Warwick XL - Off-grid modifications

Hello fellow owners,

We wanted to share with you our modification to make our beautiful 2018 Warwick XL as "off-grid" as possible for both work and leisure.
We had identified 3 areas we wanted to address:
1) Electricity
We wanted higher battery capacity (200Ah LiFeP04), better solar panel capacity (>200W), 230V also when not attached to mains

2) Water
We wanted more freshwater capacity than the standard 70L

3) Internet connectivity
We wanted to have reliable and cheap internet connectivity to be able to work while in remote locations and also take advantage of free wifi

I will start with describing what we have done so far for the electricity part, comments and heads-ups are very welcome and we would love to hear your own ideas.

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ELECTRICITY
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Our Warwick XL is equipped with Sargent EC500 Power System, EC480 Control Panel, PX300 Charger, 10amp Solar Regulator, 90W solar panels


These products are not suitable for our needs, so we decided for the following products as replacements/modifications:

• 200Ah LiFeP04 battery
  
• inverter charger Victron EasyPlus (https://www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers/easyplus-12v-1600va) + Smart Dongle (https://www.victronenergy.com/accessories/ve-bus-smart-dongle) + Interface MK3-USB (https://www.victronenergy.com/accessories/interface-mk3-usb)
  
• solar charge controller Victron SmartSolar MPPT 75/15 (https://www.victronenergy.com/solar-charge-controllers/smartsolar-mppt-75-10-75-15-100-15-100-20)
  
• Temperature sensor (https://www.victronenergy.com/accessories/temperature-sensor-for-bmv-702)
  
• MRBF Terminal Fuse Block (https://www.bluesea.com/products/5191/MRBF_Terminal_Fuse_Block_-_30_to_300A)
  
• DC Distribution Board with Battery Switch and Victron SmartShunt - 5 Position (https://www.outbackmarine.com.au/dc-distribution-board-with-battery-switch-and-shun~99059)
  
• MRBF Fuses (https://www.bluesea.com/products/category/15/42/Fuses/Marine_Rated_Battery_Fuses)
  

Placement:

• The inverter/charger is installed horizontally on a wood panel fixed under the bench/bed between the backside of the van and the weel
  
• The DC Distribution board is installed on top of the wooden box in the same place as the PX300 (that has been removed and disconnected)
  
• The Solar charge controller is installed inside the wooden box housing the EC500, the old solar controller has been disconnected from solar and EC500 and the wire from the solar panel (maybe they are too thin) reused.
  
• The battery has been installed (replacing the old battery) on the side of the wooden box (between the edge of the bench and the weel)
  

Connections:

• New battery +/- connected to the battery terminal of the DC distribution board
  
• + Cable connected to Terminal Fuse block on + pole
  
• EasyPlus +/- cables connected to +/- of the DC Distribution Board (+ Fused with MRBF)
  
• EC500 +/- battery connection connected to +/- of the DC Distribution Board (+ Fused with MRBF)
  
• EasySolar +/- battery connection connected to +/- of the DC Distribution Board (+ Fused with MRBF)
  
• SmartDongle glued on top of the battery and connected to EasyPlus with RJ45
  
• Temperature Sensor connected to battery + pole and to SmartShunt on DC Distribution Board
  
• AC IN (orange cable) Disconnected from the back of EC500
  
• AC OUT (microwave/plugs/and so on) disconnected from the back of EC500
  

What is working:

• The EC500 DC system works perfectly by drawing power from the battery through the DC distribution board
  
• The battery gets charged by the alternator while driving
  
• The EC480 shows the battery status
  
• The battery gets charged from the existing 90W solar panel using the new MPPT solar controller (with better charge rates than the older controller)
  
• Using the VictronConnect App on my phone I can see the status of the battery and how much is being charged or drawn
  
• Using the VictronConnect App on my phone I can see the existing solar panel efficiency and how much they are charging the battery
  
• Using the VictronConnect App on my phone I can see and manage the inverter/charger
  

What is not working:

• The EC480 does not display the solar panel status of course. Maybe I will be able to feed some output from the SmartSolar on the EC500 to have that information
  

What has to be done:

• Orange 230V cable and connector from the existing 230V cable into EasyPlus AC IN
  
• Orange 230V cable and connector from EasyPlus AC OUT (0) (only active when mains are connected) into EC500 AC IN
  
• White 230V cables and connectors from EasyPlus AC OUT (1,2,3) attached to the existing AC cables disconnected from back of EC500
  
• Ground wire from EasyPlus to DC Distribution board -
  
• Ground wire from DC Distribution board - to chassis of the VAN
  
• Replacement of solar panel with 2 x 105 semiflexible glued on the roof
  
• New solar panel wire from roof to the solar controller (this might be very hard since is difficult to pull wires)
  

This is all for now, I will post some pictures in a response to this first topic and subsequent updates as we move on.
Please feel free to ask or contribute with suggestions if you are working or interested in a similar setup

Cheers

Impressive, electrics and electronics are a dark art to me so not something I would ever have the confidence to tackle. Look forward to further updates.

