Geo-Pro / E-Pro - questions for owners

[Texas78028]

Class A's can be just a bit too much sometimes so we have decided to pick up a small off-road travel trailer again. Some of the places that we like to go are off the beaten path and we also like to beach camp down on the National Seashore near Corpus. Boondocking is definitely our thing!
We are taking delivery of a new 2023 Rockwood Geo-Pro 20BHS soon and have a few questions...
How many batteries came with yours? I'm debating on installing two 6 volt batts but if the dealer will at least give me two 12 volt batts then I may just live with them for awhile.
Does the solar setup and inverter really help at all? The unit I'm getting has a 2nd 200w solar panel. I'm not sure about the inverter size yet but I think it's a 1000w unit. Does this camper have a separate converter or is that a function of the inverter unit?
I'm planning to buy a generator. Something low profile and quiet like a DuroMax XP4500iH genset. What's everyone else running? Can you run AC and microwave or do you alternate?
I have no idea what water heater is included with the Geo-Pro but I'm hoping it has an electric option. Anyone know?
This is a long shot but... anyone here running a Pintle hitch on an E-Pro / Geo-Pro ?
I plan to do the PDI and pick it up this Saturday. Will give it a good shakedown run and modify as needed. Hopefully this will be a good little off grid camper.
Thanks for any input!

[bikendan]

Moved thread from the Flagstaff sub-forum to the Rockwood sub-forum since the OP's trailer is a Rockwood product.

OP, your trailer doesn't come with a battery from the factory. It's a dealer-installed item. You should have negotiated what types of batteries you wanted, during the buying process.
Normally dealers install the cheapest 12v dual-purpose marine battery they can find, which are not great for dry camping or boondocking.

Also that generator is NOT quiet.
There are $300 open frame contractor-style non-inverter generators that have the same 65db noise rating.
To be truly considered as a "quiet" inverter generator, the decibel rating should be in the 50s.

[Texas78028]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Moved thread from the Flagstaff sub-forum to the Rockwood sub-forum since the OP's trailer is a Rockwood product.

OP, your trailer doesn't come with a battery from the factory. It's a dealer-installed item. You should have negotiated what types of batteries you wanted, during the buying process.
Normally dealers install the cheapest 12v dual-purpose marine battery they can find, which are not great for dry camping or boondocking.

Also that generator is NOT quiet.
There are $300 open frame contractor-style non-inverter generators that have the same 65db noise rating.
To be truly considered as a "quiet" inverter generator, the decibel rating should be in the 50s.

I was hoping to include E-Pro owners as well. A Rockwood Geo-Pro and a Flagstaff E-Pro are the exact same trailer built on the same assembly line. That's why I originally placed this thread in a more general area.
My battery question relates to the fact that there is a dual battery box on these trailers from the factory. I will require them to at least give me 2 batts but there's probably no way they will go for 6 volts. I will inquire though.
I didn't realize that model genset was rated at 65db. I had one before that was 58db that worked nicely. I'll keep looking.

[simiHal]

Just curious. Did you buy this off of a lot or did you order this trailer? I noticed on the Forest River site for your trailer that it has options for a 400ah LiFePo battery and 600 watts of solar.

[bikendan]

Texas, I moved it to the Rockwood sub-forum because there are way more GeoPros out there, than Epros and you own a GeoPro.
It's because there are way more Rockwood dealers nationwide, than Flagstaff dealers. Of course they are the same trailers, just different outside graphics and interior decor. You'll find more Rockwoods on the road, than Flagstaffs.
Nothing wrong with the Flagstaff brand. I do seem to find that Flagstaff prices are slightly lower than their Rockwood twin versions.

If your GeoPro has an optional solar/LiPo package, then it might come with two batteries.

[Texas78028]

Originally Posted by simiHal

Just curious. Did you buy this off of a lot or did you order this trailer? I noticed on the Forest River site for your trailer that it has options for a 400ah LiFePo battery and 600 watts of solar.

I believe that's called the "Power Package". I didn't want that because of the smaller btu air conditioner. I searched around and went with one that came with an extra solar panel. I'm supposed to pick it up this Saturday.

