Problem Solving a Battery Pack Instead of a Generator

[Sculpin]

Ok so now that I've got my A-Frame pretty much squared away and my first trip under my belt I've been thinking and tinkering. So I have this big inverter made by Ego (ya know the company that makes battery-powered lawnmowers and all that) that currently uses 4x 7.5 AH 56v batteries.

The thing is a beast but it does fit like a glove in the front storage compartment of my A213HWOR and has a display on the front telling me how long it will last on its current draw. So I just hooked it up with an adapter to the 30 amp shore power plug to see how it would do over the weekend. Everything ran great giving me days of power running the exhaust fan and charging phones or whatever, but when I ran the furnace it said it could only run in for 5 hours. Well in my camper I guess when connected to shore power it will use the Dometic Cool Cat that has a heat strip in tandem with the gas furnace and sometimes just on its own... but I'm not sure.

To be honest that's why I'm writing this.
First, how do the gas furnace and heat strip work in regard to shore power or off of 12v battery power?

Second, is there a way I can easily turn off the Dometic A/C unit when connected to shore power so I can run just the gas furnace and its fan off of my Ego battery inverter?

Let me know if you have any questions and thanks in advance!

[OYO]

In the older models I'm pretty sure it's one or the other (Heat*/Furnace) controlled via the thermostat.

Therefore you might not get much help.

[OYO]

From manual.

[Sculpin]

Originally Posted by OYO

In the older models I'm pretty sure it's one or the other (Heat*/Furnace) controlled via the thermostat.

Therefore you might not get much help.

Ya, I stumbled on the older round thermostats last night. I have the rectangular one. I wonder if I can swap it out with the older model...

[OYO]

Here's a thread on A-frame thermostats:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ed-233451.html

I swaped my OEM for one of these and love it.

This company has many variations, you might find one that works. Folks say their support is great.

Good luck!

[Sculpin]

Originally Posted by OYO

Here's a thread on A-frame thermostats:

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ed-233451.html

I swaped my OEM for one of these and love it.

This company has many variations, you might find one that works. Folks say their support is great.

Good luck!

Thanks that should work. It's a heavy price tag but I suppose this should do the job of isolating the heat pump and allow me to run just the furnace.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Sculpin

Thanks that should work. It's a heavy price tag but I suppose this should do the job of isolating the heat pump and allow me to run just the furnace.

The furnace has one motor. It's double-ended with a squirrel-cage blower on each end. That draws a fairly hefty amount of current. That five-hour forecast might be for the furnace only, not the heat strip.

If you re-run your test with the air-conditioner circuit breaker OFF, you may be able to test the furnace without the heat strip to confirm the consumption.

[Sculpin]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

The furnace has one motor. It's double-ended with a squirrel-cage blower on each end. That draws a fairly hefty amount of current. That five-hour forecast might be for the furnace only, not the heat strip.

If you re-run your test with the air-conditioner circuit breaker OFF, you may be able to test the furnace without the heat strip to confirm the consumption.

Great idea! I'll give it a shot this evening.

[Sculpin]

So I turned the a/c breaker off and when I turned the furnace on my Ego inverter showed it would run for 23 hours at that draw. I think I should be solid since it doesn’t take long for it to warm up.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Sculpin

So I turned the a/c breaker off and when I turned the furnace on my Ego inverter showed it would run for 23 hours at that draw. I think I should be solid since it doesn’t take long for it to warm up.

Glad I could help you figure this out.