It's time for me to start a build thread to help me organize my progress and thoughts on next steps. I'll incorporate hyperlinks to my posts in other threads detailing some of my mods to save time (and because valuable information for others contemplating similar mods will be in those threads).
Pre-mods:
MOD 1: Adding Alu-Cab Gen 3-R tent and 270 degree Shadow Awning (shout out to Asheville Vehicle Outfitters for doing a great job with this!):
MOD 2: Installing Xpel Black Universal Door Sill Guard
MOD 3: Installing Rival Engine and Transfer Skid Plates
MOD 4: Removed rear seat following Goose Gear's awesome instructions for its Rear Seat Delete Plate System and removed rear factory mat and rails following Goose Gear's awesome instructions for its Rear Plate System
MOD 5: Modifying and Installing Ram Mounts in the panel spaces where heated seat dials would be
MOD 6: Cobbled together Maxtrax Mounts to add to the top of the Gen 3-R RTT
MOD 7: Adding RedArc SMSP1200 200w Solar Panel using Alu-Cab 1250mm load bars and GP-Factor Solar Mounting Brackets:
MOD 8: Wiring up the Solar Panel
One thing I've very much enjoyed along the way is learning how to craft good cables. I did enough research to get over my trepidation about diving into doing it, and identifying, buying, and learning how to use the right tools for the job made it fun. I learned all about DTP, DT, Anderson 50A, Anderson Power Pole, and battery cable lug connectors, and created cables to run from the solar panel to the solar panel input in the 3R tent, and converted some split Anderson Power Pole connection cables to my needs. Here's some pics of what I made along the way:
10AWG Anderson to DTP connection cables to run from Gen 3R tent power out and solar out to the Grenadier roof outlets
The cables used to attach to the long 10AWG cable run to the battery bay (I used a Y split cable, because I wanted the option of connecting solar only to the D250SE, only my Ecoflow standalone battery bank (which uses an XT60i connector), or both):
With the 30A fuse added for the positive solar cable running to the D250SE (will need to do more research on my Ecoflow unit to see if I need to add a similar inline fuse to the cable going to it - if someone already knows the answer to that, please let me know):
After I made my Solar Panel cable running from the roof top tent to the right rear roof DTP outlet, I next had to get up under the headliner and detach the DTP cable from that outlet so that I could attach a new 10AWG DTP cable to it to route it along the frame to the battery bank. In short, I wanted to follow the method @Jean Mercier followed and I ran into an interesting surprise as detailed in my post in this separate thread with pics: Internal Connectors for Roof Power Outlets (U.S.) - Discovery, Investigation, and Question. As detailed in that post, I replaced the Yazaki connector I found with a DTP connector and then attached my 10AWG solar cable to it and started my run through the headliner, down the frame, and on to the battery bank - as shown in the pics below - using some handy 3M cable clips:
I found a great place to attach the 30A fuse for the positive solar cable going into the D250Se - after removing the 120S negative cable from its attachment point (which involves cutting a zip tie and peeling away some tape), I found the zip tie clip point, which rotates - shown here:
There's just enough room between all the cables to snug the 30A fuse box down here with a couple daisy chained zip ties:
Here's a pic showing the Y cable connected and I've tucked away the Anderson connector I will use to run a cable to my Ecoflow battery bank:
MOD 9: Installing D250SE and Victron 500 amp SmartShunt Battery Monitor
I installed the CTEK D250SE following @Ragman's awesome Installation Video.
I installed the Victron 500 amp SmartShunt Battery Monitor and found the perfect place to mount it (note M5 20mm machine screws, washers, and lock nuts get the job done). This is looking at the passenger side of the dual battery setup in a NA vehicle - the perfectly placed holes are circled in blue below.
