Converting to Solar/AGM

Vic.Bc wrote:

westend wrote:
It may be that other circuits are also powered by the circuit breaker for the converter. That, you should also check.

You may also wish to upgrade the wire from converter to batteries, AGM can accept large charge current.

Could you touch on that first point a little more? I'm not really sure what you mean.

As for wire. 4 gauge? 8 gague?

As for the alternator charging the batteries, I'm still not really sure how that's wired to the battery.

A circuit breaker offers over-current protection to any devices wired to that circuit. It may be that the circuit breaker that powers your converter also powers receptacles, appliances, etc. If using an inverter and powering the whole AC panel, wishing to only disconnect the converter by using the circuit breaker, you may remove power for other devices when the circuit breaker is tripped. That's why you should check other devices, to see if they operate when the converter's circuit breaker is tripped.

At a minimum 4 AWG is my opinion. I have AGM's that will accept any current for charging. Your AGM's probably have a charge limit but it will be high in comparison to FLA batteries. You will want to get that charge into the batteries as quickly as possible. That means bigger wire is better. I used 4AWG but my converter is 0ne foot from the batteries.

I think you;re going to find that a van's alternator is a poor method for charging big batteries like that (unless you have an ambulance alternator, the last one I saw was 600A). The solar is definitely going to help but I think you'll hit a wall at night trying to run concert level sound. A generator is where I think you'll end up if this is put in use.