Electrical Mod -- Feedback Requested

[howson]

Howard...everything looks great! One item you might want to consider is the location of the BMV-712. I installed ours next to the CCGX in the trailer and after going on our first trip with the new system I am not able to bluetooth into the BMV-712 when inside my truck. I can connect to the solar charger since that is located in the front bay but not the BMV-712 since it is too far away. I only mention this in case you want to be able to check the batteries while going down the road.

Part of the reason for our install was to be able to run both fridges while driving and not use the propane for our larger fridge. I was hoping to be able to check the BMV-712 but couldn't while on the road. The good thing is we have so much solar that our batteries where 100% charged when showing up to camp after 5 hours of driving and driving home it was rainy/cloudy and they were close to 90%.

I only mention this in case you do want to be able to check your battery status from the truck. In hindsight, I probably would have installed the BMV-712 in the front bay close to the truck. I also find myself only checking the CCGX when in the trailer.

Thanks, Damon--that's a fantastic report of a first-hand experience. I haven't finalized anything yet, so I'll give this some thought. (I'm thinking on that panel with the shutoff switches may be a perfect spot for the BMV-712.)

[JColeman]

... (I'm thinking on that panel with the shutoff switches may be a perfect spot for the BMV-712.)

Good idea. That panel you built is ripe for more controls all in the same place.

[howson]

Help.

Below is how I intend to connect the existing DC circuitry in my 315RLTS to my new setup. The OEM wiring is 6ga from the battery (both the red and black wires are 6ga).

Here's the goal/rationale for how I want to connect them:
- With the original red (+) battery cable connection routed to the OUT of Shutoff 1 I can disconnect ALL 12V power to the trailer if desired by turning Shutoff 1 OFF.
- With the output of Shutoff 2 connected to the original OEM battery disconnect OUT on the self-resetting c/b, I can remove 12V power as originally intended by the OEM by leaving Shutoff 1 ON. and turning Shutoff 2 OFF.

I'm not sure about where I'm connecting Shutoff 1's OUT wire to the self-resetting C/B. Should I use the original battery connection (as shown in the drawing) or the original OEM battery disconnect IN terminal (the terminal above the OEM battery terminal).

Picture #2 is is exactly how the c/b looked before anything was disconnected.

[Country Campers]

Howard

Your schematic looks to be right. Instead of running a second wire back to the CB strip for power to the converter would it be closer to go directly to the converter. The black wire on the bottom of the left CB should be going to the converter.

Brian

[howson]

Howard

Your schematic looks to be right. Instead of running a second wire back to the CB strip for power to the inverter would it be closer to go directly to the inverter. The black wire on the bottom of the left CB should be going to the inverter.

Brian

Brian,
Thanks for the reply!

The inverter is powered by a 4/0 cable connected to the output of Shutoff 2. It's only about 6" distant. The drawing below may help you visualize. Note the OEM DC wiring in this drawing is NOT updated with the info in my earlier post.

-Howard

[Country Campers]

Howard

Sorry I should have said converter. Will edit that post.

Brian

[howson]

Howard

Sorry I should have said converter. Will edit that post.

Brian

No problem--but the original WFCO Converter is being removed. The Victron is both an Inverter and the charger (aka "Converter").

[howson]

This may be long...forgive me in advance.

1) I did some research after Damon's post about not being able to connect via Bluetooth to the battery monitor (BMV-712, or BM) with it installed near the hutch (middle of the trailer) while driving his truck. After reading his post I considered installing the BM in the pass thru and the CCGX (Color Monitor, or monitor) near the hutch in the kitchen. Unfortunately I found the monitor and BM require a VE Direct cable connection. They don't make a cable long enough to reach. (It's not a direct route where I'm routing my wires. I need almost 50'!)

What I'm going to do is install both the monitor and BM in the pass thru, directly under the access door from the bedroom. From inside the trailer I'll flip open the door and the panels will be right there to view and operate. The pass-thru won't be accessible anyway due to the batteries. This will allow me to connect the two components together and take full advantage of the bluetooth connection capabilities. The side effect is I have a LOT less work to do in the hutch area--yea! (Thanks again for the post, Damon. I appreciate it.)



2) Installed the insulation to the front and rear walls of the pass-thru.



3) Ran the second 6/3 cable and removed the data cables. (I need to get two short ones!)

4) Removed the OEM Furrion Solar connection wiring. The inside wall behind the connector was demolished by the factory so I'll have to install a dummy electrical plate. (What GD put there to cover their mess is too big.) The side benefit to removing the solar wiring is I can now seal up the gap under the front cap completely without working around wires. (The solar wires were one set and the OEM shutoff switch wires were the other set.)

5) Ran 6 ga wires to connect the new 12V battery system to the trailer's 12V system. (Look a few posts back to read the full story on that issue.)

6) Crimped my first wires. The first two weren't anything to brag about, but I think I figured it out.



7) Francine (she's awesome!) worked on recovering the front panel and has it ready for installation. That work is scheduled for tomorrow. I'm going to replace the OEM GFCI with a standard box/outlet while I'm at it. (One wire in the factory's outlet literally just fell out of the box when I took the back off. The outlet worked, so the wire must have just made enough contact.)

[howson]

I couldn't sleep--kept thinking about the DC wiring. It bugged me that I didn't completely understand what I was looking at on the trailer and I couldn't visualize how it was wired. More importantly, I wasn't fully confident where I was going to connect the wires. So I did more research.

I now know that the trailer has 3 auto-reset breakers. Below is a diagram showing the original OEM wiring and a diagram showing how I'm going to connect everything.







Note the attachments were updated based on Brian's input in the post below. (Thanks!)

I also changed the connection to the trailer AFTER the 400A fuse so the charge wire is protected should it short to the trailer frame.

[Country Campers]

Howard

The "gold" side of the breaker is the power side , the "silver" is the load side. I learned this on my battery disconnect thread.
On the OEM picture the red wire from the battery , this also has a black wire with it as well , this black wire is for the emergency break away for the brakes, this needs to stay this way.
It is also important to determine the charge wire from the truck plug , this needs to be hooked to the battery circuit if you are going to use that for charging while driving also, this should go thru a circuit breaker before going to the battery circuit so if there is a problem the breaker will trip and not damage the battery , I learned this also.

Brian