Looking for exceptional solar/inverter/lithium battery installers near Ventura, CA

[MrMyagi]

Hello all! I am looking for recommendations on where to take my 2007 Roadtrek 190 Popular to have roof solar panels, charge controller, new inverter, lithium batteries retrofitted. I am looking for an extremely knowledgeable, very professional business to do this extensive work for me. Since I plan on this being quite the fancy system, I want everything to look very neat and clean when it is done.

We are located in the Ventura, CA area for the time being and are hoping you might know of just the exact place (and person) in a 50 mile radius where we should take our beloved class B. I am also open to the idea of an individual who really knows their stuff in this area and whose work could be considered "art" because of their attention to detail. I know that these master craftsmen (and women) exist in the Los Angeles area so please point me in the right direction.

We are now living full time in our amazing 4x4 adventure van and will be spending extended periods of time off grid. We need a quality system done right with ALL the bells and whistles that a techy like me drools over. Top priority is QUALITY work! Thanks for any assistance you could give.

Man, I wish I was at the Van Build 2019. I know for a fact that the artists were there. Unfortunately, I can't wait for next year.

[rowiebowie]

I can't help you with finding an installer, but have you considered doing it yourself? I say this because you'll never understand your systems as much as when you do it yourself. It might even be faster than lining up an installer and waiting for your appointment.

You may want something as comprehensive as this http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f2...tml#post101598 which was just posted in great detail by JWBrown.

But if you can live with a more basic lithium upgrade to solar controller, LifePO batteries, 3000W inverter/charger, and state of charge monitor, then I'm sure if I could do it, you can too (with the help of this forum, especially booster/hbn7hj/Toyman/PJ2016 etc., and the vendor's technical support). http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f2...rade-9752.html

I have not installed new solar panels but my controller is ready for up to 200 watts if that day comes (although I think solar is the least important charging source if you do any kind of regular driving). Also, my 200ah lithium battery capacity is ready for upgrade to as many future batteries as I chose to add. Ditto for the 3000W inverter which should meet future needs.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by MrMyagi

Hello all! I am looking for recommendations on where to take my 2007 Roadtrek 190 Popular to have roof solar panels, charge controller, new inverter, lithium batteries retrofitted. I am looking for an extremely knowledgeable, very professional business to do this extensive work for me. Since I plan on this being quite the fancy system, I want everything to look very neat and clean when it is done.

We are located in the Ventura, CA area for the time being and are hoping you might know of just the exact place (and person) in a 50 mile radius where we should take our beloved class B. I am also open to the idea of an individual who really knows their stuff in this area and whose work could be considered "art" because of their attention to detail. I know that these master craftsmen (and women) exist in the Los Angeles area so please point me in the right direction.

We are now living full time in our amazing 4x4 adventure van and will be spending extended periods of time off grid. We need a quality system done right with ALL the bells and whistles that a techy like me drools over. Top priority is QUALITY work! Thanks for any assistance you could give.

Man, I wish I was at the Van Build 2019. I know for a fact that the artists were there. Unfortunately, I can't wait for next year.

Go see Danny, Owner, or Ruben, his assistant. Tell him Mark with the Sprinter referred you..... better yet, call them for an appointment... They have been doing my mobile electronics, camera installations, and solar panels system for over 20 years.... total professional shop. They know exactly what to do, you will not be disappointed.

I had many installations on my Sprinter for two cameras, backup sensors, solar panel system, Sirius XM radio.
When these guys do it, you're not going to see any wires running anywhere, it's all concealed into the vehicle.... very slick.

Honest and fair prices for custom work; that's why I've been a client of theirs for so long....

These guys are extremely good at solving problems. A lot of dealerships also use them for custom installations, they work on cars, boats and RV's.

It might be just a little further than 50 miles away, but, it's definitely worth it. Just go out there and drop off your vehicle and pick it up when it's done. They are at least 30 miles away from where I live and I wouldn't take my RV anywhere else for this kind of specialized work.

Good luck.

1 661-255-6010

25155 Avenue Stanford
Valencia, CA 91355

soundsations@sbcglobal.net

[GeorgeRa]

You could take a beautiful trip north to Eugene/Springfield Oregon and visit AM Solar known well for RV installations, or call them, perhaps they know someone/shop in your area. https://amsolar.com/

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

You could take a beautiful trip north to Eugene/Springfield Oregon and visit AM Solar known well for RV installations, or call them, perhaps they know someone/shop in your area. https://amsolar.com/

That's really nice George, but, that is a long way further than 50 miles...

