Realistic Boondocking Battery Expectancy

[ProTech]

Solar! I don't know why everyone just jumps to a generator, it's not necessary unless you camping three day's of rain. We had a trailer like yours and had a 90 watt moveable panel and never had power issues in five years of boondocking. Now we have a new AS with 300 watts on the roof and a 12.5 volt battery charges is an hour of full sun. So get a portable 100watt panel and move it around when under trees. Camp in quiet is the only way to go.

[Johnnyooo]

You can go for two and a half days on the battery,as long as you monitor the usage... before having to recharge it...It seems that your battery is getting old...Time to think about changing it...

[billrector]

First of all, remove your battery and get it tested. 12.3V is NOT normal and this voltage is indicative of a battery issue. At 12.3V, you should be recharging!

Do you have an inverter? If so, it will draw power even if you don't have the wall mounted switch turned on. I installed a Blue Sea battery disconnect switch that let's me turn off power to the inverter, power to the coach, or both. When boondocking, I turn off power to the inverter until I want to use it (mainly at night).

[gator.bigfoot]

Originally Posted by ProTech

Solar! I don't know why everyone just jumps to a generator, it's not necessary unless you camping three day's of rain. We had a trailer like yours and had a 90 watt moveable panel and never had power issues in five years of boondocking. Now we have a new AS with 300 watts on the roof and a 12.5 volt battery charges is an hour of full sun. So get a portable 100watt panel and move it around when under trees. Camp in quiet is the only way to go.

Agreed. But even with 3 days of rain you will get some charging. I may not be able to 100% but during the day I will break even. So I only need to worry about what I use from late afternoon and onwards. With 4 batteries last summer and 3 days of heavy overcast weather and heavy rain it never dropped more than the 84% level.

My setup is 300 watts and PWM charger with 420AH.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by bbandeddie

you don’t know how much energy remains in the battery or how fast you’re drawing it down nor do you know how much you’ve put back in.
A very straightforward and highly worthwhile upgrade for anyone drycamping is a Trimetric battery monitor TM-2030. It’s a couple hundred bucks but it measures amps in and out of your battery, tells you when you are full and when you are camping tells yo how much you have left.

bbandeddie,
Just checking these monitors on line, I see one one available for $142. It does not include the wiring harness. I'm thinking I will need that also, correct?
Also, it looks like the unit is supposed to be flush mounted into a wall. (Cut a hole and insert). Is that the case? Where did you mount yours? I've been depending on the AS monitor which also tells me how much fluid is in all my tanks, and is less that totally accurate. This looks like a nice bit of info to really know.
Thx
Jeff

Sorry for the thread hyjack.

[bbandeddie]

Originally Posted by GettinAway

bbandeddie,

Just checking these monitors on line, I see one one available for $142. It does not include the wiring harness. I'm thinking I will need that also, correct?

Also, it looks like the unit is supposed to be flush mounted into a wall. (Cut a hole and insert). Is that the case? Where did you mount yours? I've been depending on the AS monitor which also tells me how much fluid is in all my tanks, and is less that totally accurate. This looks like a nice bit of info to really know.

Thx

Jeff



Sorry for the thread hyjack.

GettinAway,
Easiest is to order the kit with wiring harness and 500mV shunt. Then you’ll have everything you need to install it and no messing around looking for bits and pieces.
There are two versions: TM-2030RV and TM-2030A
They are functionally identical. The 'A' version requires a hole cut and is intended to mount in a double gang electrical box.
The 'RV' version comes in a box with mounting tabs to screw the box to a wall (or rivet, naturally). I wasn’t sure where I wanted my finally mounting location to be, and I didn’t want to get into long, messy wiring runs so I bundled the wire in some flex-loom and used 3M dual-lock (sorta Velcro V3.0) to stick it to the wall beside the bed. It’s not the prettiest bit of kit, but it’s convenient there and not out in the living space as an eyesore. And, for me, super easy to access the batteries under the bed.

[Bill M.]

With a group 24 at 12.3 I doubt if you will get a whole day. I would try a new battery, perhaps a 27, if it will fit. A year is a long life for a flooded cell battery that is used hard. I use a CPAC at night so I watch the batteries and carry a generator just in case. Have had to charge batteries after 2 or 3 days. My batteries always seem to meter low like yours. It is easier for me, and probably cheaper, to just run them down to 11.8 or 11.5 and buy new ones every year than it is to carry spares. I have AGMs in the truck but since I still have the original converters I have flooded cell in the trailers. Maybe when I get my new "Boondocker" that is sitting in the garage installed I will change.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by bbandeddie

GettinAway,
Easiest is to order the kit with wiring harness and 500mV shunt. Then you’ll have everything you need to install it and no messing around looking for bits and pieces.
There are two versions: TM-2030RV and TM-2030A
They are functionally identical. The 'A' version requires a hole cut and is intended to mount in a double gang electrical box.
The 'RV' version comes in a box with mounting tabs to screw the box to a wall (or rivet, naturally). I wasn’t sure where I wanted my finally mounting location to be, and I didn’t want to get into long, messy wiring runs so I bundled the wire in some flex-loom and used 3M dual-lock (sorta Velcro V3.0) to stick it to the wall beside the bed. It’s not the prettiest bit of kit, but it’s convenient there and not out in the living space as an eyesore. And, for me, super easy to access the batteries under the bed.

