Go Power Inverter/Sun Cycle batteries

**rrlowen** · 10-28-2020, 12:31 PM

I am designing a power system for our recently purchased 303rls. One of the options is Go Power for the inverter and Sun Cycle for batteries. I am looking for feedback from any owners who have this equipment - good and bad.
Thanks

**boyscout** · 10-28-2020, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by rrlowen

I am designing a power system for our recently purchased 303rls. One of the options is Go Power for the inverter and Sun Cycle for batteries. I am looking for feedback from any owners who have this equipment - good and bad.
Thanks

I do not have a solar system, and am not expert in them.

I've recently finished installing Go Power's 3000-watt inverter in our trailer. I bought it for boondocking almost four years ago before my wife corrected my notion that we'd be doing a lot of boondocking. She has lately warmed to the idea somewhat. We have four Trojan T-105 batteries.

I bought it when I knew even less about these things than I do now. It has barely been used since I finished installing it, but I have a serious complaint about it already. When it's got a heavy load on it the device winds up its fan(s) and sounds loudly like a jet engine, very plainly audible in all parts of the trailer.

Even if there are no other issues when we begin using it a lot, had I not bought it way back when I would not buy it now. I've installed it leaving the OEM WFC955 converter in place, which is not the best or most versatile battery charger around, and I've wired it through the transfer switch I already had because our trailer has the generator prep option that we're not using.

Starting fresh as you are I might buy one of the Magnum products:

https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/mo...erter-chargers

These are

(a) very popular and well-praised here and elsewhere; search this site with Google and you'll find informative threads,

(b) known by many mobile technicians,

(c) offer more-adjustable and more versatile charging of batteries,

(d) include their own transfer switch

(e) include smart features for getting the most out of batteries and shore power, especially when both are online,

(f) somewhat expensive

Another popular brand, very good equipment but IMO bulky, is Victron:

https://www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers

Victron has a more-comprehensive system of components that work well together and "talk" to each other, including more tools and toys for solar systems and battery balancing, than Magnum does. Victron, too, is not cheap.

These two product lines dominate discussion here; Go Power is only rarely mentioned. But to sum up, for me a modern inverter/charger is the only way to go and the way I would go if I was starting fresh.

Finally regarding batteries, I haven't seen the Sun Cycle name here. However most of the buzz here for a while has been about lithium batteries (Battle Born being most popular). The AGMs you're considering are certainly less expensive, and some kindred spirits who haven't been sucked into the lithium vortex may arrive here to advise you better than I can.

Hope this helps.

**FOWLERGK** · 10-29-2020, 11:03 AM

To Marks point - I am in installation phase with a Magnum MSH3012RV Hybrid 3k inverter and three Battle Born batteries in a Solitude 375RES-R trailer. Do your research and purchase what you have budgeted for. You can quickly get into $5k to $6k purchase before considering adding Solar.

Keep us posted on your endeavor.

**rrlowen** · 10-29-2020, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by FOWLERGK

To Marks point - I am in installation phase with a Magnum MSH3012RV Hybrid 3k inverter and three Battle Born batteries in a Solitude 375RES-R trailer. Do your research and purchase what you have budgeted for. You can quickly get into $5k to $6k purchase before considering adding Solar.

Keep us posted on your endeavor.

FOWLERGK: That looks like a good inverter choice but pricey. Are you full time? We have limited usage of our RV - max is 6 weeks a year - so I try to temper my purchases with that in mind. I have now ordered the Go Power inverter and Sun Cycle batteries. Hope it works out OK.

**rrlowen** · 10-29-2020, 12:33 PM

Thanks, Mark. The market for Lithium batteries has changed drastically since I first bought in 2018. There are so many choices now, it's hard to know what's best. I look for the 10 year warranty and a good set of specs and then the best price, in that order. I will install 2 - 315w solar panels, a 3kw inverter and 4 - 100AH Lithium batteries, with some Bluetooth capabilities for monitoring. We boondock 95% of the time but only for about 6 weeks a year.
The Sun Cycle batteries I referred to are Lithium. Probably not as good as Battle Born but for our use, should be OK since it will save us about $1,700.

**boyscout** · 10-29-2020, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by rrlowen

Thanks, Mark. The market for Lithium batteries has changed drastically since I first bought in 2018. There are so many choices now, it's hard to know what's best. I look for the 10 year warranty and a good set of specs and then the best price, in that order. I will install 2 - 315w solar panels, a 3kw inverter and 4 - 100AH Lithium batteries, with some Bluetooth capabilities for monitoring. We boondock 95% of the time but only for about 6 weeks a year.
The Sun Cycle batteries I referred to are Lithium. Probably not as good as Battle Born but for our use, should be OK since it will save us about $1,700.

Going that route you'll want to change the converter in your trailer - the WFC converter that Grand Design installs won't properly charge the lithiums. Given the amperage you'll want to charge the four batteries you likely also have to upgrade the wiring from the converter to the batteries. At least one person here has moved the converter into the battery compartment to reduce the distance between it and the batteries.

Good luck.

**rrlowen** · 10-29-2020, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by boyscout

Going that route you'll want to change the converter in your trailer - the WFC converter that Grand Design installs won't properly charge the lithiums. Given the amperage you'll want to charge the four batteries you likely also have to upgrade the wiring from the converter to the batteries. At least one person here has moved the converter into the battery compartment to reduce the distance between it and the batteries.

Good luck.

You are correct about the converter. But since the new inverter is also a battery charger and a transfer switch, we will remove the converter and it's wiring. The charger puts out 125A which should be adequate. Battery location is as yet undetermined but I will try to get them and the inverter oriented to the curb side to offset the weight of the kitchen on the street side. they will probably go on the forward wall in the pass-through storage. And the inverter will either go in the front storage bin or in the pass-through beside the batteries.

**boyscout** · 10-30-2020, 04:47 AM

Originally Posted by rrlowen

You are correct about the converter. But since the new inverter is also a battery charger and a transfer switch, we will remove the converter and it's wiring. The charger puts out 125A which should be adequate. Battery location is as yet undetermined but I will try to get them and the inverter oriented to the curb side to offset the weight of the kitchen on the street side. they will probably go on the forward wall in the pass-through storage. And the inverter will either go in the front storage bin or in the pass-through beside the batteries.

Sorry, I guess I haven’t kept up on what Go Power is doing. They didn’t have inverter-chargers when I bought my device. Good luck.