2021 Update!! Can't find this panel in stock? Neither could we... so we took matters into our own hands and ordered a few pallets of an alternative solution so we could ensure that these stay in stock for you. Plus... our new panels have 18 spots for DC circuits, slots for 8 AC circuits per leg (16 total for the box) and they are in separate enclosures so you have a little more flexibility when it comes to mounting them. Check them out here: shop.explorist.life/product-category/all-products/distribution-panels/
Cool, I see all the Solar installs and they have new Boxes and breakers and more.... CAN WE NOT JUST WIRE IT INTO HERE? Does it need to be bigger, or more powerful as in to handle more Amps???
Doug: I'm not really sure what you mean, but if you'll check out the wiring diagrams at explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams , that'll show you how it all needs to be wired together.
When running the wire from the lithium battery to the isolator to the alternator, did you run the wires inside the van or underneath? I have a 2018 Ford Transit.
@@timothykubota9711 why underneath? The isolator gets connected to your battery which is under the driver seat in a Transit. Nothing is connected directly to your alternator.
Love this, as an ex-navy mobile electrical power plant tech, I’ve wondered why no one has ever done a video about this... Great video, quick and to the point....
AC/DC That’s what I did for my 12x16 Man cave shed...installed a 30amp panel from my old RV also took the RV propane heater that will run from the 12v DC side for the heaters fan ....put in some good bright LED lights USB chargers / it also keeps my deep cycle battery charged .....the AC/ side is to run my window air conditioner and power tools ...many creative and versatile uses having this type of system... “important to note” build two separate cabinets outside of the shed interlined with sheet metal for the propane tanks and battery...thank you for the share 👍🏻
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I will be building my van conversion in about 3 years when I retire. In the mean time I have made diagrams for my floor plan and watching video to learn everything I can. Yours are always informative and easy to understand and follow. See you on the road in 3 years. You will recognize me because I will be the one that is debt free, living and loving life. Pattie
I am a very familiar with RV electrical and a 43 year electrician but I must say that this is one of the best explanation of this type of power panel I have seen. Normally ac and dc are not allowed in the same panel but since it is not a house it is ok. People just need to realize NOT to mix the wires in each section. Great Job!
If possible, can you do a tutorial video or blog for this distribution panel using 50A breaker (power in)? I am using Victron Multiplus with 30AMP shore power based on your complete walkthrough airstream video. You mentioned the Powerassist and used 50A breaker in that video. But I am getting so confused because the 50A breaker has 2 poles but the 6/3 wire from Multiplus can only provide 1 positive/hot wire to 1 pole. Thank you so much for all the detailed videos!
Is the wire from the inverter stranded or romex (solid). We have stranded wire (10AWG) from the inverter and want to know if I have to switch that over to romex?
You touched on cloudy days, but something you should touch on is "reserve battery capacity". Planning for extended in-climate weather (dependent on solar without access to a generator, shore power or some other grid-like power) is pretty crucial if you are out in the boonies and if you have a hard dependency on electricity, C-Pap or other vital electrical needs. Some of this is also dependent on your array capacity.
Best explanation of RV/Camper/Skoolie power distribution I've seen. Seems like every other video talks about how to set up solar, or how to combine solar with shore power, and nothing on how to get 110/120 outlets wired from the inverter. Thanks so much for this!
When we started our van build, we studied your wiring diagrams in an effort to educate ourselves since we had zero experience with 12V DC power. What we built was sort of a hybrid. We combined 200 Ah Li batteries with a REDARC 40 amp DC/DC charger and a WFCO-8955 distribution panel which includes a 55 amp DC charger. We haven't burned anything down yet. The REDARC charger is also a MPPT solar charge controller. Instead of panels on the roof, our intention is to use briefcase panels since we always try to park in shade and we hope to have the flexibility to move the panels to follow the sun. Our build continues....
Thanks for the video! Some reviews of this box say its a bit flimsy and the door easily breaks off. Paneltronics make some nice looking and robust 30A AC distribution panels as well, but they are quite a bit more expensive, and I don't think they handle 50A, and don't have DC distribution as well.
We've swapped over to recommending these separate units we are now selling in our store: shop.explorist.life/product-category/all-products/distribution-panels/ The doors are definitely not flimsy but still aren't as expensive as the paneltronics units.
Oh my gosh - this was so helpful! You just broke it all down so easily. I just started renovating a 1981 airstream and all the worsting has been cut or eaten by mice. This is exactly what I needed!!!! Thanks again.
Is there a way to bridge the left and right side of the AC breaker rails? or is it necessary to split the 120 line in the breaker box between the two sides (maintaining 120 volts on each side)?
it looks like there are 2 positive breaker rails. Would it be recommended that I could energize the 2nd rail from the main breaker on the 1st rail....acting like a bridge? Thanks for excellent video.
Thank you for the video you my dude! I'm building out my skoolie and I just hooked up my panel (same as the one your using in this video) and the problem I'm having is ac is only flowing to 2 of the 4 outlets I have wired up. Thanks again for all the help you've given me 🤘🤘
I am considering getting an EcoFlow Delta Pro for my current shuttle bus conversion. I would love to see a small tutorial on this as it seems fairly cost-efficient as compared to buying a large battery bank, inverter, charge controller and battery monitor. Seems like a great option for the weekend adventurer who may want their battery bank for tailgating, or just to take inside and charge before a trip!
I was going to use two separate boxes because I thought it would be easier but I don't think so anymore. This actually looks easier and will save some space. Thanks for all of the videos you post, they have all been so helpful. :)
Nate, thank you for your time and ability to simplify something for me. I was going to install the 12vdc fuse block, separate 110vac breaker box all linked to our inverter/charger but this video is a definite changer for our project to get the solar energy to our electrical systems in need. Be well!