Thank you!

[Mike1997]

This thread has some very good advice. Like Bill M, I use a CPAC at night so have to watch the batteries. Like OTRA15, I also have a propane generator that was original equipment on the motorhome. Before I replaced the coach batteries, I would run the generator about 1 hour in AM and 1 or 2 hrs in PM. This seemed to keep everything going but there was LOTS more equipment drawing power than I expected.
1. Frig on propane needs 12v to start plus keeps indicator lights on 24/7
2. Remote fantastic fans both have small pilot light that stays on 24/7
3. Make sure your antenna booster is OFF.
4. Carbon monoxide detector is drawing power too.
5. Water heater needs 12v to start.
6. And lastly....if you run the batteries down to much the generator will not start. Way around that is to have a dash switch that can start it off the motor batteries.

I my view if I were going to do lots of boondocking, either solar or wind power is the way to go. Amazon has packages you can buy with the whole set up for both.

[wulfraat]

Originally Posted by bbandeddie

GettinAway,
Easiest is to order the kit with wiring harness and 500mV shunt. Then you’ll have everything you need to install it and no messing around looking for bits and pieces.
There are two versions: TM-2030RV and TM-2030A
They are functionally identical. The 'A' version requires a hole cut and is intended to mount in a double gang electrical box.
The 'RV' version comes in a box with mounting tabs to screw the box to a wall (or rivet, naturally). I wasn’t sure where I wanted my finally mounting location to be, and I didn’t want to get into long, messy wiring runs so I bundled the wire in some flex-loom and used 3M dual-lock (sorta Velcro V3.0) to stick it to the wall beside the bed. It’s not the prettiest bit of kit, but it’s convenient there and not out in the living space as an eyesore. And, for me, super easy to access the batteries under the bed.
Attachment 304847

Or use a Victron BMS-712 smart shunt and have battery status and energy consumption analytics at your fingertips via your mobile phone, tablet or laptop.

Bluetooth + Victron Connect 4.0 app = smart choice takes about 30 minutes or so to setup depending on your trailer and where the wiring harness is.

[GettinAway]

Originally Posted by wulfraat

Or use a Victron BMS-712 smart shunt and have battery status and energy consumption analytics at your fingertips via your mobile phone, tablet or laptop.

Bluetooth + Victron Connect 4.0 app = smart choice takes about 30 minutes or so to setup depending on your trailer and where the wiring harness is.

Looks pretty nice. Is the sending part in with the batteries? I'll look into it.
Thx

[wulfraat]

The 712 has 2 components - (1) a shunt that you install in the trailer and (2) a display unit that you can mount somewhere if desired. The display unit has Bluetooth connectivity.

In my case I connected the display unit but just left it under the couch. Mobile app provides better information and is more convenient.

[BKHall]

“PS -- Good advice so far here. Sounds like you need a new battery IMO. A good investment if you only have one battery. Can you add a second matching new battery? It would pay for itself in convenience alone.”

We have considered buying two new AGM deep cycle batteries. Would this option double our boondocking capabilities? If we could go 2.5 days on one battery, can we go 5 days with two of them? Are there any particular batteries you’d recommend?
Thanks!

[bbandeddie]

Originally Posted by BKHall

“PS -- Good advice so far here. Sounds like you need a new battery IMO. A good investment if you only have one battery. Can you add a second matching new battery? It would pay for itself in convenience alone.”



We have considered buying two new AGM deep cycle batteries. Would this option double our boondocking capabilities? If we could go 2.5 days on one battery, can we go 5 days with two of them? Are there any particular batteries you’d recommend?

Thanks!

Hi BKHall,
So, generally if you have an old battery and add a new battery to the system, yes it will work but the old battery will be the limiting factor of the system and greatly reduce the operating life of the new battery.

Second question. Depends. If you have one 12V battery now and replace it with two 12V batteries of similar capacity then yes you double your battery capacity and can go twice the distance (more or less) it also takes substantially longer to charge back up.
If you replace one oem 12V (of say 80Ah) with two larger 6V batteries (of say 220Ah) you get both an increase in capacity (more hours) and a substantially more robust battery (much thicker lead plates) that will take more abuse (deep discharge) than the stock 12v batteries with their skinny plates (despite being called deep cycle there’s only so much room in the case for the plates)

[gator.bigfoot]

I prefer the Lifeline batteries. But change your charging equipment at the same time so that they get a proper charge. The standard AS equipment is junk.

If you add a couple of solar panels it will greatly extend your boondocking capabilities. If you add the right balance of batteries and solar there is no reason you ever need to plug in.