Brightway AGM charging specs.

[jd1923]

20 hours ago, ScubaRx said:

30 feet of 2awg red + 30 feet of 2AWG black will cost nearly $250. 60 feet of each would be about $470. The wire is not cheap...

I'm seeing prices quite a bit less, see my post above for more details. This welding lead is $215 plus tax, 50 FT each black/red. 100 FT should do it. Linked here again: TEMCo INDUSTRIAL WC0181-100' (50' Blk, 50' Red) 2 Gauge AWG Welding Lead & Car Battery Cable Copper Wire Black + RED | Made in USA - Amazon.com

Perhaps @ScubaRx was considering a higher quality cable, as the kind @2008RN described above. Love his install, as he "ran the wire in the frame rail." This is the way I would do it, and agreed no shop is going to do that unless you order it on the service ticket.

My other comment I made earlier was something like, "at $4000, run as fast as you can!" Some shops quote double when they really could care less if they get this custom one-off job. Given @MAX Burner ran the wires in a half day, let's call it full day. Charging $1000 for labor (plus parts which you should determine and purchase separately), comes to $125/hr! Pay more $$$, then just bend over since they would sure be doing it to you.

[2008RN]

15 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

Concur 100%.  That's why we did it ourselves - it took less than a half-day to configure the Tundra with wires, fuse, and Anderson plug/mount from engine compartment to hitch area.  Took about the same time (maybe a bit less) for the OTT side of the equation.  We used clam hull penetration hardware to introduce the cables into the area below the bathroom sink, underneath and in front of the head, under the forward dinette, to the aft dinette area where we mounted the DC/DC charger.

Note:  In bulk charge mode this particular charger kicks off some heat.  We've been leaving the aft seat hatch off while towing to better circulate air around the cooling fins of the charger.  There's a ton of YouTube videos of how some RV fabricators attach cooling fans.  As described and photographed earlier, having two of these bad boys in close proximity will create some serious heat and auxiliary fans would definitely be helpful.

As of this post, currently boondocking just south of Elephant Butte Lake SP waiting for the temps to rise above freezing before heading off to "The Q" - planning for a mid-afternoon arrival in the Sonoran Desert where its been above freezing temps for a few weeks now.  

FYI:  OATs here last night dropped to 20F.  Starting a 10pm last night with 96% SOC, ran the furnace and water heater all night and woke up at 5am to a 78% SOC.  Not too bad....  I'm expecting to have 100% SOC by the time we hit Benson, AZ, with the DC/DC charger cranking +/-30A/14.4vDC into the BBs.

Cheers!

 

I never thought about mounting at 90 degrees.  The was a great idea for mounting the charger using that little space.  I also like hearing about the real world experience.  I am hoping that my test for an hour in a closed compartment, will be relevant in the real world. If I do have problems  with heat, I could try opening the deck plate to see if I could get little air flow in there.

[MAX Burner]

8 hours ago, 2008RN said:

 

I never thought about mounting at 90 degrees.  The was a great idea for mounting the charger using that little space.  I also like hearing about the real world experience.  I am hoping that my test for an hour in a closed compartment, will be relevant in the real world. If I do have problems  with heat, I could try opening the deck plate to see if I could get little air flow in there.

FYI: The Victron instructions for the unit recommend mounting as we did instead of flat - they also recommend at least an inch of clearance behind the cooling fins for obvious reasons.  We used aluminum angle for the mount, easy peasy.  Did the same for the Cerbo S GX unit which now resides under the forward hatch under the port-side rack.

Yesterday from Elephant Butte SP, NM to Lordsburg, NM (about 160 miles) - the charger moved the departure SOC of 76% up to 100%, this was sooner than I had calculated.  Heat build-up wasn't an issue as the IR temp gauge measured 105F on the cooling fins at an intermediate stop with engine running in park during bulk charge mode.  

Cool gear, Victron, IMO.

Edited January 13 by MAX Burner
Added data

[Ronbrink]

On 1/12/2024 at 8:37 AM, MAX Burner said:

Anderson plug/mount from engine compartment to hitch area.

Nice install! For general information to those that may not be aware, Anderson has an Environmental Boot that can be used at the bumper mount, as well as the DC-DC cable connect on the OTT; this ensures a waterproof connection when in use, and protection from dirt and moisture when disconnected. 


 

 

 

[Geronimo John]

Ron:

I very much like your setup for managing the two umbilical cables.  

Would you please share the cut sheet for the product you used to protect the cables?

Thanks

GJ

[Ronbrink]

13 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Would you please share the cut sheet for the product you used to protect the cables?

 

Spiral wrap hose protector, 3/4” ID for use on dual cable, .67” OD on single cable. Also used remnant sections to wrap propane hoses as routed along and over the frame up to the tank hoses. Unfortunately, the larger size in ‘black’ is currently unavailable on Amazon. I’ve used this type protector for decades on other trailers, as well as boats and Jeeps, and find this particular brand to be high quality and heavy duty.

[jd1923]

On 1/12/2024 at 11:11 PM, 2008RN said:

I never thought about mounting at 90 degrees...

When mounting flat, call it "floor-mounting" the heat sink is under the electronics of the charger, and since heat rises, a cooling fan would be necessary. When "wall mounting" the heat can escape naturally as heat rises. Given adequate ventilation space above, though hard to find in the Oliver basement, would eliminate the need for a fan.