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Old 05-10-2022, 08:31 PM   #1
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Adding Solar & litium to my 195RB results

After finding my group 24 then group 27 batteries just not enough to get me through one cold night I decided to add solar and switch to lithium.
Here is my experience in installing a Renogy lithium battery and 200 watts solar kit from Renogy.
Once I figured out how to route my wires without having them come through the ceiling the mounting and wiring were simple. I made a small 18 x 18 board and mounted my MPPT and switches and attached all the wires onto the board and then into the MPPT. Now I can turn off the solar input and isolate the battery from the RV for off season storage. I also found a simple way of re-wiring the Rv without any fuss by simply boring hole in the floor of the storage area and pulling the existing battery wires into the RV. Then I attached them to the wiring board and battery. I moved the battery inside to avoid theft, weather and cold.

RESULTS We went to Great Sand Dunes National park for 4 nights. Snow, sleet, temps from low 30 to 60s daytime. Furnace and lights never brought the battery below 75 amps and was back full before 1 PM each day even though partial shade till 10 am and overcast one day with snow.

My Renogy bluetooth battery and MPPT reported power demand, battery and solar charging status on my phone whenever I wanted to read it out. ( I am not technically very good with computers or phones but this app works very well and simply.)

I just wish someone had referred me because after I made my battery and solar package purchases I found out a referral can save 7% off even sale prices from Renogy. I will happily post a referral for anyone to use if someone wants one.

If anyone asks I will take some pics or explain any part of my installation.




Renogy fails, 1 missing screw, slow phone and short daily hours to ask technical questions and not very good installation instructions. I made up for this by watching youtubes.
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Old 05-10-2022, 08:55 PM   #2
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That’s awesome. I figured I’d share my recent lithium upgrade as well (thanks for the discount, RogerR). We have a Feather X213 and I installed a Renogy 100ah LiFePO4 and two 190 watt go power solar panels on the roof with an Epever MPPT. Last weekend I tested the system near Estes Park. Three nights with the lows in the 40s-50s. Ran everything like we normally would (TV/stereo for kids in the evening, lights, furnace set at high 60s all night). Each morning, the battery was between 65-70 Ah remaining. Exactly what I had hoped and planned for. The sun would quickly charge back to 100%. I was also pleased to see the charge rate even when overcast. I’m very happy with our setup and love that the battery is only 30 lbs, compared to the nearly 100 lbs I had prior (2 group 24 lead acid batteries). My TV is limited on payload and any bit I can shave is helpful for me.
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Old 06-30-2022, 10:13 AM   #3
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Finally got around to getting some pictures to add to my solar install post.
From left to right:
Roof, I marked each leg and added a patch of Etearnabond tape under each foot to reinforce rubber roof under the leg. Added Dicor on top of screws that also have a rubber washer.
MPPT and battery box.
I put the battery in a box to avoid disturbing/shorting wires as the is the storage under the bed. The original tongue battery wires are pulled up the floor in hole I drilled close to where the original tongue wires came out of the frame. Mppt is mounted with switches for battery and solar.
Third picture is the closet. I bored a hole to the roof at 45 degrees and ran the wires down the back of the closet. Bluetooth BT1 wires come up and BT1 is mounted out of sight in the top corner of the closet.
Bottom picture, again sideways. I used some wire channel I bought at Manards to conceal wires going down to the MPPT from the close bottom and the BT1 wire coming up.
Attached Thumbnails
DSCF4104.jpg   DSCF4106.jpg   DSCF4107.jpg   DSCF4108.jpg  
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2017 SLX 195RB
2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit L 5.7L V8
Andersen WDH hitch, Renogy 100 AH Lithium &
200 Watts solar panels from Renogy

Prev. '14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland, gas 3.6 V6
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Old 06-30-2022, 06:16 PM   #4
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Thanks, Roger. Since I will be embarking on at least some of that soon I'm always happy when people explain fully what they have done.
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Old 07-22-2022, 04:29 PM   #5
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Thanks for the info. I just recieved my rv kit from renogy along with a 200amp battery. Were you able to just connect the battery into the existing 195’s charging sysytem. How is it handling switching frim solar charging, tow vehicle charging, and shore power charging. I might be trying yo make this too complicated. There is a bit I do not know yet.
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Old 07-22-2022, 04:37 PM   #6
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Roger will likely be along shortly to answer more fully, but to help us understand is the battery AGM, or Lithium? Renogy sells both.


As far as charging, beyond nuances depending on battery type, it is anything available in conjunction with anything else available. No switching involved. They all combine. That would usually mean shore power + solar, or tow vehicle charging + solar, rarely all three at once but all three would mix just fine.
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Old 07-23-2022, 06:07 AM   #7
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Thanks for the info. This was how I was hoping the system would work, but the more I read, some kind of switching seemed to be involved.
The battery is a a 200ah lithium
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Old 07-23-2022, 08:44 AM   #8
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Answering (I hope) a couple of questions above.

1. I have 2 switches


A. Between the solar positive and the MPPT I have a shut off switch. Note, always switch off the solar to MPPT circuit with the battery still switched on per Renogy to prevent damage to the MPPT. I don't know why, but Renogy said to do it


B. I have a switch between the positive on the battery and the connection to prevent battery from going into the RV system via the factory tongue battery cables I pulled up through the floor.


2. I don't have a lithium capable charger on my RV but it doesn't seem to matter to the MPPT. My solar seems to always bring the battery up to 100%. Per Renogy a Lead battery charger like mine would give me 80% charge or so.



3. I am going to add a small inverter to recharge my laptop and run a 21 inch tv. I have plenty of #10 wire left over from the 20 feet Renogy includes in their kit. I plan to run the wire up to the front of the bed and install it there as an outlet. I will also install a switch to kill it when not in use. Project for later this summer.


I get converter, AC to 12 volt and inverter, 12 volt to AC.
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2017 SLX 195RB
2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit L 5.7L V8
Andersen WDH hitch, Renogy 100 AH Lithium &
200 Watts solar panels from Renogy

Prev. '14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland, gas 3.6 V6
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Old 07-23-2022, 10:12 AM   #9
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Since you have Lithium, and Roger and I do, he mentioned the one thing that won't work perfectly, which is the trailer's built-in charger. I have a post that tells about my experiments in how well it can do with lithium Here


In a nutshell, the charger helps, but can't do the job on its own. You can get a new charger, but opinion is split on whether that is necessary when you have solar. I added even more solar, and I doubt I will find a change in the converter necessary.
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Old 07-23-2022, 02:32 PM   #10
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Thanks Don and Roger,

The replies are very helpful in my endeavor to to plug my Jayco in to the sun.
Like most, we camp sometimes where 30amp shore power is available. Most times only have the 12v battery. Lately been using a generator to make coffee and charge batteries. Hopefully soon will be less reliant on the generator
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