Electrical System Index and Diagram
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As we add more pieces to the electrical system, we’ll update the build list articles here. This will serve as a sort of index.
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Lithionics 12V450A-8DR Lithium Ion Battery
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As we’ve written about in our build story previously (here), we’ve chosen Lithionics as our battery supplier for Wally the Airstream. We’ve chosen this battery because they are the safest and highest density cells in the storage range we were looking for (400-500Ah).
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Read MoreVictron MultiPlus Digital Multicontrol Panel
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The Digital Multicontrol allows us to turn on and off the charging circuit remotely and control the amount of input current we put back into our batteries from shore power and/or the solar array.
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Read MoreVictron Color Control GX Monitor
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The brain box and monitor for our solar and charging system is the Victron Color Control GX. While it looks like it’s just a pretty screen with data about our charging system, it actually helps to coordinate all of the separate pieces in our Victron full stack to work together. The pretty pictures are just a bonus.
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Read MoreSmartPlug 50 Amp Cordset for RV
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The SmartPlug system is a great addition to any RV or boat/yacht. The SmartPlug team identified a problem with the common 30 and 50 amp plug systems in that as corrosion from moisture set in, historical systems generated a lot of heat and were creating fires. They set out to change that. This system is super easy to use, clips in to the Airstream side wall plug and offers less impedance, higher conductivity and better safety overall. We’re delighted to use this system.
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Read MoreBlue Sea Systems 300 Amp m-Series Battery Switches
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These are the switches we’ll be using to turn on or off the individual power inputs. When using a lithium ion power bank it’s important to isolate the batteries from any potential vampire loads. Lithium ion batteries are really good at holding a charge for a long time, but it’s important not to let them discharge below 10% State of Charge (SOC) to avoid damaging the battery. There are often small controllers and other small electronics that draw very small amounts of power that aren’t easy to detect. These switches will allow us to isolate our batteries when they are in storage mode.
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Read MoreVictron BMV-712 Battery Monitor with Battery Temperature Sensor
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While our lithium ion battery from Lithionics already has a battery monitor, it’s important for our charger (Victron Multiplus) understands the State of Charge (SOC) of our battery. Unfortunately, the Lithionics Battery Management System (BMS) doesn’t interact directly with our Multiplus so we have to add a battery monitor seen here. This will report back to the charging circuit to let it know when and how much power to put back into the battery.
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Read MoreBlue Sea Systems 300 Amp m-Series Battery Switch
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We’re using Blue Sea Systems switches for all of our main power grid items. This switch will allow us to switch between our roof solar system and our backup suitcase style solar panels in situations where we are in a lot of shade where the camper is parked.
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Read MoreVictron MPPT 100/30 Smart Solar
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The SmartSolar controls the power that our solar panels feed our charging system. It has built in Bluetooth and allows us to view the power that we’re generating from the solar panels remotely!
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Read MoreVictron Energy Multiplus 12/3000/120-50 Inverter/Charger 120V
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One of the first steps to getting Wally the Airstream up and running was to establish the power system. The Victron Multiplus is the central brain for the power system.
It has a lightning fast transfer switch to take us between shore power and our battery array, a charging circuit to keep our batteries managed appropriately, a 3000W inverter, and is all manageable from a web-based console. This this is awesome and I'm looking forward to getting it connected to my batteries, solar, and shore power!
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