We were at lake Pleasant by Phoenix, I wonder if we got hit by the same storm as you. Finally today, December 24th we got a little sun and could take advantage of the solar panels.
Nice looking installation. Getting married must have helped (LOL) ... BTW.... be careful fooling around with electronics / electricity with a wedding band on. I learned the hard way many years ago with a large capacitor in a tv .. yes; I'm that old that I would work on a TV with a large capacitor... so much for skipping the step tapping them with a screwdriver first.
Ha, as an electrician I was thinking the same, even though it wasn’t metal. Watched my co-worker pass a load through the ring while poking around a panel and it gave him a permanent burn scar.
I'm keeping my separate inverter and charger. If one goes out I don't lose my system. All in one seem convenient, but I don't trust all that heat in one place.
I carry a spare inverter, solar and charger in my truck tool box. The Xantrex stuff is well built so cools very well compared to cheaper end stuff. They are used by a lot of high end motorhomes and yachts as OEM installs. So I have good trust in it.
Congratulations to you and Anne. My husband and I spent 6 years together before getting married. We'll be married 38 years this April. Some of us need lots of practice; haha. I also have a Freedom 3000. I didn't know it had a USB port. You mentioned that you thought it was to update firmware. Have you been able to get any more information on that?
Thanks. :) Here is a link to the Freedom XC Pro 3000 firmware page xantrex.com/library/firmware-updating/freedom-xc-pro-3000-inverter-charger/ When you download it there is a PDF with instructions included. Cheers, Ray
Yes, the area I'm in is known to have pack rats. Lots of Cholla cactus for them to build nests under. So helps to keep the hood up. www.loveyourrv.com/pack-rats-aka-wood-rats-rving-tip/
I noticed there was no fuse on the low-voltage input of the inverter is there one inside the inverter and are the batteries 24 V does that inverter have a 240 output for UK
Every positive cable should always have a fuse or circuit breaker for electrical safety. National Electric Code requires it. The Xantrex inverter manual requires 4/0 awg cable and a 350a Class T fuse, Mega Fuse, or MRBF Terminal Fuse for their 3000w inverter installations, with cable length of less than 4 feet. No matter the length of wire a Fuse is required. No fuse means the wire has to burn through to break the circuit. I see you used only 2/0 awg and no fusing whatsoever on your Xantrex 3000w inverter installation. I urge you to replace your inverter positive wire with 4/0 awg cable and add a 350A MRBF Terminal Fuse off your bus bar for the inverter connection. I don't know the rating of the bus bar you selected, but I would recommend one rated more than 300a, since you have a number of other powerful elements connected to it besides the inverter and batteries. I also recommend an inverter to battery disconnect, this way you always have a way to isolate the inverter from the system. This is important when troubleshooting issues, particularly when you must perform a Xantrex Inverter Hard Reset, as part of troubleshooting.
Each battery has a 150A MRBF Terminal Fuse between it and the inverter to protect the wire run, so another fuse would be redundant, introducing another connection point and voltage drop. The bus bars have a 300A rating. Will be adequate for how I plan to use the inverter. For wire size, I used the Blue Sea Wire Size Calculator and inputted 12V, 5 feet run, 300A, 3% voltage drop, 105C rated wire. It recommended 2/0 See - circuitwizard.bluesea.com/. My Xantrex batteries have built-in disconnect power buttons, making an external battery disconnect redundant. Cheers, Ray
@LoveYourRV You logic on fusing only applies if you has a continuous wire of a single size running from a single battery directly to the Inverter. Which the Xantrex inverter manual defines as 4/0 awg with a 350a fuse. It doesn't work that way once you start introducing bus bars and other components. You should try reading National Electrical Codes. Only the the wire to a bus bar is fused is protected, that'swhy you put one on each battery. The inverter requires the same, since it is drawing power from both batteries supplying the bus bar it should have larger wire and its own fuse. Using to small a cable introduces resistance and causes heat. Your inverter gets power from more than one source, not just the battery. Your inverter wire to the bus bar needs fused because you could have an inverter incident that never blows the fuses at the battery terminals. So the inverter power connection has no way to break the connection during an unplanned serious event. Electrical safety is something you want to build in. Even if you think it is redundant, which it isn't, it is also an element of safety. Have multiple safety devices is always a good idea, just like adding an inverter battery disconnect switch. Having a manual means of isolating the inverter from the battery is always a good idea.
My other power sources are all fused. But I see what you mean. It would be an extremely unlikely event; there would have to be just the right partial short circuit to take place at just the right time, but in theory, it could happen. I'll add a fuse. Thanks :)
*Related Links*
Xantrex Website - xantrex.com/products/inverter-chargers/
My Xantrex video playlist - czcams.com/play/PLp14lzXh07umTwWM6EoJGBa8PV7QZbD5o.html&si=60EKidLS0k0Rppu1
Xantrex 240Ah Lithium Battery Review - www.loveyourrv.com/xantrex-240ah-lithium-battery-review/
Boondocking Related Videos - www.loveyourrv.com/boondocking-related-post-archive/
Clean and neat. Good job!
As usual your install is very neat and tidy. 👍
Good job.
We were at lake Pleasant by Phoenix, I wonder if we got hit by the same storm as you. Finally today, December 24th we got a little sun and could take advantage of the solar panels.
