[Van-ahhh]

Thanks for all the advice I've received over the past month on my inane electrical questions. Thought I'd share a couple of pictures. In order to maximize the use of the space, it is a bit more cramped than we wanted but it all works and everything is either fused or has a circuit breaker so it is safe. The solar is kicking butt - the batteries were sitting around for 2 months and still had charge but just with a few hours of sun today they were fully charged and the monitors told us when it was bulk charging all the way to float. The battery case is 1/2" Baltic Birch and it doesn't show but the batteries are braced very tightly and can't budge. We just plugged in the fridge and that is working. The distribution box is going to be installed in the wall between the lower and upper cabinets when they go in.

 

[Bazz99]

Congratulations, that looks professional!

 

[Van-ahhh]

Thanks. We are newbies and just kept doing research and asking stupid questions of anyone willing to answer.

 

[Tcaschy021]

Your cable management is amazin...looks good. I'm looking at things closely and I assume you are using the lynx distribution box which houses the fuses. But isn't that battery fuse supposed to be before the master disconnect switch?

 

[Dberdinka]

That looks beautiful. Can't wait for you to answer all my stupid questions.

 

[Van-ahhh]

see posted response to Tcaschy021

 

[Van-ahhh]

Your cable management is amazin...looks good. I'm looking at things closely and I assume you are using the lynx distribution box which houses the fuses. But isn't that battery fuse supposed to be before the master disconnect switch?

We thought that through but we figured we are trying to protect the wires connected to the batteries so didn't know if it mattered. I requested the main switch be where I could reach it easily in an emergency and I have T. rex arms so he put it as close to the door as possible and flip-flopped the switch and the fuse. If you think the fuse and switch should be switched, we would love to know that because it is easy to flip them back.

 

[Tcaschy021]

We thought that through but we figured we are trying to protect the wires connected to the batteries so didn't know if it mattered. I requested the main switch be where I could reach it easily in an emergency and I have T. rex arms so he put it as close to the door as possible and flip-flopped the switch and the fuse. If you think the fuse and switch should be switched, we would love to know that because it is easy to flip them back.

What is your switch rated at and what is the fuse you have in there rated at? Assuming those are 100ah battleborns and I see 3 of them so 300ah if wired in parallel. So your switch and ANL should be 300 amps.

I think generally you want the fuse closest to the power source as possible but in this situation it probably doesn't matter that much?

 

[kenryan]

I agree that the fuse should be as close to the battery as possible, and that it should be before the switch. Nothing on the battery side of the fuse is protected.

 

[Van-ahhh]

What is your switch rated at and what is the fuse you have in there rated at? Assuming those are 100ah battleborns and I see 3 of them so 300ah if wired in parallel. So your switch and ANL should be 300 amps.

I think generally you want the fuse closest to the power source as possible but in this situation it probably doesn't matter that much?

We have 300 A-hr of batteries and a 300 Amp fuse that was recommended by Battleborn and the switch is 350 Amp continuous/600 Amp intermittent. I'm just glad I can reach the switch. I hope it is OK.

 

[Van-ahhh]

I agree that the fuse should be as close to the battery as possible, and that it should be before the switch. Nothing on the battery side of the fuse is protected.

We were trying to make sure the switch was where I could reach it in case of an emergency. We are hoping that the fuse protects the wires going to the batteries even if there is a switch between. Isn't that true?

 

[OldMadBrit]

Really professional work!

 

[kenryan]

We were trying to make sure the switch was where I could reach it in case of an emergency. We are hoping that the fuse protects the wires going to the batteries even if there is a switch between. Isn't that true?

The wires are only protected after the fuse. Everything between the fuse and the battery is unprotected. That's why it is always best to put the fuse as close to the power source as possible. The switch isn't intended for emergency use, that is what the fuse is for. The switch is more for maintenance, so that you can shut off power easily without disconnecting the cable from the battery.

 

[sYfte]

Make sure you do a battery capacity test. On the last van, the Battleborn's seemed to work fine, but 2 of the 4 only had a 30 Ah capacity because they were faulty. I went several months before a 260 Ah discharge shut the system down. It was easily repeatable, and after isolation testing, they did take them back.

 

[Hein]

Looks really nice but like many DIY builds batteries do not look adequately secured. Must consider what could happen in event of a roll over accident. And comments about fusing are correct. We recommend terminal fuses at the battery connection. How were the cable lugs crimped?

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan

 

[Van-ahhh]

The wires are only protected after the fuse. Everything between the fuse and the battery is unprotected. That's why it is always best to put the fuse as close to the power source as possible. The switch isn't intended for emergency use, that is what the fuse is for. The switch is more for maintenance, so that you can shut off power easily without disconnecting the cable from the battery.

thanks for the explanation. my husband's has a buddy who is a master electrician and he said he would review any questions we had so we will pose this question to him. Our diagram that he reviewed did show them the other way around but we are hoping the wire length will be significantly short enough to leave as is.

 

[Van-ahhh]

Looks really nice but like many DIY builds batteries do not look adequately secured. Must consider what could happen in event of a roll over accident. And comments about fusing are correct. We recommend terminal fuses at the battery connection. How were the cable lugs crimped?

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan

The box 1/2" Baltic Birch and bolted into the floors and walls. We we shook and rocked it as hard as we could they didn't budge - the only thing that moved was the van. It is very secure. Definitely a huge concern of ours and we have seen some bad ones online that made our skin crawl. My husband was a professional cabinetmaker for about 15 years and he really knows how to make stuff secure. We crimped with a hydraulic crimper - the one recommended by Will Prowse (Temco, I think). Thanks for checking.

 

[Van-ahhh]

Make sure you do a battery capacity test. On the last van, the Battleborn's seemed to work fine, but 2 of the 4 only had a 30 Ah capacity because they were faulty. I went several months before a 260 Ah discharge shut the system down. It was easily repeatable, and after isolation testing, they did take them back.

Thanks. we will check that. it didn't cross our minds.

 

[kenryan]

thanks for the explanation. my husband's has a buddy who is a master electrician and he said he would review any questions we had so we will pose this question to him. Our diagram that he reviewed did show them the other way around but we are hoping the wire length will be significantly short enough to leave as is.

Yes, there will always be some length of cable that is not protected, unless the fuse is directly connected to the battery, which is not normally done. The thing that bothers me about your design is not the length of unprotected cable, but that the fuse is after the switch. The switch has mechanical parts and mechanical connections that could fail, and there is no protection against that. In reality, it probably won't fail and it will be fine. On the other hand, it would be so easy to correct, and you have done such a beautiful job. Why not take the small step to make it right?

 

[Tcaschy021]

Yeah I agree with @kenryan It probably doesn't matter but since your install is pretty immaculate looking, might as well make it 100% accurate as well!