Dry camping/Boondocking questions

[babock]

Originally Posted by tomkatb

For those interested the BM2 voltmeter transmits the voltage of your battery to your phone via Bluetooth.

In addition it has user set alarms.

In addition it has a graph of voltage from the start of your trip. You can learn how the converter works.. various voltages at different charge levels. See your big users like the levelers use power. Check your power sources.

You do not get the big advantage of seeing your amperage consumption. That is something I do not need. I know the big users and how to balance usage or not use them. I love the graph!

The good amp-meter monitor is more expensive. More difficult to install. Not sure if they have alarms sent to your phone.

Mine took minutes to install. Glad I made the choice to go with the battery monitor product.

All it measures is voltage. Like I said before, if you like having a fuel gauge for your car which is only accurate after you stop the car and let it sit an hour, this kind of gauge is for you

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by babock

All it measures is voltage. Like I said before, if you like having a fuel gauge for your car which is only accurate after you stop the car and let it sit an hour, this kind of gauge is for you

Honestly, the majority of RVers I meet that need power help of some sort only use the 4 lights in their control panel to determine battery charge. A multimeter would be a huge improvement in their tool set

[babock]

I will agree with that. But if you are going through the effort of putting in a Bluetooth device, why not just put in something that is accurate and tells you everything you would need to know ALL the time? Measuring voltage while charging or discharging is close to useless.

What it ironic about a statement you have made in the past that you like to spend your time camping instead of checking on your batteries. I check my sport scores more than I have to check my battery monitor.

By the time you take your generators out of your truck, fill them with gas, get out the power cord, check your battery occasionally while charging with your meter, you have spent more time in one day than I will spend in 5 years checking my battery monitor! All I have to do is check at the end of the day once to make sure all is well. Takes 15 seconds.

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Honestly, the majority of RVers I meet that need power help of some sort only use the 4 lights in their control panel to determine battery charge. A multimeter would be a huge improvement in their tool set

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by tomkatb

The good amp-meter monitor is more expensive. More difficult to install. Not sure if they have alarms sent to your phone.

Mine took minutes to install. Glad I made the choice to go with the battery monitor product.

Things that DO more are often more expensive. That's life.

As for harder to install? A Victron BMV 712 only needs to have the shunt installed between battery and "Ground" with the control head mounted in a dry space. It's not necessary to run the wires through walls, etc, so the "Meter" can have a place of distinction next to your regular control panel. Everything you need to do (except reset readings) can be done from your Smartphone App.

I've seen some pics here on this forum where the meter is merely mounted on a bracket inside a battery compartment and if you have lithium batteries this can be any unused space inside your RV.

FWIW, "difficulty of installation" is different as are people. Some can easily plan an install and execute it with no issues at all and others? Might take weeks for them to just figure out where to start

[babock]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Things that DO more are often more expensive. That's life.

As for harder to install? A Victron BMV 712 only needs to have the shunt installed between battery and "Ground" with the control head mounted in a dry space. It's not necessary to run the wires through walls, etc, so the "Meter" can have a place of distinction next to your regular control panel. Everything you need to do (except reset readings) can be done from your Smartphone App.

I've seen some pics here on this forum where the meter is merely mounted on a bracket inside a battery compartment and if you have lithium batteries this can be any unused space inside your RV.

FWIW, "difficulty of installation" is different as are people. Some can easily plan an install and execute it with no issues at all and others? Might take weeks for them to just figure out where to start

I was going to post exact same thing. It can be as easy as a 30 minute install.

[Bbouch84]

All this boondocking talk and voltage. How many of you with tt are boondocking on 12volt batteries and how many do you have and how many are boondocking on 6v battieries ran in series and how many do you have?

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Bbouch84

All this boondocking talk and voltage. How many of you with tt are boondocking on 12volt batteries and how many do you have and how many are boondocking on 6v battieries ran in series and how many do you have?

