Advice needed; Charge Controller

[dharte]

Anyone out there have a Hawk Front Dinette with an aftermarket MPPT controller (Victron)? Looking for a good place to mount one.

Thanks.

Have you already purchased the controller? If you get the BlueSky MPPT controller it's easy to flush mount it right where the Zamp was. Mine works great.

 

[GDinMT]

Here's a picture of a Grandby front dinette, I believe the cabinet on a hawk is the same.

IMG_20180802_082051.jpeg

Lineman, Thanks. That is pretty much what I am hoping to do, but I'll have to verify the wiring from the solar jacks terminate in the battery box...for some reason I was thinking they terminated below the counter near the sink. Either way, that seems to be a good spot to mount it.

 

[GDinMT]

Have you already purchased the controller? If you get the BlueSky MPPT controller it's easy to flush mount it right where the Zamp was. Mine works great.

I do not have the OEM controller and have not yet purchased a Victron MPPT...still in the process of planning the install and determining my solar needs. If the Victron gets mounted on the face of the cabinetry, it seems the wires would be exposed, which is what I'm trying to avoid. How did you address this?

 

[dharte]

I do not have the OEM controller and have not yet purchased a Victron MPPT...still in the process of planning the install and determining my solar needs. If the Victron gets mounted on the face of the cabinetry, it seems the wires would be exposed, which is what I'm trying to avoid. How did you address this?

The Bluesky has wire inputs from the rear and is designed to be flush mounted in the cabinet. You would need to cut a small rectangular opening. On the Hawk Front Dinette (which is what I have) there is plenty of room on the panel below and right of the sink. I have my Victron monitor mounted directly under the sink.

 

[Vic Harder]

I wouldn't mount the Victron MPPT on the face of the cabinetry. It can/should be tucked away closer to the batteries. Your Victron gauges can be mounted on the face of the cabinetry.

My MPPT (two of them) in the battery box

My Victron gauges

 

[GDinMT]

Awesome, thanks guys.

 

[FoxenTec]

I was just getting ready to ask a similar question. We have a Grandby Shell model and space is super tight in the battery box which on ours is adjacent to the outside entry propane box. I would like to install a IOTA DLS-30 charger in the battery box but checking the dimensions, it will not fit in my side access battery box. I am considering building an enclosure where the IOTA could be installed on the exterior of the furnace cabinet. (enclosure that would protect the IOTA but have vents and room to breathe) I just hate to lose the space though, as we use this space for a spare cooler or cooking utensil storage. After reading the other posts, the cabinet I built for our sink, counter and fresh water tank might be the best bet. It would be about 4 or so feet from the batteries and I have had a tough time figuring out how to properly run the cables from the IOTA to the batteries without butchering the cabinets. Everything is so dang tight!

One other option is to "occasionally" charge the two batteries with a small Yamaha generator. I have read that this is often a no-no but I would only be using the generator DC output on a rare occasion when the camper is in the shade for more then a few days and I want to bring the batteries up. I have read that most 12v DC output generators could harm the batteries but some have mentioned that the Yamaha 1000 might be ok. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[PaulT]

One other option is to "occasionally" charge the two batteries with a small Yamaha generator. I have read that this is often a no-no but I would only be using the generator DC output on a rare occasion when the camper is in the shade for more then a few days and I want to bring the batteries up. I have read that most 12v DC output generators could harm the batteries but some have mentioned that the Yamaha 1000 might be ok. What are your thoughts on this?

If you use the generator’s DC output, you are limited to about 8 amps charging without any smart charging capability. Without careful manual monitoring, you could damage the batteries.

The Yamaha is capable of running a smart charger like a NOCO genius G15000 for15 amps smart charging. https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-G15000-UltraSafe-Battery-Charger/dp/B00PKIBVU0

Paul.

 

[FoxenTec]

Thank you Paul. I think that is probably a wise decision. I will check the dimensions of the NOCO 15 amp unit and see if I might fit one in the battery box. I know the 30 amp unit is to large though.

Whoa, just checked the dimension of it. It is 4 13/16" wide and my install spot in the battery box is 5" wide. Looks like it might just fit as long as there is some breathing room around it.

Thanks!

 

[Karlton]

I do not have the OEM controller and have not yet purchased a Victron MPPT...still in the process of planning the install and determining my solar needs. If the Victron gets mounted on the face of the cabinetry, it seems the wires would be exposed, which is what I'm trying to avoid. How did you address this?

GD - see post below for discussion of wiring for solar. The last page has a wiring diagram that might prove useful.


http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/16154-solar-wiring-discovery-2017-hawk/

 

[GDinMT]

GD - see post below for discussion of wiring for solar. The last page has a wiring diagram that might prove useful.


http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/16154-solar-wiring-discovery-2017-hawk/

Thanks Karlton. I actually diagramed this on my white board in my garage the same exact way...good to know I got it correct. Just finished installing the BVM-712 and seems to be working great. Next will be Panels and MPPT after doing some data gathering during our upcoming trip.