RENOGY or VICTRON DC-to-DC Charger for Lithium LiFePO4? / Off-grid RV Solar / RV DIY 

Dude is crystal clear and thorough. Great style.

Brian, as usual your attention to detail is over the top. Thanks for all the good uploads. With regard to the setting that you highlighted between the two chargers I was under the impression that the renogy charger is very much an automatic system. Monitoring the charge of the chassis battery first and then the house batteries all while keeping an eye on the alternator health. The two sets of batteries are isolated and never charged at the same time unless the chassis battery is within charged parameters first. Eliminating the stress on the alternator. It's a great system and it's enabled me to run my refer without worry that my batteries will be depleted when I arrive at my campsite, solar or not. Again just my take. You have a great channel. See you around the sound.

Great video. Lithium-ion batteries can handle various charging currents, but they can't handle too much voltage. The critical factor to watch is the voltage, not the current. It's important to keep the charging current within the manufacturer's recommended range to avoid damaging the battery. Exceeding this range can lead to reduced lifespan or safety hazards like overheating. That's why voltage regulation is crucial during charging to prevent overvoltage, which can cause serious issues like thermal runaway or combustion. While monitoring both voltage and current is essential, maintaining the correct voltage is typically more crucial for battery safety. This might be why some apps prioritize displaying voltage over current during charging.

Brian , Thank you for your informative videos. I always look forward to your updates. I Just bought a Victron 1212/30 DCDC charger and have not yet installed it . I don't think I'm going to use the switch and just let it do it automatically. I have a 2021 winnebago with a 210 amp alt. I just got this new Rv so I will soon be installing my GOPOWER IC2000 inverter , My 600 watts of solar and a Victron Smart Solar controller , Battleborn batteries and this Victron DCDC charger. Your videos keep me motivated so keep posting and thanks. Watching your vids has helped me get the courage to do these projects. Thanks again ...Tony

Excellent tutorial. Easy to understand 'pitch perfect' delivery, exactly the right depth of technical for the 'what does it do, how does it do it and do I need one?' researcher - like myself. Clear and concise. 😊 Thank you.

Wow Tito, you must be an engineer, your description, is great, very thorough, great job!!!!

The Anderson connections just removed my excuses for not wiring my renogy dctodc unit. I've been making sure to be above 75%soc on travel days. I guess I'll have to muster up the courage to cut ✂️ that yellow battery interconnect wire. Great video. 👍🏾

Interesting you have done exactly what I did with my dc to dc charger with the Anderson plugs for exactly the same reason. It has saved me once already when I had a flattish starter battery at only 12 volts. It wasn't enough to start the motor but 5 minutes of direct connection via the Anderson plugs got me going. Brilliant.

I have a Victron solar controller and can confirm Victron has the best app that handles every situation via bluetooth. But I have a Renogy 40A DC to DC charger that has worked flawlessly. I have a manual on/off switch for my DC to DC since I don't always need to charge my coach batteries while driving.

Brian, FYI a few of us on the Victron Users forum have asked Victron to please add smart networking to the DC/DC charger, no word yet. We figure that adding smart networking adds the sharing of the battery voltage, current and SoC information between all the devices. This would allow them all to stay in sych as to what what charging mode they are in (Bulk, absorption, etc.) otherwise the first charging device would set the voltage on the battery to the level of its mode and the other devices might then not contribute to the charging properly.

Great job, I really like the idea of running it via Anderson connectors. The only thing I'd change is vertically mounting the unit so that it can dissipate heat properly. It looks slanted, which is better than flat, but the manual specially states a vertical install (section 4.1).

Very good video. I love your analysis. I have a boat and need to use lead acid batteries not just to start my boat but to provide power in the event of BMS failure. I have been experimenting with paralleling lead acid and lithium to keep my lead acid batteries at 99% SOC while anchored for extended time while not running my engine. It seems to work well. I have a video on this experiment but I learned about this from other videos. It would seem one could add Lithium to existing lead acid banks just by joining the 2 banks as you have show with your connectors. Thanks again for this great video. You have helped me so much.

I really like watching this guy. He really gets down to details on the products I 'm thinking about buying.

Got the same Victron for my 3 battleborn’s. It is flawless and so very flexible. Non isolated, 3 wires boom done.

Have you thought about a higher amperage alternator? Mechman makes then up to 370+ amps and they usually have a lot higher output at idle than stock. Then you could supply more like 60-90 amps to your batteries.

Enjoying the information- just dipping my toes into solar here in New Zealand 🤚

the Renogy 40A can be switched to 20A for regular driving to increase the life of your LFP. switch to 40A only when required. If your batteries are hot, the battery bms may over temp shut down at 40A continous, thus select 20A

I have Victron gear including the smart shunt, but my 30A DC-DC is not Victron & that's because i wanted dual input facility, one input from my alternator & the other goes to an anderson plug which i then plug in folding 260w solar panel (handy in winter months).

Everything looks great except no alternator temperature sensor!!! Marine industry has had it for years what the heck🙄😱

I have a 2007 Winnebago Journey, and have been struggling with having to eliminate my Boost function in order to install a DC to DC charger. Your idea of using the Anderson Connectors turned the light on in my brain, that I could also use a multi position switch that would disconnect the wires to the DC to DC charger while at the same time connecting the two battery circuits together. It would still be a manual operation under the Generator hood (front of my Diesel Pusher) but still accessible and would protect the Orion from damage.

Excellent video, thanks for showing all the phone settings as well.

Great video, convinced me to get the Victron charger. One remark on you setup if I may. From reviews I read, the converter can get hot. For better heat dissipation, it would be best to mount the charger vertically.

Thanks. I have to look at your earlier dc to dc charge control. I followed the solar solution guy YT channel 3rd option for charging deep cycle house battery and starter battery and protecting the alternator. He explained why type of battery requires a different type of charging. His 3rd option was to connect alternator to house battery first via the dc to dc control and then charging the starter battery from the house battery. I am not clear on your system which batteries are charged 1st, then 2nd.

its possible to charge a lifepo4 battery directly with alternator. If you now what you do. if you now the parameter and specs of alternator at low rpm, if the max current is compatible with your battery and also the charging voltage. Victron produce a intelligent reel to do that

Good points in the video, Tito, sir. Thank you for making it. I bought the Renorgy version for my travel trailer but might wait until we get our toy hauler motorhome before installing it. I can use it to charge the battery in the toy hauler garage which will power my ham radios & other stuff as a separate system from the house battery bank. Why have a separate system, even if small? The distance is the main factor & the small system (1-2 lifepo4 batteries and it can run our cell/WIFI booster from DC, etc). The Renorgy or the Victron would be tricky for installation in our travel trailer either way. I can mount either in our storage compartment where I have my inverter & 300-amp fuse, it is just a pain to run the 4-6 gauge wire from the 40-50-amp breaker at the engine compartment into the travel trailer. Having that extra heavy wire of sufficient length coming out under the truck tailgate that is secured yet lose in an umbilical protector that comes up in yet another hole I have to drill into the floor of the travel trailer storage area is going to be a technical feat. Currently, I use the access door on the side of the travel trailer to input our solar ground mount array (the trailer is a couple years older than when Lance started installing SAE connectors for solar input). I run the MC4 connectors into the trap door of the driver-side sewer tube connector for the four Renergy 100-watts panels wired in the 48-volt configuration to our Victron 100/30 charge controller for extra solar charging of our two BB LIFEPO4 batteries. It doesn't make sense to use that same access door for a charge while driving with the charge line from the truck as it is not located front and center of the travel trailer (where the batteries are, but the Renorgy/Victron DC-DC can not be located there due to the need for a good waterproof solution). We camp host in the summer in the mountains so we have 160 watts of solar on the roof of our Lance TT and the 400-watts on the ground (as Camp Host RV sites always have beneficial shading that is great for cooling, but not so great for solar). So in the end, your video here is going to cost me a purchase of a Winnebago motorhome (always wanted one anyway) or if I am really advancing my Imagineering skills, a Renegade Classic 2609 toy hauler. Thanks again, Tito, sir.

We just leave our solar charge controllers on 24/7. With the 2000 watts of solar. Charging while running down the road is not a worry. Bluetooth is nice but after I see the system is working. I rarely look at the Bluetooth app. As always a great video with excellent information. 👍👍

CONGRATS ON 100K SUBS!!! GREAT CONTENT VERY HELPFULL! KEEP IT UP!

