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Awesome video! Addictive yes.. My experience is similar. I have a 3000 W 24v MPP inverter and 280Ah @ 24 V with 1000 W of solar. I experimented with the air conditioner and water heater running together (I don't have two ACs so that was the best I could do for maximum draw) I maxed out my MPP inverter for 45 minutes, until the water heater reached temperature. I pulled 933 W of solar and 2021w from the batteries. I haven't seen 1000 W yet, but temps have been in the 80s and the panels just don't run as efficiently in warm weather. I am considering an additional 400 W of solar that I can break out of the bed of the truck and plug-in, rather than permanently mounting on my roof. I also thought to purchase 1000 W coil for my water heater. Just to have a back up in case my propane dwindles. Fun stuff

Scrap it and get a Dodge

Cool, thanks.

Great information! I didn't hear you mention if you had installed your panels with angled adapters? If you didn't just want to say that the solar intake is very good for being flat. I have 800 watt's flat on my motorhome with 460 watt's that I can deploy on the ground. Flexible and foldable for those very situations you talked about.

Keep an eye on that plastic handle. Mine already broke after less than 10 uses. The plastic on each side just cracked. I do love this for camping/cooking at the park! Easy to use, heats up fast, fast cleanup, and the nonstick makes it more portable. Blackstone is sending me a replacement handle but I'll be looking for something that isn't plastic.

AS far as the wire from the Lynx to the 24/12 converter, I see you chose 1/0 cable, but does it have to be that thick if using less total amperage? I'll be using around 30 amps on one 24/12 converter but I'm trying to figure out wire size for that. I think I can do 6 AWG wire (from my Lynx to my Orion 24/12 converter) but still figuring it out. Any ideas anyone? Thanks

We ran 2 ACs on my 12v system for about an hour before the inverter overheated and kicked off. But my multiplus ii 2x120 is on its side so cooling isn't perfect but any means.

Hi Chris! You actually bought those terminal blocks from me at International Connector. I just found this video yesterday. I built a custom combiner today to match what you did here and wanted to chat with you about what else might be helpful. For example, printed marking tags showing L1, L2, N and GND. I also, wanted to address your concerns at the end of the video. I have these colors in a larger size block named the Dinkle DK35N. It would give you a maximum UL rating of 150 amps instead of the 60 amp limit on the DK10N block. I really enjoyed your video. Keep making great content!

Excellent video and explanations of the each step. Thank you!

You need to use blocking diodes between the panels to reduce shading effects or park in direct sunlight. Solar panels in shade will pull down the rest of the panels.

I would recommend changing the solar panel configuration. Basically, use multiple charge controllers instead of paralleling. 2 x Victron Smart Solar 150/45's (for example). If you want to go whole-hog on improving performance with partial shading conditions, even consider a third charge controller and go with a 3s, 3s, 4s topology with 3 x Victron Smart Solar 150/35's (for example). Paralleling does help with shading but it doesn't help nearly as much as having a dedicated charge controller for each string. Particularly when you are running more than 2 panels per string. The reason is that if one of the panels in a string is partially shaded that panel's voltage will drop out, leaving only the voltage of the remaining panels. When you parallel the two strings their voltages are now mismatched. The unshaded string will force the paralleled combination to the higher voltage and that will massively reduce the current contribution of the partially shaded string in that situation. Having a dedicated charge controller for each string solves the problem. It means back-hauling more cables from the roof into the bay, but it is well worth doing. -Matt

Is AC in 240v split phase? How is it you have a L1 and a L2? I needed an auto transformer to generate the L2.

I have the exact same unit in my RV. Thanks for the video. Very helpful!

Really darn good video. Real world real numbers. We're putting solar at our land as we're moving into a 50x16 cabin. I've seen some videos of people starting to put mini splits on RVs. So much power as you talked about is freaking ACs. EG4 has these mini splits that run off solar alone during the meat part of the day. Something to consider. We're putting one in the living room of the cabin. It should put about 3KW-5KW a day back in our pocket at least. Thanks for the content.. .

Just a few possibilities for increasing your SOLAR power. 1)Wasted space is the top of your slide-outs. You could get the flexible Solar (light weight also) that could be glued to the tops of your slide-outs. I checked mine and there is plenty of room between the top of the slide and the frame of the box. As for any scraping the only contact would be the flexible rubber gasket hanging down from the box opening. Not an issue. 2) Another area for the flexible Solar is down the center of your roof. You can walk on the flexible solar, provided you take your shoes off. Finally, if you feel that the best of Solar generation would be like Series in the early morning and late afternoon and parallel during the mid-day, there is an option. If you are an ElectronicsNut like me you would create a Solar matrix. Each of your Solar panels would be run to an electrical junction box where their output terminations would be controlled by a cross-point type switch and low power relays to connect them in either series or parallel and out to a Solar Charge controller. The program could even automatically test different connection possibilities and select the one that has the best output. A Raspberry Pi micro-computer could handle this project with ease. It could even disconnect non producing panels so as not to affect the output of the other panels and redo the series/parallel configuration based on each panels output. I am not sure that re configuring between Series and Parallel would be worth it, but it would be an interesting project. It may be time for you to take on a new hobby, Electronics, with easy programming. AI (ChatGPT) will write just about all your code, trouble shoot it, and modify it for you. I have become a lazy programmer now. Give it a try! Great Video!

I'm tasked to do this shitty job in the morning. The rv that I'll be replacing the valve to doesn't appear to be as difficult or hard to reach as yours. I'll find out soon enough if my judgement is correct or not. By the way. Very idiotic of the manufacturer not to have placed an access panel to that valves area. A take it to the dealer rather than diy self design no doubt!