We dry camped 90% of the time, with our previous HTT. We had two 12v group 24 marine batteries for 10 years. Along with our Honda 2000i inverter generator, we were fine.
But with our current TT, which has a dealer-installed 12v group 27 marine battery, when it dies, I'll be going to two 6v golf cart batteries. 6v golf cart batteries are just better for the job, than 12v dual-purpose marine batteries.

[rollscanardly]

Has anyone ever seen or used something like this for really "roughing it"?


https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...473723632.html


https://www.amazon.com/Bumper-Dumper.../dp/B006IVN03O

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

As for harder to install? A Victron BMV 712 only needs to have the shunt installed between battery and "Ground" with the control head mounted in a dry space. It's not necessary to run the wires through walls, etc, so the "Meter" can have a place of distinction next to your regular control panel. Everything you need to do (except reset readings) can be done from your Smartphone App.

I've seen some pics here on this forum where the meter is merely mounted on a bracket inside a battery compartment and if you have lithium batteries this can be any unused space inside your RV.

FWIW, "difficulty of installation" is different as are people. Some can easily plan an install and execute it with no issues at all and others? Might take weeks for them to just figure out where to start

I never installed the monitor. I coiled it up and dropped it beside of the batteries. We use our phones for all battery monitoring.

And, I'm also the guy who takes weeks to just figure out how/where to start.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by Bob.n.Denise

Test how? Touch multimeter to battery terminals after sitting for a couple hours? At what voltage should I pull out the EU2200 and charge the batteries? Bought Honda generator charging cables, but haven’t used them yet.

With the RV batteries not being charged (meaning not being under a changing state) for at least one hour, take their voltage. Then connect the tow vehicle and turn on the engine. Recheck the battery voltage. You should find a noticeable uptick in voltage if the TV is charging the RV. If it’s a level like 12.9 or 13.0 that is not much charging pressure. If you get more like 13.9 or 14.1 then you are getting very good charging while driving.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by MNtraveler

With the RV batteries not being charged (meaning not being under a changing state) for at least one hour, take their voltage. Then connect the tow vehicle and turn on the engine. Recheck the battery voltage. You should find a noticeable uptick in voltage if the TV is charging the RV. If it’s a level like 12.9 or 13.0 that is not much charging pressure. If you get more like 13.9 or 14.1 then you are getting very good charging while driving.

Except-- most tow vehicle wiring to the connector is small and when a battery is low, charge current draws voltage down.

Also, newer TV's have current sensors on starter battery negative cable. When starting battery is charged alternator voltage is reduced. If your TV is newer, like less than 5 years or so, good luck charging tt batteries from TV without adding some equipment like a DC-DC Charger offered by Redarc, Sterling, and/or Renogy. To charge a discharged lead acid battery at bulk rate to 90% or so you need 14.4 -14.6 volts AT THE BATTERY.

[MNtraveler]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Except-- most tow vehicle wiring to the connector is small and when a battery is low, charge current draws voltage down.

Also, newer TV's have current sensors on starter battery negative cable. When starting battery is charged alternator voltage is reduced. If your TV is newer, like less than 5 years or so, good luck charging tt batteries from TV without adding some equipment like a DC-DC Charger offered by Redarc, Sterling, and/or Renogy. To charge a discharged lead acid battery at bulk rate to 90% or so you need 14.4 -14.6 volts AT THE BATTERY.

I was going by comparative ranges. 14.4 would be much better than 13.9. By the same token, 13.9 is much better than 12.9. It’s a difference between some charging and not really. Something in the 13 range over 6-8 hours of towing would be helpful. Of course, 14.4 would be prime charging voltage. At the RV batteries is where I recommended testing, agreed.

[Princess Kelea]

Originally Posted by Beachbourbon

Since there is a constant draw from small items, like the fridge on propane, radio clock, etc...we find the need to use the generator in5he morning to charge the battery back up. Plus, we have a large slide out and big unit to level and unhitch, so a generator saves the battery from heavy duty applications. We also discovered the need for air conditioners on the east coast in the summer, so a generator was required. Doesn’t help we cannot run it after 10 for the AC in a campground though!

