Hi all 
Just wondering if anybody has experience of middle age Mobilvetta electronics and how to do a simple solar upgrade?…
Background:
Last summer, we bought a TD61 built on a Ducato x230 chassis with a 2.8 itTD engine. The original control panel and onboard charger are by "CT elettronica" and were custom products for Mobilvetta. The chareger is model "ALIM6". I've enquired with both Mobilvetta and CT elettronica but neither have records of the tech setup.
The onboard charger seems to have a D+ input, which I'm guessing stops it outputting when the alternator is "on". The charger is plated at 230Vac, 300W fused with a T2A and with max output 20A and 13.8Vdc.
I've tried to get pics of the alternator model number from various angles but no luck. The end cover is moulded with "Valeo". There is a simple "on/off" split charge relay with a 50A fuse protection.
The leisure battery was a new lead acid Varta LFD90 last year. All the electrics seem to work as expected although the electric step set up looks to have been modifed so it operates independently without an engine running interlock. There are some yet to be identified bits and pieces in the setup but I think I've got to grips with the essentials....
Advice sought:
Given everything (including three way RM4361 fridge) is working well, my plan is to give us a bit more "off hook up capacity" by adding a second LFD90, a solar panel and. Victron MPPT controller. We not heavy electric users but it would be nice to have longer independence from hook up.
I hope to acheive an "automatic" set up so that the solar panels, alternator and onboard charger can work cooperatively to keep the paralled twin LFD90 best charged.
To do this I'm thinking of 200W panels with a Victron MPPT 75|15. The Victron doesn't have a D+ input.
Can I simply add the Victron by wiring the “battery” terminals direct to the two parallel LFD90 batteries and the solar panels to the “pv” terminals?
I think this would mean that effectively the Victron would get its voltage signal according to what was at the battery terminals?
Hence, if no charging voltage was coming in from either the alternator or the onboard charger, the Victron would use any panel output to charge the batteries as per normal. If loads were applied to the batteries, the Victron would allow the PV to contribute to meeting them.
On the other hand, if charging voltage were coming in from either the alternator or the onboard charger, the Victron would moderate the PV contribution down accordingly.
One concern I have is that potentially the parallel batteries could, if very low on charge, draw overly high current from the alternator but I think the existing in line 50A fuse would blow as protection.
Any and all comments, advice and experience welcome. Thanks.
Just wondering if anybody has experience of middle age Mobilvetta electronics and how to do a simple solar upgrade?…
Background:
Last summer, we bought a TD61 built on a Ducato x230 chassis with a 2.8 itTD engine. The original control panel and onboard charger are by "CT elettronica" and were custom products for Mobilvetta. The chareger is model "ALIM6". I've enquired with both Mobilvetta and CT elettronica but neither have records of the tech setup.
The onboard charger seems to have a D+ input, which I'm guessing stops it outputting when the alternator is "on". The charger is plated at 230Vac, 300W fused with a T2A and with max output 20A and 13.8Vdc.
I've tried to get pics of the alternator model number from various angles but no luck. The end cover is moulded with "Valeo". There is a simple "on/off" split charge relay with a 50A fuse protection.
The leisure battery was a new lead acid Varta LFD90 last year. All the electrics seem to work as expected although the electric step set up looks to have been modifed so it operates independently without an engine running interlock. There are some yet to be identified bits and pieces in the setup but I think I've got to grips with the essentials....
Advice sought:
Given everything (including three way RM4361 fridge) is working well, my plan is to give us a bit more "off hook up capacity" by adding a second LFD90, a solar panel and. Victron MPPT controller. We not heavy electric users but it would be nice to have longer independence from hook up.
I hope to acheive an "automatic" set up so that the solar panels, alternator and onboard charger can work cooperatively to keep the paralled twin LFD90 best charged.
To do this I'm thinking of 200W panels with a Victron MPPT 75|15. The Victron doesn't have a D+ input.
Can I simply add the Victron by wiring the “battery” terminals direct to the two parallel LFD90 batteries and the solar panels to the “pv” terminals?
I think this would mean that effectively the Victron would get its voltage signal according to what was at the battery terminals?
Hence, if no charging voltage was coming in from either the alternator or the onboard charger, the Victron would use any panel output to charge the batteries as per normal. If loads were applied to the batteries, the Victron would allow the PV to contribute to meeting them.
On the other hand, if charging voltage were coming in from either the alternator or the onboard charger, the Victron would moderate the PV contribution down accordingly.
One concern I have is that potentially the parallel batteries could, if very low on charge, draw overly high current from the alternator but I think the existing in line 50A fuse would blow as protection.
Any and all comments, advice and experience welcome. Thanks.
