12 volts VS. 24 volts for Off-grid Solar Power Systems

Instead of using a converter from 24v. to 12v. are there appliances for RV's (led lights, water pump, fridge, heating floor, etc..) that are directly at 24Volts?

What about 48V system? That is whay I am working on now. Still a newbie

Always great info Will....I built 3 systems in my All aluminum Aluma 7x14 Cargo trailer Tiny home conversion...1st main system ..... 12V 300ah battery with 1500 watt inverter for all 12v and low 300-700 watt appliances ( 40 amp mppt / renogy flexible panels) ...2nd system ......12V 300amp 1000 watt inverter for back up low 500-750 watt appliances...3rd system ( in progress) is a 2 12V 100ah lithium in series for 24v with a 2000 watt inverter to ..let say.. power on my 2.5 gallon water heater for 10-20 minutes.....it a pretty good system.. the 24V will be much more defficient to run appliances ect thru the outlets.

Charge both seperate 2nd & 3rd system thru outlets with 15 amp 12V & 24V chargers

Any suggestion to optimize the performance, let me know.

Patrick...Love Our Planet Adventures!

there’s no comparison. the higher energy you need , you need higher voltage

HELP🛑
I have 8 100 WATT (4 EACH WIRED IN PARALLEL)
Then those two strings wired in series to make 24 volts!
I expected my voltage to be 27 or 28 V on a sunny day but I’m barely making 24 volts 😳
something like that what the hell do I have wrong?
🛑HELP🛑PLEASE

Great idea
I like your explanation.
Have a good one

Easy to understand and thorough. Thanks Will

Secondary Alternator is down low left on SPRINTER .
Can't find the configuration for my Ford Transit 150 Cargo Van.
Found out today when a high amp alternator is charging LiFePO4 s the BMS( Battery Management system) shuts off immediately. Spiking and frying the diodes in the
Alternator. BC the Alternators run full charge to quick capacity Lithiums.When the battery is full and shuts off .There is an arc.
"Everything shut down then it started back up" Experience.
The BMS started the Lithiums and powered
the DC/ DC - DC/AC Converters 🤷
There is a device that foresees the BMS shut off and tells the Alternator to stop charging. Some kind of Breaker/Controller deal.
Ignition switch controller?
Damn I might have to see Ford. I have a single Lead battery. They have a dual battery factory package 🤷.All I need is another lead battery to continue charging my i phone i pad
and hearing aids. Maybe two LED lights.
Been charging them w a 12 v cigar charger and USB for three months.
🤔 I'm pressing my luck.
Oh there is a hugh advantage 60 Amp standard Alternators replaced with 180Amp
Alternators will give you the 40 amp hours for 6-8 hours per day running AC lights and appliances. If you travel 2-3 hrs per day.
With a slight mpg increase.
But I'm interested in a second Lithium BMS compatible alternator and second Lithium bank(Or solar charger generator i.e. Jackery) totally separate from the starter ignition system.
With DC/AC inverter.
Investigating it.🤷

Hello! I am currently a teen who wants to save up for a house in the future do use solar power (even at night) to have free power without any bills. What is the best way to do this without any issues

So I'm doing a camper conversion with an enclosed trailer with standard exterior 12V LED lights. Each single light has the negative/ground attached the the frame (it seems most trailers do this). I already have 24V batteries that I want to use as my main bank. I plan to power the 12V trailer lights from a 12V panel (after the 24/12 converter) from my main system. In other words, I'm not using the tiny 12V battery that came with the trailer. The big question is if I have a 24V Victron Multiplus II (2x120), will the ground wire from the Multiplus (connected to the metal frame) interfere with the 12V trailer lights already installed?

Oh, and I plan to add a 24V solar setup as well.

Grate content, with a very straightforward and thorough explanation. Thank you for the video.

I have a 12 volt set up in my tv and have 4 12.8 lithium batteries set up in parallel should just drop back to three, I find running my fridge on 4 batteries is no different than running 2 batteries I get the same amount of running time

Thumb up my Guy that's very good explanation. All d best

do you know if there is a way to increase my 12v 200w portable power station to a 48v portable power station to power my starlink dish?

