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Old 11-13-2017, 02:27 PM   #1
3 Rivet Member
 
2016 23' Flying Cloud
Fanwood , New Jersey
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 196
DC12V and 20 amp power

We have a macerator pump (FloJet) and we occasionally use it to dump at home.

It works great, but I wish I could use it some other power source besides my truck battery (because it's kind of pain in a neck to move the truck to where it needs to be).

I thought that a generator that has DC output could do it, but they only outputs 5amp or so.

All I need is about 3 minutes or so of DC12V and 20amp.

Maybe I should get a cheap 12V battery?
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Old 11-13-2017, 03:16 PM   #2
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2015 30' Classic
Pleasanton , California
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Why don't you connect your macerator pump to your trailer's batteries? That's what I do with my air compressor.
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Old 11-13-2017, 04:14 PM   #3
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2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor , New York
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How about using one of the new lithium jump start units? Some hold a lot of 12v DC energy.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f449...rs-166767.html

We ended up getting one like this 1000 amp unit:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TKUPIC...=3SAV4I5ZC3VMY

Good luck,

Peter
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Old 11-14-2017, 12:52 PM   #4
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2016 23' Flying Cloud
Fanwood , New Jersey
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Maybe I should have described this better than I did the first time.

Our trailer is parked on our driveway that is about 10 feet lower than the house, and it is more than 100 feet from the trailer to the house (toilet). This is too much of height difference and too much distance to dump directly from trailer tank to toilet even with macerator pump (and sewage clean-out is even farther away).

So I use two step process:

First I empty the trailer tanks to a portable waste water tank (Thetford SmartTote)

Second I bring the tank closer to the house.

This is where I use the macerator pump from the portable tank to toilet (I needed a unique adapter, but that's another story).

So where macerator pump operates is far away from where trailer is, and that's why I can't use the trailer batteries.

I could bring my tow vehicle to the pump, and I have done that a few times. But it's just a pain in a neck to do so because I have to move my outdoor furniture, etc. (sorry if I sound lazy).

That's why I was hoping to find a generator (I wanted to buy a generator anyway) that has 12V + 20 amp output. But I don't think there is such generator (not at least among the inverter generator).

But I guess I could just buy a cheap battery to operate the pump.

Then come to think of it, I have an AGM battery that is rated 3 Amp Hour that I had bought for a totally different reason. All I need is to run the pump for 3 minutes (1/20 hour). So 20 Amp x 1/20 Hour = 1 Amp Hour is all I need, right?

But such small battery may not be able to discharge 20 amp?
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Old 11-14-2017, 01:06 PM   #5
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2014 20' Flying Cloud
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Why not one of the larger lithium back up units suggested in Post #3?

7035 joules equates to ....?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TKUPIC...=3SAV4I5ZC3VMY
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1q9gUpcSfL.pdf
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Old 11-14-2017, 01:13 PM   #6
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2016 23' Flying Cloud
Fanwood , New Jersey
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I did take a look at it, and sorry that I hadn't commented on it.

Yes, I am going to look into it.

OTRA15 had commented: "It can be charged from a USB source, however, so I guess a 120-volt USB charging plug will work, but will be slower than an old-fashioned plug-in transformer style charger?"

How has charging by USB been working out for you?

Thanks,

Atsushi
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Old 11-14-2017, 01:20 PM   #7
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2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor , New York
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USB phone cord from a standard 120 volt adapter seemed fine to top it off after purchase. We have not depleted it, nor used it for jump starting yet. It can also be charged in the car from the old standard cigarette lighter style outlet. The Amazon reviews are favorable. A friend swears by his similar but different brand lithium jump starter which he keeps in his glove box. I am fairly certain it will handle the use you describe.

Good luck,

Peter
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Old 11-14-2017, 01:27 PM   #8
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2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle , Pennsylvania
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Hi

If you really only need about 3 minutes at 20A, the lithium battery pack option sounds like the way to go. Cheap, light weight, and no fuel to mess with.

There are indeed 12V generators out there. They start in at about 100A or so (a 1.2KW unit) and go up from there. Roughly speaking they are 3X the price of a 120V unit of similar power output. It's a small market ..... Put another way, it is way cheaper to buy a 120V generator and a 12V converter that a dedicated 12V generator.

Bob
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Old 11-14-2017, 01:33 PM   #9
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2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor , New York
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Thanks Bob for the confirmation.

On the other end of the 12-volt battery option is that Costco Goal Zero 1000:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f448...co-163149.html

I think Costco sold out of that model a while ago, but Goal Zero has newer and larger units now:

http://www.goalzero.com/power-packs
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Old 11-14-2017, 01:35 PM   #10
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2007 27' International CCD FB
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Most generators don't have that DC output capability directly. You can certainly pair a converter with the generator to get that power. But that might be more complicated than you want. Battery does seem to be more straightforward.


Just tossing some more ideas out there:
Have you considered adding a sewage pump driven dump receptable to the house that is closer to the trailer to avoid all this? You'll need a 120V powered sewage pump of course to support such a thing.

Or perhaps dedicated RV septic systems?
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Old 11-15-2017, 09:08 AM   #11
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Carlisle , Pennsylvania
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Hi

An air driven diaphragm pump in the 12 to 18" range will do a fine job of pumping sewage. It also will handle sewage that happens to be flammable / explosive. As an added plus they run on oil free air so you can run the SCBA gear from the same source. No stink !!! I happen to have a lot of on the job experience with this (and unplugging sludge from the valves ...).

Yes, they are in the "couple hundred dollars" range. That's not terribly different than the other solutions. If you already have a compressor and a few hundred feet of air line, it might be an answer. They also are handy if the basement floods or the lift pump on the home sewer system fails ....

Bob
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Old 11-15-2017, 10:39 AM   #12
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modesto , California
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Atsushi,

Just an FYI. Honda EU2000 has a 12v port and comes with a cable to charge 12v batteries. As you stated you were looking into getting a generator anyway. I have used it to charge my truck battery.


-Dennis
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Old 11-16-2017, 06:23 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by batman View Post
Atsushi,

Just an FYI. Honda EU2000 has a 12v port and comes with a cable to charge 12v batteries. As you stated you were looking into getting a generator anyway. I have used it to charge my truck battery.


-Dennis
Hi

Be careful with the 12V outputs from all of these generators. They are fine for an emergency battery jump. They really are not set up to do a proper job charging a battery for very long.

Bob
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