Batteries/12V/Invertors

Hey guys,

I started a new thread so it would have a distinguishable subject.  I have a 2001 2720SL and would like to begin dry camping.  I am a novice (14 months) at both RVing and 12Vs and have a couple of questions (maybe this doesn't belong under "tips and tricks&quot:

1) How do I accomodate two batteries, can they be stacked to save on storage room?

2) What is the best battery, taking into consideration the space, weight, durability, stacking if possible, etc?

3) How reliable is the monitor panel for the battery?

4) Using only the lights (I have changed the bulbs to a smaller size) and the TV occasionally, is it really necessary to add another battery for a 3 or 4 day trip?

I recently returned from a trip and the battery wouldn't hold its charge at all.  In fact, the battery was pretty well drained by the time I got setup.  What could the possible problem be.

Thanks for your help and advice.

[Bill]

Some thoughts in response to your questions.

1.  Stacking: I'm not sure I would stack the batteries. That is a pretty heavy load on a small piece of floor - and most of the floor beneath the battery box has been cut away. If I recall correctly, the inner floor and the foam core have been removed, and the battery box sits directly on the outer skin. I would put the second battery at the other end of the compartment, in its own box, well strapped down so it won't slide.

2.  "Best" battery: I'll leave that one for people more expert than I. There are various arguments for and against deep-cycle, absorbed-glass-mat (AGM), marine, and other formats. The one point of universal agreement seems to be that a standard car battery is NOT the way to go .

3.  Reliability of monitor panel: It is perfectly reliable, it just doesn't give you any detailed information. It is basically a voltmeter with only four possible indications - good, fair, poor, and gone. Not enough info. I bought a "real" voltmeter from Campers World for about $13 - it has a 3-digit LCD screen and plugs into your cigarette lighter. It reads out in tenths of a volt, so you get a little more idea what is going on. What I really would like is an ammeter, like they used to have in cars. An ammeter tells you how FAST you are discharging (or charging) which I think is useful. But I haven't yet found a mounting spot where it is easily visible, and where I can easily run wires.

4.  Three day trip: In my experience, if you use the lights SPARINGLY, you will be OK with the stock battery. However, if you turn on 5 lights, for example, and leave them on for 4 hours in the evening for 3 evenings, you won't make it.  The lights draw about 1.5 amps each, if I recall correctly. Five lights (times) 1.5 amps (times) 4 hours per day (times) 3 days = 90 amp-hours. The stock battery has a capacity of only about 75 amp-hours. You can add your TV into the calculation - just check the label to see how many amps it draws (on 12-volts DC, not 120-v AC). The real killer, though, is the blower motor on the furnace - and you can't run the furnace without the blower. Other fans also contribute to the load - the overhead vent, the bathroom fan, the refrigerator cooling-coil fan. All these must be OFF.

5. Drained battery: Do you have a battery charger in your garage? If you do, and the battery won't hold a charge from it, then the battery is bad. On the other hand, if you are trying to charge the battery solely from the tow vehicle, things are a little more complicated. First, the charge rate is not high, so it will take a long time to charge even if the battery is good. Or there could be a fault in the wiring in the tow vehicle, the trailer, or the connector between them, preventing any charging. Or the battery fuse could be blown - in my TM, the battery fuse holder is located in the red wire right at the battery. Finally, if you are trying to charge it by plugging the TM's AC power cord into an outlet, and it won't charge, then either the battery is bad, the converter is bad, or the battery fuse is blown.

In my opinion, a 10-amp battery charger for your garage is a good investment, and only about $30-40 from Sears or any auto supply house.  Don't bother with the fancy "automatic" ones - at this price range, they don't work. Just buy a simple manual charger, put it on the battery for about 10 hours, and you should be pretty well there.

Hope this helps.

