Best Boondocking Setup

Charlessyverson

I have a 2023 320 Boondock and would like to improve its capacity for boondocking 3-5 days.  It currently is stock (12 volt lead acid, roof solar panel, Victron controller).  I have a generator but would prefer to limit its use.  What would be the best setup to use?  I am considering 1) two 100 amp lithium batteries  2) 100 amp lithium battery with portable solar panel to make sure I can get the battery topped off each day  3) 100 amp lithium battery with a portable power bank with solar for supplementing the lithium battery each day or occasional use to access regular outlet use.

Do any of these setups require additional modifications or are they pretty much plug and play?  Other than changing settings on the Victron and converter, are there any additional steps needed?  I am not the most handy when it comes to electrical systems so I am looking for the easiest upgrade.  Any and all feedback is very appreciated!

AnOldUR

We upgraded from a lead acid battery to two 100Ah LiFePO4's in the tub of our 320S. It came with a factory 100W solar panel on the roof. We supplement that with a 200W solar suitcase so that we can park in the shade. With this we can easily do the 3-5 day that you're looking for with no sun. With decent sun, we can go indefinitely. That's with a 12V fridge along with using lights and television. We did not find it necessary to change the converter on our 2020 model year, but did change the solar controller to the lithium settings.

On longer trips, we do carry a 700W propane generator for charging just in case solar falls behind, but it has never been necessary to use it. Since we store our TAB inside, before leaving on a trip we'll top off the batteries with a lithium compatible charger that's also mounted in the tub.

I'm not an electrician and was able to accomplish this setup. With a bit of patience and care you'll be able to get it done. 

SLJ

2021 320S Boondock here. Two 100ah lithium under passenger bench, original 105 w solar panel on roof. 200w portable solar on 20' cable. All last year lowest batteries ever go was 45% in ten days of rain and cloud cover.
Power bank is inefficient and costly. Better off adding a second battery.

TourDeForth

I have a 2023 320S Boondock as well. The only thing I’ve added is a 200 watt portable solar panel. It has its own charge controller, so I connect it to the stock lead acid battery with alligator clips and charges parallel with the stock Victron controller. Keeping the battery charged longer off grid. It’s been great so far. I also use the portable solar panel to keep my truck batteries topped up.

pthomas745

The item that is missing in your calculations are: what exactly are you trying to power?  If your main power item is the fridge, many many threads here discuss the power use of the fridge as roughly 25-40 amp hours per 24 hours.  The rest of the trailer uses about a third of that 25-40 amp hours.  You would have to drive the fan for hours and hours to get to 40 amp hours of use from it, for example.  If you need to power items like laptops or CPAP machines, this would also change the equation quite a lot.

It is always better to add more battery capacity to the trailer, and improve the solar input.  I would much rather have the battery capacity in the trailer rather than have to carry around a "portable battery in a box" that would require its own space, a specific solar panel to charge it.  (If you can sort out how to make the same panels charge the trailer batteries and the "battery in a box", you can limit this issue.)

It used to be you would match the solar wattage to roughly the battery amp hour capacity. A 100 watt panel would charge an 80 amp hour lead acid battery pretty well during the day.    With the switch to the 2 way fridges and lithium batteries, and the much higher amp hour usage, more solar wattage has become advantageous. 

There are now many 100 amp hour lithium batteries that match the "Group 24" size of your current lead acid battery in the tub.  If you measure the space, they can fit either side by side or even stacked on top of each other.  There are also 200 amp hour lithium batteries that might fit.  (They can go in the space in any configuration except upside down).  The only thing you would need to do if you use two 100 amp hour batteries is a couple of battery cables. (There will be plenty of help for that). 

Extra solar panels can be set up for the trailer in the most simple way possible, as @t@TourDeForth mentioned: simple battery clamps.  If you have the solar "port" on the trailer, we can show you how that works, also.