What’s behind the panels in a GC electrical cupboard?

[markicp]

Please tell me you've now also added a two way switch to this install, otherwise when you turn on your power unit, you make the outside socket live

yes I have now added one the same as andy_c

 

[evergreensuk07]

Thank you and massive kudos to @markicp for the inspiration and indeed the info to allow me to follow suit.

I spent a while exploring upgrade solutions and have plumbed at least initially for a lithium generator and additional AGM battery install rather than a full on second circuit installation (in a few weeks I’ll provide the full details of my experience and the pros and cons but it’s too early to say whether I’ve done the best thing for my requirements and I still have a part of the install to complete).

By way of background my wife and I both run among other things (!) hefty laptops when working full time while living off-grid with the kids on school holidays, so…

In Part I upgraded the solar controller to a Victron one so I have A) Bluetooth monitoring which is fab; B) prep’d for wider Victron installation in Part III.

In Part II I have added an ecoflow delta max solution with additional battery. I went for an expanded version of @markicp solution above with a mains charge socket, a generator input socket and a mains-generator transfer switch as per the photo below:

View attachment 90335

The above seems to work well for providing mains power off-grid. I have additional solar panels for it and can charge it (albeit slowly on the move from the 20A dc car output socket above it) and by switching off middle RCD in the consumer unit can enable/disable charging of the AGM batteries via the generator’s inverter.

Hi @Mr T

I can only answer half your question wrt wiring but will be more qualified to answer the “general how are you getting on and 10A” question after our trip to France over Easter hols.

I followed the pics of @markicp to encourage me to take off the panel , open up the foam and expose the wires from the external hookup point. This has an inline connector. I replaced the inline connector on the lead out of the filler with an inline splitter and took one to the industrial connector for charging the generator and the other line to the mains in on the gen transfer switch. The line that originally went from the external filler to the consumer unit now gets wired into the load out on the gen transfer switch. The generator in on the transfer switch is fed off the other industrial connector which is fed from a 3 pin output socket on the generator.

I have young children so was careful to do the above to ensure the right connectors and leads were being used that don’t expose live pins that could be dangerous - for example the industrial connectors are not the same the mains supply is female and the gen in is an industrial male. The transfer switch is IMHO important too.

One uses the gen transfer switch to switch between mains in and generator in. In this way I’m faking the external mains supply. As a result this will power the 3 pin sockets (note - as if they were an extension lead) and also charge the leisure batteries. Now I don’t necessarily want to charge the leisure batteries like this as I’m beefing up the solar capability so I can turn the middle switch on the consumer unit off which disabled the charging system (from what I can tell .

I was going to elaborate on this on a later post but have gone this route because many installers whilst potentially willing to do a more comprehensive install haven’t really worked on or understood the GC system and are really wary of the warranty invalidation. I’m gambling my mods are mild enough not to invalidate the warranty and if they are, well then shame on VW for providing such a shonky under-spec’d system in the first place!

Does that help and answer your question, first half at least?

Kr

Andy

Like what you have done, I have a new GC arriving this week, could you share the make model of the switch you used and cable splitter as it looks like it's working for you...thanks
In Part III I’m adding a Victron Deep Cycle AGM leisure battery that will become the primary with the original one as backup / emergency / removed - more on this in a few week

 

[andy_c]

Hi

My advice, for what it’s worth, when it comes to electrics in general and the supply of parts is to go to a local trade supply store - they’re very knowledgeable as they typically run their own electrical services as well and can order you all the parts you need and ensure they’re the correct rating. As a result I can’t remember / don’t know the make of the switches and splitters other than they had the right ratings and looked good quality.

If it helps the the mains / generator transfer switch has ‘ESR’ on it.

Hope that helps and good luck, the upgrade has been awesome for us.

Kr

Andy