Literally the best videos on the internet, question from the UK however, finding this distro board in the UK isn’t possible, and... we are 240 volt? Is this compatible for 12v DC and 240V AC? Would you be able to recommend an alternative? THANKS!
Nice and neat. Being a bit of a tech nerd, though, I wouldn't mind some solid state stuff on the 12 volt side. Fuses are so last decade. :) But digital power distribution modules do cost more as well.
Great video Nate. Two questions. First. Can you install a second single pole 50 amp breaker on the AC right side buss bar? Second. What did you do with the black wire from the electrical plug that came with the box? Thanks for the help.
Got the same question on how to power the other side of the bus bar. That outlet black wire can be wired into one of your circuit breakers and will power the outlet on the back of the panel. I used it to test my system before wiring my 120 outlets.
Great video, thanks. Quick question....my new Victron Multiplus 3000w inverter has two AC Outs, one to supply inverted or bypassed AC power to the distribution board and one AC OUT (OUT2) that provides power to those devices that I do not want to Invert power to (eg a rooftop A/C or hot water element). Can I feed the Inverter OUT1 to the left side of that AC busbar and the OUT2 line to the right side of the AC busbar, or are they connected and thus I would need a separate sub-panel? Assuming that I can separate the two AC OUTs from the inverter, does it matter if they share the common Neutral and ground busbars?
How can you get power to the other bar? A double pole 30amp breaker? Or maybe double up the wires coming from internet and put the second on another 30amp home breaker on the other bar? Any options. I need the other bar to get power to add more breakers.
A little confused about the split busbar on the AC side. I would like to run more than 4 circuits out of the AC side, but I'm not sure the best way to energize the other busbar on the right. I am also curious what you use the AC plug on the back for. In the hypothetical scenario or this video, you seem to be wiring outlets and appliances to the duplex breakers - what would you use the plug for? Just some other appliance?
Very good presentation, but you went a little fast for a new guy like me , I’m glad I can replay the video thanks for the tip it’s well done just a little fast but it’s all good :)
Why do my 12v DC 5amp fuses keep popping on my lights when i can plug them i to a small ac/dc adapter straight from the wall and they work fine. Im confused...
We've decided to go with a portable solar generator for our van electrics. Will we still need a DC panel to run our wiring through? Would the electrical panel you use in this video work for that?
That is exactly what I am here to find out. I've read through the comments/questions to here and it has not been answered. I bought the Bluetti 2,400 wh. It has a 9 amp (=110 watts) cigarette lighter plug for DC power. I did notice that the cigarette lighter splitter/adapter that I bought to hook up two of the light sets that I've installed so far is rated for 9 amps and using 13 gauge 12 volt wire. So, I am thinking that I can hook up as many lights and accessories to equal 9 amps max and plug the adapter from the Bluetti into this panel and use this as a DC distribution panel.
I have a 30 amp set up already completed, the extra sure, power connection, and the breaker system inside the bus, everything works perfectly well, except if I plug into any outlet that has a GFI set up within that circuit. And I don’t know why it causes the GFI to trip every time. Do you have any suggestions? If I plug my 30 amp sure power bus outlet to an outlet at my house without the GFI it works perfectly well
Hey Nate! Loving this; and saving me so much time! I was wondering what the setup would be to power the right side positive breaker bar. Are they both energized by that first breaker setup, or would I need to splice the power from the inverter into a mirrored set up on the other side. Thanks!
Hello Nate, I have the same question, I am currently building a skoolie bus. I will have a 30amp system but need 2 additional breaker spaces. I was planning on running a jumper wire from the 30amp breaker over to a additional 30 amp breaker to power the other side. Is there a better way? Thanks in advance for your help
Howdy, Nate! Fantastic video. Thanks! Quick Question: How would you go about lighting up the second AC busbar? The goal is to make use of the additional space for circuits but using just a single MAIN input.
Basically, there is no approved method to power both sides of the AC Breaker box with one power wire incoming. That side is truly reserved for 50A 120V/240V shore power (but not 240V loads). Some thoughts, though: 1: In a camper... 6 circuits (using 3x tandem breakers) is PLENTY for 96% of builds: Driver Side Outlets circuit, Pass Side Outlets circuits, 1 high powered device outlet circuit, Air conditioner circuit, and a Hot Water Heater Circuit should be good to go for most people. This also leaves one extra circuit for whatever else you've got going on. It's truly not necessary to have one circuit per outlet (a common problem I see).
Hey. I have a very similar box and need to run a new 10/3 romex to the main breaker. My question: is the unit grounded to the frame? Or only grounded to the bus bar via the 30amp breaker wires? I’m lost…
Quick question regarding Victron Multiplus 3000 overload. I only have 2 Square-- HOM Tandem 20amp breakers installed for my van. The first one has the distribution back outlet wired to a tandem while the other tandem is wired to 3 outlets on same circuit - all 3 outlets work great when tested. However, when I add the second tandem breaker and wire it to a dedicated outlet (which will. be for water heater) and then test, it trips the inverter into an overload. Any thoughts for troubleshooting? And as always Nate, your videos are absolutely astounding, thank you so much.
So I have a Progressive Dynamics PD4560 Distribution panel, it's an all in one. I can't for the life of me figure out how to get power to the dc side. I have looked all over the internet and can't find anything remotely close to what i have and what possibly could be going wrong here. I know the battery is good, I know the converter is good, I just can't figure out what's going on with the wiring that I cant get 12 volts at the WAGOS connectors.
Hey Nate, I’m wondering why you use a 30 amp main breaker with this panel and in your newer wiring diagrams with the separated AC panel you use a 50 amp main breaker? I have the AC/DC panel shown in this video and am trying to figure out weather to use a 30 or 50 amp main breaker?
can you wire the ac portion directly to a shore power hookup? I will have a seperate ac outlets with a small inverter but I want to have some full power ac outlets when I connect to shore power
I’ve looked through a lot of the answers and questions this is a super informative video thank you for posting it. I’m curious on the breakers AC side how many amps am I able to put on this breaker box? When would be a 30 amp for sure and I’m looking to do 3 20 amp for outlets that I have stove, air conditioning things like that. And for DC side how many Aunt can I draw from this side? There’s 15 slots as an example can I put 15 20 amp fuses?
