Installing Victron Components
In motion altering cabinet to accommodate Victron LYNX Distributor and Multi Plus 3000 Watt Inverter. I looked at the cabinet space and thought, hey, I bet I could fit more and better electronics int...
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It was unusable space. The battery compartment is in there but accessible from the outside. I was able to squeeze the mppt controller, 50 amp dc charger, wire junction blocks, and a mess of wire stuffed in there. My old inverter was just outside that area under the front of oven. The old shore power supply, dead for years is in the sink compartment soon to be removed, replaced by the victron 3000 watt inverter charger. You can see the original cabinet configuration in the opening post, this reply brings you up to date on current progress. Need to make a couple wires today, get a couple fuses of various sizes, ond build the doors. Future plans include another battery, 200 watts more solar, more efficient quieter AC unit.
The original purpose of the space was to conceal vent pipes and to provide a step up to the fold down upper dinette bunk. I think this is a much, much better use of the space.
nice. I get to start opening up areas and see where I can put my battery and a charger and stuff when I get my camper next week. I was looking at the victron but I can't justify the price. right now I am looking at the renogy revo 3000 watt charger/inverter with the renogy 1 add on. it will come in less than buying just a multiplus by about 300 bucks and I get the monitoring from anywhere in the world, power trends and stuff like the cerbo does, with out having to spend another 300 bucks. so saving 600 bucks. the one thing it has that the cerbo doesnt is a 6 axis leveling sensor so I can display how level it is in real time when I am pulling into a campground on my phone and get it as level as possible before I add boards and such to fine tune it. but that is all subject to change dependin on where there is space to put it haha
A few years back at the truck camper rally in Q, I met a very capable woman who pulled her under step fresh tank, installed two tanks to either side, connecting them with a 2" pvc pipe at the bottom. She opened up space under her step and installed all her electro ics in that newly created soace. I thought it was a great idea, everything fit so nicely. I'm sure an epiphany is heading your way. I went with the Victron because it has such a rock solid reputation and can be upgraded as needed with accessories.
It really comes down to, whatever works.
oh ya, I have some ideas. the first I want to check out is under the step up into the bed area. thats where they have the power center so all the runs would be short, and it would involve me cutting the plastic liner for the battery box out and sealing the vents. but all the runs would be very short for wire. the second area is under the forward dinet seat. the plywood top is screwed down not removable like a normal rv, and the first 18" is drawers so I am suspecting there is a 24x 30 space at least behind thoes, and the wire run would be under 7 feet so not to bad.
I was surfing YT for truck camper solar installations last night just to see what others had done. Several had removed the drawer under the stove/oven and installed their entire systems there. The Victron Multi Plus II, long and thin version, fits flat under stove with other components flat arou d it and other smaller like Victron Distributor mounted on wall behind stove along with other electronics. Worked pretty well but you need to have remote access via bluetooth or other means and a master on/off switch.
I need to go to HD for some 3/4 plywood andsome contact cement, vinyl woodlike edgingand I'll be finished. I'm happy with what I've done. Created useabl space out of non usable space, and right next to the batteries.
To help pay for the system, I'm going to run a power cord into the house so we can run the big screen and a couple other things within load parameters to cut electrical cost.
Funny thing, I installed all LED lighting in the house thinking I'd see a little reduction in my bill. Didn't happen, virtually the same cost. We'll see how this goes. TV is one of our biggest users. It's an older Plasma TV running around 600+ watts. Beautiful picture.
Hope your project progresses as smoothly/frustratingly well as my project has.
