Need to add Lithium Batter and charger to 2019 RP1 - Event Date: 23 Jan 2023 - 23 Feb 2023

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   Initially, I was not thinking of disconnecting the Bargman's connector and running a wire from that to the DC to DC converter. I had already done the separate circuit when you mentioned that. My original goal was isolation of the DC circuit of the trailer from the Frontier for the reasons I have stated. Since it is done, I will stick with it until I change tow vehicles. Then I will likely check into doing it through the Bargman, although I would still want a battery isolation function. The isolation is the main reason I did it the way I did.

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StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Post Options Post Reply Quote StephenH Report Post Quote Reply Calendar Event: Need to add Lithium Batter and charger to 2019 RP1 Posted: 24 Jan 2023 at 9:39am
	Initially, I was not thinking of disconnecting the Bargman's connector and running a wire from that to the DC to DC converter. I had already done the separate circuit when you mentioned that. My original goal was isolation of the DC circuit of the trailer from the Frontier for the reasons I have stated. Since it is done, I will stick with it until I change tow vehicles. Then I will likely check into doing it through the Bargman, although I would still want a battery isolation function. The isolation is the main reason I did it the way I did.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Post Options Post Reply Quote offgrid Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Jan 2023 at 10:48am
	Got it, thanks for the clarification. For sure, you need to isolate the Li battery from the risk of overcharge from the alternator circuit. I'm thinking about what I want to do to connect the vehicle start circuit on my Chinook to the Li system Im installing in the coach. If anything. Same set of issues except it will be hardwired rather than go through a connector. Right now I'm inclined to keep things simple and have no connection. I'll have a big solar array plus a generator for backup so probably won't ever need to use alternator charging anyway. Saves buying a DCDC converter.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Post Options Post Reply Quote StephenH Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Jan 2023 at 11:20am
	It will be easier to wire a Renogy DC to DC charger into your Chinook as you will be able to easily connect to the ignition circuit to turn the charger on and off. I had to do something different. Since the isolation solenoid turns power on and off, I just had to detect when power was present, so I am not using the ignition circuit to do so, just tapping off the incoming power to do so.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Post Options Post Reply Quote offgrid Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 24 Jan 2023 at 12:17pm
	There are already a couple of contactors under the hood that are connected into to the existing circuits between the house and start batteries, so I think one already activates when the ignition is turned on. All Id likely have to do is connect the input to the DCDC to that. I can buy a DCDC and do that later on if I find I need to. The other contactor activates when I push an emergency start switch on the dash, allowing the house batt to be used in parallel to help start the engine. That is a nice feature that I'll lose, can't parallel a Li with a Pb battery. I might be able to partly replace it though by charging the start battery from my new inverter/charger, which I found out came with two separate 12v charge ports, one big 100 amp one for the house battery and a second low current trickle charge one for a second (usually starter on a boat engine) battery. It's a 2kw Mastervolt inverter/charger and has generator/shore power support, meaning its inverter function will kick in to help run loads that might be too high for the generator or shore power by itself. Any excess power at low load will charge the battery if the gen/shore is on and if it's off the inverter will run the loads. Seems like a pretty nice unit, got it on Walmart online for a very reasonable price. Haven't had a chance to run it yet though. You might want to check it out if youre considering getting an inverter at all. it'll charge the battery up to twice as fast as the WFCO. According to the description in the Chinook manual there's also a low voltage disconnect in there somewhere, that I'll also have to find and remove as it wont be set up right for lithium.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold