Orion-Tr DC-DC Charger Setup
Orion-Tr DC-DC Charger Setup
Your Orion-Tr Smart charges your house battery from the vehicle alternator — safely and intelligently. Select your configuration below.
Plan Your Mounting Location
Mount the Orion-Tr Smart where it has good airflow and is protected from water ingress. It runs warm under load — don’t mount it in an enclosed space without ventilation. Keep cable runs as short as possible to minimize voltage drop.
Connect Input (Starter Battery / Alternator Side)
Connect the Orion’s V-IN+ and V-IN– to your vehicle’s starter battery or alternator positive terminal. Fuse the positive input wire within 7 inches of the source battery.
Connect Output (House Battery)
Connect V-OUT+ and V-OUT– to your house battery bank. Fuse the output positive wire within 7 inches of the house battery. Use cable sized for the Orion’s maximum output current (e.g., 30A output = minimum 4 AWG for runs under 6 feet).
Wire the Remote On/Off
The Orion-Tr Smart should only charge when the engine is running — not from the parked starter battery. Connect the remote H terminal to a switched 12V source that is only live with ignition on (e.g., the ignition switch, a D+ terminal, or an alternator sensing wire).
Configure via Victron Connect
Download the Victron Connect app (iOS / Android) and open your Orion-Tr Smart from the Bluetooth device list. Set the output charge profile to match your battery type — Lithium, AGM, or Gel. For LiFePO4 select “Lithium Iron Phosphate” and verify absorption and float voltages match your BMS specs.
Non-Isolated — Shared Ground
The non-isolated Orion-Tr shares a common ground between input and output. This is fine for same-vehicle applications where both batteries share chassis ground. For trailer or tow-behind applications, use the isolated Orion-Tr Smart instead to avoid ground loop issues.
Connect Input and Output
Connect IN+ to the starter battery positive (fused within 7 inches). Connect OUT+ to the house battery positive (fused within 7 inches). Connect the shared negative to chassis ground or directly to the negative terminals of both batteries.
Remote On/Off
Wire the remote terminal to an ignition-switched 12V source so the Orion only runs when the engine is on. The non-isolated Orion does not have Bluetooth — output voltage is set via a small trim pot on the unit. Set to 14.4V for LiFePO4 or 14.7V for AGM.
Also in your order? Set these up too:
Not sure which wiring option applies to you?
Tow vehicles, smart alternators, trailer wiring — we can help you figure out the right approach.
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