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Old 07-24-2021, 06:49 PM   #1
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2020 23' Flying Cloud
Austin , TX
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No-Mod AGM Drop in a viable solution?

Have new to me 2021 23 Flying Cloud with shot original lead acid batteries. Looking for the easiest drop in solution that might allow boondocking for a week. Non-technical and not handy. I have a 100W portable solar and can add another 100 fast, but really trying to understand if I can drop in a pair of AGM's off amazon without any mods. Not concerned about the cost difference between lead acid and AGM if the AGM will get me more hours off the grid. Also, is 100W solar doable or should I grab another 100W? I hit the road Friday so trying to move fast. Thank you for any and all feedback.
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Old 07-24-2021, 07:05 PM   #2
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AGM’s are better batteries in many ways, but won’t provide significantly more storage - you need to make the big jump to lithium to achieve that goal. As for mods, (unlike the extensive mods required by lithium) it is pretty much a drop in with perhaps a different setting on your existing converter.

We had a 23’ with two deep cycle 6v batteries (a bit more storage) but more importantly 200w of solar on the roof. Camping in favorable solar conditions we were always fully recharged. Can’t know, but I don’t think 100w would have done the job.

By the way, we found the effort to deploy and put away portable panels daily to be a pain. We are now installing 200w on the roof of our 16’ and will keep the portable for supplemental as needed.
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Old 07-24-2021, 08:30 PM   #3
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P.S. to the above: if you have the electric only compressor fridge in your trailer then I don’t think you have any chance to make it a week on only 100w of portable solar. Depending upon your other electrical usage, I think with 200w of solar you will need very favorable conditions.
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Old 07-25-2021, 05:18 AM   #4
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Yes, it all depends on your usage.

We have gone over a week with two stock batteries and a 100 watt portable panel (and we didn't run out of power, just moved on). We're conservative in our electric use. We use moderate lighting, water pump, LP refrigerator and water heater, heat in the mornings, DC charging of phones and camera batteries.

YMMV.
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Old 07-25-2021, 06:01 AM   #5
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Not that easy to find AGM batteries to drop in right now. Your lead acid batteries are probably 70 to maybe 80 amp hours. You should be able to find 100 amp hour AGM batteries so that is an increase. You can go a little further down on the discharge side with the AGM's. So you will get more usable power from the AGM batteries. Lifeline actually makes a 125 amp hour AGM but does not seem to have any to sell now.

I have been looking. For a electric fridge you really would benefit from the lithium. And if you recharge with a generator you will really benefit from the lithium. One lithium exceeds 2 AGM batteries.

I ended up kicking the can down the road just a little by buying a fresh set of lead acids. Again looking at going ahead with the lithium. Maybe 1 of them to start.
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Old 07-25-2021, 09:31 AM   #6
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Hi

I agree that finding any *good* AGM batteries right now will be tough. Not all battery brands are created equal .....

Even if you have an absorption fridge, you still need to understand the loads in *your* trailer. You need to understand and manage *your* use of this and that.

A few examples:

Flooded cells likely give you 80AH of usable capacity, AGM's likely get you to 100AH.

100W of solar up around the Great Lakes might give you 50AH a day, further south you may get more than that.

If your fridge pulls 1A ( you need to measure and see what you have) then you are using 24AH a day just on the fridge. Solar might keep up with that. If it pulls 3A (it may ...) then you are at 72 AH a day. Solar will be struggling at this point.

Do you run the lights? If so how many and for how long? Do you run the fans?

Fantastic fan may pull 2A (might be more might be less depending on how you have it set). Run it for 12 hours and you gobbled 24AH. Put that on top of ~ 70 AH into the fridge and on a cloudy day you are out of power. That's with either AGM or flooded.

Solar wise, your best bet is multiple panels on the roof, all running into one controller. With multiple controllers, they fight with each other. You do not get the full benefit of all the watts you have deployed.

If this all needs to be done before Friday: Get whatever is cheapest on sale at Costco in the "deep cycle RV" battery section. Use them for now. Plan out a better answer and execute it when there is time to get things done.

Bob
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Old 07-25-2021, 09:47 AM   #7
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Perhaps the best thing you could buy right now on short notice that requires no skilled hookup to enable boondocking for an extended period with a compressor fridge is a small generator and plan on running it every day to keep charged. All you have to do is plug in the trailer and start the generator. Rain or shine, you get recharged. Hate them or love them? Either way they make reliable power available. I use a CPAP and keep a generator in the truck for long trips even if we do not use it in a summer. That also gives us the option of a couple of weeks with no electricity if we find a nice site.