I haven’t read all the comments, re combining the lithium with start batteries in emergency. Have you done this? I could be mistaken, but, if you connect a fully charged lithium to a dead lead acid, the lithium is going to try and fill (charge) the lead acid ALL AT ONCE! You will either blow something up, or (hopefully) the BMS in the lithium will shut her down. Once again, I could be wrong, but interested in learning how it works in real life. Best, Dan

Hi Brian, another great video. I really apricate how you can deliver information so easily understood. With regards to your original factory wiring that uses a switch and solenoid to merge the chassis & house batteries. Those solenoids typically have keyed and switched 12v triggers. If so, couldn't you have disconnected the keyed 12v connection and left the switch in use? This way it would still work as it did originally and the alternator wouldn't be charging through the merge solenoid when driving. You could then connect the chassis battery side of the solenoid to the Victron DC charger. Am I overlooking something that wouldn't work correctly? Thanks again

Beautiful Information ℹ️. Thank You 🙏 So much! We just bought a 2023 Winnebago Solis (National Park Foundation) Edition & I’m trying to learn as much as I can about the electrical ⚡️ system Etc. This was Invaluable Information ℹ️. New Subscriber 🙋‍♂️ here. 🍻 👊 🇺🇸

If you could hook up a heat gauge on your alternator to show you hot hot it is you could keep up with the temp and turn your charger off and see what the resting temp is and how high the temps go under load and if it gets too high you could shut your dc to dc charger off and let it cool off for a while and after some time would see what’s normal and what’s too hot. Just a thought don’t know if it would help but couldn’t hurt .

The Anderson bypass plugs; I was talking with B Born ... and they said the LiFiPO4 are not to be used as a start battery. ... whereas the lead acid batteries can handle the spike jump of amps to turn the starter. I am only at 6:51 in the video and you may be addressing this (before I forget :-)).

Love all the mods you have completed on your class c. How is the engine, transmission holding up? What about the exterior after the time in the sun ☀️? 😎🇺🇸

I would fit a Severe Duty , Leece Neville Alternator with a smart regulator, set for LifePo4. We had a 400 amp alternator which ran our heavy loads while motoring .

Victron Bluetooth connectivity has been reported troublesome on many of their components- I’d prefer having a gauge for the times Bluetooth plays up

Thank you! Your videos helped me get started and now they're going to help me upgrade!

Love the channel....I have used some of your techniques and recommendations on my yacht. Thanks for such a good and informative channel.

Great video really handy! thanks

I commented on your earlier video on the Renolgy DC to DC charger before watching this one and think you missed a key feature of the Renolgy because you failed to mention the LC (current limiting) terminal on the Renolgy that allows you to reduce the output current by half. This allows you to draw more current when needed and less when it is not. You selected the 20 amp Renolgy for your first install because you didn't want to put a continuous higher load on the alternator, and installed an off switch so you can turn it off when it wasn't needed or desired. But had you made use of the LC terminal you could have added the option of reducing the output current to 10 amps by running a second wire and a three way switch (off, 20 amp, and 10 amp). The output is reduced by half any time current is present in the LC terminal. Both switches can be powered from the same ignition circuit and you can choose from a 20 /10, 40/20, or a 60/30 charger depending upon the size of your alternator. The alternator in my 2015 Ford Expedition with a heavy duty tow package is 250 amp and I went with the 60/30 because I don't have solar (yet).

Excellent video for my education. Victron has two versions of chargers, isolated and NON-isolated. Why do you pick ISOLATED version? Thanks!

Cool, learned a bit. Trying to figure out how to set mine up. I like this setup. I ordered a DIY style LiFePO4 couple weeks ago. Picked up my van yesterday. Either way ima do the same thing with the anderson connectors and flip switch. Thanks. (ill buy that old charger if you wanna sell it haha)

Just came to me, I can use this to charge from the 12V EV to the chassie battery while having this in the middle. Ordering now

Renogy DC2DC 50 amp with MPPT is awesome and better than victron from a cost perspective. However for those wondering the renogy will not charge at 50amp if solar is connected to it. However I use it only as a dc to dc for the Bluetooth capability and and the look of it too. Best bang for the buck. Victron is great stuff but has become way to overhyped. Like fan boys with subwoofers LOL

Great setup 👌. Thanks

Very good and useful video, great presentation

Have you tried the Battle Born Batter Isolator ? You konnekt the lead battery in conjunction with the lithium….. 70amp Charge Rate

Brian, please do take great care attempting to use your house battery to assist starting your engine. Depending on charge levels, you starter motor can draw upwards of 800A from a chassis battery. The biggest anderson connectors available on the market are only rated for 350A with typical sizes only being rated for 50A or 175A. Also, 3/0 or even 4/0 cable, depending on cable run length, would be needed to ensure safe operation. I would strongly recommend *not* doing this. You can buy compact LiPo battery starter packs easily capable of supplying 1,000A plus for this purpose.

Very useful video, I'm getting ready to install a 2 awg umbilical cord setup in my 2020 f350 dual alternator tow vehicle. With the factory dual alternator option in our trucks tow package, one would think we're golden in getting a useful charge back to the coach batteries ... But nooooo! Going to install a 40 amp DC/DC unit in our rig. Thanks, we enjoy all your episodes. Now if you just had a 40% discount code for us ... 🤣

Thanks Brian. Like 172!

