamer was when the solar panel packed up...

 

[ginkster]

After some thought and for the comparatively small extra to put in an EHU charger whilst I’m doing the rest of the work I think I will fit one.
If only purely to fast charge the delta 2 when we stop at a site for a shower. I’m not too fussed about paying an extra £5 for an electric pitch when in reality all the rest of my night’s pitches are free.
Can I hard wire the IP65 charger in my van for EHU ?

Fair enough but don’t think you will use it much, especially if you are charging the Ecoflow from the DC-DC. With 2-300ah of lifepo4, ??ah of Ecoflow you have 7-10 days of power before allowing for solar and/or driving. Solar will give you a good top up each day (apart from depths of winter) and if you are driving regularly that will further improve the situation.

If you do go for one I would recommend not hardwiring it so you can remove it for use on other vehicles or as a power pack. You can get a fused, quick release cable to attach to the LB or busbars and have that ‘hardwired’. The other end just plugs into a 240v socket powered by the EHU (you could extend one into the cupboard or wherever the charger will be). You can get a wall mount for it too. I bought an IP65 to fit and have run the cables but never actually put it in the van as I I’ve found it’s not needed with solar and DC-DC (which is off most of the time as solar is proving to be a game changer for me).