Newbie with solar not lasting Epro 19fbs

[babock]

Originally Posted by Muzzledan

The heater is a huge drain on the battery. It will suck the battery down in a couple hours by itself, that’s why most people put an extra blanket on and keep the thermostat down low.

The fan is anywhere from 5 to 7A. If its sucking your battery down in just a couple hours, you need a new battery.

[kwindrem]

Originally Posted by Brian Brown

Does anyone know if any of the USB ports in the Geo Pro/E Pro are directly wired to the battery vs. going through the inverter? I know there is one on the solar controller that I assume is direct to the battery, but not sure about the outlet with USB port that pops up (above the bed in the 19BH). Can't remember if there are any other ports.Attachment 203681

Mine are powered from 120 volts AC. Quick check:turn off the OUTLETS breaker AND the INVERTER and see if you have USB power.

2019 Geo Pro QB

[babock]

Originally Posted by kwindrem

Mine are powered from 120 volts AC. Quick check:turn off the OUTLETS breaker AND the INVERTER and see if you have USB power.

2019 Geo Pro QB

If mine were powered by 120V AC, that would be changed out immediately.

[Danieloneil01]

Originally Posted by Muzzledan

The heater is a huge drain on the battery. It will suck the battery down in a couple hours by itself, that’s why most people put an extra blanket on and keep the thermostat down low.

Couple hours on battery? What kind of battery and what's the AH? The furnace does draw a good amount but mine is rated at 3.1 amps and that won't even kill a 100 AH lead acid in a couple hours.

[Danieloneil01]

Originally Posted by babock

The fan is anywhere from 5 to 7A. If its sucking your battery down in just a couple hours, you need a new battery.

In the 19FBS it's actually 3.1 amps

[xgarys]

Originally Posted by Muzzledan

The heater is a huge drain on the battery. It will suck the battery down in a couple hours by itself, that’s why most people put an extra blanket on and keep the thermostat down low.

Are we talking about a heater or the built in propane furnace? My furnace only draws 2 Amps and only when it runs.

[Danieloneil01]

Originally Posted by kwindrem

Mine are powered from 120 volts AC. Quick check:turn off the OUTLETS breaker AND the INVERTER and see if you have USB power.

2019 Geo Pro QB

Can you explain how they're powered from 120 volts AC?

[Scottnweeze]

Originally Posted by DustinMobley232

First few nights in 2019 E-Pro 19FBS and trying to understand the solar. It is the 100w unit that was installed from factory. 1st time ever dealing with solar for me.

Should both my dual batteries at front of camper be connected to the Go Power solar panel. When I look at control panel, only 1 battery is connected.

Is it normal for the batteries not to make it through the night? Furnace never kicked on early this morning when temp got below 60 because batteries where dead. I will say my daughter had her cell phone plugged in charging all night, will that drain the batteries overnight?

Thanks;
Dustin

We’ve got the same trailer (ish.. Geo Pro 19 FD), with same solar and 2 12 volt batteries . We’re often off grid and in a usual night; for us that means heater on, two phones charging, lights, water pump, fridge and H20heater on propane, our batteries are down 1/4 (3/4 remaining) by morning. Sounds like something is caddie wampus with your set up.

[dicknlin]

I have not read the entire thread so this may have been suggested. Do you have a circuit breaker that can shut off the built in converter that charges your batteries? If not when you run your inverter it will also try to charge your batteries creating an endless loop which will drain the batteries fairly quickly. If the circuit breaker controls several items you will need to isolate the converter some other way. I have seen ways to do this on YouTube. Good luck.

[kwindrem]

Originally Posted by Danieloneil01

Can you explain how they're powered from 120 volts AC?

The USB ports are part of a power pedestal. There is only 120 volts AC going to the pedestal. I assume it's like the home AC outlets that include USB ports.

[kwindrem]

Originally Posted by dicknlin

I have not read the entire thread so this may have been suggested. Do you have a circuit breaker that can shut off the built in converter that charges your batteries? If not when you run your inverter it will also try to charge your batteries creating an endless loop which will drain the batteries fairly quickly. If the circuit breaker controls several items you will need to isolate the converter some other way. I have seen ways to do this on YouTube. Good luck.