Renogy also makes a 60A DC-DC charger

Good job

Good video. Have you considered upgrading the alternator. 200-300 amp alt are not that pricy . I may be going that route on my E450

Brian, why a DC to DC charger and not just use a Battery isolation Manager that is made for Lithium batteries?

DCDC is required if the distance is short between ALT and lithium batteries.... otherwise a towed trailer that will add about 8-10m (30ft) of cable will regulate itself due to voltage drop. even 3B&S will regulate to approx 40amp at beginning and about 18amp at 95% full and that is with a 14.2v CC alternator. Capacity does not factor in as the drop determines the draw.

Thanks Brian On the VE side, there's a smart model, with built in Bluetooth which would have given this feature. Not sure if you can add the victron Bluetooth adapter to your Orion.

Hmm I’m doing an audio install with 2 20ah lithium battery’s and I see that victron appears to have much smaller inputs, I doubt you could even get 2 or 4 gauge in there. In audio everyone typically runs the thickest gauge possible for fear of bottleneck.

The Victron uses convective cooling and the manual wants it mounted vertically. Are you concerned with overheating with your horizontal mounting?

I guess there are a lot of different ways to accomplish the same thing. I would probably have just put in a relay tied to your boost switch, probably more expensive, but also more convenient. I am testing out the Renogy 50 Amp DC-DC charge controller which can use solar and the alternator at the same time. I have experienced a few oddities while testing it. It will sometimes not go to mppt, if it's charging both the house and starter batteries, it tends to go close to open pv panel voltage, about 20v from my renogy panels, or if there is a draw on the house batteries, it will drop to 16v instead of the 18v mppt. I have also seen it get stuck putting a small charge on the starter battery, and next to nothing to the house batteries which are under load and discharging. If I reboot the charger it corrects this but it does make it completely unreliable as a solar charge controller when the engine is not running, these problems never happen when the alternator is supplying some of the current.

Nice topic and review of the Victron. The question is…. You originally went with a low output Renorgy DC charger so as not to damage the alternator incase of a mass amp pull from the house battery. But, now, you are up to 30 amp Victron charger. Whats to say that that is not going to put too much strain on the alternator while at idle at traffic light? Besides by turning it off manually at idle in traffic? The voltage set cutoff is fine but that only is a feature to disconnect if the car alternator is sick and not producing. It does not meter the amps based on conditions.

I want to use a single Li for both starting, solar and van electrical. I don't want to spend allot of money.

Great Video! Just curious I would like to add a dc to dc to my Ford 2002 7.3 power Stroke any ideas how I can find out if I have a variable current (smart alternator)? The Ford Dealership and a local alternator repair shop had no idea what I was talking about. How did you determine what you have in your Ford motor home ?

RENOGY has a 60amp, that's cheaper than the victron 30amp. I don't need the fancy phone stuff, so its good for me.

Wow after a year the price of Renogy 20A went down. Just paid $90.

So this video was done 2ys ago. Has Victron added those missing features, that you highlighted, since then ?

Would Installing one of these and feeding it to the center pin on the trailer wiring be a good idea for charging the battery on a Toad? As opposed to relying on the 15amps that is typically put out on that pin.

Brian could you please tell me which wago connectors you use I went to amazon but not sure thanks

Great video, thank you so much!

Why not keeping both? I have a 30 Orion right now and I want to install an aditional Renogy 60A (same price as a 30A Victron). Alternator is 180A.

Good episode! What happens with alternator current when you turn off your dc to dc charger?

The renogy is what ip67 rated or not very water resistant at all. It works but for that kind of construction I’d be happier if it could survive at least a small misting. Also wtf the components are attached to the base plate and not the case shouldn’t the case be a heat sink? Apparently renogy think it’s an afterthought

I did not understand why the change. Did the Renogy charger fail? Or you just like the bluetooth monitoring? Confused.

I have one I love it.

You got rid of the class c for a class a recently ?

I see why you added the Anderson style connectors, but it OK to use the LiFePo4 deep cycle house battery as a charging assist for your motorhome?

