Victron Energy Orion XS 12/12 50A Charger Now In Stock

We are now stocking the brand new Victron Energy Orion XS 12/12-50A DC-DC charger!

Victron Energy has made some significant improvements to this unit compared with the Orion-Tr Smart devices, and we will go through some of the new features in this article. 

Unlike Victron's other DC-DC chargers, you can reduce the output of the Orion XS to be as little as 1A. This feature makes this charger a great option if you are planning on upgrading your battery size/type after getting the charger, as you can set it to charge at a slower rate for the time being until you upgrade to a battery that can handle the full capacity that the charger can output (now 50A compared with a maximum of 30A for Orion-Tr models). When rating a DC-DC charger, it is worth noting that as a rule of thumb, it is best to have an alternator capable of outputting double the current that the charger can provide, so in this case, a minimum of a 100A vehicle alternator would be advisable. 

Also, these units can be connected in parallel for use in applications where a higher output is needed, for example if you have a large lithium battery or bank of batteries. If you are going to run two of these units in parallel though, it would be worth having a 200A (or higher) vehicle alternator.

As with the previous Orion-Tr Smart chargers, an onboard vibration sensor detects whether the engine is running (engine shutdown detection) and this enables the software to activate the charger only when the alternator is spinning and supplying power. The advantage of this is that in most cases an ignition signal is not required, which reduces installation time and complexity. The unit also has comprehensive electronic protection, including against overload, short circuit and excess temperature. To prevent damage to lithium batteries, the charger will turn off automatically and stop attempting to charge at low temperatures. It will also shut down when the input voltage drops below a configurable lockout value and restart when the input voltage rises above the restart value, which protects the input source (i.e. a lead-acid starter battery) from potentially damaging deep discharge.

The Orion XS is a lot narrower and thinner than the Orion-Tr Smart chargers, and much of the size of the Orion-Tr units was due to the large aluminium heat sink fins. The previous chargers did get very hot whilst running and this is something Victron has addressed when producing the Orion XS model. It has Aluminium Circuit Board Cooling Technology and a much higher efficiency of 98.5%, so we should see a significant reduction in the heat output. The XS is also 5 x lighter than the Orion-Tr Smart units, weighing at just 0.33kg, in large part due to the heat sink no longer being required.

The connection terminals can accept a maximum cable cross-section of 25mm², and Victron recommends using 16mm² cable for lengths below 5 metres, and 25mm² cable for lengths from 5 to 10 metres. In either case, a 70A fuse is recommended on the positive cable, either side of the charger. The Orion XS also complies with an ingress protection rating of IP65, meaning that the product is dust-tight and protected against heavy rain.

Like the other Victron DC-DC chargers, the Orion XS is fully configurable via Victron Energy's free VictronConnect app and can be set to charge any battery type. The XS has full monitoring capabilities, synchronised charge efforts through the VE smart network, and a VE.Direct port for connections to a Victron GX device such as the Cerbo GX and the Ekrano GX, or a PC or other devices. The Victron GX devices are all round system monitoring devices which are well worth looking at if you haven't already (click here to view them). Unlike the previous Orion-Tr Smart chargers, the Orion XS only comes as a non-isolated version, meaning that it will only suit applications where a common negative can be used (which is the vast majority of applications, including leisure vehicles).

For more information on this charger and to view the user manual, which includes wiring diagrams and other set up information, click this link.

If you have any questions about this article or anything else regarding your leisure vehicle's electrical system, give us an email at sales@12voltplanet.co.uk and we will be happy to help.