No, You're the best, Em!

Hey, thanks for the nice comment. We're able to run a lot with this 400W panel - when we put it out we're able to top up our battery bank even while we're working. Here's a link to everything on our system, freedominacan.com/solar-powered-by-renogy keep scrolling down to the bottom. One thing to keep in mind is that this particular panel (400) doesn't come with an included Charge Controller, so you'll need one if you don't have it already. Good luck and Let us know if you have any other questions. And use CANLIFE promo code at Renogy to save an additional 10%! renogy.sjv.io/LPEyNY

You're very welcome, and thanks for the comment. We're going to be sharing some more videos later on in the summer. Stay tuned!

Thanks! This comment made our day. We hope you figured it all out, but let us know if you have any questions. Also, if you choose to go with Renogy, be sure to use our promo code "CANLIFE" for an additional 10% off. Plus they've got a wicked sale going on right now, from June 12th - July 3rd! Good luck with the project!

Thanks for the comment. We never tested with BT-1 module. When we were testing the Battery Shunt 300 , (see video kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hLKBa7hyq8XMqWQ.html) we had our 2 x 100Ah LFP w/ Self heating function LFP Batts connected to the Core monitor via BT-2 and the shunt at the same time. We found that the shunt was slightly less accurate than what the BMS was communicating through the BT-2. I don't know if that claim was about SLA batteries, or not, perhaps it is more accurate with those? FYI, we now have 2 x 100 LFP PRO batts installed, with built-in Bluetooth. These are awesome batteries, give them a look - kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pdaCosd-vtGZmaM.html Let us know if you have any further questions, happy to help.

@@FreedomInACan I'm running 2 of the renogy 200ah with built-in blue tooth currently. They have been great. I have the shunt but not the bt1 was just curious

Fake camper? Haha, you clearly haven't watched our channel. How does 12 years on the road in our Vintage rig sound, plus a lifetime of backcountry? Check out our website freedominacan.com. We work with several brands, but only one Solar company. Keep on rolling!

Thanks!

No worries! Just a helpful tip, go ahead and ground the DC to DC all the way back to the Starting Battery!

It's an 8 quart Lodge! Had this thing for about 20 years, and should easily outlast me!

@@FreedomInACan Thank you sir. That's definitely the beauty of cast iron.

Hey there, thanks for the question. While we don't have another video, we just wrote a blog concerning this issue -- freedominacan1957.blogspot.com/2024/05/summertime-strategies-for-staying-cool.html#:~:text=System%20Integration%20Options,a%20few%20ways%3A Concerning your issue. How many panels do you have on the roof? I'm guessing 2 x 200W. So when connecting all of your panels together, roof and portable, they will need to be similar wattages. If you want to simply go through the same controller, use a 200W portable. Or you could have a separate controller for the 400W portable, (see our review of the Renogy 400W Lightweight kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mqqXppyDxte5m3U.htmlsi=mQX0D4-50Sc0dKwI), or lastly do the hack we showed in this video to isolate your panel arrays so that you won't loose the efficiency of the 400W. And if you want to go with Renogy, be sure to use our affiliate link: renogy.sjv.io/LPEyNY and promo code "CANLIFE" for 10% off. All the best, and let us know if you have any further questions.

@@FreedomInACan Thank you!!

Thanks for the help, no one reads the video descriptions... haha! We made this one way before these small, cheap, adaptors were readily available.

P-cord is short for parachute cord, which really just means a thin nylon braided strand of rope, available at any hardware store.

Thanks so much for your kind words.

I think that it only communicates directly with Renogy batteries. However there is a work around. The Renogy Battery Shunt 300 will connect to any battery and provide the communication to the Renogy ONE Core. The shunt does not work with the Renogy ONE M1.

Here's the link for the Battery Shunt 300, renogy.sjv.io/1rLo3D use promo code CANLIFE for 10% off. Let us know if you have any further questions and good luck.

thank you alot 💙

Thanks for the feedback. This was hardly a laboratory test, and we never intended it to be. We were merely trying to compare the percentage of the "real world" conditions vs. the rated watts of the two types of panels, 100W portable and 220W bi-facial. We're not comparing the two panels, rather under what conditions did one panel perform better with regards to the observed percentage of its rated wattage. And in terms of covering the front of the bi-facial, much of the power from the back comes from light passing through the panel itself -- it is clear glass, so we did not think that doing a test like you suggested would show much. Again, thanks for your insight.

We have a 2015 Nissan Frontier SV 4x4 with 4.2 engine. I believe we have what is considered a "Smart Alternator" but we only installed the ignition signal wire for this unit, and it seems to be working great. It's been awesome for 3 years of full-time living.

Any time! Let us know if you have any questions, and we've got a ton of resources on our website, freedominacan.com/solar-powered-by-renogy

interesting, so you want to be able to set up a relay to come on, which would turn on the water heater, when the battery is at 100%? Lemme ask the Rengineers about this one and see what we can mess with?

@@FreedomInACan thats exactly it. i currently dont have any smart accessories, so i cant test. also, do you have to pay for subscription to use their smart accessories? plugs/relays...etc?

Got it. And no, you don't have to purchase a subscription plan to use these accessories, online or offline. The plan is only necessary if you want to track specific parameters, like solar planning, historical data, and if you want to control several different Core monitors from the same place.

Yes, but you have to have it connected through a charge controller. These inexpensive devices are the real brains of the system. It will make sure that the battery doesn't get overcharged or overheated. Best of luck!