Bilbobaggins wrote:Impressive, electrics and electronics are a dark art to me so not something I would ever have the confidence to tackle. Look forward to further updates.

Thanks! A lot of self-learning and finger crossing. Everything seems working very fine so far

What size solar panel are you using now, The cables that are fitted for solar from AS need replacement as far to thin

FreelanderUK wrote:What size solar panel are you using now, The cables that are fitted for solar from AS need replacement as far to thin

We still have the factory fitted 90W solar panel installed but we will soon replace it with 2 x Solara Power M 105 W (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nh2hwz5uv5yc0ln/AACOm_TNVOUuzi3f4iPoncoNa/1_brochures%20&%20datasheets_Kataloge%20&%20Datenbl%C3%A4tter/SOLARA_Power_M_Series_English.pdf?dl=0)

I am pretty sure as you say that I will need to pull new cables (at least 2,5mm2 from the roof to the controller) and I am kind of worried how to do that. Ideally, I would pull the cable that is attached to the new solar panels, but they are pretty thick.

Additionally, these panels have a little cell protector box (https://www.solara.eu/app/download/11580214372/Installation_Cell-Protector_EN_20130506.pdf?t=1616098437) that is used to connect the panels to the wire going to the controller. This little cell protector box need to be inside

Have you tried to replace the existing solar panels' cables? Any suggestion?

Have a search for my posts, I added a 250w panel and cables plus victfon regulator

FreelanderUK wrote:Have a search for my posts, I added a 250w panel and cables plus victfon regulator

Thanks, I have previously seen your solution when dealing with the removal of the aerial antenna and cable. I hope we will be able to route the new cables without the need of going through the cabinet as you did 

Hi, what stops the battery sucking too much power from the alternator or have you uprated the cables.

woodlice wrote:Hi, what stops the battery sucking too much power from the alternator or have you uprated the cables.

Hi, I am not a super expert so pardon my lack of understanding regarding your question.
The EC500 was originally connected directly to a leisure battery. I have simply moved that connection to the DC distribution bus. If you look at the picture, the left most connection of the positive and negative busbars are the original EC500 battery connections (with a fuse in the middle)

So when the alternator kicks in, it does what it used to do before our changes.
The cables form the DC distribution bus to the new battery are 50mm2 (with a 150A fuse).

Does it make sense? or could you explain better your question/concern? I might learn something I missed out :)

The alternator can only generate up to its maximum output you can't suck power out of it so the size of the cables are suitable for the output of the alternator, if you were to fit a higher output alternator then you would need to upgrade the output cables to cope with the higher currents generated otherwise there is no issue.
Graham

Grabea wrote:The alternator can only generate up to its maximum output you can't suck power out of it so the size of the cables are suitable for the output of the alternator, if you were to fit a higher output alternator then you would need to upgrade the output cables to cope with the higher currents generated otherwise there is no issue.
Graham

Thanks, I understand. I this point we are keeping the DC side of the EC500 as it was mounted by Auto-Sleepers. So no changes to the alternator or cables on that side for now. 
Maybe at a later point, we will look into a Victron DC-DC Converter (https://www.victronenergy.com/dc-dc-converters) and hook it up directly between the Vehicle Battery/Alternator and DC distribution to get the best out of the factory-installed alternator. In that case, we will for sure size the cables for the new expected Amperage.
An example of the overall setup using the DC distribution board can be seen here (https://www.outbackmarine.com.au/applications/caravan-and-rv-electrical-systems/basic-on-chassis-electrical-system/ )
In that setup, simply replace "House Circuit Breaker Panel" with "EC500 DC Battery connection" and you have the setup I am talking about

gobsmacked, I'm very impressed too and well done. You're laying down a marker for the direction I think motorhome/vans should be going in, that's being much less dependent on camping without the need for EHU.

I agree with RV, this looks very promising from an electrical viewpoint. We have no requirement for such an installation but I can see the attraction with my engineering hat on.

I may have missed something but in terms of the broader picture, nothing has been mentioned about increasing black waste capacity. In our experience of wilding in Scotland it was the cassette emptying in an appropriate facility that determined our time off grid (3 days max), not fresh water or electrical generation capacity.

Tim

Relaxez-Vous wrote:gobsmacked, I'm very impressed too and well done. You're laying down a marker for the direction I think motorhome/vans should be going in, that's being much less dependent on camping without the need for EHU.

Thank you very much. When we started our journey we would have wished to be able to reuse all components of the existing EC500/PX300 etc but it was impossible due to the lack of modularity of the Sergent component and incompatibility with LiFeP04 battery.
I agree that motorhome/van makers should think differently and allow customers to expand whatever component they might need

Kemerton-bath wrote:I agree with RV, this looks very promising from an electrical viewpoint. We have no requirement for such an installation but I can see the attraction with my engineering hat on.