In my old boat it had twin engines, with a 12v alternator and battery bank on one engine. The other engine had a 36v alternator and battery bank.
36 for starting the engines, and 12v for all the house equipment, electronics, etc.
the down side is 2 battery banks, and you have to be careful not to start the 12V side first and possibly drain the battery so you can't start the 36v side, which charges the starting batteries.
Up side, good cranking amps with 36v, easy setup for 12v house system.

is it safe to say than 48v system si also better than 24 and 12v and would also be cheaper? thanks great video

can you use a 12volt battery and 12volt solar panel with 24volt system, I have 4 x 390watt solar panels, 2 (200AH) batteries

Will, love your videos because you are so thorough and I am needing your help. I have built-out our current van with a 12v victron system: 3000 multi, 400w solar, DC-DC charging with 2-200Ah LiFePO4 12v SOKs (based on SOK quality/value watching your video's), yet we are wanting more power for a new van build because we are getting only two days off-grid. I am now very interested in the Ecoflow Power Kit with 2-5KWH as I initially thought it would double the power for our needs in the new van. Am I correct in the assumption? My confusion in the conversion of 2-5Kwh at 48v is equivalent to only 200Ah as it would be only half the power we are currently getting from our 12v victron system? It is not easy for me to grasp the equivalent of 2-200Ah 12v LiFePO4's to how much I would need in Kwh's to either equal the 400Ah 12v LiFePO4's or to double the power usage for our needs. Can you please clear this up for me in a response and would love to see a video later from you? The Ecoflow Power Kits are getting some buzz and I haven't seen anything from you yet on this system.

Thank you!

Very good explanations, I'll stick with 12v for now cause on a small scale, but I will definitely remember all this when scaling up, probably going first to 24v, then maybe 48v when I get a nice shed to install more power hungry appliances 👍 Thx

I need to talk to u. I have a machine that is solar powered and need to know the best operational method

Hey man can i talk to you privately

Im trying to go total off grid and would love your advise . This would be for a house .

Thank you so much

Great video. I have 4 285W (24v) panels that I want to set up a 24V system. I'm still researching for a simple but good plan to connect all of it. Im still learning proper sizing of components.

Thank you so much for your help

This video got so mutch info I keep watching it over and over to let it all sink in since I'm new to SOLAR THANKS ALOT WILL AND IM GONNA BUY THAT BOOK SO I CAN SOUND LIKE YOU WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF LOL

You look like Mike Ross from Suits 😂

I can't believe. I have, too stalk. Willie every day. For probably. A year. Digesting, every video. This awesome! Solar Guru, ever made. Just to power. My freezer. During, a 911 hurricane flood. In Atlantic City NJ :/ And wax my 4runner. Outside my beach block. Balcony apartment. Widow, Over 55...

My understanding is that 60V is the minimum DC in order to be even potentially lethal. Have you heard different numbers?

Will, you are awesome. I'm sure many folks say the same thing. Can you tell me why a step-up charge controller wouldn't be a good choice when using a single 12V solar panel to charge a 24V battery? I purchased an MPT-7210A for that purpose. I'm charging 2 100 Ah LiFePO4 batteries in series that are used on my boat 24V trolling motor. I have a single 100W solar panel (because I don't have a lot of space). The panel is really just to keep my batteries charged between trips. I take a trip or two per week in fishing season, so I may have several days to charge my batteries between trips.

You need to use Ideal Diodes when connect multiple batteries in parallel.

I'm getting a 2023 motor coach. It has 1 200 watt solar panel, a 1000 watt inverter , a dual controller what ever that is and 2 100 AH AGM batteries. I plan to up grade the inverter to 2000 or 3000 but initially would like to upgrade to a 200 or 300 AH lithium battery, can I just drop a lithium in with my current equipment ?

With using an alternator and I agree it's a bad idea. But for sake of argument or in case of necessity. Could you connect a 12v inverter, and then connect a DC power supply to the 24v inverter?

I have watched several of your videos and every time I learn an amazing amount of information. Most things I usually walk away with more questions than answers but when I watch your videos I am filled with all kinds of info and although it is overwhelming later on when I start to learn more I realize how much information has eventually sunk in so thank you for all of your content because it has helped me boost my confidence in ways where other videos and things usually bring me down

Thanks so much for all your support. You have made it easier to build my own custom solar 🙏🏻

What about charging off of shore power? I’d like to convert my rv from 12 to 24, but realized the converter/charger is only 12v (I think struggling to find specs). I’m guessing I can’t just use a step up converter so I’d need a new charger at least.

