dry camping with a separate 12 volt battery

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

Ghosthawk recently posted - "I saw ... an RVer who had a small 150a inverter that would plug into cig lighter. He used it to run a 12 v charger and charged a spare 12v battery when he was traveling. Battery sat on passenger side floorboards while charging. Fairly low cost and trouble free backup."

I believe a fully-charged 12 volt battery with care lasts 4-5 days dry camping, then switching out the spare battery obviously would prolong this, and using the small inverter to charge the 'reserve battery' could prolong this process indefinitely without the hassle of multi-battery connections or generators.

I guess I'm missing something, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is."

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
Happy Tripping Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 27 May 2014 Online Status: Offline Posts: 473	Topic: dry camping with a separate 12 volt battery Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 10:36am
	Ghosthawk recently posted - "I saw ... an RVer who had a small 150a inverter that would plug into cig lighter. He used it to run a 12 v charger and charged a spare 12v battery when he was traveling. Battery sat on passenger side floorboards while charging. Fairly low cost and trouble free backup." I believe a fully-charged 12 volt battery with care lasts 4-5 days dry camping, then switching out the spare battery obviously would prolong this, and using the small inverter to charge the 'reserve battery' could prolong this process indefinitely without the hassle of multi-battery connections or generators. I guess I'm missing something, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is."

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 2:32pm
	A) it's a lot of hassle to switch 45-55 pound batteries out repeatedly. B) In my world view, it's just dumb to use 12v to covert to 120v, to convert to 13.9v to charge a battery. C) How long a single battery lasts while boondocking is so variable as to nearly be a laughable question. D) Not a single penny is saved, and work added. A second battery still had to be bought, and now it's loose and has to be kept track of, AND an inverter and a charger, had to be bought, learned, kept track of. E) If all you are doing is charging the battery(ies) just use a decent solar panel. Generator and attendant issues are only needed if you want to run the a/c. Put a second battery on the tongue, if you need more aH's when boondocking, never have to think about it again. While traveling, your truck charges it, when connected to shore power, the Pod charges it.

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326	Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 7:04pm
	I went with dual 6V batteries (Duracell 215 AH GC2 batteries from Batteries + Bulbs) wired in series to provide the 12V needed. I don't need to do anything more than check the electrolyte level periodically. The converter (or truck if we are traveling with overnight stops) keeps them well charged. I could likely go several days but I do use my generator if we are somewher elonger than a couple of days without shore power to at least partially recharge the batteries. Some places limit generator operating hours. I may get solar panels one of these days, but ti is not on my high-priority list.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

Blender Bob Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 11 Mar 2018 Location: Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 48	Posted: 12 Aug 2018 at 11:02pm
	An good farmer friend of mine once said: "It takes a smart man to be lazy" You're working too hard. Furpod's comments are spot on. It's not difficult at all to put a second battery on the tongue. If you're getting 4-5 dry camp days on a battery, you are not using that much 12v power so 100 to 120w solar would do your solution good.
	Bob 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71 2018 178 R-pod Hood River Edition