The person I recommended is just under 50 miles....48 see this route below.

https://www.mapquest.com/directions/...tions-11034424

[MrMyagi]

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I would love to install the system myself but I want a very clean install that is well thought out from experience. No trial by error. Also, my craftsmanship leaves a lot to be desired. However, once layed out and installed properly, I would definitely become an expert at understanding the system.

The Oregon idea is not a bad one at all but our travels after the holidays take us in the exact opposite direction. Would have loved to have AM Solar in on the install.

I will definitely check out the Valencia lead. That is very close to us. Sounds promising.

There are some wonderful installers that I know of in Arizona that I would go to but I was trying to get the work done while I am temporarily living in a family members house until the holidays are over. Then we will be living full time again in the van. I figured it would be convenient to drop the van off at an installer and pick it up after the job was done since I don’t need it right now to live in every day.

Any other suggestions are certainly appreciated.

[IdleUp]

Originally Posted by MrMyagi

Hello all! I am looking for recommendations on where to take my 2007 Roadtrek 190 Popular to have roof solar panels, charge controller, new inverter, lithium batteries retrofitted. I am looking for an extremely knowledgeable, very professional business to do this extensive work for me. Since I plan on this being quite the fancy system, I want everything to look very neat and clean when it is done.

We are located in the Ventura, CA area for the time being and are hoping you might know of just the exact place (and person) in a 50 mile radius where we should take our beloved class B. I am also open to the idea of an individual who really knows their stuff in this area and whose work could be considered "art" because of their attention to detail. I know that these master craftsmen (and women) exist in the Los Angeles area so please point me in the right direction.

We are now living full time in our amazing 4x4 adventure van and will be spending extended periods of time off grid. We need a quality system done right with ALL the bells and whistles that a techy like me drools over. Top priority is QUALITY work! Thanks for any assistance you could give.

Man, I wish I was at the Van Build 2019. I know for a fact that the artists were there. Unfortunately, I can't wait for next year.

Hello - I was curious if you're considering just replacing your existing components or just installing a new system. Modern lithium chemistry is considerably more efficient than it was in 2007 when your system was built. More than likely a new pack would be considerable smaller than you present system. I'm not sure of your electrical abilities, but its not that difficult to install a new system with modern components possible at a lower price. I recently put up a film on installing a lithium system which might help you in your venture, either way keep us posted here's to my review on this forum:


http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5...-mas-9840.html

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by MrMyagi

Thank you for the suggestions so far. I would love to install the system myself but I want a very clean install that is well thought out from experience. No trial by error. Also, my craftsmanship leaves a lot to be desired. However, once layed out and installed properly, I would definitely become an expert at understanding the system.

The Oregon idea is not a bad one at all but our travels after the holidays take us in the exact opposite direction. Would have loved to have AM Solar in on the install.

I will definitely check out the Valencia lead. That is very close to us. Sounds promising.

There are some wonderful installers that I know of in Arizona that I would go to but I was trying to get the work done while I am temporarily living in a family members house until the holidays are over. Then we will be living full time again in the van. I figured it would be convenient to drop the van off at an installer and pick it up after the job was done since I don’t need it right now to live in every day.

Any other suggestions are certainly appreciated.

In the meantime, here's a picture of my solar panel system installed on the roof of my Sprinter....

These guys in Valencia are expert at what they do.. Call and speak with Danny, he is the owner of the shop. He will give you excellent service. He knows me and my van and will get you set up with everything you need.

[JakeyLee]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

That's really nice George, but, that is a long way further than 50 miles...

The person I recommended is just under 50 miles....48 see this route below.

https://www.mapquest.com/directions/...tions-11034424

Thanks, George. I appreciate you sharing this with the rest of us. I'm in Northern California. But seems like a great reason for a road trip. Thanks again for the info.

[JakeyLee]

[QUOTE=Roadtrek Adventuous RS1;101769]That's really nice George, but, that is a long way further than 50 miles...

The person I recommended is just under 50 miles....48 see this route below.

https://www.mapquest.com/directions/...tions-11034424[/

Sorry.. Double post.