I needed and received some patient and very helpful guidance from @anand that helped me understand the proper way to install the Smartshunt. What threw me is that I locked onto the ground Chassis point circled in blue below as a good place to route the negative out from the 120S Smartpass. D250SE, and the System Minus cable from the Smartshunt, with a separate negative cable running from the negative of the auxiliary battery to the battery minus input on the Smartshunt, and I overlooked the fact that if I routed a negative cable from the aux battery to the battery minus input of the Smarthunt, I needed to remove the OEM aux battery negative cable from the chassis ground point circled in blue below. Otherwise, I'd have two negative out cables going from the aux battery to ground - one to the Smartshunt and one to the chassis ground - and that would impact the Smartshunt's ability to accurately read the battery. In other words, I needed to think of the Smartshunt like an inline switch that needs to be between the only negative out from the battery to ground.
So, I (1) removed the OEM aux negative battery cable from the chassis ground circled above, wrapped the lug in electrical tape, then some duct tape for good measure, and slid it to the side and zip tied it to a 3M cable clip to keep it out of the way, (2) ran a new cable from the negative of the aux battery to the battery minus input on the Smartshunt, (3) attached the negative cables for the 120S, D250SE, and Smartshunt system minus to the chassis ground, and (4) attached the thin red positive battery monitor cables to the Smartshunt and aux and starter batteries as per Victron's instructions. Here's a pic showing everything wired up:
After all of this work, I received the gratifying bonus of this on my display when I cranked back up:
Why didn't I see the normal Christmas tree light error message display that requires driving around a short while for them to clear? My working hypothesis is that I did not receive the host of error lights when restarting because, before disconnecting the starter and aux negative cables to do this work, I opened both rear doors and the passenger rear doors and let the vehicle sit for a while to allow the the interior lights to shut off and hope the car had entered sleep mode again. I think it sat for ten minutes or so. Or I may just have gotten licky. In any event, I will try to repeat this process the next time I do some electrical work, which won't be too far down the road.
MOD 10: Added work lights to roof - see this post in the Work Light Roof Grab Bar thread.
NOTE: If you've made it this far and have questions about what I purchased/used to do any of these mods (e.g. wires, tools, etc.), just let me know.
Pre-mods:
MOD 1: Adding Alu-Cab Gen 3-R tent and 270 degree Shadow Awning (shout out to Asheville Vehicle Outfitters for doing a great job with this!):
MOD 2: Installing Xpel Black Universal Door Sill Guard
MOD 3: Installing Rival Engine and Transfer Skid Plates
MOD 4: Removed rear seat following Goose Gear's awesome instructions for its Rear Seat Delete Plate System and removed rear factory mat and rails following Goose Gear's awesome instructions for its Rear Plate System
MOD 5: Modifying and Installing Ram Mounts in the panel spaces where heated seat dials would be
MOD 6: Cobbled together Maxtrax Mounts to add to the top of the Gen 3-R RTT
MOD 7: Adding RedArc SMSP1200 200w Solar Panel using Alu-Cab 1250mm load bars and GP-Factor Solar Mounting Brackets:
MOD 8: Wiring up the Solar Panel
One thing I've very much enjoyed along the way is learning how to craft good cables. I did enough research to get over my trepidation about diving into doing it, and identifying, buying, and learning how to use the right tools for the job made it fun. I learned all about DTP, DT, Anderson 50A, Anderson Power Pole, and battery cable lug connectors, and created cables to run from the solar panel to the solar panel input in the 3R tent, and converted some split Anderson Power Pole connection cables to my needs. Here's some pics of what I made along the way:
10AWG Anderson to DTP connection cables to run from Gen 3R tent power out and solar out to the Grenadier roof outlets
The cables used to attach to the long 10AWG cable run to the battery bay (I used a Y split cable, because I wanted the option of connecting solar only to the D250SE, only my Ecoflow standalone battery bank (which uses an XT60i connector), or both):
With the 30A fuse added for the positive solar cable running to the D250SE (will need to do more research on my Ecoflow unit to see if I need to add a similar inline fuse to the cable going to it - if someone already knows the answer to that, please let me know):
