Catbus
VIP Member
I finally purchased a Roamer 160S3 LiFePO4 Battery (160AH 200A) when they had the Kings Coronation sale offer plus additional 10% Victron cash back, free video consultation and detailed install schematic, but only just found the time (the weather) to start the install last weekend.
My original plan for the 230AH seat base version was a non-starter once I had made a 1:1 cardboard mockup to check for fitment.
Because the seta base version is designed to fill the whole available space it wouldn't allow the original seat base plastics to be retained let alone also with rear sockets fitted.
The 160AH model ended up being the largest possible to install under the driver seat and still keep the factory plastics.
This created its own issue as its a slightly higher and wider than a standard Caravelle/California measure battery so most of my time was spent modifying a standard T6 battery tray to fit it on its side and still clear the electric motors under the seats.
Under the passenger seat still needs a bit of tiding up as phase 1 this year is just having 240V and a Victron Orion-Tr SMART DC-DC 12/12-30 controller functioning internally, but phase 2 at a later date will be to add a Victron MPPT 100/20 controller for solar and a Victron Multiplus 12/500/20 inverter-charger within the same base.
So far I've kept all the existing VW fuse cradles, but these will have to be removed to make it all fit and may need a bit of a move around.
My original plan for the 230AH seat base version was a non-starter once I had made a 1:1 cardboard mockup to check for fitment.
Because the seta base version is designed to fill the whole available space it wouldn't allow the original seat base plastics to be retained let alone also with rear sockets fitted.
The 160AH model ended up being the largest possible to install under the driver seat and still keep the factory plastics.
This created its own issue as its a slightly higher and wider than a standard Caravelle/California measure battery so most of my time was spent modifying a standard T6 battery tray to fit it on its side and still clear the electric motors under the seats.
Under the passenger seat still needs a bit of tiding up as phase 1 this year is just having 240V and a Victron Orion-Tr SMART DC-DC 12/12-30 controller functioning internally, but phase 2 at a later date will be to add a Victron MPPT 100/20 controller for solar and a Victron Multiplus 12/500/20 inverter-charger within the same base.
So far I've kept all the existing VW fuse cradles, but these will have to be removed to make it all fit and may need a bit of a move around.
