Lithium battery upgrade on 17B

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by dosby

One interesting thought - the new battery is barely larger than the old one. Based on the size, it would fit the existing group 27 box just fine, very tight but would fit. So I could have kept it outside with no rewriting at all, except for the shunt wire.
I would have had to remove at least the half of side handles for lifting the battery, though - the only things that would not fit and made the battery 15" long. I would have had to lift the battery by the remaining small stumps.

Looking good. Better inside for security and temperature management.

[dosby]

Somewhat radical solution - installed 3/4" plywood planks between the bench and the battery. Put 2 screws in each plank from the top. Added a low-profile plank in between for rigidity.
Now the battery sits solid in its place. The planks protect from accidental poking from the external hatch access and the terminals/shunt from shifting and shorting.
I am hoping not to have to take out the battery for a few years.

[dosby]

Patched the holes in the floor with the foam backer rod.
I liked the ETI's gooey stuff they put around the holes, it was extremely sticky and very hard to remove. I had to pull the wires with good pliers.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by dosby

Now I need to make sure the battery does not jump out of its place. I have some thoughts, will finish the installation later.

I used a hold down kit from AM Solar. Mine is mounted on a wood platform though. I’m sure you can find these through various outlets if it would meet your needs.

[dosby]

Originally Posted by rubicon327

I used a hold down kit from AM Solar. Mine is mounted on a wood platform though. I’m sure you can find these through various outlets if it would meet your needs.

I just didn't want to drill more holes in the floor, so I drilled some in the bench
I had an idea of attaching some blocks to the bench underside so i would push down on the battery only when closed.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by dosby

The Victron display installation was a piece of cake.
Bluetooth is working great, from 30-50 ft. The app is definitely night and day compared with ETI's.

Have you tried it when driving down the road? You mounted your 712 screen low so the bluetooth won't go as far. The bluetooth is in the screen head and if you mount it high it will have a larger range. I mounted the screen high in our Escape 5.0, in the dinette cabinet next to the fridge, so I didn't have to bend down to read the screen, since I heard the higher you mount the screen the wider the bluetooths range.

After a few weeks I realized I never looked at the screen's readout, instead l look at the Victron Connect app on my phone. In our Bigfoot, the batteries are up front, underneath the passenger side dinette seat, so I merely threw the screen in the front upper cabinet and also have no problem reading it in the truck when traveling down the road.

We also didn't have ETI mount the GoPower controller by cutting a hole in the dinette seat area. It was merely zip-tied underneath that seat where it sat velcroed to a box for two winters until it was replaced by a Victron 100/30 controller. Since there was no hole cut underneath the dinette the GoPower controller didn't have to stay there as filler.

I look at the Victron Connect app to read our Victron 100/50 (roof solar), 100/20 (portable solar), BMV-712, and our Victron IP22 charger.

Since I replaced the GoPower controller in our Bigfoot sitting high, doing nothing, it merely acts as filler.

I know it's too late for you to mount it up high, but my comment(s) here may save someone from putting a needless hole(s) in their cabinets.

Food for thought,

Perry

[dosby]

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

[CENTER]
I mounted the screen high in our Escape 5.0, in the dinette cabinet next to the fridge, so I didn't have to bend down to read the screen, since I heard the higher you mount the screen the wider the bluetooths range.

I thought about it - I would need to pull out the fridge to route the wires. Also, the side wall of the fridge cabinet is thick plywood, not the thin one that's under the bench. I didn't want to drill into it.
I already have my GoPower controller panel under the bench, so it makes sense to bend down to look at both at the same time. I am planning to use my phone, though, it's much more informative and convenient.
Even under the bench, the display sits high enough to have a direct line of sight to drivers seat, there is just one wall in-between. So I don't expect any issues connecting. I connect to my trailers backup camera BT ok, and it transmits video not just small data.