Do you have a video on a split phase for a 50A connection. I am going to add a go power ic 2000 which is an inverter charger and automatic transfer switch all in one. It does 50a pass through as welll
Red LED is blown fuse or no fuse....So I grounded the DC negative in the BOX to the grounding point in the RV...My hope was that I’d save on wire....do a big ground from box to grounding point....and then run negative from loads to other nearer grounding points. Unfortunately this does not seem to work....it wants negatives for each circuit returning back to the box. When running a central switch panel, it’s a lot of wire. So don’t ground the. DC portion of the Box the vehicle? My entire DC load is less than 25A...However I expect having 7-10 separate circuits with switch control for each. This box supports 15.
Grounding Question: If I were to turn my "RV" into a permanent installation that required an electrical inspection, Do you know how the grounding requirements would change? I presume I would need solar panel grounding and a driven ground rod. Would I just connect to the ground rod instead of the chassis or are there a host of other equipment grounding changes as well?
Nate. For the AC side. Do you hook up the shore power wires to this or the inverter wires. I have both shore power and an Inverter that will be instLled in the battery compartment next to the Solar Charge controller. Kind of confused.
Thank you, this is very informative. I know you have a DIY busbar video, but are you planning on doing a tutorial for wiring victron distributor since it's on your updated wire diagram?
Grounding question? Do you have to bring back all of the DC negatives? Can you not go to a grounding point.....so long as you also take the box to a grounding point also?
Thanks Nate! These electrical videos have been super helpful in getting started on our build. Something I've been struggling to find an answer to is where is the best place to run wires on a new build; behind walls and insulation or in front of walls and behind cabinets? Additionally, if you're running wires behind the walls how do you make changes in the future if you need to say add a new switch or a new AC plug? Thanks!
I did it behind with a removable panel with a velcro, so that if I needed to add anything I know where everything is. Some people do it behind walls, cause it's a finalized design.
My question is, I think I'm thinking too hard or over looking the obvious, but what type of wiring do I now put from the box to my outlets? Do I use the 10/3 I have from my shore or do I use the 12v because I'm doing solar power and will be doing lots of boondocking? Every video I've watched stops at installing the system but not power outlets for kitchen appliances. I only see 12v for lights or 12v refrigerator, I'm doing a mini dorm type refrigerator. 🤔
Thanks for the video Nate, my panel is all hooked up with no issues, but I have one question, how do you have your 12volt appliances work off the 115volt side if for instance your hooked up to shore power from a campground and want to shut off your 12volt solar input. Do I need a converter/charger ? And how would I connect that to my system? And if so, who makes a decent one ? I’m running all Renogy products except for a GoPower transfer switch and of coarse the Furrion breaker/ fuse panel. Your feed back would be greatly appreciated.
First of all, thanks for all the help! I have used your site/videos and products extensively throughout my van build. I do have a question in regard to wiring the main breaker from the inverter. Per your wiring diagram i have used a 6/3 wire from the inverter to the panel. I am having trouble fitting this wire into the 30amp breaker. Have i miss understood wire sizing or breaker requirements? Is it acceptable to split/pigtail this wire to allow fit within the breaker? I am using the 30 amp breaker you have linked above. Any help is much appreciated.
Hey Nate! Maybe I’m an idiot, but I’m wiring my AC and I’m a little confused about that part of the video. You add your external circuit wires (green and white) to the bus bars and then the black wire that is already built into the box is what you attach to the HOM breaker instead of the one going to the external circuit. Do you attach the one build in AND the external wires going to my outlets? Or do I only attach the black wire coming from the external outlet to the HOM breaker and leave the second screw/attachment point alone? Also, what if I want two outlets?
Question: I'm assuming shore power cord is wired to the 30a main. I no longer use shore power as I have a hybrid inverter the I have added a dual 25a circuit breaker for at the only open location in the bottom (manual recommended 25a dual pole even though it claims to output 41.7a). My question is can I use that breaker location and wire in an additional ac unit as my inverter supplies 41.7a and the draw from two ac is 16 a piece totaling a 32a draw when initially started? Thank you for the help.
Question. From the 30-amp inlet can I just run shore power right to the electrical panel? I would then plug my powermax 110 to 12-volt convert into that to charge battery which would power the DC side. I realize my AC side would only work when hooked up to shore power.
If your shore power is coming from a portable generator, do you need to ground the box some where? You never mention grounding. I know if you are plugging into a grid, it should be grounded already. The multiplus of installed, is grounded to the van / trailer. But if you don’t have that, what, if anything, do you do for grounding?
Hey Nate. Thanks for all of your information. I bought many items for my setup through your links. However, I made some adjustments to fit my personal desires and budgets. Instead of the inverter charger, I got just an inverter. So I am running my shore power supply straight to a 30 amp breaker. My plan was to have a separate breaker for my solar system and switch them on/off accordingly. On my panel I currently have a 20 amp circuit breaker, a tandem 20 amp breaker, a tandem 15 amp breaker, and the 30 amp main breaker. Everything works great on shore power but my question to you is... Can I use a tandem 30 amp breaker for my main to switch on/off between shore and solar? Thanks
Once you set up that second breaker you put the negative wire from the unit itself into the breaker. What do you do then with your negative wire coming in from the other line?
How to connect 10 awg stranded wire under the screws on the positive side of the separate 12v fuse block? They really don’t fit. We have many strands that escape from under the screw plate, which doesn’t seem right. What are we missing?