Originally Posted by bikendan

If your GeoPro has an optional solar/LiPo package, then it might come with two batteries.

I'm gonna have to check and see what battery box it has. I should have taken pictures. I can always weld up a double battery tray if needed but would rather not start out modding everything right away.

[Old Coyote]

Texas,
I have a similar 2021 GeoPro (see my signature line below). When we purchased it I asked the dealer for battery options, and they offered a 250AH Lithium (LiFePO4), installed in the pass-thru storage (recommended) and gave me credit for the crappy dealer installed ones (lead/acid). Ask your dealer to do the same.

You will need a minimum of 200AH of USABLE battery. A Lead/Acid battery can ONLY be used down to 50% SOC (state of charge) without damage, and require constant maintenance, so you will need to have about 400AH of L/A batteries to boondock effectively (the dealer ones are probably 80-100AH, 40-50AH Useable).
LITHIUM (LiFePO4) batteries are the BEST batteries for boon docking, as they charge very quickly (unlike lead acid), and can be discharge to ±20% SOC (state of charge) without damage, and will last a lifetime, and require NO MAINTENANCE.

We have added a PORTABLE 200w solar panel (Renogy suitcase style), and a Renogy shunt style Battery Monitor. With those additions we find we VERY RARELY need to use the GENMAX 3200i generator when boon docking.
You WILL need to use the generator if You want to use either the AC or the Microwave as those are 120V AC only. We also rarely use the 1000w Inverter (it will NOT power the AC or MW).

With our setup we can boondocks for 5-7 days without shore power, we usually run out of fresh water and/or fresh food before we run out of power.

I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND the Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch, it also provides excellent SWAY CONTROL and VERY EASY to install and hitch/unhitch.

[Texas78028]

I talked to the RV dealership and confirmed that we will indeed be getting 2 batteries.
I'm going with a pair of Trojan T-105's as I'm not a huge fan of lithiums just yet. I would rather not deal with lithium temperature limits (high and low) or expensive replacements while on the trail. They can also fail in spectacular fashion to say the least. Hahaha.
Many people tout squeezing every last available amp hour out of their lithiums but in reality, we are actually limited to only using 80% of rated capacity if we want to treat them properly for long life. Either way, I doubt that I would ever take my wet cells lower than 75% anyway as I tend to stay on top of these things. I will also be running the genset for the AC unit much of the time.
It looks like the inverter/converter are separate units. I'm not sure if we would really use the inverter much since the fridge is 12 volt. Time will tell on that one.
I'm still on the fence about installing a pintle hitch on this setup. This thing is going to get dragged down some serious trails but I also appreciate good road manners at higher speeds when traveling. I'll try it stock and see how bad it binds, if at all.
I also need to get underneath and look how the tanks are mounted. Hopefully I don't need to build them extra supports.
Another thing on our list is the bunk area. We may pull the beds out, or at least the upper bed, and turn that into a storage closet area. I don't want to add too much weight aft the axle but the extra space should be nice.
I'm sure me and my wife will love this little trailer. Looking forward to more adventures!

[Old Coyote]

Originally Posted by Texas78028

I'm not a huge fan of lithiums just yet. I would rather not deal with lithium temperature limits (high and low) or expensive replacements while on the trail. They can also fail in spectacular fashion to say the least. Hahaha.
Many people tout squeezing every last available amp hour out of their lithiums but in reality, we are actually limited to only using 80% of rated capacity if we want to treat them properly for long life.

I would suggest you do more research on LiFePO4 Lithium batteries. LIFePO4 is a different chemistry from the cell phone & laptop batteries that have the problems you are referring to.

The current LiFePO4 batteries that people use in RVs have a BMS (Battery Management System) that protects them from High and Low temperatures. If you read the specifications on these batteries you will indeed see that they can be discharged to ±20% SOC without degrading the battery in any way. These batteries are VERY Durable and you would NOT need to consider replacing them on your travels, once again look at the specs for longevity. I would suggest American made/assembled/marketed, as opposed to Chinese for good usability and service. Look up "Will Prowse" on Youtube for very informative info on LiFePO4.

