Thor Magnitude 34

jdelliot · 11-01-2021, 03:13 PM

Hi,
New to RVs and happy new 2022 Magnitude 34 owner. I’d really like to increase the solar panels/batteries on the RV. Does anyone have any experience or recommendations? Currently have two 6v batteries (lead acid), I was informed I could fit four batteries but lead acid is a bit of an issue for me, there is already acid damage on the frame, is there anything better out there that doesn’t need the maintenance that I can switch them out with and any idea how many solar panels I can fit on the roof.

Judge · 11-01-2021, 03:42 PM

I purchased one of the the first Magnitudes, a 2020 SV34 back in October 2019. My coach was only solar ready. I originally added two Renogy Flexible 160W panels and then later upgraded to a 30A Renogy Controller. I have posted on this topic previously so if you do a search you will find more info and pictures.

I originally added to more 6V lead acid batteries. It is a very tight fit and requires some moving of wires and bus bars and cleaning up of Thor's wiring mess. It takes some real maneuvering to get the 4th battery to fit.

I did an LifePO4 upgrade back in August and am very pleased. I moved the batteries from the battery compartment to under one of the dinette seats. I have posted on this as well. I installed (3) 170AH Big Battery LiFePO4's plus a LI-225 BIM to replace the stock BIM160. I also added a Victron Smart Shunt.

The 510Ah allows me to power both fridges, run an AC fan, charge phones, etc. overnight and the next day make two pots of coffer and a pot of iced tea without any issues.

Your other option is to replace the lead acid batteries with AGM's... but it will still be tight to fit four batteries in the compartment. The AGM's will be less expensive initially but if you keep the coach for 10 years, the LiFePO4's will be less expensive and provide much better performance over the long run than any lead acid battery. It comes down to money and how much dry camping you intend to do where you can't run the generator.

DavidEM · 11-01-2021, 04:40 PM

Using 6V batteries requires you to add them in pairs. Judge notes that four 6 volt batteries is a tight fit in the Magnitude's battery compartment.

I went a different way with my 2021 Axis. I replaced the two G27 FLA batteries with two 100 amp hour, G31 AGMs by WindyNation that I bought from Amazon for about $380 for a pair. G31s are longer than 6Vs but are not as tall. So you almost certainly can't get four in the battery compartment, but maybe you can get three with one crosswise. They require no maintenance.

With three 100 Ah AGMs you have perhaps 150 usable if you follow the 50% discharge rule of thumb. But I have concluded that drawing them down to 20% once or twice a year probably won't have a significant effect on life, as long as you charge them fully soon thereafter.

AGMs also don't require upgrading your converter's charger to a lithium type, nor upgrading the BIM 160 to the Li-BIM 225 like Judge did. The latter reduces the chance of overloading your chassis alternator with a big Li battery bank pulling heavy amps.

It all depends on how you camp. If you always stay in full hook up campgrounds, then what you have now should work ok. If you dry camp for only a few days at a time then 3 AGMs will probably cover you. But if you want to be able to camp for 5 days at a time, then Judge's solution is probably best.

Judge, what is your daily amp hour draw while dry camping. I presume you have a DC compressor fridge or a residential fridge powered by an inverter.

David

Judge · 11-01-2021, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidEM

Judge, what is your daily amp hour draw while dry camping. I presume you have a DC compressor fridge or a residential fridge powered by an inverter.

David

My dry camping is usually confined to 1 - 3 days and mostly just overnights. I have a Whirlpool AC residential fridge and a small dorm size fridge in the outdoor kitchen running off the Inverter.

My wife likes to have a fan blowing at night so she has an AC fan that runs next to the bed. We are also usully charging phones and maybe watching some TV. The in the morning we make at least the two cups of coffee and a pot of ice tea for the day. I also have my central vac running off the Inverter.

The 510Ah for the LiFePO4's is more than enough power for overnight and even a weekend.

I had (4) 215Ah 6v batteries. Overnights were not an issue but unless I had good sun, I had to run the generator to charge them over weekends.

jdelliot · 11-01-2021, 08:27 PM

Thank you both! I hope to concentrate mainly on Dry Camping but intend to get some serious experience under my belt over the next twelve months or so before going off the grid. (That means RV camps but not using the hook-ups) I really need to work out water consumption and grey/black filling rates and getting a "feeling" for the RV. I'm going to backtrack Judge's postings and see if I can make some sense out of them but it sounds like his is the best course. I'd rather have it and not need it and not be trying to explain to my wife why we don't have enough electricity to run her bubble bath

Ottosails · 11-04-2021, 03:48 PM

Best of luck to you as you figure out your system and needs, it sure is great to be free of depending on hook-ups. I consider myself lucky that the previous owner of our SV34 had this system installed by an outfit that specializes in solar systems for RV's. 1000w of solar, 6 Lion Energy lithium's with 900amp hrs and Victron SmartSolar 150/85 controller - I'm not sure if it's overkill or not as I'm still learning the system but I will say it sure makes walking/crawling on the roof interesting. Glad to have all the power but not sure if I would have had the stomach for the cost of the system that was installed...

ducksface · 11-04-2021, 04:33 PM

Your best bet is to go to a solar place and let them do the complete warranted install.
The added $500 or so in labor will be some of the most pleasant money you'll ever spend on your RV.

If you're unfamiliar with what is available other than lead-acid, this probably isn't the job for you.

jdelliot · 11-05-2021, 02:25 PM

Duckface; LMAO changing a battery in a flashlight is about my competence level. Trust me, I have not intention of doing any of the work myself. I just wanted to check on the forum for people who have had experience with upgrading the solar and whether the investment in $$$ would really give me demonstrably extra power.

jdelliot · 11-05-2021, 02:27 PM

Any idea what that install would add up to?

**EA37TS** · 11-05-2021, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdelliot

Duckface; LMAO changing a battery in a flashlight is about my competence level. Trust me, I have not intention of doing any of the work myself. I just wanted to check on the forum for people who have had experience with upgrading the solar and whether the investment in $$$ would really give me demonstrably extra power.

First, you and only you, need to answer the question of how often you are going to be boondocking without shore power? That answer will determine is solar is a good investment or a total waste, yes total waste, of money.

ducksface · 11-05-2021, 03:38 PM

My last system was $6,500 2006 dollars to do it right.
I didn't pay for it, it came on our toy hauler.
The guy lost the entire $6,500+ when he sold it to us a year after the install.
It made sense on the trailer because we'd let it set at camp while we thule'd and we didnt want to run the generator upon our 11pm return to a camp where other people were, or worry we forgot to run it in the morning before we left.

In the motor home, our v10 uses .64 gallons per hour and the generator uses .5, and we're always in it, not a distance away in the truck.

Large Solar on a motorhome has very very little value except as a hobby or as 'hey! look at me!', or because you store it where there's no electric and you want to run the propane heater and the fridge all year.
Generator or V10 easily and quickly charges the batteries.

jdelliot · 11-06-2021, 11:31 PM

Brilliant!

williamprunty · 11-10-2021, 07:43 PM

I added two additional matching batteries just because you can’t mix and match. When the stock batteries go bad I will be replacing with gel batteries due to cold weather use and a non heated enclosure.

I added 2 additional 190 solar panels to the stock 100 solar panel. Seems to work well, it just comes down to controller which I upgraded and battery storage.

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