Battery Advice Please

[Lineolated]

Our rule of thumb is leave the inverter off. Turn it on when you need it - the most common scenario is you aren't plugged in and you want to watch TV. There isn't much else you can do with the stock setup. One or two outlets are live if you need to plug something in.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by FromDad

I DO have that 'Magnum' thingy!!! I found the word 'inverter' when I pushed a button! I have been reading and re-reading the little manual trying to understand it all. At any rate....when do you turn it on and turn it off. Turn it off while driving? While plugged in? While the generator is running? Or turn it on for any or all of the above and something else I might be missing? I realize I must sound like a goober. There has to be a recipe...lack of another word....that tells people like me step by step what to click/push/turn in any situation. Talk to me like one would a 6 year old.

As Linolated posted above you should leave the Inverter OFF unless you need 110/120 volt AC to power the TVs when you are not plugged in or running the generator.

To understand how the electrics work in your Interstate you will need to get an understanding of the basics. I've found that the YouTube videos made by McBride RV can be helpful. There are at least four that cover RV electrics. Here is link to first one.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yMeNcRGVcUE

If you search on the term "basic RV electric systems" you will find other resources that might increase you knowledge.

[riverdweller]

You will still need 2 12volt lifeline batteries. Sorry for the confusion😬

[JayP]

Originally Posted by FromDad

I usually stay at rv parks. I plug in at home. But! It would be nice to have the choice of using a battery for several hours without running out of steam.

If all you want is a few hours then 1 battery may be enough. But if you want to go 1 entire overnight then it will not be enough if you plan to run your refrigerator and freezer which use electricity exclusively and consume a lot. Some of the other responses were from members who have trailers and thus they have refrigerators that run on L.P. and use very little in the way of electricity. In my mind this is the biggest design flaw AS made in the newer Interstates, as it greatly reduces the ability to boondock.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by riverdweller

You will still need 2 12volt lifeline batteries. Sorry for the confusion��

Back of the envelope power budget:

Fridge - 2.2 amps (per spec sheet for 3100)
MaxFan - 5 amps ("service" required per spec sheet. Run on lower speed?)
Total 7.2 amps

If the fridge is not running full time and the fan on a lower speed, the reduced consumption should cover some lights.

Group 24 battery - 70Ah, at 50%, 35 Ah.

A single Group 24 would only be good for about 5 hours. Repeated discharge below this level is not good for any battery. With careful management OP could get by with one battery, but I'd be inclined to go with two wet cells for roughly the same price as one AGM, maybe Group 27s if they would fit, assuming a vented battery box.


Al

[73shark]

The problem w/ using flooded lead acid batteries in the early NCV3s is that the batteries are stacked in the curbside rear corner. Periodic maintenance would require bed removal and lifting the top battery out to access the bottom one.

I believe later models now have the batteries under the chassis behind the streetside dual making them marginally more accessible.

[Boxite]

FromDad, ... an INverter makes "house current", 120volt stuff like in your home that you plug into the wall. It does this by taking battery-power and Inverting it into AC current and making it available at your wall outlets.

A CONverter makes "automobile current" or "battery current", 12 Volt stuff like your car mostly uses. It does this by taking "house current" (like from a campground power-pedestal) and Converting it to 12 volt DC. That is used to run your lighting and to re-charge your battery.

If you are plugged into campground pedestal... don't run the inverter because you are already getting 120volts AC from the pedestal. In fact, if you don't need to use a 120 volt household appliance....don't turn on the inverter. (If you don't need an inverter, it'll use up battery power needlessly.)

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by Boxite

FromDad, ... an INverter makes "house current", 120volt stuff like in your home that you plug into the wall. It does this by taking battery-power and Inverting it into AC current and making it available at your wall outlets.

A CONverter makes "automobile current" or "battery current", 12 Volt stuff like your car mostly uses. It does this by taking "house current" (like from a campground power-pedestal) and Converting it to 12 volt DC. That is used to run your lighting and to re-charge your battery.

If you are plugged into campground pedestal... don't run the inverter because you are already getting 120volts AC from the pedestal. In fact, if you don't need to use a 120 volt household appliance....don't turn on the inverter. (If you don't need an inverter, it'll use up battery power needlessly.)

This is a great down to earth explaination, thanks.

[amirm]

The Magnum inverter has an automatic transfer switch where it will pass the external AC if present. Indeed once it detects the external AC power, it will switch to charger mode. So it won't be draining anything. If you use stand-alone inverters with no transfer switch then yes, they can draw power from the battery.

[WillieJ]

Originally Posted by 73shark

The problem w/ using flooded lead acid batteries in the early NCV3s is that the batteries are stacked in the curbside rear corner. Periodic maintenance would require bed removal and lifting the top battery out to access the bottom one.

I believe later models now have the batteries under the chassis behind the streetside dual making them marginally more accessible.

If FromDad's 2013 is like mine, it will have a side by side battery box with a slide in tray under the lounge on the curb side.

[Boxite]

Originally Posted by amirm

The Magnum inverter has an automatic transfer switch where it will pass the external AC if present. Indeed once it detects the external AC power, it will switch to charger mode. So it won't be draining anything. If you use stand-alone inverters with no transfer switch then yes, they can draw power from the battery.