Interesting, I would have thought that refreshing the screen would have countered that. The first test was actually about 3-5 minutes because we kept refreshing every 5 steps or so. Obviously, we didn't show that in the edit. In the other two tests we did about the same time, kept refreshing the connection. There was a negligible difference between all three tests which actually kind of surprised us. Thoughts?

Is yours the renogy e.flex core?

Yes correct. Zero issues but only ran it for a couple weeks last season.

Thanks for the feedback. We definitely would do it differently if we did it again. We've learned so much since then by doing it ourselves, making mistakes and fixing them. You probably didn't look into the description, but in the update from a few years ago, I describe how we bypassed the 7-pin and hard wired the DC to DC through an Anderson connector. It works great now! Thanks again!

So when you have a solar panel connected to this 30A DC to DC Charger, it divides the two charging sources at 15A a piece. If you need more solar, you can get the 50A version, which gives up to 25A of a solar charge. Let us know if you have any questions.

This was expected to be compatible with the M1, this April. I will check in on this update and will get back to you. Thanks for the poke.

Okay, just got confirmation, you are correct. The Smart Shunt and Renogy ONE M1 will not be compatible. We were told that this was going to happen. It will only be compatible with the Renogy ONE Core model. Sorry for any misinformation.

Hate to bring the bad news, apparently plans to make the shunt compatible with the Renogy ONE M1 are not going to happen. It will only work with the CORE monitor. (4-16-24).

@@FreedomInACan Ye its rubbish as it was promised somewhere I read. Will go all victron in the future on my next one

@@adamridsdale1392 It does seem like a cop out, so what you need to do.

Yes, it does. If it doesn't do it automatically, you can select the battery info source in the settings. Let us know if you need anything.

Hey there!

What kind of battery do you have? Please be specific to the model number.

@@FreedomInACan thanks for the response it's the renogy smart battery 100ah smart battery RBT12100LFP-BT-US

Okay, so it's their latest version the 100Ah LFP PRO battery? renogy.sjv.io/0Z5oXP You shouldn't have to do anything with the battery, because it doesn't have an on switch or pairing mode setting. Does it pair with the DC Home App, on your phone? Also, ensure that you have the latest CORE firmware. On the CORE, click on Settings -> System -> About -> Check for Updates -> Update. This will restart your CORE, then try pairing it again. If none of that works, send me an email at [email protected] and we'll get you connected to folks at Renogy.

@@FreedomInACan yeah, exactly the newest model I got on sale. I'll make sure the firmware is up to date. It did connect to my DC home app just fine which was good but not the core, making me think there could be a pairing mode but it paired just fine to the app. Anyway, I'll give it another try tomorrow. Thank you, I'll email too if it doesn't work out !

Awesome! Have a blast, I'm jealous!

What an awesome comment! Thanks for reaching out and letting us know that this is useful for you. Be sure to use our promo code "Canlife" should you choose to go with Renogy gear, it helps us out and keeps our resources free for all. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out via email or youtube! Best of Luck!

400Ah Battery ~ $2.5K - renogy.sjv.io/ORP2ez 200Ah Pro Battery ~ $1K - renogy.sjv.io/anog6N 100Ah Pro Bat ~ $550 renogy.sjv.io/0Z5oXP So you save a bit of cash by going with the two battery route, but it doesn't have all the exact same features, cables etc. as the REGO battery. Though, certainly comparable. If you don't mind connecting the batteries together in parallel, the best price should be going 2 x 200Ah PRO (this has built-in BT, self-heating and a load of other features.) Be sure to use our promo code "Canlife" at checkout because it will get you an additional 10% off your purchase. Let us know if you have any other questions.

Yes, it sure does. Just go to Settings -> Display - > Sleep Mode - there you can adjust the time when they screen goes dark. Bring it back to life with a tap of a finger. Best of Luck.

Hey, thanks for your comment and for being patient. We were trying to get to the bottom of this. Some of the components are not listed as being in stock, when as I've been assured, they are. The biggest change is that the original REGO combiner box has been discontinued. It's been replaced by this one. renogy.sjv.io/216AOM The difference here is that you need to include appropriate fuses, where the original had them included - bummer. But it will absolutely work for you. 400Ah Battery - renogy.sjv.io/6ezgxr 60A DC to DC - renogy.sjv.io/XxVDbG 60A MPPT Charge Controller - renogy.sjv.io/yR79vD 3000W Inverter Charger - renogy.sjv.io/k0aA9z And if you're ordering through Renogy, please use our promo code "Canlife" for an additional 10% off. Let us know if you have other questions, and good luck!

Nope! The only reason why you might need the shunt is if you don't have "smart" batteries that are BT module capable (like lead acid, gel or AGM), or if you have a different brand of battery, but want to connect to the Renogy monitor.

No, we haven't had any problem with the alternator since this installation. No warning lights, no dead batteries, etc. We've even installed a switch so that we could either charge the 50Ah battery, that runs the cooler, or the 200Ah house batteries back in the trailer. No problems. We get this question frequently, but the DC to DC charger is only taking a trickle charge from the starting battery, and boosting it so that the batteries are charged efficiently while driving. Hope that helps.

Just following up. You know, we had one problem with this intermittently charging early on. We weren't getting a good negative connection to the frame of the truck, so we ended up installing more grounding wire all the way forward to starting battery and grounded it to the negative terminal. Since then, no issues whatsoever. Hope that helps.