That will solve the problem. You may be able to get some 100 amp hr flooded cells at Batteries and Bulbs. They were sold out of AGM's last month and the local store did not see any restocking in the near future. For some reason there is a strong run on AGM deep cycle this summer.
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Old 07-25-2021, 10:01 AM   #8
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Hi

With the generator approach, keep in mind that a lot of places (even those without electric hookups) have stated limits on generator use. Even with a location that permits a generator, you want a quiet inverter generator and not something designed for construction use. The Honda EU1000i and EU2200i are popular "quiet" models. There are other brands and models as well.

Backing up a bit, per the original post, this is a 2021 model with fried batteries .... those batteries *should* still be in warranty. You may not get free replacements, but you certainly should get *something*.

Bob
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Old 07-25-2021, 10:12 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uncle_bob View Post
Hi

………100W of solar up around the Great Lakes might give you 50AH a day, further south you may get more than that…….

Bob

Terrific advice from uncle_bob. The only point I would disagree with is the excerpt above: the consensus is that you would get about half that per day from 100w of solar. (He knows his stuff, perhaps this is a typo and he meant 200w). On cloudy days or parked in shade you could get even less than 25w per day.

I suggest you go to the AM Solar website and read their advice on how to size your system. On the issue of how many AH per day from a 100w panel, they explain why they design to 30 AH per day. This is also the number referenced by Renogy.

Once you commit to the expense to install solar it costs relatively little to add a panel or two. Conservative design would still meet your needs in less than best case scenarios.
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Old 07-26-2021, 12:00 AM   #10
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If your trailer is ‘21, your batteries should still be under warranty. Go to an Interstate dealer and they will swap them out. Pay the difference to go to AGMs if that suits you better. At least that worked for us when we 1400 miles from home while in Colorado on our first Rockies adventure with the AS in 2016. They lasted until 2019 with diligent care
When we upgraded to GC bats and are still functioning on my Jon boat to run the electric motor.
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Old 07-26-2021, 06:27 AM   #11
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Use what you got ..if concerned..charge them then do a load test..
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Old 07-26-2021, 06:52 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by field & stream View Post
Terrific advice from uncle_bob. The only point I would disagree with is the excerpt above: the consensus is that you would get about half that per day from 100w of solar. (He knows his stuff, perhaps this is a typo and he meant 200w). On cloudy days or parked in shade you could get even less than 25w per day.

I suggest you go to the AM Solar website and read their advice on how to size your system. On the issue of how many AH per day from a 100w panel, they explain why they design to 30 AH per day. This is also the number referenced by Renogy.

Once you commit to the expense to install solar it costs relatively little to add a panel or two. Conservative design would still meet your needs in less than best case scenarios.
Hi

The key word being "might"..... indeed 30AH is closer to typical.

Bob
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Old 07-27-2021, 12:09 PM   #13
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You will get similar performance from an AGM as a flooded lead acid. If you want to get better performance off grid then you need to consider going lithium. From an energy perspective, the cost of lithium batteries is not much more than AGM. (1) 30lb 105Ah LFP lithium battery has the same usable as (2) 60Lb AGM batteries. They are lighter, last significantly longer, no maintenance and have a higher constant voltage. Ask anyone who has gone lithium - there is no comparison.

Sources for quality lithium batteries include:

AMPS Lithium
https://lithiummarinebattery.com/shop

Battle Born Batteries
http://www.battlebornbatteries.com/

LiFeBlue Battery
http://www.lifebluebattery.com

ReLion
https://relionbattery.com/products/lithium

Chargex
https://www.lithiumion-batteries.com...-rv-deep-cycle
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Old 07-27-2021, 03:26 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjdonahoe View Post
Use what you got ..if concerned..charge them then do a load test..
.....And have them pro-rated & replaced at a reduced cost if needed.
Then, with known good batteries you'll be better able to determine the cause of the 'dead' batts.👍

POI...We upgraded to Lifeline AGM's in 2007, replaced them with BattleBorn lithium batteries in 2018.

Bob
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Old 07-27-2021, 03:32 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by davidrrand View Post
If your trailer is ‘21, your batteries should still be under warranty. Go to an Interstate dealer and they will swap them out. Pay the difference to go to AGMs if that suits you better..
This.
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Old 08-08-2021, 12:41 PM   #16
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We use 4 6v Crown AGMs and updated our converter and solar controller. Crown is a very old energy storage type battery manufacturer (supporting commercial applications etc.). This and 340 watts of solar do quite well. We occasionally boondock for a few days…would consider lithium when the AGMs need replacement…however, we are just now replacing the AGMs in our boat (with solar too) and older tech batteries, after seven seasons and a very inept battery charger.
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