Converter for Leveling system

[TimberGRV]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of putting together a 24v LiFePO4 system with solar and Victron components. I'm selecting a converter to power the 12v appliances and my biggest concern is the leveling system. From what I've read in other threads, the levelers seem to draw 50-60 amps on average with peaks above 70 amps.

Based on this, I think I'm going to go with an Orion 24/12-70: https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Orion.../dp/B01BF5BQLA

According to its specs, it can handle 70 amps of continuous draw and peaks of up to 85 amps. I think this should be sufficient, considering what others have said about their system's amp draw, and also considering the levelers have an 80 amp breaker feeding them.

Does anybody see any issue with this setup? I'll be running a dedicated 2 AWG line from my new batteries to serve the levelers and other DC components in the front compartment.

Thanks in advance for everyone's thoughts.

-Tim

[Soundsailor]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of putting together a 24v LiFePO4 system with solar and Victron components. I'm selecting a converter to power the 12v appliances and my biggest concern is the leveling system. From what I've read in other threads, the levelers seem to draw 50-60 amps on average with peaks above 70 amps.

Based on this, I think I'm going to go with an Orion 24/12-70: https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Orion.../dp/B01BF5BQLA

According to its specs, it can handle 70 amps of continuous draw and peaks of up to 85 amps. I think this should be sufficient, considering what others have said about their system's amp draw, and also considering the levelers have an 80 amp breaker feeding them.

Does anybody see any issue with this setup? I'll be running a dedicated 2 AWG line from my new batteries to serve the levelers and other DC components in the front compartment.

Thanks in advance for everyone's thoughts.

-Tim

Looks like you're pretty new here, welcome to the forum. To me, your reasoning sounds solid. You don't mention which coach you have, that information might help others to know which levelers you're dealing with and how much they might draw.

[xrated]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of putting together a 24v LiFePO4 system with solar and Victron components. I'm selecting a converter to power the 12v appliances and my biggest concern is the leveling system. From what I've read in other threads, the levelers seem to draw 50-60 amps on average with peaks above 70 amps.

Based on this, I think I'm going to go with an Orion 24/12-70: https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Orion.../dp/B01BF5BQLA

According to its specs, it can handle 70 amps of continuous draw and peaks of up to 85 amps. I think this should be sufficient, considering what others have said about their system's amp draw, and also considering the levelers have an 80 amp breaker feeding them.

Does anybody see any issue with this setup? I'll be running a dedicated 2 AWG line from my new batteries to serve the levelers and other DC components in the front compartment.

Thanks in advance for everyone's thoughts.

-Tim

Hello Tim, and welcome. You can certainly use the Orion if that is what you want, but you don't need to worry about the converter/charger supplying the levelers or anything else electrical on the DC side of things....If your battery or batteries are sufficiently charge. All of the 12V stuff will run off of the battery(s). Of course, the larger that the charger part is, the faster the battery will charge up, as it's capable of supplying more charging current than say a 55A converter/charger.

An example: I have 302AH of DIY built LFP battery in my Momentum T.H. and the hydraulic leveling will normally pull around 70 amps for leveling. My converter/charger is a Meanwell NPB-12-750. That unit puts out right at 43A maximum when charging....or less if it is supplying 12V loads at the same time. I always have to make sure that my battery disconnect (300A true disconnect) is turned on...so that the battery will be supplying the power for the hydraulic pump motor and not the charger/converter. Hope this helps.

[TimberGRV]

Looks like you're pretty new here, welcome to the forum. To me, your reasoning sounds solid. You don't mention which coach you have, that information might help others to know which levelers you're dealing with and how much they might draw.

Thanks Soundsailor, we're in a 378 MBS-R. It's got the 6-point Lippert leveling system.

[TimberGRV]

Hello Tim, and welcome. You can certainly use the Orion if that is what you want, but you don't need to worry about the converter/charger supplying the levelers or anything else electrical on the DC side of things....If your battery or batteries are sufficiently charge. All of the 12V stuff will run off of the battery(s). Of course, the larger that the charger part is, the faster the battery will charge up, as it's capable of supplying more charging current than say a 55A converter/charger.

An example: I have 302AH of DIY built LFP battery in my Momentum T.H. and the hydraulic leveling will normally pull around 70 amps for leveling. My converter/charger is a Meanwell NPB-12-750. That unit puts out right at 43A maximum when charging....or less if it is supplying 12V loads at the same time. I always have to make sure that my battery disconnect (300A true disconnect) is turned on...so that the battery will be supplying the power for the hydraulic pump motor and not the charger/converter. Hope this helps.

Thanks xrated,

Understood on the batteries running the levelers - but in this case, I'm going to be installing a 24v battery system, hence the need for the converter. Just need to it take convert the battery voltage down to 12v to run those appliances, but want to make sure it can handle the amp draw needed.

Thanks again.

[Second Chance]

Thanks Soundsailor, we're in a 378 MBS-R. It's got the 6-point Lippert leveling system.

To clarify, that's a hydraulic system (Lippert also makes electric leveling systems).

Rob

[TimberGRV]

To clarify, that's a hydraulic system (Lippert also makes electric leveling systems).

Rob

Thanks Rob. Yes, that's correct. From what I've read, the pump draws 50-70 amps when running the levelers. I wouldn't be running any other significant draws while running the levelers so I'm hoping the Orion converter will be appropriate.

[xrated]

Thanks Rob. Yes, that's correct. From what I've read, the pump draws 50-70 amps when running the levelers. I wouldn't be running any other significant draws while running the levelers so I'm hoping the Orion converter will be appropriate.

I don't recall ever seeing amperage as low as 50 on mine.....6pt. hydraulic leveling also. Every time I checked it, it always been in the 60s up to right at 70A when the weather was colder. And I gotcha now....you are going to be using 24V batteries.

[TimberGRV]

I don't recall ever seeing amperage as low as 50 on mine.....6pt. hydraulic leveling also. Every time I checked it, it always been in the 60s up to right at 70A when the weather was colder. And I gotcha now....you are going to be using 24V batteries.

Ok, great! Sounds like the converter should be able to handle it. It has an adjustable output voltage, so I'm thinking I could even set it to a slightly higher voltage, say 12.8v, to lower that current draw a little.

Thanks again.

[xrated]

Ok, great! Sounds like the converter should be able to handle it. It has an adjustable output voltage, so I'm thinking I could even set it to a slightly higher voltage, say 12.8v, to lower that current draw a little.

Thanks again.

You could go even higher if needed. My LFP battery when fully charged is right around 14.5 to 14.6V. That would definitely reduce the current a bit.