That's because the 50A breaker would be a dual pole breaker (amzn.to/3kwxwNp), so the screw on the left would hold in the whole breaker for both sides.
Does the AC ground busbar need a separate chassis ground? It seems like you would want a more direct path for grounding rather than running to the inverter and then the chassis. Thanks for all the awesome tutorials!
That depends on the type of Inverter you have so be sure to check in the installation manual of your specific inverter, but in the case of the Victron inverter chargers I recommend on the wiring diagrams at www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams the grounding and bonding is taken care of internally through a relay as the method of grounding the AC side of the system changes depending on if it's plugged into shore power or not. But again, in Victron inverter/chargers, that's taken care of internally so we don't have to mess with it and an additional AC chassis ground from the distribution panel is not permitted.
HI Nate, First thanks for all the help 18 months ago. Your professional services were well worth it. My old Airstream has been parked for over a year, so I've forgotten more than I ever knew! Question: At your suggestion I am using this panel. My rig is 30a. I believe the way you show in this video, only the left bus bar is hot. What is the slick way to get power to the right hand busbar to add a couple of more circuits? Thanks again, Manning
Hey Nate. Thank for all that you provide us. I was disappointed to see that I could not purchase a membership at this time? Will keep looking and hope to purchase soon. Question; I am in the process of installing a solar system to my rv trailer. In order to streamline the install. I am considering installing a new 30v in receptacle in the forward area of the trailer. Doing so will provide easy access to the pre-wired roof solar wires and allow for the inverter and related solar hardware to be installed in the forward pass thru area. is there any value in keeping the existing 30v in? The factory receptacle is located in the back of the trailer and of course wired to the fuse panel as per normal. Is it safe to add the new inverter in line alongside the existing factory 30v line? If it is, should I isolated it with a shut-off switch? Having both lines would able me to bypass the solar input if I wanted to run strictly off of shore power. Thoughts? Thank you for your help. Craig
great video. I have a couple of questions. 1. what is the ac outlet for on the back of the distribution box? 2. if i were to use a device like the Yeti 3000x, would it be worth it to connect its AC output to another Main breaker and then add other breakers to branch out for outlets, microwave etc, or should i just daisy chain them directly from the yeti? can i connect 30 amp shore power to the left side, and also connect my yeti 3000x inverter power to the right side?
Great how to! Question for ya, or anyone else in the know. So I've got a wfco 8735p and I'm doing a utility traler conversion. On my dc side I've ran all positives to the labeled circuts and for the negative I just tied them into a bus bar. Do I need to ground the negative bus bar to the chaise? I know I need to do that for the ac side but not sure if I'm good to go on the dc. Thanks all.
whats you opinion on conecting the negative of the battery used for solar into the chasis of the van? this way you just use a fuse and one line to the load (provided there is some metal of the van to connect the negative of the load) thanks
Brilliant!!! many thanks for this video and all others. Question... Any recommendations on the best souce to get a wiring diagram for those boxes? My trailer is a Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro 19 FBS. I will be installing an Auto Switch (Shore + Solar) and need to know what is behind. Thanks
I don’t know if I have done something wrong but I’m my installation it seems I always have power to my 12v dc circuits regardless of whether there is a fuse installed or not. How does the fuse work if it doesn’t fully cut power to the branch if it blows?
By doing this will this supply power to my ac circuts and dc circuts or will the generator power ac circuts and battery power dc circuts? I want to have one place where i can just use my generator as a back up
2021 Update!! Can't find this panel in stock? Neither could we... so we took matters into our own hands and ordered a few pallets of an alternative solution so we could ensure that these stay in stock for you. Plus... our new panels have 18 spots for DC circuits, slots for 8 AC circuits per leg (16 total for the box) and they are in separate enclosures so you have a little more flexibility when it comes to mounting them. Check them out here: shop.explorist.life/product-category/all-products/distribution-panels/
Cool, I see all the Solar installs and they have new Boxes and breakers and more....
CAN WE NOT JUST WIRE IT INTO HERE? Does it need to be bigger, or more powerful as in to handle more Amps???
Doug: I'm not really sure what you mean, but if you'll check out the wiring diagrams at explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams , that'll show you how it all needs to be wired together.
When running the wire from the lithium battery to the isolator to the alternator, did you run the wires inside the van or underneath? I have a 2018 Ford Transit.
@@timothykubota9711 why underneath? The isolator gets connected to your battery which is under the driver seat in a Transit. Nothing is connected directly to your alternator.
Does your system allow engine alt to charge RV batteries while driving ?
Love this, as an ex-navy mobile electrical power plant tech, I’ve wondered why no one has ever done a video about this... Great video, quick and to the point....
Awesome! Glad it was helpful! :)
AC/DC That’s what I did for my 12x16 Man cave shed...installed a 30amp panel from my old RV also took the RV propane heater that will run from the 12v DC side for the heaters fan ....put in some good bright LED lights USB chargers / it also keeps my deep cycle battery charged .....the AC/ side is to run my window air conditioner and power tools ...many creative and versatile uses having this type of system... “important to note” build two separate cabinets outside of the shed interlined with sheet metal for the propane tanks and battery...thank you for the share 👍🏻
Nice! Sounds like an awesome project!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I will be building my van conversion in about 3 years when I retire. In the mean time I have made diagrams for my floor plan and watching video to learn everything I can. Yours are always informative and easy to understand and follow. See you on the road in 3 years. You will recognize me because I will be the one that is debt free, living and loving life. Pattie
I am a very familiar with RV electrical and a 43 year electrician but I must say that this is one of the best explanation of this type of power panel I have seen. Normally ac and dc are not allowed in the same panel but since it is not a house it is ok. People just need to realize NOT to mix the wires in each section. Great Job!
