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dennis
Newbie
Joined: 21 Mar 2018
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Posts: 10
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Topic: Battery capacity Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 1:13pm |
I have an Interstate deep cycle battery. I notice when I unplug from the house, it shows 3 red dots or 3/4 batter charge, but the little ceramic heater doesn't work on the battery? It works fine plugged up to the house. Would it help if I put in 2 batteries? Would that be the way to move up to more capacity and let me run the little ceramic heater off the battery? And run other things longer. I know I can't run the AC or Microwave. If so, which two batteries should I get? I heard the golf cart batteries are good...
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marwayne
Senior Member
Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Location: Edmonton AB Can
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Posts: 1002
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 1:16pm |
Ceramic electric heater needs 110 power
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If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.
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dennis
Newbie
Joined: 21 Mar 2018
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Posts: 10
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 2:32pm |
Also, is two 6 volt batteries better than a 12? I'm also thinking of adding what I need to go solar. The R-pod is wired for it, but I don't know how to get started?
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lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2595
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 2:36pm |
Golf cart batteries are good because you get more amp hours of use between charges, but it is unrelated to your use of a ceramic heater that runs on alternating current. Remember, your Pod is equipped with two distinct electric systems. One runs on 12 volt direct current [DC] and is entirely separate from your other system, which is a 120 volt alternating current [AC] system. When you are unplugged from the house, or wherever you get AC current, you are operating on only the 12v DC system. All of your lights and the heater are connected to the DC system. Your household type plugs and the air conditioner all are connected to the AC system. Appliances like the microwave, your TV, etc. are connected to AC only. Your refrigerator will run on AC or propane. It may be wired to also run on DC but it is not advisable to use that feature because it will drain your battery really fast.
If you don't understand the electric system in your trailer, read the owner's manual very carefully. If that doesn't clear it up, then either get a someone to show you, watch youtube videos, or read books about electric systems in trailers. You need to understand the basics or you'll find yourself stuck without power out in the boon docks somewhere or worse yet, you can hurt yourself or others.
Enjoy your Pod.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2654
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 2:39pm |
Originally posted by dennis
Also, is two 6 volt batteries better than a 12? I'm also thinking of adding what I need to go solar. The R-pod is wired for it, but I don't know how to get started? |
6-volt batteries are not really "better", but the so-called "GC" (for Golf Cart) batteries are often more economical than similar capacity 12-volt batteries. Remember the amp-hour (or AH) rating on batteries is misleading WRT capacity. To get apples-to-apples comparison of different voltage batteries, you need to compensate for the voltage difference. The simple way to do this is to convert to watt-hours. As an example a 100 AH 12V battery is the same capacity as a 200 AH 6-volt battery; both are ~~ 1200 watt-hours.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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Olddawgsrule
Senior Member
Joined: 20 Sep 2017
Location: New Hampshire
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 3:20pm |
Originally posted by GlueGuy
Originally posted by dennis
Also, is two 6 volt batteries better than a 12? I'm also thinking of adding what I need to go solar. The R-pod is wired for it, but I don't know how to get started? | 6-volt batteries are not really "better", but the so-called "CG" (for Golf Cart) batteries are often more economical than similar capacity 12-volt batteries.
Remember the amp-hour (or AH) rating on batteries is misleading WRT capacity. To get apples-to-apples comparison of different voltage batteries, you need to compensate for the voltage difference. The simple way to do this is to convert to watt-hours. As an example a 100 AH 12V battery is the same capacity as a 200 AH 6-volt battery; both are ~~ 1200 watt-hours.
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A 12v can equal the same as A 6v, but you require two to get to 12v.At 12v's you have twice the Ah (or wattage).
Now, just due to size and construction between a 12v and a 6v, the 6v has greater capacity due to the plate size. Due to this you can drive them deeper. Example, I have dual 12v type 31's here now. 'All' 12v batteries are 'Cranking' batteries. My dual's give me 70ah. I'm switching over to dual 6v's rated at 230ah.
So, IMHO, yes, 6v is better. Cost becomes the remaining factor. For me, the dual 6's cost the same as 'A' quality 12v (with no where near the amp capacity, depth of cycle, lifetime of service. There's a very good reason they're used for Solar.
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Olddawgsrule
Senior Member
Joined: 20 Sep 2017
Location: New Hampshire
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Posts: 1014
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 3:32pm |
What Glueguy is telling you about wattage is very important. Make a list of what you want to run 'by wattage' and convert to DC power. What will use in amperage on your battery.
Example we used to use when the new comers to solar years back: A 100w light bulb on 110v will barely use an amp. Yet with run through you inverter on dc (12v) it will use just over 8amps.
Factoring from wattage and converting is very important. Glue is spot on with this!
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lostagain
Senior Member
Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posts: 2595
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 3:39pm |
dennis, you can find lots of discussion about 6 vs. 12 volt batteries on the board. Basically, connecting two 6 volt batteries in series, gives you 12 volts. The advantage is that then you gain a lot more amp hours, or time of use. The down side is that 6 volt golf cart batteries are heavy and weight can be an issue if you're loading lots of stuff in your Pod.
By the way, welcome to the board.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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Olddawgsrule
Senior Member
Joined: 20 Sep 2017
Location: New Hampshire
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Posts: 1014
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 3:44pm |
" but the little ceramic heater doesn't work on the battery?"..
If your heater is the typical 1500w units sold out there it would use 12.5amps on 120v system. On your 12v system (through the inverter) it requires 125amps to run.
I doubt your 12v battery, at full strength is strong enough to even run it for 5 minutes.
For Solar, you need to start with what you wish to run. Knowing your wattage will tell you the size of panel for recovery. Yes, there's a bit more to it, but if you factor a 50% return and size/use accordingly it's a good place to start looking at costs.
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furpod
Moderator Group - pHp
Joined: 25 Jul 2011
Location: Central KY
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Posts: 6128
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Posted: 22 Mar 2018 at 4:15pm |
The reason why "two GC2's is the best answer" is used on this board is, that that is the most aH's you can get and mount, on the factory supplied battery tray, without modification.
The sky is the limit if you want to modify the mounting point/tray.
Converting 12v to 120v, at the rate and amps you would need to run a ceramic heater is a whole area not suited to podding.
Up your 12v storage, figure out a recharge plan, solar or genny, and use the cabin heater the Pod was built with. It uses way more 12v then it does propane.
On the panel lights question.. 4 lights is what it will show when charging/hooked up to shore power. 3 lights is a "full battery" ie: at least 12.6v in the system.
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