After I made my Solar Panel cable running from the roof top tent to the right rear roof DTP outlet, I next had to get up under the headliner and detach the DTP cable from that outlet so that I could attach a new 10AWG DTP cable to it to route it along the frame to the battery bank. In short, I wanted to follow the method @Jean Mercier followed and I ran into an interesting surprise as detailed in my post in this separate thread with pics: Internal Connectors for Roof Power Outlets (U.S.) - Discovery, Investigation, and Question. As detailed in that post, I replaced the Yazaki connector I found with a DTP connector and then attached my 10AWG solar cable to it and started my run through the headliner, down the frame, and on to the battery bank - as shown in the pics below - using some handy 3M cable clips:
I found a great place to attach the 30A fuse for the positive solar cable going into the D250Se - after removing the 120S negative cable from its attachment point (which involves cutting a zip tie and peeling away some tape), I found the zip tie clip point, which rotates - shown here:
There's just enough room between all the cables to snug the 30A fuse box down here with a couple daisy chained zip ties:
Here's a pic showing the Y cable connected and I've tucked away the Anderson connector I will use to run a cable to my Ecoflow battery bank:
MOD 9: Installing D250SE and Victron 500 amp SmartShunt Battery Monitor
I installed the CTEK D250SE following @Ragman's awesome Installation Video.
I installed the Victron 500 amp SmartShunt Battery Monitor and found the perfect place to mount it (note M5 20mm machine screws, washers, and lock nuts get the job done). This is looking at the passenger side of the dual battery setup in a NA vehicle - the perfectly placed holes are circled in blue below.
I needed and received some patient and very helpful guidance from @anand that helped me understand the proper way to install the Smartshunt. What threw me is that I locked onto the ground Chassis point circled in blue below as a good place to route the negative out from the 120S Smartpass. D250SE, and the System Minus cable from the Smartshunt, with a separate negative cable running from the negative of the auxiliary battery to the battery minus input on the Smartshunt, and I overlooked the fact that if I routed a negative cable from the aux battery to the battery minus input of the Smarthunt, I needed to remove the OEM aux battery negative cable from the chassis ground point circled in blue below. Otherwise, I'd have two negative out cables going from the aux battery to ground - one to the Smartshunt and one to the chassis ground - and that would impact the Smartshunt's ability to accurately read the battery. In other words, I needed to think of the Smartshunt like an inline switch that needs to be between the only negative out from the battery to ground.
So, I (1) removed the OEM aux negative battery cable from the chassis ground circled above, wrapped the lug in electrical tape, then some duct tape for good measure, and slid it to the side and zip tied it to a 3M cable clip to keep it out of the way, (2) ran a new cable from the negative of the aux battery to the battery minus input on the Smartshunt, (3) attached the negative cables for the 120S, D250SE, and Smartshunt system minus to the chassis ground, and (4) attached the thin red positive battery monitor cables to the Smartshunt and aux and starter batteries as per Victron's instructions. Here's a pic showing everything wired up:
After all of this work, I received the gratifying bonus of this on my display when I cranked back up:
Why didn't I see the normal Christmas tree light error message display that requires driving around a short while for them to clear? My working hypothesis is that I did not receive the host of error lights when restarting because, before disconnecting the starter and aux negative cables to do this work, I opened both rear doors and the passenger rear doors and let the vehicle sit for a while to allow the the interior lights to shut off and hope the car had entered sleep mode again. I think it sat for ten minutes or so. Or I may just have gotten licky. In any event, I will try to repeat this process the next time I do some electrical work, which won't be too far down the road.
MOD 10: Added work lights to roof - see this post in the Work Light Roof Grab Bar thread.
NOTE: If you've made it this far and have questions about what I purchased/used to do any of these mods (e.g. wires, tools, etc.), just let me know.
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