This must be why these are no longer available
If possible, can you do a tutorial video or blog for this distribution panel using 50A breaker (power in)? I am using Victron Multiplus with 30AMP shore power based on your complete walkthrough airstream video. You mentioned the Powerassist and used 50A breaker in that video. But I am getting so confused because the 50A breaker has 2 poles but the 6/3 wire from Multiplus can only provide 1 positive/hot wire to 1 pole.
Thank you so much for all the detailed videos!
Bro you’re a badass teacher and your videos are crystal clear. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Glad it's helped!
Is the wire from the inverter stranded or romex (solid). We have stranded wire (10AWG) from the inverter and want to know if I have to switch that over to romex?
@@joeboxter3635 All wires in a mobile application (RV/van) must be stranded wire.
You touched on cloudy days, but something you should touch on is "reserve battery capacity". Planning for extended in-climate weather (dependent on solar without access to a generator, shore power or some other grid-like power) is pretty crucial if you are out in the boonies and if you have a hard dependency on electricity, C-Pap or other vital electrical needs. Some of this is also dependent on your array capacity.
Best explanation of RV/Camper/Skoolie power distribution I've seen. Seems like every other video talks about how to set up solar, or how to combine solar with shore power, and nothing on how to get 110/120 outlets wired from the inverter. Thanks so much for this!
When we started our van build, we studied your wiring diagrams in an effort to educate ourselves since we had zero experience with 12V DC power. What we built was sort of a hybrid. We combined 200 Ah Li batteries with a REDARC 40 amp DC/DC charger and a WFCO-8955 distribution panel which includes a 55 amp DC charger. We haven't burned anything down yet. The REDARC charger is also a MPPT solar charge controller. Instead of panels on the roof, our intention is to use briefcase panels since we always try to park in shade and we hope to have the flexibility to move the panels to follow the sun. Our build continues....
Nate has taught me SO MUCH, can’t thank him enough.
Glad it was helpful. Cheers!
Finally, a video that shows where the wires go. THANK YOU!!!
You’re a treasure, man. Thank you for everything. Not a second of fluff or confusion in your explanations.
Thanks so much! Cheers!!
Just what I needed! I found this box on Amazon a while back and snatched it up! Today is wiring day! Thank you!!!!
Thanks for the video! Some reviews of this box say its a bit flimsy and the door easily breaks off. Paneltronics make some nice looking and robust 30A AC distribution panels as well, but they are quite a bit more expensive, and I don't think they handle 50A, and don't have DC distribution as well.
We've swapped over to recommending these separate units we are now selling in our store: shop.explorist.life/product-category/all-products/distribution-panels/ The doors are definitely not flimsy but still aren't as expensive as the paneltronics units.
Thanks for this. My old RV's fuse box is a mess. After watching this, everything makes sense.
Oh my gosh - this was so helpful! You just broke it all down so easily. I just started renovating a 1981 airstream and all the worsting has been cut or eaten by mice. This is exactly what I needed!!!! Thanks again.
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Did you have to take all the walls/paneling down to rewire?
Is there a way to bridge the left and right side of the AC breaker rails? or is it necessary to split the 120 line in the breaker box between the two sides (maintaining 120 volts on each side)?
A 2 pole breaker in the middle. Will need 240v incoming power
it looks like there are 2 positive breaker rails. Would it be recommended that I could energize the 2nd rail from the main breaker on the 1st rail....acting like a bridge? Thanks for excellent video.
Im having the same issue aswell. I tried putting the 30amp tandem breaker in between both bars and got zip, zero energy
Clear and concise. But how is shore power wired into the box?
Thank you for the video you my dude! I'm building out my skoolie and I just hooked up my panel (same as the one your using in this video) and the problem I'm having is ac is only flowing to 2 of the 4 outlets I have wired up. Thanks again for all the help you've given me 🤘🤘
I am considering getting an EcoFlow Delta Pro for my current shuttle bus conversion. I would love to see a small tutorial on this as it seems fairly cost-efficient as compared to buying a large battery bank, inverter, charge controller and battery monitor. Seems like a great option for the weekend adventurer who may want their battery bank for tailgating, or just to take inside and charge before a trip!
Big sell for me on the delta pro is EV charging...
I was going to use two separate boxes because I thought it would be easier but I don't think so anymore. This actually looks easier and will save some space. Thanks for all of the videos you post, they have all been so helpful. :)
Hey Douglas Burgert, No problem! Glad it helped! :)
Nate, thank you for your time and ability to simplify something for me. I was going to install the 12vdc fuse block, separate 110vac breaker box all linked to our inverter/charger but this video is a definite changer for our project to get the solar energy to our electrical systems in need.
Be well!
Thank you!! Super helpful. It's midnight, but I'm thinking about sneaking outside to wire the panel :)
Literally the best videos on the internet, question from the UK however, finding this distro board in the UK isn’t possible, and... we are 240 volt? Is this compatible for 12v DC and 240V AC? Would you be able to recommend an alternative? THANKS!
did you ever find out? im building a solar system for a van based on these videos but trying to clarify if 240v needs a different set-up
Nice and neat. Being a bit of a tech nerd, though, I wouldn't mind some solid state stuff on the 12 volt side. Fuses are so last decade. :) But digital power distribution modules do cost more as well.
Thanks! Yeah, you can add whatever you like at this point. This system is a nice and easy; effective and cost effective way to get the job done.
Thanks for a quick and concise video!!! Most people would have made that 20 mins long. Really helpful. Thanks!!
You make it look simple! It is now! Thank you.
Excellent way to put AC and DC in the same area. Thanks for the info
Hey Jeff P, No problem! Glad it helped! :)
Great video Nate. Two questions. First. Can you install a second single pole 50 amp breaker on the AC right side buss bar? Second. What did you do with the black wire from the electrical plug that came with the box? Thanks for the help.
Got the same question on how to power the other side of the bus bar. That outlet black wire can be wired into one of your circuit breakers and will power the outlet on the back of the panel. I used it to test my system before wiring my 120 outlets.