Good to see a no nonsense honest video. Sustaindoes take some getting used to

People not liking that it's nonstick aluminum need to understand it is designed for portability. So weight is considered in this design. If the griddle was made of steel it would add more weight. Also nonstick is easier to clean by wiping it than to pour water on a steel griddle. This griddle should be fine for occasional camping trips or to the park. If you want one for home use then the steel versions would be better. And for those who want the steel versions, you would be giving up the portability design. Whatever best works for you.

Great video as usual. It's very informative for beginners.

Nice Bob Cat..Cougar lol😂

How are you setting up inverters to utilize solar over shore power?

I have 2100 watts of Bifacial panels.Have seen 2400 watts.Have 230ah @48 volt battery.But only get 3k watts out of a 6k inverter running 120 volt.Yah only half power vs 6k @ 240 volt.What sucks is I can only run 1 AC @120v. Thus the 3k watt 120v limit.Still figuring out what to do? Maybe a 4k watt 120v inverter? Gona get 4 more 525 watt panels for the 3rd charge controller.Possibly another battery bank down the road but gotta hit CAT scale now.

Great video & information about your solar system 👍

Lost me at nonstick cooktop. Wtf

Thanks for the update. Maybe you should consider that solar awning we saw at Quartzsite last winter. Or you could use a side mounted array like we have to augment your roof array. If you often encounter shady conditions, you might consider a deployable ground mount array that you can move around to keep it in the sun.

I have no plans to go anywhere that does not have electric but, I did try to run a small 74 watt dehumidifier in the camper and only use the inverter to power it. I have 2 solar panels, 2 lead acid batteries, 2K inverter, and the batteries could not power it overnight. I know it is 74 watts because I attached a meter to track usage to the dehumidifier? Are lead acid batteries that crappy or are they shot? Love your videos and how you DIY everything.

Another great video. This solar stuff makes my head spin. lol.

Nice job. You addressed some concerns been wondering as I plan for the same dual inverter setup. Have you had any issues yet with overloading the neutral while on power assist? The $700+ for two splice boxes with breakers seemed like a lot and I was hoping to find an alternate solution. Also, did you have to increase any wire size going to two inverters? Thanks!

Nonstick?

I took delivery of my F450 in Oct 2022, I ordered it it took 9 months. It's a bit of overkill but Man it pulls our Cyclone Toy Hauler like a dream. PayLoad is an under rated 4800lbs , It came with a 30,000 hitch option and the 5th wheel prep package standard . IMHO if your gonna pull an RV Trailer, Get a 5th wheel (pulls a lot better ) and Minimum an F350 powerstroke and consider Air lift to Keep you Level. Or just get the tighter turning F450 and call it a day.

Question, what do you do with the factory 12v DC converter? Can it stay in the system to be a 12v source as well?

Looks similar to the size of an old-fashioned Coleman stove. Would be nice to have a cast iron surface instead of nonstick.

You need an apron to keep the grease off your shorts.

We’re two years in loving it. There’s up and downs

OMG... Get to the freaking point... Way to much yapping.

Hey dude I know you're trying but it is so hard to understand what you're saying you go back and forth you repeat the same thing you maybe you should write down your script and go that way because you really make yourself seem like you know absolutely nothing just a little advice I have to turn your channel off I can't listen to somebody who just rambles

Bought one 2 months ago and finally gonna put it to use this weekend.. looks like its gonna be perfect for my family

Good job man

I'm sorry I don't mean to be rude but you talk so much and you say nothing

Your a hero

I like the idea but not the non-stick surface it's full of chemicals. Would like to see a titanium surface for a non-stick surface.

Brother make sure to add a 300 amp fuse between the shutoff and the battery ( max 9" away from pos terminal on your battery) .make sure you use a " 300 amp blue sea class T fuse block" happy travels

We bought one back in March and have used it on 2 camp trips. We love it. The size and portability is great for our smaller camper. The nonstick is easy to clean up. We took our original Blackstone out and put this one in. Awesome product 👍

You can also protect the output to 50a and join the two multis back together before the panel in a standard 2 pole breaker box.

I'm keeping the home internet until it stops working before I turn it back in and cancel. From what I heard they delayed the plans they had coming out for now.

Brilliant

Sorry. You lost me at 5:20 when you said it's non stick.

How hot does the bottom get? Can you cook on a plastic table?

My 2022 F350 SRW 4x4 has 62,000 miles. I can eek out 16mpg in eco mode if I set cruise at just under 75mph. I RARELY do that however as down south here everyone is doing 85. At 80-ish I drop back to 15mpg. If I get more sporty and drive it like I want to and just enjoy it for an all day high speed drive I can get 14.5. There’s NO WAY you can get 21mpg with this truck These 7.3 Godzillas get slightly better mpg than the 6.2 gasser got. I just hauled a 15k dump trailer loaded with brick to the dump for my buddy who’s F-150 was not up to the task. For yucks and giggles I set the computer at the start of the 25 mile trip to the dump and I got 10.7 mpg measured by computer alone. By the way we concluded his 2.7 twin turbo F-150 has enough engine to pull that 15k load but my 1-ton FRAME is why you tow with a SuperDuty. If you drive the Godzilla like you stole it you will get 14.5mpg all around town. I drive mine sanely like an old man and I generally get like 15.5-15.9 around town measured pump to pump. But I LOVE to drive it like I stole it. Oh my truck has 3:73 gears and is a long bed. She’s white. My wife calls it The Beluga.

Nice for making B& E in the morning also pancakes,, very versital