The way these trailers are wired prevents the "endless loop". The inverter is in the OUTLETS circuit off the breaker panel so only the trailer outlets get inverter power. The converter is on a different breaker, so no loop.

[kwindrem]

Originally Posted by Scottnweeze

We’ve got the same trailer (ish.. Geo Pro 19 FD), with same solar and 2 12 volt batteries . We’re often off grid and in a usual night; for us that means heater on, two phones charging, lights, water pump, fridge and H20heater on propane, our batteries are down 1/4 (3/4 remaining) by morning. Sounds like something is caddie wampus with your set up.

One thing that might drain batteries in these trailers is keeping the refrigerator on AUTO. Mine was connected to the inverter output so with the inverter on it would not switch to propane. Check yours to make sure it doesn't stay on AC when off grid and the inverter running. If so, manually switch the fridge to propane.

[spower]

100W panel will not do a lot for you. I have 200W of solar and have never run the batteries down with using TV, lights, water pump, etc.....

I second the motion, add more panels. Happy trails!!

[Dragonmaster]

I've got a 250w 24v solar panel to my MPPT 45Amp tri-star controller. We regularly boon-dock for 2 weeks at a time in shady camp sites (60-100' tall trees all around). By the end of the 2 weeks with some heater use we are at about 60% battery with 2 group 31's.

We use the inverter for a small blender for protein shakes in the morning and the occasional lunch, but shut-it off in between uses. All lights are LED, TV is less than 1 amp draw (metered) and is used on rainy nights or for weather reports only off the inverter. Our power usage for a day for the internal fridge circuitry, and all other use ranges 45-85 amps and is almost fully replaced by our solar panels each day. Phones are charged in the truck and rarely used, kids have tablets they charge in the trailer every 3 days for night time movies or reading.

For colder nights boon-docking (0 down to -5C) we have depleted 50% of our batteries over night with the t-stat set at 12C and lots of extra blankets.

Sounds like you have something in your rig that is wired wrong, or like suggested the fridge on auto is working off the inverter.

[tomkatb]

Is 250 watts at 24 volts 5 times what the original poster had?

[babock]

Originally Posted by tomkatb

Is 250 watts at 24 volts 5 times what the original poster had?

250w with an MPPT controller will theoretically yield 17a @14v. Assuming the OP has a PWM controller, he will have between 5 and 6a @ 14v

[thompsjd]

Just got a new 2902WS and upgrading from a old, old tent. So label me: Newbie learning.

Saw comment about 2 6V batteries vs 2 12V. Would somebody please point me to somewhere I can understand the advantages of 2x6?

Thanks.

[Brian Brown]

Originally Posted by thompsjd

Just got a new 2902WS and upgrading from a old, old tent. So label me: Newbie learning.

Saw comment about 2 6V batteries vs 2 12V. Would somebody please point me to somewhere I can understand the advantages of 2x6?

Thanks.

I've looked at this a ton over the past couple of months. Take a look at YouTube. Videos like https://youtu.be/Xt2igyyyNb4 explain the difference. There are a bunch of pros and cons, but the biggest for me going to 2-6V Flooded Lead Acid was the AmpH (capacity) per $ is way better for 2-6V. I have these https://www.batteriesplus.com/batter...cle/6/sligc125 which are 235 Ah. These are GC2 footprint which is the same footprint of a group 24, but a couple inches taller.
The next step up from there is 6V AGM which are sealed and charge faster. The next step up from there is Lithium which gives even more capacity and lighter weight.

[Danieloneil01]

Originally Posted by thompsjd

Just got a new 2902WS and upgrading from a old, old tent. So label me: Newbie learning.

Saw comment about 2 6V batteries vs 2 12V. Would somebody please point me to somewhere I can understand the advantages of 2x6?

Thanks.

Price per AH is awesome and 6 volt golf batteries are designed to be abused and misused. They last years in golf carts which I’m sure get drained below 50% constantly.

The RV Doctor: RV Batteries - 6 or 12 - Volts, That Is

[babock]

True 12V and 6V deep discharge batteries of the same manufacturer and chemistry are identical. The only difference is that 6V cost less per AH most of the time. For example, if you compare a 12V and 6V from Trojan, they have identical discharge vs capacity charts.