"You Have GOT To Be Kidding Me" Moment

[xrvr]

The high idle is for engine protection also. Can't idle the new diesels for long periods of time day after day like one could the old ones. Not really a huge increase in rpm, can't remember how much. This might decrease warmup times in winter, if memory serves me well. Jim

[Bikerbill]

zigzagguzz, you can idle the new Mercedes for up to 3 hours, per my phone call to Mercedes. As an owner I asked. And they assured me 3 hours at a time would not be a problem then just take it for a 15+ minute drive on roads. And then I could go back to a 3 hour idle.

[xrvr]

Thanks for the info, but I was referring to over night idling night after night. Good to know up to three hours is fine, that should be good for almost everyone. Jim

[PSchw]

Good I learn every day.
High Irving believe is good for the engine occupy put load on it. The high idle module I purchased raises the idle to 1200rpm.
The RT sound like the German Dynawatt.
I rather listen to the engine then to the generator. With the 50w solar boondocking I need to run 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours at night to make it somehow trough the week.
Thanks
Peter


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[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by PSchw

I rather listen to the engine then to the generator.

A while back I had to take my Interstate to Onan to have some generator work done. It had fried its voltage regulator. As long as it was in the shop anyway, I had a resonator installed on the generator's exhaust system.

Just last Sunday, I was doing some work inside my Interstate, and had the generator running to power the air conditioner. The A/C was (slightly) louder than the generator was, at least from inside the van. The resonator only provides a 3dB reduction, but that's the same as cutting the sound volume in half.

[PSchw]

Protagonist you right the AC is louder. But I need to run the generator in the morning and at night to keep the battery charged above 50%.
I will try the resonator for sure.
Thanks
Peter


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[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by PSchw

Protagonist you right the AC is louder. But I need to run the generator in the morning and at night to keep the battery charged above 50%.

Actually, no. You need to run the generator at lunchtime or dinnertime, not morning and night.

Run the generator when you're using the most electricity, not when you're using the least. Generators run best when they're loaded between 50% and 75% or their rated capacity. So you want to draw somewhere between 10 and 15 amps on your generator while you're charging your batteries.

If you charge the batteries when the generator is only powering the charger, the generator will run at idle, where it's less efficient, and it will take longer to charge the batteries that in you charge them when you've got more of a load on the generator. It's counter-intuitive, but true.

Besides, if you run the generator when you're using the power-hungry devices, you'll run the batteries down less as well.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Actually, no. You need to run the generator at lunchtime or dinnertime, not morning and night.


Besides, if you run the generator when you're using the power-hungry devices, you'll run the batteries down less as well.

Plus you won't annoy those around you nearly as much as when they're sleeping.

[PSchw]

Thanks but that is what I am doing. Morning is about 8:00am make coffee and toast as well as charging batteries. Evening making dinner in the micro wave and charging the batteries as well always run the hot water heat to have load on the generator.
The batteries are low in the morning after a night with TV and computer as well as the fridge. Waking up in the morning I am below 50%. Evening the same. I never around lunch time.
I use the AI about a week every month and sometimes more. Most is 1 to 2 days driving and that 2 to 5 days without driving a lot.
I think 200 to 300w solar my would help to depending on the sun. Just the engine generator works rain or shine.


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[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by PSchw

I think 200 to 300w solar my would help to depending on the sun. Just the engine generator works rain or shine.

Another thing that would help is to swap out your two Group 24 12v batteries for two Lifeline 6v batteries.

Problem with being bald, I can never remember anything off the top of my head, because everything just slides right off of my Teflon dome. So I can't remember the exact series of Lifeline 6v batteries that are the same size as a Group 24 12v. But there is one.

If you go with two 6v batteries in series in place of two 12v batteries in parallel, you go from a rating of about 160 amp-hours to a rating of about 220 amp hours.

[PSchw]

Thanks that would be the cheapest and easiest way to increase capacity. Looks like my batteries starting to weakening anyhow from my ordeal with the trip-lite charger/inverter.


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[73shark]

From my notes:

Lifeline 6 volt-GPL-4CT ==> 220ah, GPL-6CT ==> 300AH, GPL-L16T ==> 400AH. The 2009 lounge battery box size according to another poster on this forum is 11.25" X 9.25" X 27". I do remember him stating that the vertical dimension was crowded w/ the 6V batteries.

[UKDUDE]

Lifeline battery specs sheet attached.

The newer Lounge Interstates have the batteries sitting on a slide-out tray, so there is less headroom for a taller set of batteries. But I think the GPL-4CT's will fit.

[PSchw]

Thanks for the info I will double check my batterie box before I get new batteries. I may hold off for a while until the old once getting unacceptable.
Thanks again for the great info.
Peter


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[73shark]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

I've had mine come open because the hinge screws pulled out from the door. Also had one come off hinge when opening. That's when I discovered they were fastened with only 3/8" screws. I upgraded them all to 3/4" - just long enough to not penetrate the outer laminate layer.

I've also located a source of some locking knobs that I think will work. I'll be trying them later in the fall when I get home from this 3 month Alaska adventure. I'll post results if they work.


- - Mike
2013 AS Interstate on 2012 MB Sprinter

May have found a solution to the doors opening at inopportune times. There's an adjustment screw in mine that changes the spring tension which determines how much force it takes to open the door.

The screw is at the bottom end of the spring in the picture.

[David M]

Originally Posted by 73shark

There's an adjustment screw in mine that changes the spring tension which determines how much force it takes to open the door.

Nice, I'll try it. Thanks for the info!
David