@@waywardescapes4384 right side uses another main and the other hot from a 4wire 4-pin cable. Index card on door shows 2 MAIN input breakers.
Great video, thanks. Quick question....my new Victron Multiplus 3000w inverter has two AC Outs, one to supply inverted or bypassed AC power to the distribution board and one AC OUT (OUT2) that provides power to those devices that I do not want to Invert power to (eg a rooftop A/C or hot water element). Can I feed the Inverter OUT1 to the left side of that AC busbar and the OUT2 line to the right side of the AC busbar, or are they connected and thus I would need a separate sub-panel? Assuming that I can separate the two AC OUTs from the inverter, does it matter if they share the common Neutral and ground busbars?
How can you get power to the other bar? A double pole 30amp breaker? Or maybe double up the wires coming from internet and put the second on another 30amp home breaker on the other bar? Any options. I need the other bar to get power to add more breakers.
Thks, I putting solar on the backyard shed and your camper van electrical distribution panel just might be a good way to organize the wiring.
It was remarkably helpful and it’s going to save me thousands of dollars on an electrician for my Bus! build
A little confused about the split busbar on the AC side. I would like to run more than 4 circuits out of the AC side, but I'm not sure the best way to energize the other busbar on the right.
I am also curious what you use the AC plug on the back for. In the hypothetical scenario or this video, you seem to be wiring outlets and appliances to the duplex breakers - what would you use the plug for? Just some other appliance?
Very good presentation, but you went a little fast for a new guy like me , I’m glad I can replay the video thanks for the tip it’s well done just a little fast but it’s all good :)
Replays are free, this week only!
Why do my 12v DC 5amp fuses keep popping on my lights when i can plug them i to a small ac/dc adapter straight from the wall and they work fine. Im confused...
We've decided to go with a portable solar generator for our van electrics. Will we still need a DC panel to run our wiring through? Would the electrical panel you use in this video work for that?
That is exactly what I am here to find out. I've read through the comments/questions to here and it has not been answered. I bought the Bluetti 2,400 wh. It has a 9 amp (=110 watts) cigarette lighter plug for DC power. I did notice that the cigarette lighter splitter/adapter that I bought to hook up two of the light sets that I've installed so far is rated for 9 amps and using 13 gauge 12 volt wire. So, I am thinking that I can hook up as many lights and accessories to equal 9 amps max and plug the adapter from the Bluetti into this panel and use this as a DC distribution panel.
Thank you so much for creating this video! Adding a Victron Multiplus 3000 and needed to better understand the electrical panel.
I have a 30 amp set up already completed, the extra sure, power connection, and the breaker system inside the bus, everything works perfectly well, except if I plug into any outlet that has a GFI set up within that circuit. And I don’t know why it causes the GFI to trip every time. Do you have any suggestions? If I plug my 30 amp sure power bus outlet to an outlet at my house without the GFI it works perfectly well
Thank you for this simple and brief tutorial!!!!
You got it! Cheers!
Hey Nate! Loving this; and saving me so much time! I was wondering what the setup would be to power the right side positive breaker bar. Are they both energized by that first breaker setup, or would I need to splice the power from the inverter into a mirrored set up on the other side.
Thanks!
Hey Jeremy! Thanks! Glad it's helped. Are you talking for a 50A setup or to just have 6 more breaker spaces available (3 slots of tandem breakers)?
This is my question as well
Hello Nate,
I have the same question, I am currently building a skoolie bus. I will have a 30amp system but need 2 additional breaker spaces. I was planning on running a jumper wire from the 30amp breaker over to a additional 30 amp breaker to power the other side. Is there a better way? Thanks in advance for your help
That was incredibly informative and simple to follow! Thank you!
thanks for making your video very simple and to the point
Howdy, Nate! Fantastic video. Thanks!
Quick Question: How would you go about lighting up the second AC busbar? The goal is to make use of the additional space for circuits but using just a single MAIN input.
Basically, there is no approved method to power both sides of the AC Breaker box with one power wire incoming. That side is truly reserved for 50A 120V/240V shore power (but not 240V loads). Some thoughts, though:
1: In a camper... 6 circuits (using 3x tandem breakers) is PLENTY for 96% of builds: Driver Side Outlets circuit, Pass Side Outlets circuits, 1 high powered device outlet circuit, Air conditioner circuit, and a Hot Water Heater Circuit should be good to go for most people. This also leaves one extra circuit for whatever else you've got going on. It's truly not necessary to have one circuit per outlet (a common problem I see).
Hey. I have a very similar box and need to run a new 10/3 romex to the main breaker. My question: is the unit grounded to the frame? Or only grounded to the bus bar via the 30amp breaker wires? I’m lost…
Quick question regarding Victron Multiplus 3000 overload. I only have 2 Square-- HOM Tandem 20amp breakers installed for my van. The first one has the distribution back outlet wired to a tandem while the other tandem is wired to 3 outlets on same circuit - all 3 outlets work great when tested. However, when I add the second tandem breaker and wire it to a dedicated outlet (which will. be for water heater) and then test, it trips the inverter into an overload. Any thoughts for troubleshooting? And as always Nate, your videos are absolutely astounding, thank you so much.
Nice work,plain english..easy common sense terminology.dan australia.
So I have a Progressive Dynamics PD4560 Distribution panel, it's an all in one. I can't for the life of me figure out how to get power to the dc side. I have looked all over the internet and can't find anything remotely close to what i have and what possibly could be going wrong here. I know the battery is good, I know the converter is good, I just can't figure out what's going on with the wiring that I cant get 12 volts at the WAGOS connectors.
