RV Fulltime Living | Lithium Battery & Solar: Part Eight - Installing Victron Multiplus Inverter

In this episode of our RV Lithium and Solar power series, it's time to install the Victron Multiplus inverter and see how it performs running large loads such as an air conditioner.

In this series of videos, we will focus on building and integrating solar and lithium batteries into an RV or motorhome for full time living and boondocking.

We will primarily be leveraging equipment and lifep04 lithium cells from victron energy and calb.

Victron Multiplus Inverter Charger:
12V
24V

Victron MPPT Controllers:

Victron Battery Monitor:

Victron Battery Protect (non affiliate):

Victron Bluetooth Adapter:

Victron MK2 Interface (non affiliate):

Blue Sea Fuse Block and Fuse:

GBS Lifep04 Lithium Cells:
These are not the cells I used but are popular cells for RV and copy in a nice package.

CALB Cells (non affiliate):
Specifically the cells I use. 180ah cells are also available.

100w Flexible Solar Panel:
I can recommend these if rigid are not an option. Otherwise, go with rigid

150w x 2 Rigid Solar Panel:

Solar MP4 Connectors, Crimping Tool, Wires & Roof Entry:

Solar Fuse Panel, Fuse & Heavy Duty Busbar:

Battery Cell Shrink Wrap (non affiliate):

DeoxIT Connection Cleaner:

Powerlab 8 & Accessories

Our Affiliate Store with many more great products:

Looking to leave suburban life, to leave the known the static for something else. Will we end up full time RV living in our 34ft travel trailer or will we buy another house and start the cycle all over again. Will we end up boon docking or living off grid or will we end up in an RV park. Maybe we make even greater life style changes. Maybe we never leave where we are at. Journey with us while we go through this process of reevaluating our life style.

We pay our respect to the pioneers that inspired us to make the leap from campers to full timers: Nomadic Fanatic, Gone with the Wynns, Chris & G, Less Junk More Journey, and The Depreys.

We pay our respect to the pioneers that inspired us to make the leap from campers to full timers: Nomadic Fanatic, Gone with the Wynns, Chris & G, Less Junk More Journey, and The Depreys.

We pay our respect to the pioneers that inspired us to make the leap from campers to full timers: Nomadic Fanatic, Gone with the Wynns, Chris & G, Less Junk More Journey, and The Depreys.

[twingoman]

Question, in this Configuration you are not able to charge the Batteries with the Multiplus. Is this by intention? As you have used batterie protect, you can just use in one direction.

[imanoleonardo]

Thanks for the detail along with the equipment used, great video!

[Buszzbait]

You made it look easy. I tackled my install w/ the multiplus. My body aches from being n the storage bay all day getting in n out..I wish I could of seen how you wired it.
I was trying to go with the smart phase switch but using it annually and not the automatic version. It got complicated and frustrated. I only have 1 leg working even when switched to shore power. Hopefully my inverter get damaged. I want to now toss out that manual switch and wire it normal like you did. Not sure how and what’s in the breaker panel you installed above the inverter. Is the wire going in on top of the box the ATS shore? And what comes in to the bottom of the box? Also are wiring into the inverter using only the first input and the first output? Hope I’m making sense HA! I appreciate any help.

[teamalboeismylife]

Nice I got a time and date to drop my Rv off to get a 600w kit with upgrades to the battery bank as we'll I'm hopping to pull 20amps

[hoslo]

It really is a magnificent fiver ! Great that you are installing the power system it can make use of ! rc

[markbloxham]

I am in the UK and just having a Victron system installed into a new fifth wheel trailer. I have designed it myself and I don't have ac so it is 200Ah Lithium with a 3kv inverter at 12v. The PV is 3x 300W wired in series into the150v 60A MPPT controller. I have the colour control and battery controller but that is inside the living area. Why did you put those in your equipment locker? Quite impressed with your solar yield as they are flat on the roof but seem to yield the rated output, can you confirm that and also your Latitude. Overall a well planed install but tidy some of those blood cables! :)

[PnwFireguy]

Thanks for sharing your journey. Do you have any concerns regarding the basement temperature affect on the Li lifetime charge cycles? I am seeing more and more installers install in the living space since it is better temperature controlled. I saw in the video the vent on the heating plenum does your basement also have a AC run?

[harleyd]

Quick question for you. I assume that both the battery monitor in this video is not needed once you get the color monitor set up and installed? The shunt and wiring connects to the color monitor? Is there a reason to have both?

[koreyjerome]

I have the same inverter and 400 amp hours of lithium as well. My 13, 500 AC wont start, causes an overload error on the inverter. Do you have a hard start capacitor or smaller AC?

[jaapdewind]

nice setup!
I would have put the multi above the batterybank, to create more space