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Topic ClosedBattery levels - Event Date: 03 Jan 2020
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Calendar Event: Battery levels
    Posted: 06 Jan 2020 at 1:02pm
Originally posted by StephenH

However, the weight distribution of that 30 gallons changes as it is used. For example, in the 179, the 30 gallons of fresh water is forward, nearest the tongue. The black tank is next, just ahead of the axle. The gray tank is farthest back, behind the axle. Transferring that 30 gallons to mostly the gray tank shifts that 250 lbs of liquid from in front of to behind the axle. That should be taken into account because of the risk of sway if the tongue weight drops below 10%. OTOH, some models have the fresh tank behind the axle so use of the water should decrease the risk of sway.

I will have to re-figure some of my setup. I just ordered an Expert Power LiFePO4 100AH battery from Amazon and a WF-8950L2-MBA (replaces the main board in the WFCO-8955 converter) main board and is for LiFePO4 batteries. Links are below:


This will take the place of the dual-6V batteries I have been using since we purchased our 179 in December, 2015.

Yes, in the 179 particularly the weight distribution changes significantly as the water gets used and shifts rearwards. My tongue weight drops from close to 15% with the fresh tank full and the gray tank empty to just over 11% with the gray tank full and the fresh tank empty, total change in tongue weight is about 3.5%. Once I convinced myself that these were the limiting cases I knew I was good at either extreme, so any water loading in between the two would also be OK. If there were an unknown amount of water distributed among the three  tanks it would be a different story.  

Congrats on your conversion to Li battery power!
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StephenH View Drop Down
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jan 2020 at 9:33am
However, the weight distribution of that 30 gallons changes as it is used. For example, in the 179, the 30 gallons of fresh water is forward, nearest the tongue. The black tank is next, just ahead of the axle. The gray tank is farthest back, behind the axle. Transferring that 30 gallons to mostly the gray tank shifts that 250 lbs of liquid from in front of to behind the axle. That should be taken into account because of the risk of sway if the tongue weight drops below 10%. OTOH, some models have the fresh tank behind the axle so use of the water should decrease the risk of sway.

I will have to re-figure some of my setup. I just ordered an Expert Power LiFePO4 100AH battery from Amazon and a WF-8950L2-MBA (replaces the main board in the WFCO-8955 converter) main board and is for LiFePO4 batteries. Links are below:


This will take the place of the dual-6V batteries I have been using since we purchased our 179 in December, 2015.
StephenH
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jan 2020 at 7:54am
All three tanks are 30 gallons. You can see the level in the fresh tank just by looking at it. If you use your 12 pump and don’t connect to city water and empty your gray and black tanks whenever you fill your fresh tank they can never overfill so there is no need for any gauges. Using that approach also keeps your trailer weight and balance within a known and reasonable range, because you can never have more than 30 gallons on board.
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Posts: 6288 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2020 at 7:22pm
Look at the videos on this web site and you will see why the current setup does not work well. The video is the one below the pictures of the Horst probes. Both the videos above and below the pictures of the probes are good for illustrating why. I am considering ordering a set of these since the SeeLevel system is significantly more expensive than just replacing the current probes.
StephenH
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Posts: 1014 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2020 at 3:51pm
Originally posted by Buffalohunter

I am not a fan of guessing levels...especially if they have indicator lights. So the voltmeter will be a permanent part of the pod package.  Don’t know why they could not have put a clear “sight gauge” on the side of the tanks...but that is an unanswerable “why” question. Thanks for the heads up...new perspective on idiot lights and pods.

I agree here! Hey, why not a simple float gauge like my gas can or mower.. 

I also have become used to what we do and how long things last. Sad it has to be this way..

If anyone actually does ever open up the a tank and sees what this electric gauge is, I'd like to know! I'm sure 'we' could find a better gauge to wire it to! Talking water and waste here... 
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Posts: 1214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2020 at 11:15am
The black tank is somewhat easy for me to guesstimate. I figure 5 gallons of waste per week per person. It's not scientific, it's just I recall was about how much we used when we used a porta potty back in the pop up. It was 5 gallons, and it was close to 2 empties in a week. I guess you could use 1 gallon a day per person also. It's all a guess so always guess you have more than less. You don't want a blacktank overflow. The grey tank is harder, depends on showers, dishes, how long you take for each. Really hard to guess. That would be a good tank to accurately monitor. 
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Posts: 57 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2020 at 10:00am
I am not a fan of guessing levels...especially if they have indicator lights. So the voltmeter will be a permanent part of the pod package.  Don’t know why they could not have put a clear “sight gauge” on the side of the tanks...but that is an unanswerable “why” question. Thanks for the heads up...new perspective on idiot lights and pods.
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Posts: 343 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 2020 at 7:26am
CharlieM,

Don't know where you found the operational manual for the battery lights but I think that you are right on, keep up the good work in allowing all of us your understanding. Embarrassed
Jay

179/2019
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Posts: 3419 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jan 2020 at 5:00pm
They are just indicators, like the "idiot lights" in older vehicles. They are provided to give you an indication. In my 178 I added 12V receptacles, USB ports and a digital voltmeter, so I know what my battery status is. The indicators just give me a simple heads up.
Mike Carter
2015 178
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Posts: 1797 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jan 2020 at 12:44pm
The battery indicator is simple once you understand what's happening. my interpretation is:

Four lights - the battery is being charged; condition unknown.
Two or three lights - Battery is not being charged; condition totally unknown.
One light - you left the battery at home.

The tank lights are similar. The only tank light that sorta works is the fresh water once you get a rough idea by observing or measuring.

Best solutions are a digital voltmeter directly on the battery and a SeeLevel tank monitor system.
Charlie
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