Bill

I camp for long periods in cold weather while hunting.
Here are a few things I do or have done.
1) I changed a couple of the lights to floresent, more light for less power.
2) Use a propane lantern like the Coleman Northstar for light on the long fall/winter nights. Lots of light, a little heat and no noticable odor.
3) I use a catalytic heater for heat. You must open a window when using one of these or the inside of the trailer will be soaked with water because the combustion process gives off water vapor.
4) I use up the trailer battery, then disconnect it, (insulate the disconnected wiring) and plug in an extra deep cycle battery to the trailers wiring harness with a plug that I made (same as vehicle plug) that has only the +12V and ground wires hooked up to the new battery (fuse both sides with 20/30 amp fuses) that then sits outside the trailer at the front. The reason I do this is because the battery is difficult to get out of the 3326 since it is in a cabinet in the kitchen. This process also makes it easier to know where you are in battery cosumption. It is a bad idea to just hook the extra battery into the circuit because the batteries are not the same in age or use. That is why I disconnect one before hooking up the other.
5) Not about power, but in freezing temperatures the grey water needs to be run out on the ground if allowed or into a bucket because the drain pipe will freeze and split. Mine did last year while elk hunting.

Thanks Bill and Doug for all the great advice.  We will be going out in a couple of weeks and I will check the battery and electrical system to make sure I have no existing issues. Then on our summer vacation to the Davis Mountains in East Texas we will attempt to dry camp on only one battery.  I don't plan on using the TV, so it will be the lights and the water pump only.  It should do us for a couple of days.  

The catalytic heater is a great idea but I need to determine where to put it (any ideas on where to place it on  a 2720SL).  The Suburban heater is coming out and I will make a storage area in its place.  We never use it as it is too noisy and we always use a ceramic heater in the places with hookups.  Thanks again.  Happy camping.

Isn't the official word for dry camping `boon docking'?
In sailing that term becomes `gunk holing', but I digress.

We don't do either but other threads have discussed the use of Solar Panels or small generators like Honda makes.
Perhaps you could consider either of these, if you are not a purest.

Dick_B

Chris,

I would like to mention two purchases that have made our "dry camping" a much more simple process:  1) a extremely quiet, light-weight, very portable Honda 2000eu watt generator and 2) a propane heater from Mr Heater, called Portable Buddy.

We use the generator only to make coffee, run the microwave and charge the battery when required.  We try limit our light usage to one at a time and turn the refrig to propane.  When dry camping the TV is set to run on 12V.  The furnace is turned off and out comes the "Buddy" heater.

The portable "Buddy" is placed on the top of the stove in our 2720SL. It can be operated using a standard 1 lb canister of propane.  However, we use an optional 12 ft hose connector assembly, purchased from Mr. Heater, which is connected to the heater and threaded through the small velcro'd flap to an outside 20 lb tank.  This option is billed to heat for 110 hours.  The unit operates at two settings:  a 4000 btu low setting and a 9000 btu high setting.  One unique feature of this unit is it's automatic "Low-Oxygen" Shut- off system.  It's safe to use indoors.  

Thusfar, We are very happy with both the Honda generator and our "Buddy" heater.  Good luck in the woods, and beware of the black flies.  Boy, did I get "hammered" this past week, while chasing morels.

Happy Trails...........George

George,

Any trouble with your heater buddy shutting itself off at altitude?
Anyone else have any experiences to share?

Wade

Seems to be a lot going on the board about electricity these days, but I digress.

1) Stacking -- yep, watch out for the supports.  Two batteries will easily weigh over 100 pounds.

2) Generally, Deep Cycle batteries are the way to go.  I happen to think 6v golf cart batteries in series are a good option, if you have the height, cause they're tall.  I just went with a pair of Group 27 AGM batteries cause that was the largest that would fit on the tongue of my new trailer.  I had to craft a battery box for them.

Gel batteries will require special chargers, and I'm not sure the Magnatek in the TMs can be set to deal with the different charge voltage, so I'd stay away from Gels.  That leaves flooded (wet) and AGM batteries.

A good reasource is the West Marine Advisor
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/com...sor.d2w/report and search for "battery"

Wade,

Since we have owned the Buddy heater, we haven't camped above the 6500 ft that Mr. Heater suggests shut-off problems could occur.

Happy Trails............George

Thanks, always good to know the caveats about a product.
Camping in the pines here in AZ generally puts us ~7000 ft. or better. No good it sounds like for the heater buddy.

Wade