Charging portable solar generator from permanent solar panels

[GMLS]

Making plans for the new motorhome (Rapido 854f) and increasing its off grid capability.

It will come with 2x 110ah lead batteries which I'll probably use for 6-12 months before installing lithium as I wont get any credit for not having them.

I'm going to fit something like 300-400w of solar with a Victron MPPT immediately and as the vehicle is going to be stored outside, to avoid the need for having it permanently on hook up it seems to make sense to have the MPPT feed both the leisure and vehicle batteries.

In terms of 240v, we will only need to occasionally use an air fryer and single variable power induction hob, so I was planning on putting my Eco Flow Delta power pack to good use rather than install an inverter.

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I want the option of being able to charge the Ecoflow using the roof mounted panels, so I'm thinking I just need to introduce a splitter cable with an MC4 connector and a simple switch over. Am I right?

Am I right in thinking I take the feed after the MPPT rather than before it?

 

[Tombola]

What input does it have for charging, yes after the MPPT but what connector then goes into the device to charge the batteries in it, I see it has a cigarette (12v) socket and a 240, plus some USB type c

 

[GMLS]

Connection is via MC4 to XT60 for solar charging.

 

[Neckender]

Wouldn’t it be before the MPPT as the power pack will have it’s own MPPT built in, with my Jackery 1000 explorer you connect the solar panels direct to the Jackery.

John.

 

[GMLS]

Wouldn’t it be before the MPPT as the power pack will have it’s own MPPT built in, with my Jackery 1000 explorer you connect the solar panels direct to the Jackery.

John.

Yes that's what I'm thinking now.Thanks

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[TheCaller]

Wouldn’t it be before the MPPT as the power pack will have it’s own MPPT built in, with my Jackery 1000 explorer you connect the solar panels direct to the Jackery.

John.

Yes that's what I'm thinking now.Thanks

Correct, although I suppose you could do either. Straight from the panels to the solar input, or from your existing MPPT output to the Car Charging input. I'd go direct from choice.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Wow this seems a screwed up proposal.

If you need to charge the engine battery then fit a battery master or have solar controller that can split the charge

If you really must recharge the ecoflow do do from a 12v socket off your hab system when you know the hab is close to a full charge.

 

[jumar]

My rooftop panel charges my single leisure battery via a Victron MPPT controller, I can charge my Bluetti Powerpack from either my freestanding 150w Folding panel or from the rooftop panel by splitting the rooftop supply...the Powerpack has its own MPPT controller....this works well for us...

 

[funflair]

The web site gives you 3 options for recharging, from solar so before the vans regulator it can take up to 480watts and take between 3-8 hours to charge, from 12v so that is after the regulator but 13.5 hours to charge and from a wall socket 240v 1.6 hours but you would need an inverter on the van to do that. With 220ah of lead acid on the van and 400watts of solar you should be well on top of the charging in anything like decent sun, to charge the EcoFlow I can't see a reason why you couldn't just split the solar and it would be feeding two regulators but you will be relying on the BMS in the EcoFlow to cut off when it is charged, likewise a 12v feed would charge the EcoFlow so I can't see much to choose between each method so I think it comes down to how you will use the EcoFlow, will you be taking it away from the van and bringing it back empty or are you just using it as an extension to the vans leisure batteries?

 

[GMLS]

Wow this seems a screwed up proposal.

If you need to charge the engine battery then fit a battery master or have solar controller that can split the charge

If you really must recharge the ecoflow do do from a 12v socket off your hab system when you know the hab is close to a full charge.

This is when static off grid for a week or so at a time. I'm expecting the solar to recharge considerably quicker than using the 12v socket plus I don't want to be using up the hab batteries. Battery Master seems a good option for topping up the vehicle battery.

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[GMLS]

The web site gives you 3 options for recharging, from solar so before the vans regulator it can take up to 480watts and take between 3-8 hours to charge, from 12v so that is after the regulator but 13.5 hours to charge and from a wall socket 240v 1.6 hours but you would need an inverter on the van to do that. With 220ah of lead acid on the van and 400watts of solar you should be well on top of the charging in anything like decent sun, to charge the EcoFlow I can't see a reason why you couldn't just split the solar and it would be feeding two regulators but you will be relying on the BMS in the EcoFlow to cut off when it is charged, likewise a 12v feed would charge the EcoFlow so I can't see much to choose between each method so I think it comes down to how you will use the EcoFlow, will you be taking it away from the van and bringing it back empty or are you just using it as an extension to the vans leisure batteries?

Thanks. As the Ecoflow is a fair old investment, I'm looking for maximum flexibility as I'm be using the Ecoflow for various power tools away from the house for example, in our classic vw camper for the odd day out as a self contained solution but then also as a back up to the motorhome's 12v set up for charging EMTB's and an induction hob etc.

 

[autorouter]

An MPPT solar controller has a computer chip inside it that monitors the voltage and amps from the solar panels. It adjusts its impedance to extract the maximum power from the panels, depending on the sunlight hitting the panels.

I can't see how connecting two controllers, of different brands, to the same panels will allow it to work at its maximum power point. I would think you'd get more total power by having a single MPPT controller charging the leisure battery, and then charging the power pack from the leisure battery.