[MrMyagi]

I will be replacing the original Tripp Lite inverter charger with something more powerful watt wise and able to recharge 300 amps of new lithium batteries quickly. I would like to make it so that I don't have to turn on the generator if I want to use the microwave for a couple minutes. Ideally, I would like to be able to use an instapot to make meals without having to use the generator. I also want to have all the AC receptacles in the van to be active at all times. Of course, I would have a remote switch to turn off the inverter when I wanted to cut off power completely. I need to see how much space is available where the original inverter is installed to decide on a replacement inverter. I am willing to modify the area under the bed to accommodate a larger inverter if necessary.

I also am wanting to install the Victron bluetooth battery monitor, solar power controller, manual cut off switch, monitoring panel, fuses and whatever else is needed to make a complete and safe setup.

It's pretty much a blank canvas for someone to design and install a very nice system.

Originally Posted by IdleUp

Hello - I was curious if you're considering just replacing your existing components or just installing a new system. Modern lithium chemistry is considerably more efficient than it was in 2007 when your system was built. More than likely a new pack would be considerable smaller than you present system. I'm not sure of your electrical abilities, but its not that difficult to install a new system with modern components possible at a lower price. I recently put up a film on installing a lithium system which might help you in your venture, either way keep us posted here's to my review on this forum:


http://www.classbforum.com/forums/f5...-mas-9840.html

[MrMyagi]

Something I was thinking about should I not be able to get the complete new system installed before I start traveling again after the holidays;

I was thinking I could easily install 2 or 3 Battle Born or LifeBlue 100 amp hour lithium batteries for the time being until I have the van completely redone.

My current system is working just fine operationally. Nothing is broken. There just isn't enough power to live in the van the way I would like to. Also, power monitoring is fairly useless as is. I ultimately want to have more battery power, more inverter power and lastly, solar power. But, for now I would settle for increased battery power and the ability to monitor battery charge and power usage rates.

Are the LifeBlue batteries a drop in replacement for my 2 12-volt lead cell batteries that are already installed in the van? Since the LifeBlue batteries have a bluetooth connection built in, I would not have to install the Victron battery monitor yet which I would have to do with Battle Borns.

Anyone see any issues with directly replacing the 2 lead cell batteries with LifeBlue lithiums and switching the Tripp Lite inverter/charger to "AGM" charge mode? Do the LifeBlue BMS take care of the rest? I assume no because it just would be too easy. The Life Blue's would allow me to monitor battery state of charge without a Victron install (for now). Or should I get that Victron installed NOW regardless?

Any thoughts on this? This is just the bare minimum backup plan in case I don't get the complete system installed. It would provide me time to keep looking for an installer in case the suggested installers were not available at the moment.

[Rlum]

Hi: I have the lifeblue 100 amp batteries. Purchase last year in November. Added to my existing battery bank of two 100 amp hour lithium batteries. I believe it would be just a drop in replacement. The built in blue tooth works well and will give you enough data. I also have a victron bmv 712. Used to manage the first two lithium which came with van. Sorry do not know about the Tripp Lite inverter. I had a 12/3000 victron inverter placed. Previously I had a 400 watt inverter to only run tv and dvd player. Hope this helps.

[Dena van Gogh]

Originally Posted by MrMyagi

Hello all! I am looking for recommendations on where to take my 2007 Roadtrek 190 Popular to have roof solar panels, charge controller, new inverter, lithium batteries retrofitted. I am looking for an extremely knowledgeable, very professional business to do this extensive work for me. Since I plan on this being quite the fancy system, I want everything to look very neat and clean when it is done.

We are located in the Ventura, CA area for the time being and are hoping you might know of just the exact place (and person) in a 50 mile radius where we should take our beloved class B. I am also open to the idea of an individual who really knows their stuff in this area and whose work could be considered "art" because of their attention to detail. I know that these master craftsmen (and women) exist in the Los Angeles area so please point me in the right direction.

We are now living full time in our amazing 4x4 adventure van and will be spending extended periods of time off grid. We need a quality system done right with ALL the bells and whistles that a techy like me drools over. Top priority is QUALITY work! Thanks for any assistance you could give.

Man, I wish I was at the Van Build 2019. I know for a fact that the artists were there. Unfortunately, I can't wait for next year.

I also live in Ventura and am looking for a capable lithium battery installer. We’re you successful at finding an installer near Ventura?

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by Dena van Gogh

I also live in Ventura and am looking for a capable lithium battery installer. We’re you successful at finding an installer near Ventura?

Welcome to the forum!