Hey Nate, I’m wondering why you use a 30 amp main breaker with this panel and in your newer wiring diagrams with the separated AC panel you use a 50 amp main breaker? I have the AC/DC panel shown in this video and am trying to figure out weather to use a 30 or 50 amp main breaker?
can you wire the ac portion directly to a shore power hookup? I will have a seperate ac outlets with a small inverter but I want to have some full power ac outlets when I connect to shore power
Nate, this is the absolutely best product idea and explanatory video ever.
Thanks! Glad you found it helpful. 👍😁
Do I have to connect the black wire already connected to the distribution panel
This is exactly the video I have been needing!
I’ve looked through a lot of the answers and questions this is a super informative video thank you for posting it. I’m curious on the breakers AC side how many amps am I able to put on this breaker box? When would be a 30 amp for sure and I’m looking to do 3 20 amp for outlets that I have stove, air conditioning things like that. And for DC side how many Aunt can I draw from this side? There’s 15 slots as an example can I put 15 20 amp fuses?
Do you have a video on a split phase for a 50A connection. I am going to add a go power ic 2000 which is an inverter charger and automatic transfer switch all in one. It does 50a pass through as welll
I just had to see it to believe it. Pretty simple. Thank u
Red LED is blown fuse or no fuse....So I grounded the DC negative in the BOX to the grounding point in the RV...My hope was that I’d save on wire....do a big ground from box to grounding point....and then run negative from loads to other nearer grounding points. Unfortunately this does not seem to work....it wants negatives for each circuit returning back to the box. When running a central switch panel, it’s a lot of wire. So don’t ground the. DC portion of the Box the vehicle? My entire DC load is less than 25A...However I expect having 7-10 separate circuits with switch control for each. This box supports 15.
Grounding Question: If I were to turn my "RV" into a permanent installation that required an electrical inspection, Do you know how the grounding requirements would change? I presume I would need solar panel grounding and a driven ground rod. Would I just connect to the ground rod instead of the chassis or are there a host of other equipment grounding changes as well?
Looks nice, except I got a progressive dynamics dp that doesn’t look like that.
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Nate. For the AC side. Do you hook up the shore power wires to this or the inverter wires. I have both shore power and an Inverter that will be instLled in the battery compartment next to the Solar Charge controller. Kind of confused.
Thank you, this is very informative. I know you have a DIY busbar video, but are you planning on doing a tutorial for wiring victron distributor since it's on your updated wire diagram?
Hi Nate, can you touch on how to isolate 120v 3 way fridge as well as air conditioner from the inverter with this power distribution centre?
Grounding question? Do you have to bring back all of the DC negatives? Can you not go to a grounding point.....so long as you also take the box to a grounding point also?
Thanks Nate! These electrical videos have been super helpful in getting started on our build. Something I've been struggling to find an answer to is where is the best place to run wires on a new build; behind walls and insulation or in front of walls and behind cabinets? Additionally, if you're running wires behind the walls how do you make changes in the future if you need to say add a new switch or a new AC plug? Thanks!
I did it behind with a removable panel with a velcro, so that if I needed to add anything I know where everything is. Some people do it behind walls, cause it's a finalized design.
Thank god. I’ve been searching forever
Do you have a main ground hou have to put on the châssis in this electrical box ? Tanks
My question is, I think I'm thinking too hard or over looking the obvious, but what type of wiring do I now put from the box to my outlets? Do I use the 10/3 I have from my shore or do I use the 12v because I'm doing solar power and will be doing lots of boondocking? Every video I've watched stops at installing the system but not power outlets for kitchen appliances. I only see 12v for lights or 12v refrigerator, I'm doing a mini dorm type refrigerator.
🤔
Love it, thank you! Does the 20 amp receptacle on the back allow for 1 thing to plug in instead of be hardwired through a breaker?
Yes, you can indeed plug 1 thing into the outlet on the back. It still needs to be hooked to a breaker though.
Thanks for the video Nate, my panel is all hooked up with no issues, but I have one question, how do you have your 12volt appliances work off the 115volt side if for instance your hooked up to shore power from a campground and want to shut off your 12volt solar input. Do I need a converter/charger ? And how would I connect that to my system? And if so, who makes a decent one ? I’m running all Renogy products except for a GoPower transfer switch and of coarse the Furrion breaker/ fuse panel. Your feed back would be greatly appreciated.
I have this panel. Is the 110V plug on the back used for anything?
How does this translate to a 50 amp power supply?
My understanding is that on an RV 50 amp supply I have two 120 volt power supplies.
Help me please! Where does the OEM black wire get attached. Instructions do mot say.
To a breaker, the same as any other circuit coming from the box.
First of all, thanks for all the help! I have used your site/videos and products extensively throughout my van build. I do have a question in regard to wiring the main breaker from the inverter. Per your wiring diagram i have used a 6/3 wire from the inverter to the panel. I am having trouble fitting this wire into the 30amp breaker. Have i miss understood wire sizing or breaker requirements? Is it acceptable to split/pigtail this wire to allow fit within the breaker? I am using the 30 amp breaker you have linked above. Any help is much appreciated.
You'll use a 50A breaker if you're using 6/3 wire.
Hey Nate! Maybe I’m an idiot, but I’m wiring my AC and I’m a little confused about that part of the video. You add your external circuit wires (green and white) to the bus bars and then the black wire that is already built into the box is what you attach to the HOM breaker instead of the one going to the external circuit. Do you attach the one build in AND the external wires going to my outlets? Or do I only attach the black wire coming from the external outlet to the HOM breaker and leave the second screw/attachment point alone? Also, what if I want two outlets?
Question:
I'm assuming shore power cord is wired to the 30a main. I no longer use shore power as I have a hybrid inverter the I have added a dual 25a circuit breaker for at the only open location in the bottom (manual recommended 25a dual pole even though it claims to output 41.7a). My question is can I use that breaker location and wire in an additional ac unit as my inverter supplies 41.7a and the draw from two ac is 16 a piece totaling a 32a draw when initially started? Thank you for the help.
