Progressive PD9160ALV 60Amp install

[cookinwitdiesel]

I hope your response helps the original poster to this thread. It has helped me understand more. From what I am reading here there are two approaches, reuse the existing 6awg wire and just replace the converter or replace the converter and run a new larger wire diectly from the converter to the batteries and abandon the original wire from the panel to the batteries.

My understanding is running the new wire is to incease efficiency. The other concern is safety. The original converter was 55amp and the lithium converter is 60amp. Does the extra 5 amps with the new converter overload the 6awg originally installed cable? I asked multiple people this quesion including GD and everyone said no problem using the existing cable. So if the existing cable does not present a safety concern then what is the reason for installing the larger cable? It will be more edficient and the battery will charge faster. Ok where would this come into play? If you were deeply discharging your batteries and wanting the fastest recharge. This scenario does not apply if you are plugged in all the time or if you have a solar system doing most or all of the charging. I see it would apply if you were dry camping and recharged when you got home or if you were using a generator to recharge the batteries. My next question would be how much more efficient would the larger cable be? Will it significantly reduce charging time with a generator? If not and there are no safety concerns with the 6awg then leaving the original cable would by far be the easiest option. Interesting things to think about.

When I installed Battle Born batteries, 2, and replaced the converter I left the original 6awg cable. The only time I would charge from the generator would be if my solar system does not fill the batteries. So unless someone tells me there is a safety problem with using the 60amp converter on the 6awg wire or there is another big advantage then I don’t see a need for adding a larger wire. I am interested in any comments others have on this topic.

The matter of safety will depend largely on the quality of the cable used. Nominally, you will see 6awg cable ranging from 45a to 100a rated capacity depending on the quality and vendor. Any wire that I add to my trailer, is welding cable from WindNation. It is high quality copper and high strand count for added flexibility and ease to work with. They CLAIM that their 6awg is good up to 115 amps although I do not ever intend to find out. This is well above what you will typically see 6awg rated for. I keep the use cases for 6awg to around 50a.

As for efficiency. Efficiency with cabling is a matter of voltage drop. The cable is essentially a resistor. If you apply Ohm's law (V=I*R), the higher the current across the cable, the greater the voltage drop that occurs. This energy is lost as heat as the cable heats up. This loss is represented as less efficiency. Larger cables have lower internal resistance and thereby less voltage drop at a given current. This is also why the rated (and recommended) current for a given cable size goes down as the length of the cable grows - to try to manage/minimize voltage drop. Alternatively, at a given power (P=V*I=(I^2)*R), a higher voltage will lead to a lower current which also manifests as a lower voltage drop and higher efficiency (see 24v and 48v systems).

All are important factors when designing and building your system. Personally, I use the largest cables that I can fit whenever possible for both the added safety margin AND the added efficiency. But I balance that with what is reasonable. I rebuilt the 12v side of my trailer but did still use the factory wire from the busbars to the DC panel. It is sufficient and already there. As noted, I have removed the factory converter and its associated wiring.

[J&J___]

The matter of safety will depend largely on the quality of the cable used. Nominally, you will see 6awg cable ranging from 45a to 100a rated capacity depending on the quality and vendor. Any wire that I add to my trailer, is welding cable from WindNation. It is high quality copper and high strand count for added flexibility and ease to work with. They CLAIM that their 6awg is good up to 115 amps although I do not ever intend to find out. This is well above what you will typically see 6awg rated for. I keep the use cases for 6awg to around 50a.

As for efficiency. Efficiency with cabling is a matter of voltage drop. The cable is essentially a resistor. If you apply Ohm's law (V=I*R), the higher the current across the cable, the greater the voltage drop that occurs. This energy is lost as heat as the cable heats up. This loss is represented as less efficiency. Larger cables have lower internal resistance and thereby less voltage drop at a given current. This is also why the rated (and recommended) current for a given cable size goes down as the length of the cable grows - to try to manage/minimize voltage drop. Alternatively, at a given power (P=V*I=(I^2)*R), a higher voltage will lead to a lower current which also manifests as a lower voltage drop and higher efficiency (see 24v and 48v systems).

All are important factors when designing and building your system. Personally, I use the largest cables that I can fit whenever possible for both the added safety margin AND the added efficiency. But I balance that with what is reasonable. I rebuilt the 12v side of my trailer but did still use the factory wire from the busbars to the DC panel. It is sufficient and already there. As noted, I have removed the factory converter and its associated wiring.

Thanks for the information.

[gbkims]

My original 6 Awg wires are marked: 6 Awg (UL) E83039 Type MTW 600V VW-1 AWM 1283... CSA TEW 105°C
Closest info I found for it: 600V Single Core UL 1015 / 1283 / 1284 Hook-Up Wire (UL, CSA) https://us.misumi-ec.com/vona2/detail/110500115460/

I have welding and marine cable as well a a bit of the original wire in use.