Many people use solar as well, but I don’t have experience with that. I would suggest borrowing and trying a small generator as well as investigating solar.

Your answer intrigued me: just to clarify in my mind - what are the on and off times for a generator whilst out camping, whether in a campground, in a forest (where others are also camping), etc. Thanks for the replies.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Princess Kelea

Your answer intrigued me: just to clarify in my mind - what are the on and off times for a generator whilst out camping, whether in a campground, in a forest (where others are also camping), etc. Thanks for the replies.

Depends on where you are. Different places have rules for quiet hours - often it's 9 or 10pm to 7 or 8am. But some places have a 2-3 hour window in the morning and 2-3 hour window in the afternoon.

If you're off in the wilderness, general courtesy is to run it as little as possible and to still abide by overnight quiet hours.

At race tracks, Walmarts, and Lambert's Cafe, anything goes and 24/7 is acceptable.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Princess Kelea

Your answer intrigued me: just to clarify in my mind - what are the on and off times for a generator whilst out camping, whether in a campground, in a forest (where others are also camping), etc. Thanks for the replies.

Generator hours vary widely, between campgrounds. There is no standard. You have to check each campground for their particular hours.
I don't know ANY public campground that allows it overnight.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Generator hours vary widely, between campgrounds. There is no standard. You have to check each campground for their particular hours.
I don't know ANY public campground that allows it overnight.

If "truly boondocking" one is usually in an area where the nearest camper is far away and if it's hot enough to need A/C even the closest camper will have their generator running.

Forest Service or DNR land where dispersed camping is allowed and you aren't in an improved campground is what I consider real "boondocking". [emoji41][emoji41]

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

If "truly boondocking" one is usually in an area where the nearest camper is far away and if it's hot enough to need A/C even the closest camper will have their generator running.

Forest Service or DNR land where dispersed camping is allowed and you aren't in an improved campground is what I consider real "boondocking". [emoji41][emoji41]

Agree. Dry Camping is camping in a developed campground with no hookups. Boondocking is camping in undeveloped land or areas, as you said, like USFS land or the desert.

[Princess Kelea]

Yes. I mean truly boondocking. Our TT came with solar which is great to run most everything, propane for appliances, but my hubby likes to watch his movies and that requires the generator to run the plugs (unless I'm missing something) including the TV and DVD player. I always make sure it's shut off by 10 but one night I got a knock on the door at 8:30 asking me to shut it off even though once I did I heard someone else's running still. We were on forest land. And it was kind of crowded in that area we could see lots of other campsites. So I became extremely self-conscious since we are new to this. I asked the other campsite the next day if he was asked to shut his off and the answer was no. I didn't want to feel like it was because I'm a female but it felt that way. So thank you for your answers. ��

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Princess Kelea

Yes. I mean truly boondocking. Our TT came with solar which is great to run most everything, propane for appliances, but my hubby likes to watch his movies and that requires the generator to run the plugs (unless I'm missing something) including the TV and DVD player. I always make sure it's shut off by 10 but one night I got a knock on the door at 8:30 asking me to shut it off even though once I did I heard someone else's running still. We were on forest land. And it was kind of crowded in that area we could see lots of other campsites. So I became extremely self-conscious since we are new to this. I asked the other campsite the next day if he was asked to shut his off and the answer was no. I didn't want to feel like it was because I'm a female but it felt that way. So thank you for your answers. ��

When we dry camp, we use an inverter to watch tv and the DVD. Don't need the generator to do this, only to recharge the batteries the next day.
That way we aren't bound by generator hours.

[Princess Kelea]

Originally Posted by bikendan

When we dry camp, we use an inverter to watch tv and the DVD. Don't need the generator to do this, only to recharge the batteries the next day.
That way we aren't bound by generator hours.

I know this is going to sound stupid but this is all new to me. I don't think we have an inverter and I don't do volts and electric etc. How would I know if we have one and if we don't are they expensive to have installed?