Off the grid questions, so to speak

[jhayesas]

Pahaska,
I’m curious your GZ hookup plans how is it different than using a ATS? What is the name of the adapter?

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by jhayesas

Pahaska,
I’m curious your GZ hookup plans how is it different than using an ATS? What is the name of the adapter?

The 40 amp adapter for the GZ has an 8mm female plug. I'll install an 8mm socket under the desk and lead the wires back to the electrical area to hook into the 12v wiring there. I'll make up a short cable with an 8mm male on both ends.

At night, I will simply turn off the batteries at the door and plug in the GZ. 40 amps will handle the occasional water pump, the refrigerator, and some lights.

In the morning, I'll unplug the GZ and turn on the batteries at the door.

If I want 120v for the TV, I'll simply plug the front TV into the GZ which will be about 4' away. I rarely watch TV. I'd much rather read. Why waste the amps needed to simply run the inverter in the GZ.

Why pay good money for an ATS when I can do it manually on the few occasions I will be using the GZ. That is 5 nights out of a 16-night caravan to the balloon festival.

[jhayesas]

Originally Posted by Pahaska

The 40 amp adapter for the GZ has an 8mm female plug. I'll install an 8mm socket under the desk and lead the wires back to the electrical area to hook into the 12v wiring there. I'll make up a short cable with an 8mm male on both ends.

At night, I will simply turn off the batteries at the door and plug in the GZ. 40 amps will handle the occasional water pump, the refrigerator, and some lights.

In the morning, I'll unplug the GZ and turn on the batteries at the door.

If I want 120v for the TV, I'll simply plug the front TV into the GZ which will be about 4' away. I rarely watch TV. I'd much rather read. Why waste the amps needed to simply run the inverter in the GZ.

Why pay good money for an ATS when I can do it manually on the few occasions I will be using the GZ. That is 5 nights out of a 16-night caravan to the balloon festival.

Between the ATS, 10/2 wire and electrical cord, I'm all in about $125 since I installed it myself. My process is different. When I want to use the GZ, I plug it in (via the ATS) and change the inverter charger to standby so it doesn't charge the house batteries. The GZ then becomes the "shore power" as far as the system is concerned and runs everything in my rig. I do understand about the amps running the inverter but it's so minimal that's it's not a factor. Without my GZ, my rig won't make it through the night and now that's a non-factor. I'll be enjoying boondocking alot better now.

[Hawk-ination]

Nice advice on the GZ and interesting to hear different takes on how to set it up. It seems to be advantageous to revisit some topics as there’s always new ideas and new products coming out. Appreciate the input and I’ll be studying our options tomorrow as we get to travel in this balmy 50 plus degree weather. Not sure if we should thank global warming or not but I’ll take it this week to get the AS out of storage!!

[Pahaska]

Merry Xmas.

It was 76 here SW of Austin on this beautiful Xmas day. I was doing some laminating in the morning. I laid the pieces out on the driveway, in the sun. The contact cement dried in just a few minutes and the pieces were toasty warm when I picked them up.

Winter is hell in Texas! So far, we have had two 33-degree nights. Not enough to seriously winterize. I watch the forecast a week ahead for the rare freezing night.

[nvestysly]

We have a 2010 interstate. It has the relatively small refrigerator. We don't use the inverter much, just watch TV once in a while. Run the refrigerator on 12V.

We have dry camped for several days and not had much of a problem recharging the batteries. We have 2 - 6V, flooded, golf cart batteries in series. I think the total capacity is 225 Ah (or so).

Our dry camping runs the gamut from overnight stops in a Cracker Barrel or similar, campgrounds with no hookups, driveway of friends & family, boondocking (remote sites), etc.

We don't have solar.

The key for us is turning on the generator for 30 minutes in the morning and again for 30 minutes in the evening. That, combined with our sightseeing during the day - charging from the alternator - keeps our batteries in reasonable condition. Every 3rd or 4th day we'll stop somewhere with amenities to fill up with water, dump the tanks and charge the batteries with shore power.

We have considered solar but seem to be getting by for now. We may be unique, or at least different than many on this forum, in that we almost always drive somewhere each day. We are very seldom in the same place for more than a two nights in a row.