Grech Strada – 12V Lithium Battery Bank & Solar Upgrade

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Complete repair guide for the Grech Strada – 12V Lithium Battery Bank & Solar Upgrade. Follow these steps to diagnose and fix the issue yourself.

Parts & Tools You’ll Need

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Step-by-Step Repair Guide

Step 1: Diagnose Current System and Disconnect

Before beginning any work, you should disconnect the negative terminal of your existing battery and wait at least five minutes to ensure all systems are fully de-energized. Inspect your current 12V system’s condition, amperage draw, and solar setup to determine if your existing components are compatible with the new lithium system and can be retained or need replacement.

Step 2: Install Battery-to-Battery Charger First

You’ll want to mount your 40A DC-DC charger in an accessible location near the engine compartment, running its positive input directly to your vehicle’s alternator or starter battery with appropriate fusing and disconnects. This charger will intelligently manage power transfer from your engine battery to the new lithium bank during driving, ensuring proper charging profiles and preventing battery damage.

Step 3: Route and Secure Solar Panel Wiring

You should carefully plan your solar panel placement on the roof and run the positive and negative wires through existing conduit or new protective tubing to your Victron charge controller location. Ensure all wiring is secured away from sharp edges, UV exposure where possible, and routed to avoid water pooling areas or high-traffic zones that could cause damage during travel.

Step 4: Mount Victron SmartSolar Charge Controller

You’ll install your Victron MPPT controller in a well-ventilated location inside your van, securing it to a wall or panel near your battery bank with appropriate vibration-dampening hardware. Route the solar panel wires to the controller’s PV input terminals and ensure you have adequate space for cable management and future maintenance access.

Step 5: Install ANL Fuse Holder Near Battery

You should position your ANL fuse holder with the 200A fuse directly adjacent to the LiFePO4 battery’s positive terminal, mounted securely within 18 inches of the battery connection point. This critical safety component protects your entire system from catastrophic short circuits and must be the first component in your positive power distribution chain.

Step 6: Connect Bus Bar and System Integration

You’ll use your power distribution bus bar as a central connection point, linking your 4/0 AWG cables from the ANL fuse holder, DC-DC charger output, and Victron controller to create a robust power distribution network. Connect the Victron BMV-712 battery monitor across the battery terminals to enable real-time monitoring of voltage, current, state of charge, and system diagnostics throughout your travels.

Step 7: Test System Performance and Safety

You should power on your system components in sequence—first the battery monitor, then the charge controller, and finally the DC-DC charger—while monitoring voltage readings and listening for any audible warnings or faults. Verify that your solar panel is charging the lithium bank in daylight, your battery monitor displays accurate readings, and your DC-DC charger activates when the engine runs before loading the system with 12V loads.

Recommended Parts

PartLink
100Ah LiFePO4 drop-in lithium batteryView on Amazon
Victron SmartSolar MPPT charge controllerView on Amazon
Victron BMV-712 battery monitorView on Amazon
40A DC-DC battery-to-battery chargerView on Amazon
200W flexible solar panelView on Amazon
ANL fuse holder + 200A fuseView on Amazon
4/0 AWG welding cable (battery interconnect)View on Amazon
Bus bar / power distribution terminal blockView on Amazon