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viciata avatar image
viciata asked

Camper van to work with 110V and 220V

Hi,


I have a European camper van that has a 24V 500Ah lifepo4 battery with a Victron Multiplus ii 24/3000/70-32 for 220V. The question is how can we charge the batteries/ power the 220V 50Hz outlets when we are in the USA (or other countries with 110V 60hz). I have thought out 2 options but, please, I’m open for others:


1- Installing a 110V to 220V transformer (typical chinese one for less than 100€) that will NOT change the frecuency -60Hz- but could imput the multiplus at 220V. We prefer this option as it would be cheaper, more powerful and the multiplus will be used as a charger how its supossed to. The only issues are:

A) will the multiplus output 220V 50Hz or output 220V 60hz as it is what the transformer is giving the multiplus (remember the chinese transformer doesnt change frecuency? By reading the manual (https://www.victronenergy.com.es/upload/documents/Datasheet-MultiPlus-II-inverter-charger-ES.pdf) I guess is the former but: Anyone can answer this based on practical knowledge?

B) Can the multiplus be input with 220V 60Hz? By my read of the manual is OK.


2- Just put a 110V to 24V Victron charger. The charging power wont be much but enough for such a big power bank that can take care of the multiplus loads.


Thank you beforehand,


Alberto

Multiplus-IIcampervan
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3 Answers
Kevin Windrem avatar image
Kevin Windrem answered ·

The simplest would be to add an extra charger to your system and you can size that based on your needs. A down side is you'd be in inverting mode on the Multi all the time.

Adding a transformer in the shore power line will work as long as your loads don't care about frequency and tolerate 240 volts vs 230 volts. You may be able to find a transformer that would except 120 volts and output 230 volts. But there's nothing you can do to shift the frequency.

You might also consider solar as an alternate power source for charging your batteries.

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viciata avatar image
viciata answered ·

Hey Kevin, thanks for the answer.

So that means that the frecuency output of the transformer is the same as the input? in the manual it says 50Hz +- 0.1% and it says the input can be 45 – 65 Hz.

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Kevin Windrem avatar image Kevin Windrem commented ·

A transformer will only change voltage, not frequency. You'd need a motor-generator or inverter-based device to change frequency.

The way the Multi works is it will synchronize to the incoming AC and produce that frequency on the output. So with a 60 Hz grid, you'd get 60 Hz on the AC output of the Multi. Remember with grid present, the Multi's inverter core is connected across the AC input (and AC output) so it can't change the frequency. It will also pass the incoming voltage to the output.

When the grid is not present, the Multi will output AC at the frequency it is set up for (50 Hz in your case). The multi has a wide frequency range selection in setup which you'd need to accommodate 60 Hz with your 50 Hz setup.

If you need 50 Hz output at all times and/or need 230 volts out at all times, you'd need to use the external charger so the Multi essentially runs without grid when running off 120 volt 60 Hz shore power.

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kevgermany avatar image
kevgermany answered ·

There's also the Victron autotransformer. I don't think it handles frequency conversion, though. But most European AC consumers will work on 240V;60Hz.

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Autotransformer/Autotransformer-en.pdf


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