Blue Sea gives some info for marine? 105°C wire
http://assets.bluesea.com/files/reso.../980006450.pdf
http://assets.bluesea.com/files/reso...ence/20010.pdf

Ancor Marine Grade Primary Wire & Battery Cable
https://www.ancorproducts.com/en/~/m...6732-49343.pdf
https://www.ancorproducts.com/en/~/m...1902-49961.pdf

OEM Wire:

[NASCAR9]

Installed my Progressive converter, 2 Battle Born batteries, Victron Bluetooth battery monitor, and Renogy Pure Sine 2000w inverter. I tried to get the 2 gauge wire in the Progressive converter and it would not fit. It could be because I used welding cable with many wires so it was too flexible. I ended up coming out of the converter with a 6 gauge six inch pig tail and a mechanical connection to my 2 gauge to the bus bar. I connected all the battery connection with 2.0 welding cable.

[FOWLERGK]

Very nice an neat. My plan is same with PD Converter, BB batteries and keeping my existing 1k Inverter that came with the Rig for the Residential Refrig. Plan outside of this is Renogy 2k inverter and adding solar.

Good job on your install. Lots of Money in those two pictures

[NASCAR9]

Just got back from a 1,300-mile camping trip so I figured I’d give a follow up on my build. The main purpose of doing the upgrade was to be able to run our 12' Dometic fridge on AC 110 while driving from home to a camp spot. The fridge had been running 2 days at a colder setting than we normally run the fridge. Before we left, I reset the fridge setting from 8 to 6. My batteries lasted a little over 4 hours before I needed to switch to propane. This was very disappointing to me as in my research, I assumed I would be able to get 10-12 hours of battery use.
I talked to Battle Born and they were helpful, as always, but it’s not a warranty issue with the batteries.
I emailed Renogy twice over a month and a half and still no response. I don’t think the converter is the problem either, but I’ll never buy anything from Renogy again.
I’ll have to make a decision to either add more battery power or run a heavy wire from the truck battery pulling more amps to the batteries in the RV. The heavy wire setup will require more than just wire. I’ll post what I did once I decide.
A third choice would be a residential fridge since they draw less power.

[cookinwitdiesel]

Just got back from a 1,300-mile camping trip so I figured I’d give a follow up on my build. The main purpose of doing the upgrade was to be able to run our 12' Dometic fridge on AC 110 while driving from home to a camp spot. The fridge had been running 2 days at a colder setting than we normally run the fridge. Before we left, I reset the fridge setting from 8 to 6. My batteries lasted a little over 4 hours before I needed to switch to propane. This was very disappointing to me as in my research, I assumed I would be able to get 10-12 hours of battery use.
I talked to Battle Born and they were helpful, as always, but it’s not a warranty issue with the batteries.
I emailed Renogy twice over a month and a half and still no response. I don’t think the converter is the problem either, but I’ll never buy anything from Renogy again.
I’ll have to make a decision to either add more battery power or run a heavy wire from the truck battery pulling more amps to the batteries in the RV. The heavy wire setup will require more than just wire. I’ll post what I did once I decide.
A third choice would be a residential fridge since they draw less power.

The absorption fridges draw a LOT of electrical power and are hogs on battery if using AC power.

[FOWLERGK]

Just got back from a 1,300-mile camping trip so I figured I’d give a follow up on my build. The main purpose of doing the upgrade was to be able to run our 12' Dometic fridge on AC 110 while driving from home to a camp spot. The fridge had been running 2 days at a colder setting than we normally run the fridge. Before we left, I reset the fridge setting from 8 to 6. My batteries lasted a little over 4 hours before I needed to switch to propane. This was very disappointing to me as in my research, I assumed I would be able to get 10-12 hours of battery use.
I talked to Battle Born and they were helpful, as always, but it’s not a warranty issue with the batteries.
I emailed Renogy twice over a month and a half and still no response. I don’t think the converter is the problem either, but I’ll never buy anything from Renogy again.
I’ll have to make a decision to either add more battery power or run a heavy wire from the truck battery pulling more amps to the batteries in the RV. The heavy wire setup will require more than just wire. I’ll post what I did once I decide.
A third choice would be a residential fridge since they draw less power.

I installed 2 BB 100ah lifepo4 plus Victron BMV-712 monitor and upgraded converter to PD Lithium compatible. My trailer has the residential Samsung frig and 1k Inverter supplied by GD. During trips after i get the frig cooled down on shore power and leveled out as far as desired interior temps. I am seeing 15 plus hours of running off of the inverter.

[NASCAR9]

This is my next install. Hope this will keep the batteries charged.

[Jims94vmx]

If moving battery (s) to inside next to the stock spot for converter, can I just leave the 6 gauge hooked up to power front compartment and add a short run of 4 gauge from 2nd terminals on PD converter?

I am trying to visualize how wires are run. My existing stock wires on converter are black and white. Dissappear under floor.

Up front I see red black 6 gauge coming through wall to shutoff?, then to busbar/cb?

Is front compartment busbar getting it's power from converter? Or battery that connects in stock configuration?

I just want to take my BB soon to be BB'S from front to behind basement wall next to new PD converter.....

Keep rereading posts on that aha moment has not clicked yet. Getting all my solar parts coming in, so big reason to move batteries.
Thanks