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Post by bmanfx4 on Mar 15, 2022 8:57:26 GMT -5
I am getting ready to outfit my rig with a complete off-grid power solution, to include Victron inverters, an autotransformer, MPPT solar controllers, etc. My 327VIK has the solar MC4 connection plate on the roof but I cannot find any documentation as to where the wiring terminates for connection inside the RV. I called Venture yesterday and spoke to "Justin". He was very nice and told me I had to remove an entire wall panel to get to the wires.  I was unable to understand exactly which wall panel he was referring to. I asked him multiple times and I don't think he understood what exactly I needed so I gave up in frustration. An email to their customer service account has remained unanswered. I find it disappointing and amazingly short-sighted if they literally abandon the wires inside a wall, as opposed to terminating them near the breaker panel, the control center, etc. For the record, I removed the wood panel under the bathroom sink that gives access to the 12VDC power supply and breaker panel. I did not see any unused wiring. I removed the control center and did not see any unused wiring there. I removed the vent panel at the furnace and did not see an unused wires there. I removed the black panel in the pass-through. It simply covers the water pump - no other wiring there. Does anyone know where it terminates or have an example of a dealer-prepped RV with a controller installed? Pictures would be very much appreciated but at this point I'd even settle for a "Hello". :-) Thank you very much for any information shared. I promise to publish what I find as this progresses. |
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Apr 3, 2022 6:46:04 GMT -5
We just completed our solar install on the 272VRK and actually A&L RV dealer in Richmond did it for us (I used a remote solar consultant as the designer). If you just have the solar wire prep, I believe he found the wire on the tongue near the battery not inside. We put the new battery (BB 270ah GC) and Victron equipment in the front storage area. He just brought the wires from the tongue into the storage area. Just completed in Feb and gosh is was pricey but so nice to run everything. We raised and laid the Multiplus on its back in the front storage area - no issues with heat (as many people mentioned they can get pretty warm).
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Post by bmanfx4 on Apr 10, 2022 6:22:10 GMT -5
Thank you very much for the response. I find it strange they would terminate your solar wires at the tongue - they have to be connected to a MPPT controller before they go to a battery. Anyway, if you would share a picture of your setup I would love to see it. I am working on getting mine installed in the passthrough but I am putting my batteries under the bed so they are in the air-conditioned space. LiFePO4 batteries don't like to be charged when they are below freezing so my thinking is that having them in the living space will prevent me from damaging them.
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Apr 10, 2022 7:33:10 GMT -5
We just have a prewire not any solar on the roof so we had no MPPT. So they seem to terminate it on the tongue on the 2021 272VRK when no solar is on the roof but nice the wire was there.
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dlakeman
Weekender RV’er
Please delete my account. I have sold my Stratus.
Posts: 75
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Post by dlakeman on Apr 10, 2022 21:04:30 GMT -5
I'm probably not going to be much help here because I have a Stratus. It was prewired for solar. On the wall next to the bathroom door was a sticker where the charge controller should be installed. The wires were behind the wall once the hole for the charge controller was cut. For the battery, there's a metal junction box on the side of the frame next to the battery box. The wire is in that box.
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Post by bmanfx4 on Apr 12, 2022 12:11:41 GMT -5
I'm probably not going to be much help here because I have a Stratus. It was prewired for solar. On the wall next to the bathroom door was a sticker where the charge controller should be installed. The wires were behind the wall once the hole for the charge controller was cut. For the battery, there's a metal junction box on the side of the frame next to the battery box. The wire is in that box. Thank you for replying. You are the 2nd person to tell me that their unit had a sticker by the bathroom door regarding the solar wiring. I am going to see if mine might be there too. I appreciate your help !! |
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Post by bmanfx4 on Apr 17, 2022 20:47:11 GMT -5
UPDATE: I found the solar wires. dlakeman is correct - the wires are in the bathroom wall where my LevelMate is installed. I pulled the LevelMate off the wall and there is a big hole behind it. The solar wires are 10AWG and are zip-cord style. Mine are yellow and white. They come way down and then loop back up and go somewhere else. I will pull the cover off the junction box at the battery box and see if they end up there.
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Post by bmanfx4 on Apr 26, 2022 6:17:13 GMT -5
UPDATE: The solar wires do indeed go to the tongue. There is a hokey electrical "box" on the frame that the ground wire is connected to other grounds inside it. The positive wire continues to the junction breakers at the battery switch.
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Apr 26, 2022 18:30:10 GMT -5
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Apr 26, 2022 18:42:05 GMT -5
Sorry should of follow-up. In our STT272VRK, we put the equipment in front storage area. The Inverter is laying flat on it's back on 2 oak risers as we wanted airflow under the inverter. We heard they get warm but we've had no issues with heat from the inverter. The inverter's bottom is facing toward battery so the wire runs would be shorter. Be sure to leave lots of space around the inverter - like 4 inches. The BMV 712, Controller, Disconnect Switch, Lynz distribution box and Cerbo are on the right wall toward the inside of TT. There is also a dongle near battery. We put the battery in the center along the inside wall. Oh we did line the storage area with 1/4 inch plywood to add some strength and for weight distribution. On the left wall are the solar breakers and a small 12 volt fuse box. We moved any wires and fuses on tongue inside the storage area to this box (wish we would of made it more accessible to front storage opening). We also added a 12 volt cell phone/car charger to the bedroom which has a wire/fuse in this 12 volt box. We have 4-215 watt panels on roof. Driving this weekend on a partly sunny day we were getting just over 600 watts and the battery was charged by noon (so great to have for long hauls with that 12 volt fridge) and arrived at destination fully charged. The cerbo monitor panel is inside just above the IRV panel.
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mth
Newbie RV’er
Posts: 1
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Post by mth on Mar 29, 2023 19:35:15 GMT -5
Good Evening! I’ve got a STT272VRK that is pre wired for solar. I see the thick yellow and white wires behind the level mate, one quick question. Are there two wire ends in there or did you cut the wires run one end from the plug into the controller and out to the batteries? Thanks for the help!
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Post by bmanfx4 on Apr 2, 2023 9:12:56 GMT -5
You will have to cut the wires to connect them to the solar controller.
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I was unable to understand exactly which wall panel he was referring to. I asked him multiple times and I don't think he understood what exactly I needed so I gave up in frustration. An email to their customer service account has remained unanswered. I find it disappointing and amazingly short-sighted if they literally abandon the wires inside a wall, as opposed to terminating them near the breaker panel, the control center, etc.
