Feedback Requested on Electrical Concept

[Midwilshire]

After receiving great feedback, we've updated our electrical plan.  We're going with a 24v system and will tie in to the alternator for charging.  Before we draw up a schematic, we'd very much appreciate the Board's scrutiny of the revised plan.  Please fire away...

[robertglines1]

water pumps more  common in 12 volt--I use 12 volt led (rite or wrong) You can get replacement about everywhere in 12 volt.

[Geoff]

Ridiculous.

[robertglines1]

Just remember to balance your electrical load in your shore-power box between legs.  example  one ac on one side and other opposite.   That way when you transfer your gen set in your load will be balanced. Look and see how you contact in you box is laid out. this might be as simple as putting them one under another or might require a total separation.

[belfert]

Unlike Geoff, I will provide some constructive commentary.  Geoff has made it quite clear he prefers 12 volt over 24 volt.

I think you're overly complicating things with the extra transfer switches and all that.  The MS4024 has a transfer switch that will handle two legs at 30 amps each.  Your diagram seems a little unclear as you've connected 115 volts and 24 volts together in some places from what I can tell.  The Honda EU6500is is a nice generator, but it is designed to sit outside, not enclosed and not run while on the road.  (Maybe you aren't going to run the generator on the road with the 50DN.)  Hauling gas for a generator can be a pain compared to a diesel model.

[Cary and Don]

I would suggest you go to some of the web sites that sell inverters and down load some manuals for them.  This will tell you how to wire up your system.  Most of your diagram seems way off.  You won't need any transfer switch at all if you buy some inverters.  It isn't that complicated.  Trace and Xantrex are just a couple names.  Some of your diagram looks wrong,  but we haven't done solar panels.  All dc should run through your batteries.  You might want to ask what everyone thinks of solar.  

Don and Cary
1973 05 Eagle
GM 4107
Neoplan AN340

[Midwilshire]

Just remember to balance your electrical load in your shore-power box between legs.

When there is 240VAC/50Amp shore service available, is there also 120VAC/30Amp available?  Or is it an either/or proposition?

[robertglines1]

 when there is 50 amp on post there is 30 amp and usually a 20 amp plug also     30 amp at almost all campgrounds. 50 amp getting at most(80%)  so your good to go. My comment about the 12 volt pump was intended to say if it quits you could go to any rv dealer and get one off shelf. I have not found that to be true with 24volt.  Bob

[Midwilshire]

I would suggest you go to some of the web sites that sell inverters and down load some manuals for them.  This will tell you how to wire up your system.

Great advice.  I just did that for the MS4024, and it confirmed most of my plan.  It also recommended a bypass switch to cut the inverter out of the equation, which I just added after reading that.

[John316]

Mid,

Welcome aboard. I have followed your beginnings but not responded to them yet. I think you are off to a great start. The more you can plan out, the better. Good for you.

I completely agree with the 24v thing. That makes a lot of sense. Our electrical system is made up of a 20KW Kubota genset, 2 4000 watt Trace inverters, 6 8D deep cycle batteries, all 120V in the cabin, 24V water pump. You will do just fine with the 24v. No worries.

One minor comment that I might have, but then again maybe not. You might want to simplify your system just a tad. The subpanels might not be totally needed, depending on what you are using. We have two small (100 amp each, so not too small) panels that we use for all of our AC. One before the inverters for when we are on shore power. The other is after the inverters and everything else in the cabin. Like I said, though, if you are using smaller panels, it might make sense to locate them different places.

I do agree on the transfer switches. Might not need all of them.

Your forsight and planning is impressive. Good work. I look forward to seeing the build.

God bless,

John

[Midwilshire]

I think you are off to a great start. The more you can plan out, the better. Good for you.

I do agree on the transfer switches. Might not need all of them.

John

John,

Thanks for your positive yet critical feedback.  I'll look more at what I'm trying to accomplish with the switches and see if I can figure out a simpler way of going about it.

-Mike

[desi arnaz]

My god! You people are fantastic....you are the only people here that are more Percice and anal than the master of Percice,Sean welsh..who can write 4pages on how to change your socks properly .your plans are 2nd to none! Keep up the good work!  You are going to have a bueatifal bus.

[chev49]

other than a tad overcomplicated, they do make 3 way transfer switches... just saying...
i use 12v system only and with inverter am going to install a 3 way transfer switch...

[Jeremy]

A couple of things strike me about the solar panel arrangement - neither are criticisms, merely questions:

- Is there any real purpose for the direct link between the charge controller and the 24v sub panel? I cannot really imagine a scenario where you'd want to isolate the battery and try to run the DC side of the bus directly off the solar panels

- You've got a 24v charge controller, which is logical for a 24v system. But in my limited experience solar panels come in two varieties - either those for domestic 'grid tie' use, or those for recreational use on boats and motorhomes etc - of the latter type, all the ones I've seen have been aimed at 12v systems. I found a tech-spec of the 'Astroenergy 290w' panel mentioned in your diagram (http://www.astronergy.com/attch/product/CHSM6612M.pdf), and these have an open circuit output of 45v and an under-load output of 32v. I'm curious to know whether these outputs are correct for feeding into a 24v charge controller - I'm not suggesting that there's any chance of damaging it, simply wondering whether, with those panels, you'll be spending good money for solar panel capacity which you'd then be wasting.


Jeremy

(My bus will also be entirely 24v by the way).

[belfert]

I forgot to mention the water pump.  I use the Flojet Sensor VSD.  It can run on either 12 volt or 24 volt.  This pump is fairly common and I know Camping World carries it.  Many RV dealers probably carry it too.