Will (or some other smart person). I am new this all and have a couple of questions if you don't mind:

1) I am finding that the 24v batters cost more per watt than the 12v (there seem to be more deals for 12v). Would this counteract the savings on the controller and cables?

2) I am wanting to build an emergency system for fridge, freezer, electronics, a few lights etc, when there are power outages, maybe a 600-1200 watt array that I can set in the driveway when needed (~ 2.4 to 4.8 KWH in lithium batteries). At how many watts does it make sense to switch from 12v to 24v? Or is 24v still better even for smaller arrays?

you lost me at voltage.

So on my rv at deer camp, I have 400watts of solar panels and change control all Renogy, 3 group 29 everstart batteries 114 amp hours each all new bought at the same time for the house batteries and a new ever start group 24 chassis battery, my question is the chassis battery will go dead after sitting for months, can I run a power wire from the house batteries to the chassis battery with a disconnect switch between the two sets of batteries and leave the switch on to keep the chassis battery charged from the solar so I don’t have a dead battery on the chassis and turn the disconnect off when the RVs running with the alternator ?

In addition my SOLAR PANELS.(3) connected in series
Rated power --327w
Voltage (wmp) --54.7v
Current (imp)--5.98A
VOC. _64.9v
Short circuit current --6.46A
Max series fuse --15A

(24v inbuilt inverter with charge controller)


Inverter mode ::
Rated power --3000VA/2400W
DC Input --24vdc--100A
AC input--230VAC-50/60HZ --10.4A

SOLAR CHARGER MODE
Rated power --3000w
Norminal operating power (VOC)--240vdc
Max. Solar voltage VOC --450vdc
MPPT Voltage range --90 -430vdc
Max. Solar charging current --60A

24v system

I agree with you about not powering a solar system with alternator. I don't think it makes great sense in a boat either - even with a 12 volt solar system. It seems to me that a small generator and charger is a better option when there's no sun for solar. Better to leave your engine, alternator and engine battery to do what they're designed for - and only when you want propulsion.

Question. I've a submersible water pump that I intend to use , Off-grid, for 12 hours every day,. The water pump power rating is 1700w(1.7kw). I also have an array of Solar Panels of 3600w output capacity. I've no need for battery or charge controller, only an Inverter, as I don't need to store energy. I intend to use the power directly on the appliance. What size/capacity of Off-grid Solar Power Inverter do I need to buy. Thank you.

My old neighbor had solar. His sister in-law moved in. She rewired the batteries to 24 volt. It started a fire.. she tried to blame me? I gave them a free refrigerator she put a fuse on?
.
Her free RV also caught fire... Solar.
.
So, they tried to run the batteries in 12v and 24 at the same time?
.
Same people that took a battery out of a truck, carried it to a different car, hooked it up to jumper cables, and tried to start the truck without a battery in it.

I HAVE PURCHASED A QUANTITY OF POWERWORKS 60V 2.5AH BATTERIES AND CHARGERS CAN I UTILIZE THEM TO BUILD A SOLAR POWER SYSTEM

thank you my friend, this video gave me an idea, i will use 2 550w solar panels a 30 amps solar charge controller, a 24v bank battery system and to dc to dc downgrade to 12v and conect it to a 2,000w inverter so in that way i can take advantage of the solar panels better to charge the battery system and power my inverter.

Thank you!! Very informative, as I was stuck between 12v & 24v...will be 24v!!

I know you are not working with ev cars, but batteries are more my question right now. I have six 24 volt lifepo4 packs that will run in series to produce the 144 volts the car needs. But I want use 3 48 volt chargers to charge two series packs at a time. The question is how to wire them so it can run in series but charge in parallel? I may need to use relays, but not sure what is already made out there. I could use six 24 volt chargers too. Finding a 144 volt charger would be exspensive. Also I feel that have 3 or 6 chargers running at the same time would speed up the charging process, something I would like to try.

If you want to ruin you battery bank you keep using their made up charge controllers and you will be fine. 😢. I went through three they kept telling that’s the way I needed to build up my system . Now I have lost two battery’s “from over charging” in my bank now I’m running off four damaged batteries from the same “over charging 😢.