question

marlo avatar image
marlo asked

SmartSolar Charge Controller + Energy Blue Smart charger connected to a battery at the same time?

Hey,
is it possible to connect and operate the Victron MTTP SmartSolar Charge Controller 100/20 and the Victron 230V battery Charger (Energy Blue Smart IP22) to a LiFePo4 battery at the same time? Or will it damage the devices? If so what would be a good option to have everything hooked up together?
MPPT Controllerscharger
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6 Answers
alex-rhys-hurn avatar image
alex-rhys-hurn answered ·

Hi,

In general, yes, you can connect multiple DC charging sources together on a single Bus Bar.

This is one of the main functions of the Lynx Bus Bar product, which will allow you to connect multiple battery strings, then have a battery shunt, and then connect multiple charging sources and multiple loads on the other side of the shunt.

This diagram shows you how, and also shows the fusing, with LifePo. System Schematic 3 Charging Sources

My setup, all connected together on the bus bar:

1 x MPPT Charge Controller

1 x Orion TR Smart DCDC Charger (from vehicle Alternator)

1 x AC to DC Mains Charger (Its not a Victron one yet, will buy Victron when this one dies)

Enjoy.

Alex

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yowie avatar image
yowie answered ·

@alex_rhys-hurn your setup sounds exactly what I am doing in my camper trailer. Any words of wisdom before i start? For your solar and DC input did you fuse them on the leg to the battery bank?

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alex-rhys-hurn avatar image alex-rhys-hurn commented ·

Iḿ commenting here as I do not seem to have specifically replied to your post. Anyway, see my replies above.

Alex

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alex-rhys-hurn avatar image
alex-rhys-hurn answered ·

Hi,

I managed to finish my install. Words of wisdom? Haha...

I guess, take your time and use the correct cables, accessories and tools for the wiring, e.g. Heatshrink, crimped terminals where appropriate (remember dont crimp cable ends when inserting cable to the Victron products), terminals, slotted ducting etc..

For the fusing, do read the Victron Wiring Unlimited book available for free on their website.

In my case the cable FROM PV Panels TO MPPT are NOT fused. This is probably wrong. My PV panels are disconnectable and fold away when not in use.

FROM the MPPT to the busbar and onwards TO battery is fused, and again the battery is fused FROM battery TO bus bar.

I made a busbar combiner box, contains the shunt, BMV battery monitor fuses and bus bars and battery isolator. See pic below. Fuses are on the left of Pic, from Top to bottom fuses are 20A from MPPT, 40A to DC Distribution, 60A from DCDC Charger, 40A to Inverter.

Then the battery has a 100A fuse.

Hope this helps.

Alex

Picture of my home made busbar system (combiner box) here:

combiner-box.jpg


Picture of the overall finished system:

7.jpg

Picture of the battery box and fuse:

3.jpg

Picture of DC distribution fuseblock and AC MCB Breaker:

4.jpg

Picture of Anderson plug from vehicle to trailer for DCDC charger. This is fused in the engine bay:

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2.jpg

Inverter Wiring, showing the remote off signal cable, this is connected to the LOAD output of the MPPT. I use the MPPT as batter protect. It disconnects DC loads and also turns off the inverter by the remot off signal. Otherwise the Inverter is connected directly to busbars.

5.jpg

6.jpg

Pic below shows my solar panels (2 x 80w) in home made suitcase and home made folding, wired in series.

8.jpg

Picture below is a test rig (load bank), I use 100W old fashioned incandescent lightbulbs to provide a constant load to test the battery runtime etc from the inverter.

10.jpg

Pic below shows how the Engel fridge slides in alongside the victron kit:

11.jpg

Below battery disconnect switch and BMV, easy to reach from RHS door.

13.jpg


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alex-rhys-hurn avatar image
alex-rhys-hurn answered ·

I based my design on this (link below) reference design from Victron. Mine is MUCH simplified, without all the Lithium stuff (my battery is AGM), battery protect (I use MPPT for that, and only 1 set of solar and MPPTs.

System Schematic


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michelg avatar image
michelg answered ·

Nice work ! Looks very professionnal and clean ! Thanks for the pictures.

Michel.

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yowie avatar image
yowie answered ·

This helps heaps mate the pictures really help!. I like the little distro/isolation box you built. Yeah I dont have an inverter yet and went the dc/dc 30 when i should have gone the 18 like you due to size and also lower input voltage on the 18.

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