Other 12V Sources with a 24V-12V converter
Switching to a 24V battery bank has gone well so far. The 40A Victron 24V-12V converter seems to handle all my 12V loads without issue. It keeps the V at about 13.2V But a question: there can some...
Forum Discussion
Where do you get power for the emergency brakes (break-away switch)? The 24-12 converter or a dedicated 12v battery somewhere?
If it were my truck and trailer, I would not want the DC-DC converter and the truck alternator fighting over the 12v rail. The truck is likely to win that argument, since it's higher output voltage would cause the converter to back down, assuming the converter is 12.0 vDC and the truck is 13.x vDC ... but then again, at the end of the "charge line", the voltage drop can be pretty steep (it is on my rig)
Regarding what 12v source to use while you're on shore power, use whichever one provides more current. If you have a 24v battery charger (maybe built into the inverter?), there's no problem using the Victron all the time, as long as 40 amps DC is enough for your needs. If your on board AC-DC converter is more powerful, and it's easy to shut the Victron off, go that route. You could even an automatic disconnect solenoid even, when the shore power converter is powered up, it pulls the plug on the 24-12 converter.
If it were my truck and trailer, I would not want the DC-DC converter and the truck alternator fighting over the 12v rail. The truck is likely to win that argument, since it's higher output voltage would cause the converter to back down, assuming the converter is 12.0 vDC and the truck is 13.x vDC ... but then again, at the end of the "charge line", the voltage drop can be pretty steep (it is on my rig)
Regarding what 12v source to use while you're on shore power, use whichever one provides more current. If you have a 24v battery charger (maybe built into the inverter?), there's no problem using the Victron all the time, as long as 40 amps DC is enough for your needs. If your on board AC-DC converter is more powerful, and it's easy to shut the Victron off, go that route. You could even an automatic disconnect solenoid even, when the shore power converter is powered up, it pulls the plug on the 24-12 converter.
