Anyone else noticed their Victron Orion-Tr Smart getting warm at high loads? Trying to figure out if mine's running hot or just normal

So I've got the 12/12-30 non-isolated version installed in my Transit camper, running off a 130Ah AGM starter battery to charge a 200Ah lithium leisure bank. Been using it for a few weeks now and I'm noticing the unit gets pretty warm to the touch after maybe 20-30 minutes at full 30A output — not untouchably hot, but definitely more than just warm.

I've mounted it on an aluminium bracket on the side wall of the van, with maybe 5cm clearance around the sides and about 8cm below it. Ambient temp in the van has been around 18-22°C when I've noticed this. I haven't seen it actually trigger a thermal cutback in the Victron Connect app, but I did notice the charge current drop from 30A to around 24-25A on one longer run last week, which makes me wonder if it was quietly throttling.

Has anyone measured actual case temps on these units? I've seen some people say they mount them directly to the van's steel chassis or body panel to use it as a heat sink, which sounds like a decent idea but I want to make sure I'm not just masking a problem. Also wondering whether the isolated version runs any hotter than the non-isolated under similar loads.

Hey @Ben1989, totally normal mate! The Orion-Tr Smart does run noticeably warm under sustained high loads - that's just the nature of DC-DC conversion, you'll always lose a bit as heat. The 30A model is pushing decent wattage so expect it to get warm to the touch.

Few things worth checking though - make sure it's mounted on a metal surface if possible as it uses the casing for heat dissipation, and give it decent airflow around it. Victron recommend avoiding enclosed spaces for exactly this reason.

Also worth connecting via Bluetooth and checking the actual output current in the app - if it's thermally throttling back you'll see the current drop. That's your warning sign that mounting/ventilation needs sorting rather than just normal warmth.

What temperatures are you actually seeing on the unit?

Hey @Ben1989, just to add to what @Dave1983 said - worth checking that yours has adequate airflow around it. I made the mistake of mounting mine in a fairly enclosed space initially and it got much warmer than it does now. Victron recommend leaving clearance on all sides, particularly above it. Also worth connecting it to the VictronConnect app if you haven't already - you can monitor the actual output current and see if it's hitting thermal protection and throttling back. If it's doing that regularly you might want to reconsider the mounting position. Mine runs warm to the touch under sustained load but never uncomfortably hot. What temperature are we talking roughly?

@Ben1989 worth knowing that the 12/12-30 is rated at 360W continuous — that's a non-trivial chunk of power being converted, so some warmth is genuinely expected. What I'd actually check is whether you've enabled the adaptive algorithm in the VictronConnect app; it'll throttle output if thermals get too aggressive, so you can monitor whether it's actually derating or just running warm.

On my narrowboat I've got the isolated 18A version and I can confirm it gets properly toasty under sustained load. Victron's own docs acknowledge this.

One pedantic-but-important point: make sure your input cable is correctly sized for 30A continuous — undersized wiring adds resistance, generates heat at the connections, and can make the unit work harder than it should. People often size for the leisure bank side and forget the input draw.