Total Rewire - Trying to understand the process

Hi guys,

So I am putting in a new sound system next weekend as well as getting my lifeline L16T's wired in but the shop said they were able to do all the wiring and weld up a rack for my batteries so I'm pretty stoked on that but I just want to make sure I have everything I need and I want to make sure they are doing everything correct as well. Just trying to understand the process.

1) First thing is first, they suggested I get a cheap AGM for my starting battery as my house bank will be AGM. Some people say it's not needed and you can have a flooded battery as the starter but I figure if I can get a cheap AGM it wouldn't hurt.

2) I just installed two 95W solar modules wired as the following:

Solar panels --> Solar controller/regulator (also displays battery charge) --> batteries(not installed yet) --> Inverter fuse --> 1000W Inverter.

Now I have an old power center installed and am hoping to orderThis charger tonight and have it wired in when the batteries and sound system are wired in. From what I hear it's easy enough to just disconnect the 120V wire from the old converter and hook it up to the receptacle on the new deck mount? I just leave the converter in the power system and I have room in a cabinet above for the new deck mount.

Now I'm sure the wire will need to be replaced. I don't really know much about wiring but here is a picture of my old battery

There's two orange wires coming off the positive, Green coming off the negative. Then there is a red wire which the two little wires inside the red wire go to the positive and negative.

There's a ground spot inside the cabin.

I'm also a little confused as in my power center there are a bunch of wires where I'm not really sure where they lead.

Anyway, what I know is the old battery is charged by alternator which I'm sure one of these cables has something to do with it. And the converter.

Which leads me to my next point.

3) They recommended I get an isolator. I'm not really sure what I'm looking for in battery separators. There is This one on the same site I will be getting my converter but I feel that might be a little expensive for an isolator? Not really sure where it is installed but I'm sure the guys will know.

4) Now when my friend installed the solar package he said I could just run an extension cord from my male shore hookup to my inverter to power the outlets inside. You guys here told me that's all cool as long as I turn off the converter. I'm still a little confused on what a transfer switch does. From my understanding it powers the outlets from the inverter when not plugged into shore power, and shore power will power the outlets when plugged in. Which would mean I don't have to worry about turning off the converter?

I'm not sure how it's wired in at all, or if I need a 30Amp one, 50 amp one, etc? My Male shore power cord seems to be a 30Amp one, with an adapter for 15amps? Does that sound right?

So would all I need is a 30amp transfer switch? Like something like this one?

5) I'm still waiting to hear back from the shop, but when we first talked they mentioned something about a switched power source to the stereo. Not sure if anyone can spread some light on what they were talking about.

Fleetwood99
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
Helpful general interactive Flow Chartconcept for RV Electrical systems.

Great little Project you have going. Thanks for posting the process with photos.
westend
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
1) Doesn't make any difference other than---if you set all chargers to AGM setpoints, your chassis battery will also see those voltages. Not really an issue

2)Good but you need a fuse between controller and battery, too.

3)Get a solenoid based isolator instead of solid state, they are more durable and have less voltage drop.

4)When you are unconnected from shore power, you'll want the converter unpowered. Choose an easy way to accomplish this.
BTW, clean up those connectors.

5)May be a good solution as it eliminates the radio's standby power draw and may filter some RF on the incoming power wire.

You still have a lot of unknowns between bullet items #2 and #3. All of those red wires in the distribution panel will need to lead back to the battery positive. A large wire should be used along with a proper lug termination. A battery fuse that considers the whole possible system draw will also be needed. This fuse should be within 18" of the batteries.
A good ground termination will also have to be designed with final ground point leading either to a frame ground pr back to the batteries. The ground lead should be the same size as the larger positive lead to the batteries.

The existing battery wiring depicted in your picture should not be reused. It is substandard for your new installation and will be throwing a lot of power away.
Vic_Bc
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
westend wrote:

2)Good but you need a fuse between controller and battery, too.

I am wired in with Go Power solar, on their website they don't say anything about a fuse between the controller and battery.

Can you go a little more in depth on this?
RJsfishin
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
Fusing and switching adds resistence, and expense. I don't have a fuse or a switch anywhere on my solar system. I don't have a fuse between my converter and 12v dist ribution center/battery either. But I never had a fuse on my 1500 watt inverter either. I'd guess its a matter of how confident you are in the wiring installation, as to how much protection you need. Many heavy circuits run by OEM do not have fuse protection either. That doesn't make it right or wrong.
RJsfishin
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
Speaking of ATSs, I installed one in my previous RV, and always had a problem w/ when firing up the Onan, it would switch all the ac power over to generator power, fine and dandy, but when shutting off the generator, there would be a slight "blip" in the changeover back to inverter, just enuff to shut the tv down ! Use to really upset me, swore then, no more whole house converter. My tv/sat/DVD run on inverter all the time. And I do have a couple dedicated inverter recepticles,
Vic_Bc
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
Ok cool, for now I'll order the charger. I'm curious though as it's a 4-Stage 60amp charger.

What exactly do those figures represent? Like would a 45 amp 4 stage be sufficient ?

This is this what you mean by a solenoid based isolator?
2oldman
Explorer II
Jul 07, 2014
RJsfishin wrote:
Fusing and switching adds resistence, and expense. I don't have a fuse or a switch anywhere on my solar system.
Me neither.
Vic.Bc wrote:
they suggested I get a cheap AGM for my starting battery as my house bank will be AGM.
I didn't know there was such a thing as a cheap AGM.
RJsfishin wrote:
when shutting off the generator, there would be a slight "blip" in the changeover back to inverter, just enuff to shut the tv down ! .. no more whole house converter. My tv/sat/DVD run on inverter all the time.
I am going to install a permanent inverter for the DTV box via a 12v socket, and keep my whole-house. My defunct Prosine never blinked an eye when switching over.
Vic_Bc
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
I started flicking some breakers trying to figure out which ones run what. I'm getting a little flustered.

Are the lights inside your guys's RV wired into the power Center? I flipped all of the breakers and none of the lights went out.

Same thing with the water pump... Still works perfectly with all the breakers flipped
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
"I don't really know much about wiring"

You really need a pal to help you along.
Vic_Bc
Explorer
Jul 07, 2014
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
"I don't really know much about wiring"

You really need a pal to help you along.

I got a couple electrician friends(one installed my solar) but I work 15-18 hour days and never get a chance to see them.