My wife and I have also been up/down many very rough 4x4 roads here in the Rockies, towing the TT to boondocking sites, and have had no problems with our hitch that would be improved by using a Pintle hitch.

Good luck on your boondocking adventures

[Aussieguy]

you want to a lot of beach camping and/or out-in the desert
get as much solar panels as you can fit on the roof + one or two ground panels
IF your new camper refrigerator's is one of those 12v compressor you will need extra battery capacity.


Newer trailers converters are good for Lifepo4
Battery go Lifepo4... the bigger the better

2 x 100ah lithium has more capacity/usage than a pair of 6v Golfcart 230ah (GC2).

Prices have dropped and reliability is up
A good setup can allow you to setup camp without ever hooking up to shore power

Lots of Youtube videos on how people setup their camper for off-grid without having to be electrical engineers.


There was a video of a Lifepo4 battery catching fire...
owner simply disconnected it and removed it from the battery bank.
only damage was smelly and the battery sitting besides the one one fire got scorched..

[Texas78028]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!
I'll admit that I already have the 6 volt GC batts so I'll run them for a bit and consider the lithium upgrade later if I find that we need it.
There are 2 - 200 watt solar panels on roof now. These are factory installed so I'm not sure how good they will be.
Fridge is 12 volt and would probably the biggest battery drain when sitting off grid.
We will probably be running the genset with AC running quite often.

[Texas78028]

Picked it up Saturday. Tows really well behind what is normally my motorhomes Toad.
We love how simple this little trailer is. Can't wait to get it out and actually use it soon.

[JDR76]

Looks great! Congrats!


I had a G20BHS and absolutely loved that trailer!

[Texas78028]

Thanks!
We just got back from a 5 day camping event. Loving this little trailer so far!

[Ox Brown]

We received two Interstate group 24 batteries. We don't dry camp so the batteries and solar should be fine to keep the fridge cold while traveling.

[LAWIBE]

Hi,
The thread I found on this in the past is over a year old so not active and didn't answer my issue. My Geo Pro is now out of factory warranty and my extended warranty does not cover "fasteners". Has anyone had this fixed through a dealer? How much did it cost? Does anyone know of a You Tube video that might show how to reattach the refrigerator or have a link to show how it is installed? Thank you for your assistance.

[NJKris]

Originally Posted by Texas78028

Thanks!
We just got back from a 5 day camping event. Loving this little trailer so far!

Into our 5th year with ours, we are used to the small package, and it has everything you can need in an RV. I told the dealer (Camping World) I would be installing my own GC batts and box. They refunded me for the battery and box they would have installed, I think around 150 bucks 5 years ago.

[Texas78028]

Originally Posted by LAWIBE

Hi,
The thread I found on this in the past is over a year old so not active and didn't answer my issue. My Geo Pro is now out of factory warranty and my extended warranty does not cover "fasteners". Has anyone had this fixed through a dealer? How much did it cost? Does anyone know of a You Tube video that might show how to reattach the refrigerator or have a link to show how it is installed? Thank you for your assistance.

To be honest... I would just dive in and figure it out myself rather than have someone else do a half hearted job. It can't be that technical of a job to mount the fridge. I'll bet something just came apart or loose and simply needs reattaching. Good luck!

[Texas78028]

Originally Posted by NJKris

Into our 5th year with ours, we are used to the small package, and it has everything you can need in an RV. I told the dealer (Camping World) I would be installing my own GC batts and box. They refunded me for the battery and box they would have installed, I think around 150 bucks 5 years ago.

I didn't think to try that route.
We are still loving our GeoPro and have made multiple trips to the beach with it. I picked up a 3500 inverter generator and it easily runs the campers AC unit and accessories for days.
The 2 solar panels on the roof seem to do a good job when the gen-set if not running. Haven't had an issue yet. Safe travels!

[NJKris]

Surprisingly, my single 100w OEM panel on roof tops off batteries after an overnighter on road to 100% by time I get to next destination. Overnighters I run my CPAP all night, maybe a little TV before bed, and my fridge in propane mode, and some lights in evening. So glad I got one of the last of the propane fridges.