Need "class" on using and conserving battery power????

[paof6]

This was us 6 yrs ago. We started our boondocking/off grid learning experience in our local Cabela's parking lot. We've had a few missteps (We learned the hard way that the OE batteries don't last thru a winter night) but nothing we couldn't get past.
The best way to learn is to go out & use it.

 

[cruizered]

With a diesel genset and a propane fridge if your batteries are in half way good shape and you don't camp in places that prohibit generators you shouldn't have any problems.

First thing to do is to go to a full hook site and just turn off the power and see how things go. If you run out of power go outside and turn on the switch. You can then look at your power usage and see if you can improve it.

If this goes well and you don't mind running the generator once or twice a day you don't need to change anything. You do know you have to run the generator every month at 25 to 50% load.

If your house batteries are not good or you find you have about half the power you need the cheapest thing is to upgrade to LiFePO4 with a blue tooth BMS and heaters if necessary so that you can easily monitor them. This is contingent upon your charger being compatible which it may be. You could just drop them in and the BMS will help you determine if they are charging.

Lots of people will tell you that you'll need to isolate the engine alternator from the house batteries with a DC to DC converter. I haven't found this necessary unless you plan on running you batteries way down and then driving. That might overheat your engine alternator but it might only shorten it's life a little, or it might have no noticeable effect.

If you hate running the generator like we do and you do want to boondock then things get expensive. You'll want all the solar you can manage to put on the roof, you'll want good solar charge controllers. You'll want LiFePO4 batteries which you might even relocate to get more capacity. You might want a new inverter charger, or just a second charger. It could easily run $5K DIY, $20K if you hire someone.

We never love our system. The only downside is that it makes moving around on the roof hard and cleaning the roof even harder.

 

[Snarkle]

This was us 6 yrs ago. We started our boondocking/off grid learning experience in our local Cabela's parking lot. We've had a few missteps (We learned the hard way that the OE batteries don't last thru a winter night) but nothing we couldn't get past.
The best way to learn is to go out & use it.

Thank you! Great advice!

 

[Snarkle]

With a diesel genset and a propane fridge if your batteries are in half way good shape and you don't camp in places that prohibit generators you shouldn't have any problems.

First thing to do is to go to a full hook site and just turn off the power and see how things go. If you run out of power go outside and turn on the switch. You can then look at your power usage and see if you can improve it.

If this goes well and you don't mind running the generator once or twice a day you don't need to change anything. You do know you have to run the generator every month at 25 to 50% load.

If your house batteries are not good or you find you have about half the power you need the cheapest thing is to upgrade to LiFePO4 with a blue tooth BMS and heaters if necessary so that you can easily monitor them. This is contingent upon your charger being compatible which it may be. You could just drop them in and the BMS will help you determine if they are charging.

Lots of people will tell you that you'll need to isolate the engine alternator from the house batteries with a DC to DC converter. I haven't found this necessary unless you plan on running you batteries way down and then driving. That might overheat your engine alternator but it might only shorten it's life a little, or it might have no noticeable effect.

If you hate running the generator like we do and you do want to boondock then things get expensive. You'll want all the solar you can manage to put on the roof, you'll want good solar charge controllers. You'll want LiFePO4 batteries which you might even relocate to get more capacity. You might want a new inverter charger, or just a second charger. It could easily run $5K DIY, $20K if you hire someone.

We never love our system. The only downside is that it makes moving around on the roof hard and cleaning the roof even harder.

Thank you for this great advice!

 

[RV_Lee]

My RV was just like yours when I first got it, 100 watt solar panel, 2 regular AGM house batteries, 1000 watt inverter etc. If fully charged and driven to boondocking spot it only had enough power to run some lights, the maxxairr fan for a while and use the inverter to run outlets so I could charge phone/laptop and then turn everything off at bed time (no furnace). By the next afternoon they were pretty much toast and wouldn't even have enough juice to start the generator by later afternoon. If battery dropped to 12.3 it was game over (generator will start by starting the engine though). I would not trust them to run the furnace all night, the furnace fan takes a good chunk out of them - but maybe if it was all they did from a full charge they'd last

I now have a 460 amp hour lithium battery and 300 watts of solar - it can last a week with no solar and last forever if there is sun. Does yours have the solar plug so you can add more? Mine did and the extra 200 watt panel plugged in makes a huge difference