A 12volt roof ac connects to the DC side of the distribution?
You are a great teacher thank you for caring
No problem. Happy to help!
Thanks for doing this for us. Super helpful!
Question. From the 30-amp inlet can I just run shore power right to the electrical panel? I would then plug my powermax 110 to 12-volt convert into that to charge battery which would power the DC side. I realize my AC side would only work when hooked up to shore power.
This is very attractive ingenuity. Direct, simple and VERY NEAT. Nice work.
Thanks so much! 😁👍
If your shore power is coming from a portable generator, do you need to ground the box some where? You never mention grounding. I know if you are plugging into a grid, it should be grounded already.
The multiplus of installed, is grounded to the van / trailer. But if you don’t have that, what, if anything, do you do for grounding?
Great Video/Info. What if my wiring of second breaker is grounded to neg buscar but top wire is aluminum, capped off; and is unused at pos busbar??
Hey Nate. Thanks for all of your information. I bought many items for my setup through your links. However, I made some adjustments to fit my personal desires and budgets. Instead of the inverter charger, I got just an inverter. So I am running my shore power supply straight to a 30 amp breaker. My plan was to have a separate breaker for my solar system and switch them on/off accordingly. On my panel I currently have a 20 amp circuit breaker, a tandem 20 amp breaker, a tandem 15 amp breaker, and the 30 amp main breaker. Everything works great on shore power but my question to you is...
Can I use a tandem 30 amp breaker for my main to switch on/off between shore and solar?
Thanks
Once you set up that second breaker you put the negative wire from the unit itself into the breaker. What do you do then with your negative wire coming in from the other line?
How to connect 10 awg stranded wire under the screws on the positive side of the separate 12v fuse block? They really don’t fit. We have many strands that escape from under the screw plate, which doesn’t seem right. What are we missing?
10ga is the biggest that will fit, so it's definitely a tight fit. Persistence pays off here.
So that’s a 50 amp service panel and I’m wondering why there’s not a screw to hold the second 50amp fuse on the right side?
That's because the 50A breaker would be a dual pole breaker (amzn.to/3kwxwNp), so the screw on the left would hold in the whole breaker for both sides.
Does the AC ground busbar need a separate chassis ground? It seems like you would want a more direct path for grounding rather than running to the inverter and then the chassis. Thanks for all the awesome tutorials!
That depends on the type of Inverter you have so be sure to check in the installation manual of your specific inverter, but in the case of the Victron inverter chargers I recommend on the wiring diagrams at www.explorist.life/solarwiringdiagrams the grounding and bonding is taken care of internally through a relay as the method of grounding the AC side of the system changes depending on if it's plugged into shore power or not. But again, in Victron inverter/chargers, that's taken care of internally so we don't have to mess with it and an additional AC chassis ground
from the distribution panel is not permitted.
HI Nate,
First thanks for all the help 18 months ago. Your professional services were well worth it.
My old Airstream has been parked for over a year, so I've forgotten more than I ever knew!
Question: At your suggestion I am using this panel. My rig is 30a.
I believe the way you show in this video, only the left bus bar is hot.
What is the slick way to get power to the right hand busbar to add a couple of more circuits?
Thanks again, Manning
There's not really a 'clean' way to do that. Fortunately, 6 circuits (3 tandem breakers) is generally plenty for most campers.
Another great video. Do you have a video of this PD being hooked up to a Switch Panel?
Awesome work, simple and direct. Very helpful.
Glad it was helpful. Cheers!
Hey Nate. Thank for all that you provide us. I was disappointed to see that I could not purchase a membership at this time? Will keep looking and hope to purchase soon. Question; I am in the process of installing a solar system to my rv trailer. In order to streamline the install. I am considering installing a new 30v in receptacle in the forward area of the trailer. Doing so will provide easy access to the pre-wired roof solar wires and allow for the inverter and related solar hardware to be installed in the forward pass thru area. is there any value in keeping the existing 30v in? The factory receptacle is located in the back of the trailer and of course wired to the fuse panel as per normal. Is it safe to add the new inverter in line alongside the existing factory 30v line? If it is, should I isolated it with a shut-off switch? Having both lines would able me to bypass the solar input if I wanted to run strictly off of shore power. Thoughts? Thank you for your help. Craig
great video. I have a couple of questions. 1. what is the ac outlet for on the back of the distribution box? 2. if i were to use a device like the Yeti 3000x, would it be worth it to connect its AC output to another Main breaker and then add other breakers to branch out for outlets, microwave etc, or should i just daisy chain them directly from the yeti? can i connect 30 amp shore power to the left side, and also connect my yeti 3000x inverter power to the right side?
I wish you had explained how to connect a circuit to the breaker.
Great how to! Question for ya, or anyone else in the know. So I've got a wfco 8735p and I'm doing a utility traler conversion. On my dc side I've ran all positives to the labeled circuts and for the negative I just tied them into a bus bar. Do I need to ground the negative bus bar to the chaise? I know I need to do that for the ac side but not sure if I'm good to go on the dc. Thanks all.
whats you opinion on conecting the negative of the battery used for solar into the chasis of the van? this way you just use a fuse and one line to the load (provided there is some metal of the van to connect the negative of the load) thanks
Brilliant!!! many thanks for this video and all others. Question... Any recommendations on the best souce to get a wiring diagram for those boxes? My trailer is a Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro 19 FBS. I will be installing an Auto Switch (Shore + Solar) and need to know what is behind. Thanks
I don’t know if I have done something wrong but I’m my installation it seems I always have power to my 12v dc circuits regardless of whether there is a fuse installed or not. How does the fuse work if it doesn’t fully cut power to the branch if it blows?
By doing this will this supply power to my ac circuts and dc circuts or will the generator power ac circuts and battery power dc circuts? I want to have one place where i can just use my generator as a back up