RoamRig’s goal is for you to worry less, and enjoy more. With your upgraded power system, there will be changes to how you operate and enjoy your Revel. Start here to get acquainted with your upgrade. We’ll cover the control panel, how to use your inverter and best practices for using your system.
If you have not already, first learn about Battery Monitoring for your new power system and read about the components that have been upgraded.
What should I do differently on my first RoamRig adventures?
- Worry less, enjoy more! Use RoamRig and enjoy the power boost. You cannot break anything by using it wrong.
- Start using RoamRig with your Revel and get acquainted on your own. Note any questions that come up. After at least a few days (or weeks) of learning the RoamRig system, please create a support ticket if you need any assistance.
- Please do not download manuals for the components in the system! They are not needed. We’ve already programmed everything so that you do not need to adjust any settings before hitting the road.
Control Panel
The control panel includes features and subsystems which are both separate and connected to RoamRig’s operation.
Switches
Your new control panel looks like this – all switches are labeled! Some components have been upgraded or added with your RoamRig power system (boxed in red) and others are rolled over from your existing system (boxed in blue).
These controls have been rolled over/upgraded from the existing system:
- Light switches – Your new light switches are now clearly labeled to their corresponding lights! Hooray!
- Bed Switch – Your bed switch no longer requires a key and works as long as the house battery switch is in the ON position.
- Heater – This is the same as it was before.
- One Place – The same as before.
The following controls are directly related to your RoamRig power system:
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House Battery: This switch replaces the round power button (2021-2022 Revels only). To use the system, turn the house battery switch on. It controls the 12v loads to everything in your van: lights, fridge, heater, etc. When the house battery switch is off, it is normal for the Victron battery gauge to stay on.
Turn house power off when storing the van with no charge source. It doesn’t hurt to turn it off when storing with a charge source, but it isn’t necessary if the charge source can sustain a constant load from the fridge and other 12v consumers that may be left on.
- Inverter: Your inverter both powers the 120v outlets/accessories AND charges your house batteries when connected to shore power. To charge, you do not need to flip the switch to on. The inverter will automatically turn on when plugged into shore power and will turn off when shore power is disconnected.
Use the switch to turn on the inverter when you are running on battery power:
- Inverter on: turn on the inverter to run the AC, cooktop or use the power outlets.
- Inverter off: turn the inverter off when not in use. Leaving the inverter on will drain the batteries completely after several days.
With your upgrade, you received an inverter remote and magnetic screwdriver. Keep these accessories in the van at all times. If you have an issue on the road, you may be unable to diagnose it without the inverter remote control.
Watch our video to identify these accessories
- Victron Battery Gauge: Use the Victron Battery Gauge and Victron Connect App to monitor the real-time status of your RoamRig power system. Do not use the One Place to check your batteries anymore.
Power Monitoring
On the Victron gauge, use the +/- buttons to scroll between screens. State of Charge (SOC) is the primary thing to monitor. However, voltage must be used in conjunction with SOC to determine if SOC is incorrect:
- SOC, shown as a percentage, is an estimate of how full your house batteries are. It is usually correct, but inaccuracies with the estimate can accumulate over time and lead to SOC being wrong. This is called drift, which we’ve described in detail here.
- Main Voltage refers to the house batteries. Check voltage to confirm that SOC can be trusted: if main voltage is less than 12.2V then you are almost out of power and you must ignore SOC, which has drifted, and charge right away.
The batteries are fully charged ONLY when ALL of these conditions are true:
- 100% SOC
- Main voltage is 13.6 or higher
- Amps are between –25 and +25
- The engine has been running for at least 5 minutes OR you’re connected to shore power.
The best way to maintain your system (and avoid drift) is to fully charge regularly.
In the past, you may have used voltage as an indicator of how full your batteries are. In a lithium system, you cannot solely rely on voltage.
Read our Victron Battery Monitoring Guide for more about monitoring.
Operating in Cold or Hot Temperatures
Temperatures below 32ºF can affect your system. So, we advise leaving the interior heat on when using the van in the cold.
The batteries have built-in safety features to protect them from cold-weather damage. They will NOT charge if they are 32ºF or colder and they will NOT power any components if they are -4ºF or colder. When they warm up, they will wake up and act normally. Learn more about cold-weather use here.
When it's hot out, we know that the AC is important. The BEST way to get extended run time is to block off parts of the van so you are cooling a smaller volume. Many variables that can affect AC run time when powering it with your batteries. And there are other tips to keep in mind when plugged into shore power. Read our advice about hot weather use here.
Storing Your Van
Not everyone is on the road all of the time. When your van won't be in use, the most robust way to store your van is to power down the batteries and turn off the breakers. Check out this page for tips when storing.