This is a helpful video!! I currently have a pair of a g m crank batteries that are going to a 140amp Isolator to An additional AGM behind the driver's seat. Currently, my accessories are hooked up to it. But I need to put them on a deep cycle. And I was gonna go with lithium. But I'm dealing with the charge voltage difference That should lead to the AGM consistently drawing the LiFePo down. I was going to just run the system off the Li battery, and leave the third AGM as backup incase i need a jump or something, just keep it on its isolator so it stays charged and put a DC-DC like this between my crank batteries & the Li as well to keep it charged. My alternator should have no problem handling this I hope, and I've noticed many do not have the correct V to fully charge a LiFePo battery, will this? Also, if you connect to the ignition, do you still have to manually switch the charger on/off? I want a Set up that I don't have to rely on the driver to do much. Just setup, forget about it. and it be self contained

I switched my one lead acid battery to one lithium battery in my RV. Should I consider a dc to dc charger for just one lithium battery?

bonjour une bonne idée les connecteurs anderson pour coupler les batteries en cas de besoin

Great Info Brian, So, I take it when disconnecting the E Start button you remove everything and connect the pos cable to the DC/DC Charger and a neg lead to chassis grnd? Where does the 30A fuse go?

Hi Brian, Did the Renogy do its job tho apart from the extra features in the Victron, thanks.

I was looking at a dual alternator system. My question is, can you hook up to alternators to charge into that system? Could you get two chargers and run them into your batteries? Just checking before I spend a lot of money to upgrade my system.

I understand that LiFePO4 are not really suitable for jump starting. Any experience with that? Is your starter battery an AGM?

My alternator is 135 amps and I only have a 100amp lithium battery but my issue is that the trailer plug wire cannot handle that much current so I'm looking for a 20A DC to DC charger. I don't think I can run a #6 wire through my 7way plug but the trailer plug cable is only a #10 as well.

I would never buy another Renogy again. The tech support is the worse.

Do you have solar input going to the car battery input? How do you have it all charging together?

Nice, good information

Biggest reason the Renogy is actually better is because it has low temp cutoff capabilities and the Victron does not. There is absolutely No excuse for Victron to not include the VE networking to be able to monitor the temp like they do on their MPPT solar chargers. In a van or RV in aub zero temps you will kill your $1,000 plus batteries with the Victron B2B charger

Hi. So I own an 18 wheeler and I’m trying to charge my EUC battery which operates with lithium ion batteries. But am for some reason I can’t use the charger with inverter combination while in the truck. At the house I can charge just fine but not in my truck. Can you help?

Have you every thought about adding Wind Turbine generator. I had been thinking about something to fill the void left by solar on cloudy days and night time. I also follow a couple on RU-vid "Fate Unbound". He brought up the thought of using wind turbine generator to suppliment their energy needs. I was just wondering if You had ever thought about it, and if so what are your thoughts on that type of technology.

Keep in mind that the Renogy unit draws 30 amps from the car battery/altenator in order to put out 20 amps to the house battery. Use wire sized accordingly.

I am using a renogy 20 amp DC to DC charger. What is your experience with the heat out put difference between the renogy and victron? What do you do to cool your basement when you have your inverter and everything else running? Especially this past summer when the temps are so high?

I have a Ram with dual 220 amp alternators, so I guess I have enough alternators but what is enough and how does one know?

Brian, is there really a risk of over taxing the alternator when you have solar panels keeping the batteries topped off?

Awesome video, thanks. What about these components in a place like TX? How would you keep them from over heating?

Hey - is there a stand alone 100 amp alternator (any engine powered) that full power charges a lifepo4 battery ?

I think you could have bought the Orion SMART and had the features you were looking for at the end, no?

Do u have Victron duel charger controller? To change both starting and Lesure batteries if so witch one ? Thanks

Good day Sir. Do you know What would be the charging current if you used directly the alternator?

Hey Brian, thanks for all of your helpful information! I’m installing a Renogy Dual Input DC-DC 50A Battery Charger on my 2014 Itasca Navion 24J. I’ve got two Lion Energy Safari UT 1300 lithium batteries with a 400 watt HQST solar system in parallel to a 40 amp mppt controller, PD9160ALV lithium converter/charger, Renogy 3000w inverter and the Go Power 30A transfer switch. My question is: can I connect the dc-dc charger directly from the boost solenoid, and if not, how do I bypass it and still keep everything connected properly? I don’t see how the batteries get connected to the converter/charger without being tied into the positive coming from the solenoid. Thanks! Matt

why the cut-off switch when you can turn it off with the app?

A question if you don't mind, I like your remote cab switch to turn the charger off and on whenever you need, do you have it as a simple toggle switch to break the cable running from the IGN on power source? (so charger only works when the engine is on AND you have the choice via the switch to disable that). I am installing a Victron non isolated unit this week (Panel van conversion). Great detail on your Vid. Thanks