Battery Question on 3051S

[bfrench1984]

Hello Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone else is experiencing much shorter battery life than expected with a 2021 Forester? We have 2 batteries and a 12V refrigerator, and I have noticed that while dry camping, even with limited light usage (LEDs) and limited water pump usage, we have to run the genes every day. Is this normal, or should I be chasing down a gremlin?

-B

[sdelam]

I suspect the 12v fridge is the big draw. Without sufficient solar charging you will either need to greatly increase your battery bank in order to not need the generator for multiple days.

[tomkatb]

You are normal.

Without a big solar system you will likely use all your batteries daily.

It's the math. The fridge plus the rest of the rv will need close to 100 ah dc per day.

Your battery can provide about 100 ah per day.

400 watts of solar on its best day can provide 100 ah dc.

Dealers will tell you most folks do not boondock so it does not matter. You can plug in every day and be happy.

We carry 4 GC2 batteries and can go two nights without plugging in most of the time. We do have a gas electric fridge. My cpap machine is a big user.

[Duckogram]

Your 2 group 27 FLA batteries are rated at about 95 ah each. In reality that will give you about 80 ah total without drawing the batteries down to the point you begin to shorten your battery life or kill them.

Your 12V fridge draws about 9ah until it reaches temp then averages 3ah to maintain.

FYI: A typical CPAP uses about 2500 mah at 11 cm H2O in 8 hrs.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by Duckogram

Your 2 group 27 FLA batteries are rated at about 95 ah each. In reality that will give you about 80 ah total without drawing the batteries down to the point you begin to shorten your battery life or kill them.
Your 12V fridge draws about 9ah until it reaches temp then averages 3ah to maintain.

FYI: A typical CPAP uses about 2500 mah at 11 cm H2O in 8 hrs.

Just an FYI……I’ll bet a lot of you members out there did not know that the Duck was an active participant in creating that formula E=mc2.

And I’m not sure I fully understand that one anyway.

[bfrench1984]

Thanks….that’s what I was afraid of….sigh. Solar is not in the budget this year, I’ll put it on the wish list.

[Duckogram]

Originally Posted by bfrench1984

Thanks….that’s what I was afraid of….sigh. Solar is not in the budget this year, I’ll put it on the wish list.

I bought one of these a number if years back to supplement when boondocking and tend the batts in outdoor storage. Been going strong 4 years now. It did not break the bank either.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Renogy-100W...-127632-2357-0
Plugs into the solar on the side connector.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by Duckogram

I bought one of these a number if years back to supplement when boondocking and tend the batts in outdoor storage. Been going strong 4 years now. It did not break the bank either.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Renogy-100W...-127632-2357-0
Plugs into the solar on the side connector.

Or just try make ng a "suitcase" from a 200 watt kit with a piano hinge and a pop riveter. https://hqsolarpower.com/200-watt-12...BoC3DoQAvD_BwE

[Duckogram]

Originally Posted by Tom48

Or just try make ng a "suitcase" from a 200 watt kit with a piano hinge and a pop riveter. https://hqsolarpower.com/200-watt-12...BoC3DoQAvD_BwE

Also a good alternative but keep in mind that the linked controller is not waterproof.

[Duckogram]

Originally Posted by kenandterry

Just an FYI……I’ll bet a lot of you members out there did not know that the Duck was an active participant in creating that formula E=mc2.

And I’m not sure I fully understand that one anyway.

Ha! That reminds me of a saying that the chap who did that exercise in physics said: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking used when we created them.”

[karykatz]

i would recommend checking the batteries themselves. the fridge does draw power but if you aren't opening up 40 times a day it shouldn't be using up all your battery life.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by karykatz

i would recommend checking the batteries themselves. the fridge does draw power but if you aren't opening up 40 times a day it shouldn't be using up all your battery life.

In the real world I tested amp draw on a new trailer with Furion 12 v frig and it seemed to pull 8 amps pretty much full time plus the misc draw put the house at 9 amps 9X24 hours is a whole bunch of battery life. Even if it cycles off 50% of the time 9 and it did not seem to in August at the Calif beach) that will deplete a good pair of Golf Cart Batteries, daily

[Canadian Eh]

I was surprised at how reasonable solar panels are and how easy they are to install. On our rig the hardest part was finding the space on the roof since we don't have a lot of storage space to carry portable panels. Some of the work arounds was modifying a ladder to make roof access easier, making my own brackets to create a larger footprint to hold the panels. One issue was the existing panel was wired directly to the controller so I needed to buy the correct connectors.