Sterling B2B or Victron

[Poutie57]

I fear my Sterling B2B has given up the ghost so a new one is in order I’m after funsters thoughts on which they consider to be the better unit. I have limited my choice to these as I have a victron smart shunt plus smart mppt so logic tells me victron is the way to go but I have read that these units can overheat, any suggestions would be appreciated

 

[Tombola]

I have the victron and does run hot , but mounted in the right place and right orientation its fine. I dont know if the sterling runs hot?
the setreling does 60a but victron ony 30 though you can add more.

I like the ease of the app and also the ability to add an inline switch so I just switch it offf when driving if not needed. Im happy with my Victron Orion

 

[eddie]

Both do buck boost systems, both excellent, but you'll need a lap top with the correct software to programme the Victron buck boost unit

 

[ChrisL]

but you'll need a lap top with the correct software to programme the Victron buck boost unit

Is it not programmable from the victron connect app Eddie?

 

[eddie]

Is it not programmable from the victron connect app Eddie?

No you need the Buck Boost converter software

Victron actually recommend you use two Orion B2B units in Parallel

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[cmcardle75]

Is it not programmable from the victron connect app Eddie?

The Orion-Tr Smart is. I presume the Orion-Tr (not smart) has no bluetooth, so should be avoided if you want to connect your phone to it.

The 'buck-boost' is a different, earlier, model that presumably doesn't use Victron's current software setup and requires the laptop with USB cable. However, they do have models up to 100A.

 

[eddie]

The Orion-Tr Smart is. I presume the Orion-Tr (not smart) has no bluetooth, so should be avoided if you want to connect your phone to it.

The 'buck-boost' is a different, earlier, model that presumably doesn't use Victron's current software setup and requires the laptop with USB cable. However, they do have models up to 100A.

It doesn't use the current software as its not made by Victron.

I have just fitted the new Sterling Buck Boost 120 amp on my camper and getting excellent results and we have not fitted several of the Sterling 70 amp units to "friendly" installations with again, excellent results so are now offering them on customer installations

 

[gerry mcg]

Votronic 1212-50 B2B?
12vplanet showing 2 in stock...
<Broken link removed>

 

[steveh57]

No you need the Buck Boost converter software

Victron actually recommend you use two Orion B2B units in Parallel

That’s my current setup, although one of them has a WiFi remote on/off switch which seems to work well via voice commands. I’m nervous about adding a 50+ amp load to my alternator when it’s got additional demand from other high load ancillaries.The alternator is rated 150A so I maybe being unnecessarily cautious but hopefully if I can keep the prolonged continuous output to a max of 50% it may last longer, who knows.

 

[nicholsong]

We fitted a Sterling 60(?)A about 9 years ago and it works very well, except that on advice we wired it direct to the batteries, not through the Schaudt Elektroblok. Nevertheless it still upsets the EBL panel ammeter which reads positive at first the goes to big negative. Sterling at that time said they had not found a way of integrating the two, because of different design geometry behind the two systems. I do not know if this is still the case. The problem would have been possible to overcome by fitting a shunt at about £100 but I can live with it as a I can see the increased voltage to the batteries when engine and B2B are working.

I have read tha the Victron does not suffer this problem, but if OP has a shunt lready then Sterling should be OK.

Geoff

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