Vicrton Orion IP67 DC-DC Converter 24/12-10A with a Solar Panel

Been mulling this one over as it's relevant to my boat setup, so thought I'd chuck it out here for discussion.

I've got a Victron Orion IP67 24/12-10A and I've been wondering about running it directly off a solar panel rather than through a battery bank. Specifically, whether it'll behave itself when panel output is variable — clouds, angle, time of day etc.

The Orion is a DC-DC converter, not an MPPT controller, so it's not designed to handle the fluctuating voltage you get direct from a panel. My concern is the input voltage dropping below the unit's minimum threshold whenever there's cloud cover, which could cause it to keep cycling on and off. Not ideal if you're trying to run something like a 12V fan continuously.

A few things I'm not sure about:

• Does the Orion handle input undervoltage gracefully, or does it throw a fault that needs manual reset?
• Would a small buffer — even just a modest AGM — smooth things out enough to make it reliable?
• Has anyone actually tried this with a 100W panel (Renogy or similar) in a real-world UK setup where sunshine is, shall we say, optimistic?

My gut says you really want a battery in the loop, even a small one, to give the converter a stable input. Running it panel-direct feels like asking for trouble once British weather gets involved.

Curious if anyone's tested this or has data sheet knowledge I'm missing. Would be good to hear from those running DC-DC converters in off-grid or marine setups.

Ran something similar on my narrowboat for a bit. The Orion's designed to take a DC input, so feeding it from a solar panel directly is a bit sketchy — panels can spike voltage all over the place, especially on a partly cloudy day.

You'd really want an MPPT controller between the panel and the Orion input. Something like a Victron SmartSolar keeps the voltage stable before it hits the converter.

Worth checking your 24V panel's open circuit voltage too — if it creeps above the Orion's max input rating you'll have a problem sharpish.

What's the rest of your setup like? If you've already got a 24V battery bank the panel's charging, just pull from that rather than going direct. Simpler and safer.

Good shout from @MuddyFisher on the DC input side of things.

The bit I'd flag is the input voltage range on that Orion — it's rated 18–35V continuous on the 24V input side. The problem with feeding it directly from a solar panel is that your panel voltage can spike well above that on a cold, clear day with no load. A 24V nominal panel can easily push 40V+ open-circuit.

You'd really want an MPPT controller upstream charging a battery first, then let the Orion do its DC-DC conversion from a stable battery bank. That's how I've got mine wired in the garden office — Victron SmartSolar → 24V lithium bank → Orion → 12V loads. Rock solid.

Running panel-direct into the Orion is asking for trouble with overvoltage. Might even void your warranty on a fairly pricey bit of kit.

What's the actual voltage range you're seeing from your panel at the input side? That's the bit I keep getting stuck on with my shepherd's hut setup — panels can spike well above their rated Voc in cold morning conditions, which on a 24V nominal system could easily push past the Orion's max input threshold.

Has anyone measured real-world peak voltages rather than just going off datasheet figures? I'm wondering whether a small buffer battery between the panel and the Orion input would be the sensible route, essentially treating it as panel → battery → Orion rather than direct feed. Less elegant but presumably more reliable?

Also curious what @SmartSolar_Geek meant about the input voltage range — were you flagging the minimum cutoff or the maximum limit as the bigger concern here?

@AshDweller that's exactly the question I kept circling when I was speccing out my garden office setup.

Worth remembering that a nominal 24V panel in full British sun (both of them, annually) can push Voc well above 30V, and the Orion IP67's absolute maximum input is 35V. On a cold crisp morning in January, Voc climbs even higher — that's where people get caught out.

I'd seriously look at a small MPPT sitting between the panel and the Orion rather than direct-feeding it. Keeps the voltage regulated and you're not gambling on a clear February morning killing your converter.

The Victron SmartSolar 75/10 pairs neatly with this kind of setup — keeps everything within a sensible window and you still get Bluetooth monitoring without adding much cost.