I may have missed something but in terms of the broader picture, nothing has been mentioned about increasing black waste capacity. In our experience of wilding in Scotland it was the cassette emptying in an appropriate facility that determined our time off grid (3 days max), not fresh water or electrical generation capacity.

Tim

Hi Tim,

You are completely right and that is something still to be looked into. One option is replacing the cassette system with an incinerator toilet (i.e. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and given that the van is already equipped with LPG it would be a perfect match.

Hi,
I'm new to this technology but I thought with lithium batteries and alternator's the problem was that the batteries internal resistance is much lower than lead acid so if the battery is low or flat at low rpm with less cooling of the alternator via it's internal fan they can pull too much current and overheat the alternator.

woodlice wrote:Hi,
I'm new to this technology but I thought with lithium batteries and alternator's the problem was that the batteries internal resistance is much lower than lead acid so if the battery is low or flat at low rpm with less cooling of the alternator via it's internal fan they can pull too much current and overheat the alternator.

Hi, 
I must admit that I am unaware of that problem you are talking about. The fact is that we bought our van used and the previous owner already changed the battery to a LiFeP04 (100Ah). We simply wanted to upgrade it to 200Ah with a proper charger (the Victron EasyPlus)

While looking into the box where the EC500 is mounted I noticed a relay switch, that is mounted between the DC part of the EC500 and the vehicle battery/alternator. My guess is that is the one that opens the circuit to charge the Leisure battery when the alternator runs.
I have no idea of the specs of that relay switch but thanks to your heads up I will have to check it to ensure that we are not encountering the problem you mentioned. 
I will also take a picture of that relay switch and post it here so maybe some more expert forum users might contribute on clearing the problem you mentions.
Thanks!

Worth a check, that's what's putting me off buying a lithium battery as I don't want to pay for and install a B to B charger and uprate the cables. If you have never run down your battery you may not have experienced the problem. An advantage of lithium is fast alternator charging but I'd for go that if I could install some current limiting device to keep the STD 20amp fuse and cable

woodlice wrote:Worth a check, that's what's putting me off buying a lithium battery as I don't want to pay for and install a B to B charger and uprate the cables. If you have never run down your battery you may not have experienced the problem. An advantage of lithium is fast alternator charging but I'd for go that if I could install some current limiting device to keep the STD 20amp fuse and cable

Thanks, I will indeed. In the meanwhile, I have found a picture of a relay I noticed in the cabling.
I am not sure it's involved in the connection to the alternator/vehicle battery but here it goes, if anybody has an idea, I would love to hear
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I don't know but since it's normally a 20amp supply it seems likely.

Hello fellow owners,

Here comes another update, this time it's about the internet connection setup.

Products used in this setup:

• Peplink Max Transit (https://www.peplink.com/products/transit-series-max-transit/)
  
• Panorama Antennas Mako 5G Dome (https://panorama-antennas.com/site/High-Performance-4x4-MiMo-Antennas)
  
• Panorama Antennas ribbed roof adapter (https://panorama-antennas.com/site/LGMM-EXT-R)
  

Placement:
Originally the roof looked like this (Notice the TV antenna, satellite antenna and satellite cable entrance point (just over the closet)
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We have then removed the TV antenna (to make place for the second solar panel). The hole has still to be sealed or reused for solar cable (black gaffer tape) 
Satellite Antenna has been removed to reduce weight and make space for an optional third solar panel or spare tire holder or storage box holder. We are still fighting with the Sicaflex under the base plate of the satellite antenna . Any idea how to remove it would be very appreciated 
The hole of the satellite cable has been enlarged (c.a. 2,5 cm) to accommodate the installation of the Panorama antenna and adapter
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The antenna cables run through the roof inside the closet where the router is mounted. The existing coax cables for TV and satellite has been rearranged in the black box to allow connecting external antennas from the external sockets on the side of the van
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Here is a closeup of the antenna and router under test before the installation:
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If you have any questions/suggestions (Especially for the Sicaflex ) feel free to write

Took a while to realise your van is left hand drive, and is a mirror image of uk vans. Much easier to relate to pictures. Hadn't spotted your location

I'm sorry to say that the only relatively safe way I know of to deal with Sikaflex is with a sharp, rigid scalpel blade on a thin handle. Just keep making successive cuts while easing up the object to remove. It can be very difficult with rigid objects that will not flex! Another option is cheese wire, but you have to be very careful as the pressure needed is enough to make it easy to cut yourself!

Roopert wrote:
a sharp, rigid scalpel blade on a thin handle. Just keep making successive cuts while easing up the object to remove.

Very good idea! I will try build such a tool.

Roopert wrote:
Another option is cheese wire, but you have to be very careful as the pressure needed is enough to make it easy to cut yourself!

So far I have tried with lawn trimmer wires, wire hand saw, lately I have tried with piano wire but I have ordered the thinnest and broke easily. I will also try again with a slightly tick piano wire after trying your blade suggestion