Surreyboy Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 Would welcome your endorsement or otherwise on my plans for accessories to be fitted to our new A class Rapido 854F. We will be doing a lot of off grid camping. 1) It comes with 2x100ah leisure batteries but no solar so thinking of installing something like 300w panel(s) with a Victron MPPT controller (I like the bluetooth functionality). Will consider lithium upgrades once those batteries are past their useful life. 2) I plan on getting the MPPT connected to both the leisure and starter batteries as I don't want to rely on having the hook up connected whilst stored at home so the solar will top up the starter battery in most conditions. In the past I've had the little Batterymaster B2B to keep the starter battery topped up but understand linking up the solar to both pretty well negates the need for this? 3) Based on the above, I was then thinking of installing a Victron B2B as I understand the new Ducato's have smart alternators so will kick out plenty of power to charge up the lead batteries in between stops but also in the future allow me to get the best out of lithium. Is my strategy sound ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikefitz Posted December 10, 2021 Share Posted December 10, 2021 The Victron Smart MPPT controller will be ideal, I suggest the 100/30 unit. Connect direct to the leisure batteries. You will still need the battery master to provide a maintaining charge on the engine battery. You will need to consider how best to integrate the new chargers with the existing electrical control panel on your van. The vehicle may have already some form of B2B charger so an additional Victron Orion may not be needed. The vehicle will have a smart charger but the charging current will be limited by the B2B. With lead acid batteries the charge time to full will be quite long regardless of the available charge power. Typically several hours. Lead acid charges quite quickly to around 80%, the remaining 20% takes longer due to the battery accepting less and less current. Its finally charged when the current falls to less than one amp. The huge advantage with lithium is that it takes the available current up to almost full capacity, resulting in a much faster charge time. The advantage of Victron Smart chargers is that its easy to program ideal charge profiles for any type of battery. Other advantages are indication of status and past history of charge process. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surreyboy Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 mikefitz - 2021-12-10 10:43 PM The Victron Smart MPPT controller will be ideal, I suggest the 100/30 unit. Connect direct to the leisure batteries. You will still need the battery master to provide a maintaining charge on the engine battery. You will need to consider how best to integrate the new chargers with the existing electrical control panel on your van. The vehicle may have already some form of B2B charger so an additional Victron Orion may not be needed. The vehicle will have a smart charger but the charging current will be limited by the B2B. With lead acid batteries the charge time to full will be quite long regardless of the available charge power. Typically several hours. Lead acid charges quite quickly to around 80%, the remaining 20% takes longer due to the battery accepting less and less current. Its finally charged when the current falls to less than one amp. The huge advantage with lithium is that it takes the available current up to almost full capacity, resulting in a much faster charge time. The advantage of Victron Smart chargers is that its easy to program ideal charge profiles for any type of battery. Other advantages are indication of status and past history of charge process. Mike Many thanks Mike. I see the price of lithium batteries is falling (due I believe to patents running outs?) so if the new van is delayed and I have a few more months of savings, might get them in early Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 A Rapido 854F should be 'solar ready' - though I'm not certain what that actually entails. Also (if Rapido continues to use CBE electrical equipment) when on 230V hook-up a 854F's onboard battery-charger should provide the vehicle's starter-battery with a reduced voltage/low amperage charge as well as charging the leisure-batteries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 You've got the battery sorted, if it were mine, I'd look next at water storage, IMHO get the biggest tank they can fit and I'd insist on an underslung gas tank. Oh and a tracker. Gotta have a tracker or ideally two. Seems the naughty chappies who steal m/h's automatically look for a tracker and once they find one with any luck might not keep looking for a second? Worth the small cost. I've got a couple of these https://www.rewiresecurity.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zafira Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Colin - wrt the rewiresecurity trackers which did you go for as I see the company does several options.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinM50 Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I've got their cheapest one hidden oops, I won't say where. Needs a SIM card once a year, I think I use Gifgaf and I can see wherever I've been, how log I've stopped and average speed etc. Seems to be OK and v. helpful people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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