Judging by the comments made so far, I don't think this will be helpful to FromDad... because having a transfer switch will only further encourage a battery-drain when no 120V power is req'd. In othe words, it is better to be educated as to what an inverter does and when one needs AC current rather than have a "dumb" device to constantly provide unneeded current by draining other resources.

[dames7]

Save money, order on-line from LifeLine and shipping free and NO TAX.

I got the 6V what a different it makes if you dry camp.

[FromDad]

Yes, I do have two batteries on a tray underneath the rear lounge that slide out.

I gotta add.....did you ever hate asking a question in school because you thought the answer had already been addressed and it went over your head and you didn't want anyone to know? That's how I feel right now...BUT!!!!...I know there are others out there like me so all of you aren't simply helping me! Thank you on behalf of the rest!

Ok....one of the things I 'think' I've been doing wrong is dealing with the battery disconnect. You see, I thought by turning it off, I was turning the battery off. So, by turning it on, I thought I was turning on the battery. Apparently when you turn it on you have disconnected the battery? Do I have this right? In other words, I thought I was saving juice by turning it off...in fact, I was draining it?

So, I now believe my batteries aren't as dead as I thought....maybe. I sat out there for an hour last night monitoring the %, unplugged from the house, with some lights on, ran the fan a bit, and the batteries showed 60% after an hour.....it didn't die as fast as it had been.

Right now I have it unplugged, the disconnect is off, the inverter is off, and I turned on the fridge. The battery went from 100% to 80% and then seemed to hold. I'm going to wait a l/2 hour, go back out and check the %.

I 'think' I'm experimenting....maybe not? If you have another way to experiment to check the batteries....don't hold back.

Just so you know what kind of person I am....I very recently thought I was in major need of generator work, which only had 83 hours on it, until someone suggested I check the oil. I took it into a place who discovered the generator's oil cap had loosened, they filled the oil and Voila! It works. AND! I learned to look at the flashing lights that tell you the possible problem....mine flashed warning me of low oil pressure.....I didn't know what that means....now I do!

[FromDad]

Make sure if have this right.

ONLY use the inverter when not plugged into 'shore'?

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by FromDad

Make sure if have this right.

ONLY use the inverter when not plugged into 'shore'?

When you are plugged into shore power, or when you are running your generator, you will have power inside for the TV, your 110V sockets, your water heater, your AC, etc. You won't need the inverter on since the power comes from the shore or from the generator.
You only need the inverter to be on when you want to "invert" the 12V from your batteries to 110V for the TV and sockets.

[FromDad]

When there is ONLY battery power....invert. Otherwise, turn it off.

Right?

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by FromDad

Yes, I do have two batteries on a tray underneath the rear lounge that slide out.

I gotta add.....did you ever hate asking a question in school because you thought the answer had already been addressed and it went over your head and you didn't want anyone to know? That's how I feel right now...BUT!!!!...I know there are others out there like me so all of you aren't simply helping me! Thank you on behalf of the rest!

Ok....one of the things I 'think' I've been doing wrong is dealing with the battery disconnect. You see, I thought by turning it off, I was turning the battery off. So, by turning it on, I thought I was turning on the battery. Apparently when you turn it on you have disconnected the battery? Do I have this right? In other words, I thought I was saving juice by turning it off...in fact, I was draining it?

So, I now believe my batteries aren't as dead as I thought....maybe. I sat out there for an hour last night monitoring the %, unplugged from the house, with some lights on, ran the fan a bit, and the batteries showed 60% after an hour.....it didn't die as fast as it had been.

Right now I have it unplugged, the disconnect is off, the inverter is off, and I turned on the fridge. The battery went from 100% to 80% and then seemed to hold. I'm going to wait a l/2 hour, go back out and check the %.

I 'think' I'm experimenting....maybe not? If you have another way to experiment to check the batteries....don't hold back.

Just so you know what kind of person I am....I very recently thought I was in major need of generator work, which only had 83 hours on it, until someone suggested I check the oil. I took it into a place who discovered the generator's oil cap had loosened, they filled the oil and Voila! It works. AND! I learned to look at the flashing lights that tell you the possible problem....mine flashed warning me of low oil pressure.....I didn't know what that means....now I do!

As I mentioned previously, the Interstate is plagued with parasitic drain issues, meaning that when your battery disconnect switch is in use, there is still a small amount of drain on the batteries, enough to make it a real issue if the Interstate is out of use for any length of time without shore power.
You really shouldn't allow your batteries to go below 50%, otherwise their capacity will be severely reduced.
If you have left it plugged into shore power for several days and it's registering 100%, try unplugging it, leaving the batteries still in disconnect mode, and watch what happens to the discharge. If it goes down to, lets say 80%, within 15 minutes, that's an indication the batteries have already been degraded. If the batteries are in good shape, it should remain at or around 100% for quite a while.

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by FromDad

When there is ONLY battery power....invert. Otherwise, turn it off.

Right?

And only have the inverter on if you need to use the TV and/or 110V sockets. It will drain the batteries faster to leave it on.

[FromDad]

110v sockets....does this mean any of the plugs?

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by FromDad

110v sockets....does this mean any of the plugs?

Yes, sockets that you can plug household appliances into. But don't go overboard with using them - the capacity is limited. Small appliances like iPhone chargers, etc.