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furpod View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Inverter.
    Posted: 29 Jan 2018 at 12:36pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

The batteries and wire needed to support a 3000 watt inverter would be truly massive. Attempting to run something that drew 3000 watts on an inverter would require ~~ 250 amps of current at 12 volts. That is a really large amount of current. Doing a little googling, it would require 4/0 (four ought) wire, which is almost 1/2" in diameter (.460 inches actually if copper). The batteries required to support that would be pretty massive too, unless you're talking about running your 3000 watt load for seconds, and not minutes.


They use 24 or 48v native systems to reduce the amp draw. And they now use LiFePO4 batteries that can not only discharge to very near zero SOC without damage, can safely discharge at rates that would destroy a FLA battery in seconds, and recharge way faster then FLA batteries.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2018 at 2:29pm
Originally posted by furpod

They use 24 or 48v native systems to reduce the amp draw. And they now use LiFePO4 batteries that can not only discharge to very near zero SOC without damage, can safely discharge at rates that would destroy a FLA battery in seconds, and recharge way faster then FLA batteries.
That's a whole different story. An inverter drawing from a 48V battery would only pull ~~ 62 amps. That's still some serious current, but the wires would be more real-world.

However, converting an R-pod to 48V is not something that I would want to take on. Even with a DC-DC converter it would be too many moving parts for my comfort level.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2018 at 3:21pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

Originally posted by furpod

They use 24 or 48v native systems to reduce the amp draw. And they now use LiFePO4 batteries that can not only discharge to very near zero SOC without damage, can safely discharge at rates that would destroy a FLA battery in seconds, and recharge way faster then FLA batteries.
That's a whole different story. An inverter drawing from a 48V battery would only pull ~~ 62 amps. That's still some serious current, but the wires would be more real-world.

However, converting an R-pod to 48V is not something that I would want to take on. Even with a DC-DC converter it would be too many moving parts for my comfort level.


Nah.. thanks to off grid people and golfers, such transformers are easy to come by.. Smile It's literally 4 wires you can't mess up unless you try.. LOL

48v to 12v transformer.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2018 at 4:25pm
Originally posted by furpod

Nah.. thanks to off grid people and golfers, such transformers are easy to come by.. Smile It's literally 4 wires you can't mess up unless you try.. LOL

48v to 12v transformer.
Are you actually using a 48V battery system? This means that when you hook up to your TV, that you would have to have a separate 12V battery, or do you run another converter to take the 12V from your TV to charge up the 48V in the TT?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jan 2018 at 6:13pm
Originally posted by GlueGuy

Originally posted by furpod

Nah.. thanks to off grid people and golfers, such transformers are easy to come by.. Smile It's literally 4 wires you can't mess up unless you try.. LOL

48v to 12v transformer.
Are you actually using a 48V battery system? This means that when you hook up to your TV, that you would have to have a separate 12V battery, or do you run another converter to take the 12V from your TV to charge up the 48V in the TT?


No I am not using a 24v or 48v system in the camper. I am saying it can be done, and on large rigs IS done. In the future, I probably will use a version of it, depending on what battery tech does in the next 5 years, and if we go full time, etc. In the systems we are talking about, a alternator or generator is used that provides the proper voltage, when solar isn't being used to charge the system. But in general, the 12v tow vehicle system does nothing for the TT, it's usually isolated from the camper.

If it helps to assure you I may know what I am talking about.. Here are a couple pics of a system I am quite familiar with.. LOL

Main Battery bank..


Transfer switch and breakers/isolation systems. This bank can be charged by solar, grid, and generator. It provides the home with 12v lighting and a small bit of 12v infrastructure, and 120v when the grid is down, which is often.
  
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jan 2018 at 1:25pm
Figure out what is needed, including motor start-up and other surge needs, plus a safety margin, and size accordingly. On the road I can keep our single 12V deep cycle charged, and that meets our needs for road trips. We have done a week off-grid with our free Zamp solar panel (45W?). We don't use 110V unless at a full site. My Tacoma has 400W 110V available in the bed (factory installed) if I need that. So far that has worked for our needs. Only once have we felt the need to use the air conditioner, though.

I like the technical discussion, but why buy more than you need?
Life is good.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jan 2018 at 5:36am
Most automotive batteries will be VERY limited in what they can provide for wattage. 

Simplified:  Volts X Amps = Watts (power)

Battery 12VDC @ 100 AMP discharge rate would provide 1200 watts.

Inverter 120VAC @ 10 amps = 1200 watts.  Ignoring inverter efficiency and some losses.


If you have (2)  6 VDC golf cart batteries, you can get more current, and run a bigger inverter  BUT, not for very long. You could perhaps run a microwave (1500 watts) for a while. Or hair dryer, or electric toaster, or etc..


 I know a guy (A/C technician) who installed 8 (EIGHT!!!) Marine/Starter batteries on the rear bumper of his camper. Custom fabricated the holders and had the bumper welded and reinforced. He discovered it really made handling bad.

 He also discovered that he could only run his A/C for about an hour before the inverter shut down. Battery levels dropped too low to run the inverter at that output. 

But the good news is he can run the LCD TV practically forever if he doesn't use AC. I didn't even ask how he charges them all. Probably individually.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 10:14am
Hi all.  I am a NEWBIE. I am also a 50 year old Grandma, who just bought her first camper - a 2010 R Pod 173 Big smile . It's beautiful, and I love it.  However, It did not come with ANY TYPE OF INSTRUCTION MANUAL.  I have been living on the internet, trying to learn about it... and learning a lot by "hard luck trial and error", too.
I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP, IN GRANDMA TERMS:
My current issue (pun intended) is that all my power (battery) died last week.  I had just been camping, and plugged in at a campground March 5-7.  I turned off the Fridge and Stereo... but after a few days, I heard some beeping.  It was a detector (on the wall between the couch and fridge).  I figured it was run on AA batteries, so I ignored it.  Confused 
Question 1:  Why did my battery die so fast?  It appeared FULL while I was at the camp ground.
Question 2:  It is not responding to being plugged up to my house. (30v that came with R Pod, to heavy guage extension cord, to house)
****PROBABLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT I LIVE IN A HOUSE BUILT IN THE 1940'S, AND MY BREAKERS ARE MOSTLY 20V, WITH 2 30'S JOINED (I THINK) TO RUN A FEW THINGS, AND 2 50'S TO RUN MY WORKSHOP.  
Question 3: Should I go to a camp ground, and plug up today, just to see if my converter is still good? OuchOuch
Sad Grandma today.
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 10:31am
Sounds like battery is NOT charging. As long as you have a 120 VAC source, with plug and extension cord, the Converter charge circuit should have a source. One thing, very simple, when the charge circuit is active and the battery is low, the Converter fan should be operating. Because the converter gets warm. When plugged in do you hear the fan? The beeping detector is most likely caused by low battery voltage. Do you have a way to check battery voltage? Like a voltmeter. Once you have determined the charge circuit is not working, I would next check all the fuses in the converter, make sure you haven't popped one. I would start with these steps.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Mar 2018 at 10:36am
+1 to what mcarter just said. Buy, beg, borrow, or steal a DVM so you can check voltages. Most likely your converter (AKA battery charger) is inop. It could be a fuse or something simple, or the converter may have died. As a workaround, you can charge the battery back up with an ordinary battery charger. In a pinch, you could also use jumper cables from your tow vehicle to boost the battery back up to operating voltage.

If you have a friend that knows how to use a meter, buy him or her a cup of coffee for a little help.

good luck
bp
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