Probably , it looks like it rolled right across the USA
Merry Christmas 🎁👍🙏🦅😎🇺🇸
Nice looking installation. Getting married must have helped (LOL) ... BTW.... be careful fooling around with electronics / electricity with a wedding band on. I learned the hard way many years ago with a large capacitor in a tv .. yes; I'm that old that I would work on a TV with a large capacitor... so much for skipping the step tapping them with a screwdriver first.
Thanks! That's why I went with a ceramic ring. It's ceramic with Koa wood and abalone inlays, non conductive. ;)
obviously; you're a lot smarter than I am ! Best to you & your bride.
Ha, as an electrician I was thinking the same, even though it wasn’t metal. Watched my co-worker pass a load through the ring while poking around a panel and it gave him a permanent burn scar.
I'm keeping my separate inverter and charger. If one goes out I don't lose my system. All in one seem convenient, but I don't trust all that heat in one place.
I carry a spare inverter, solar and charger in my truck tool box. The Xantrex stuff is well built so cools very well compared to cheaper end stuff. They are used by a lot of high end motorhomes and yachts as OEM installs. So I have good trust in it.
Thanks for sharing Ray! Like 94
Congratulations to you and Anne. My husband and I spent 6 years together before getting married. We'll be married 38 years this April. Some of us need lots of practice; haha. I also have a Freedom 3000. I didn't know it had a USB port. You mentioned that you thought it was to update firmware. Have you been able to get any more information on that?
Thanks. :) Here is a link to the Freedom XC Pro 3000 firmware page xantrex.com/library/firmware-updating/freedom-xc-pro-3000-inverter-charger/ When you download it there is a PDF with instructions included. Cheers, Ray
Thanks very much this link if very helpful in more ways than one!@@LoveYourRV
So the Xantrex could be used instead of the converter that came with your Cougar?
Yes, this Xantrex is and inverter, battery charger and transfer switch in one package.
Thanks Ray. Nice ring :). Like 123. Why was the truck hood up? Is this to stop rodents?
Yes, the area I'm in is known to have pack rats. Lots of Cholla cactus for them to build nests under. So helps to keep the hood up. www.loveyourrv.com/pack-rats-aka-wood-rats-rving-tip/
I noticed there was no fuse on the low-voltage input of the inverter is there one inside the inverter and are the batteries 24 V does that inverter have a 240 output for UK
This inverter is 120VAC, and I have two 12V batteries wired parallel for 12VDC input. There are 150 amp terminal-type fuses on the batteries.
Every positive cable should always have a fuse or circuit breaker for electrical safety. National Electric Code requires it. The Xantrex inverter manual requires 4/0 awg cable and a 350a Class T fuse, Mega Fuse, or MRBF Terminal Fuse for their 3000w inverter installations, with cable length of less than 4 feet. No matter the length of wire a Fuse is required. No fuse means the wire has to burn through to break the circuit. I see you used only 2/0 awg and no fusing whatsoever on your Xantrex 3000w inverter installation. I urge you to replace your inverter positive wire with 4/0 awg cable and add a 350A MRBF Terminal Fuse off your bus bar for the inverter connection. I don't know the rating of the bus bar you selected, but I would recommend one rated more than 300a, since you have a number of other powerful elements connected to it besides the inverter and batteries. I also recommend an inverter to battery disconnect, this way you always have a way to isolate the inverter from the system. This is important when troubleshooting issues, particularly when you must perform a Xantrex Inverter Hard Reset, as part of troubleshooting.
Each battery has a 150A MRBF Terminal Fuse between it and the inverter to protect the wire run, so another fuse would be redundant, introducing another connection point and voltage drop.
The bus bars have a 300A rating. Will be adequate for how I plan to use the inverter.
For wire size, I used the Blue Sea Wire Size Calculator and inputted 12V, 5 feet run, 300A, 3% voltage drop, 105C rated wire. It recommended 2/0 See - circuitwizard.bluesea.com/.
My Xantrex batteries have built-in disconnect power buttons, making an external battery disconnect redundant. Cheers, Ray
@LoveYourRV You logic on fusing only applies if you has a continuous wire of a single size running from a single battery directly to the Inverter. Which the Xantrex inverter manual defines as 4/0 awg with a 350a fuse. It doesn't work that way once you start introducing bus bars and other components. You should try reading National Electrical Codes. Only the the wire to a bus bar is fused is protected, that'swhy you put one on each battery. The inverter requires the same, since it is drawing power from both batteries supplying the bus bar it should have larger wire and its own fuse. Using to small a cable introduces resistance and causes heat. Your inverter gets power from more than one source, not just the battery. Your inverter wire to the bus bar needs fused because you could have an inverter incident that never blows the fuses at the battery terminals. So the inverter power connection has no way to break the connection during an unplanned serious event. Electrical safety is something you want to build in. Even if you think it is redundant, which it isn't, it is also an element of safety. Have multiple safety devices is always a good idea, just like adding an inverter battery disconnect switch. Having a manual means of isolating the inverter from the battery is always a good idea.
My other power sources are all fused. But I see what you mean. It would be an extremely unlikely event; there would have to be just the right partial short circuit to take place at just the right time, but in theory, it could happen. I'll add a fuse. Thanks :)
@@LoveYourRV 🙏 ❤️
I have a Xantrex 600ah egen, Freedom SW 3012 Inverter/Charger, and Xantrex Battery Managaement System. If anyone is interested let me know!