Solar Panel on Sprinter Van
Posted by Peter Kennedy with KM on 2/1/2019 to
Camper Vans
The panel is a Canadian Solar 300watt mono-Si PERC. The van is a Sprinter 170. The batteries are Victron Smart LiFePO4 200 Amp Hour Lithium Iron Phosphate. The Inverter is a Victron Multiplus
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Using the Victron Energy Autotransformer in a US 120/240 Volt system
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 1/28/2019 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
The Victron Energy Autotransformer is the one item we sell that causes the most confusion. Read about how it gets used in a US 120/240 volt system here
Camper Van and RV Electrical Systems
Posted by Mike Hobson on 1/22/2019 to
Camper Vans
Camper van and RV electrical systems comprise charging from the engine, shore power and solar panels. From these sources we can charge batteries or power AC and DC systems directly allowing for extended time off grid and away from shore power.
Blue Sea Systems fire recovery update
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 1/22/2019 to
News
As many of you know, on November 10, 2018, a fire broke out at the Blue Sea Systems Bellingham, WA facility resulting in a total loss of the building including the production area, office space, product, assembly fixtures and test equipment. Since then, a lot of work has been done to aid in the recovery plan. Read an update of the progress that has been made.
How to test a galvanic isolator that doesn't have a monitoring system
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/21/2019 to
Corrosion
Galvanic isolators are a bit difficult to test. Current ABYC standards require that galvanic isolators be self testing. For testing older isolators without this feature there are a number of methods that can be used, the one that follows is one that I found most useful.
What is a galvanic isolator and why should my shore power system have one?
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/21/2019 to
Corrosion
A galvanic isolator is a device used to block low voltage DC currents coming on board your boat on the shore power ground wire. These currents could cause corrosion to your underwater metals; through hulls, propeller, shaft etc.
Installing a High Power marine alternator on your boat.
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/21/2019 to
Alternators
Arguably, there is no more worthwhile electrical project you can undertake on your boat to improve comfort and convenience than the installation of a high power alternator. Having a high power alternator will provide you with a substantial improvement in the availability of electrical power on board.
Why is my Amp Hour Meter giving strange readings after its winter break?
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/21/2019 to
Battery Monitoring
Amp hour meters do a great job at assisting the boat owner with battery management. They provide an accurate reading of voltage and of amps going in and out of the batteries and by keeping track of these readings over time they can provide a reading of "amp hours" or the state of charge of the battery as a percentage. They also often maintain a record of historical data and can use that to figure out battery efficiency.
How big a battery bank do I need?
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/18/2019 to
Batteries (Conventional)
For most people to answer to this is "as big as possible". Charlie Wing's book the "Boatowners Illustrated handbook of Wiring" has a very good explanation of how to calculate the capacity you need. The calculations start by working out what your daily load will be both at anchor and while underway.
Should I hook up batteries in Parallel or keep them in separate banks?
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/18/2019 to
Batteries (Conventional)
There may be some disadvantages to hooking up batteries in parallel but there are also considerable advantages. The main disadvantage as I see it is that as the batteries get old one will fail first, quite often by getting a shorted cell.
How do I charge two battery banks on my boat and still keep them separate?
Posted by Liam Kennedy on 1/18/2019 to
Batteries (Conventional)
The simplest way, if you can remember to do it, is to turn your battery switch to "BOTH" when charging, and turn it back to 1 or 2 when you are finished. This solution is unsatisfactory for those who sometimes forget and then end up with a flat battery from time to time.
Using Victron Energy equipment with other brands of Lithium Ion batteries
Posted by Peter Kennedy` on 1/14/2019 to
Batteries (Lithium Ion)
Victron Energy offers a suite of equipment for use with their own brand of Lithium Ion batteries. Can that same equipment be used with other brands of batteries? See here what works and what doesnt.......
Upgrading the Firmware in your Victron MultiPlus or Quattro
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 1/2/2019 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
This Blog post explains why you might want to update the Firmware in your MultiPlus or Quattro and how to go about it
New forum: Victron Community opened December 2018
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 12/19/2018 to
System Integration
A new Victron forum has been launched – it’s called Victron Community. You can use it for your questions, as well as for helping other people.
A key to identifying your alternator terminals
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 12/13/2018 to
Alternators
This key might be helpful to identify the output terminals on your alternator
Extreme RV's
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 12/6/2018 to
Camper Vans
This is a collection of photos of an extreme RV that caught our eye
Important firmware update v1.37 for Victron SmartSolar Chargers
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 12/4/2018 to
Solar
Victron recently released firmware update v1.37 for their SmartSolar Chargers. This fix is especially important for all 150V and 250V SmartSolar Charger models. The BlueSolar Charger range is not affected. The new v1.37 firmware fixes a problem that can, in certain cases, cause the device to fail.
Update the firmware in your Smart Lithium Ion Battery and get built-in low temperature protection
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/30/2018 to
Batteries (Lithium Ion)
The latest version of the Victron Connect App has a firmware update for Victron Smart Lithium Ion batteries that allows you to set their low temperature "allow to charge" parameters.
Inverter Specifications: The difference between VA and Watts
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/30/2018 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
The terms Watts and VA are often used interchangeably when referring to inverter specifications, but are they the same?
Victron Glass Bridge System Integration coming in 2019
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/21/2018 to
System Integration
The Victron Venus GX or Color Control GX will be able to provide a seamless plug and play integration with many models of Raymarine, Garmin and Navico MFD's starting in 2019
Data Logging your battery system using the Victron BMV battery monitor and the Victron BMV reader software
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/19/2018 to
Battery Monitoring
Many of our industrial customers would like to be able to set up data logging on their battery systems. With the Victron BMV battery monitor and the Victron BMV Reader software this is an easy project......
An overview of wiring standards for boats in the US
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/16/2018 to
Electrical Standards
he standards that apply to wiring your boat in the US are the ABYC standards and the Code of Federal Regulations Title 33 CFR Sections 183.401 - 183.460 The ABYC standards are voluntary and the CFR standards are mandatory. The ABYC standards incorporate the CFR standards so a boat built to the ABYC Standards should automatically meet the CFR standards. This article is a brief introduction to the subject
Keep your wiring neat and tidy
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/15/2018 to
Projects
Neat wiring is hard to achieve but it makes everything about the project go better. Take a look at these project photos if you need a bit of inspiration.
Programming your Victron MultiPlus Inverter/Charger - Using the dipswitches
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 11/7/2018 to
Victron MultiPlus and Quatro
There are various ways to program the Victron MultiPlus inverter charger, this article details using the dipswitches to do basic programming
How to install a simple shore power system on a small boat
Posted by Peter Kennedy on 10/19/2018 to
Shore Power
This is a description of how to install an ABYC compliant shore power system for a small boat. The goal is to connect to a standard US 30 Amp 120 Volt dock pedestal
Peter Kennedy has been in business since 1991 designing, installing and servicing marine electrical systems. The purpose of this blog is to offer support to both professional installers and do-it-yourself boat owners who wish to undertake this work themselves.
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