No hook-ups - Page 2

**bikendan** · 02-21-2011, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan747

What is the advantage of two 6V batteries? I have seen that mentioned on other threads.

read this:

The 12volt Side of Life (Part 1)

**Herk7769** · 02-22-2011, 07:32 AM

The 2000 watt generators like the Yamaha and Honda will run a 13.5K AC if it is the only thing running on AC. I can not do it in economy mode because of the compressor startup draw that exceeds the capability of the throttled down inverter to provide when it needs to. Take it out of economy and all will be fine. If you have a 15K then you will need a 2400 watt generator or larger to handle the startup load. It will also need to run in normal and not economy. My 3000 watt (Plus 500 Boost) needs to be in normal to handle the 15K AC's start up load as well. I can also use all my other 110AC items at the same time though.

psmcn · 02-24-2011, 06:53 PM

I put the battery on the RV on Sunday and by Wed it was at 50% running the fridge and parasitic stuff. So 3 days to 50% with one 80a/h AGM. I also ran the lights a little and fired up the heater for about a half hour. maybe 2 batteries will get me 5 days to 50% with real camping and not sitting in my driveway. Just my little non scientific experiment. When I hooked 120 up the batt was fully charged in 4 hrs with the minimum still running.

I think if I'm going to purchase a generator it will be either a 2000w or 3000w. I think 1000 is just not going to cut it. I have a friend selling a 3000w Yamaha quiet gen for $1300 and it only has about 100hrs on it.

Thanks for all the info. I'll keep researching and figure out what I'm going to do. I think trial and error is going to be the best learning experience. So now I need to go camping

Thanks, Paul

**Herk7769** · 02-24-2011, 08:03 PM

Paul,

Just curious; how did you determine that the battery was fully recharged in 4 hours? Or that it was 50 percent discharged for that matter.

My 150 ah bank was 81 percent charged when I hooked up to the truck. I drove 5 hours from Key West to Clewiston, FL and when I arrived it was 89 percent recharged. After 24 hours of shore power charging the capacity meter was 99 percent.

scubieman · 02-24-2011, 08:05 PM

Lou,

Maybe a 3 stage charger?

**Herk7769** · 02-24-2011, 08:14 PM

Scubie,

The reason I asked is that the idiot lights on the monitor panel are as useless for battery monitoring as they are for waste water management.

To use voltage or specific gravity, the battery must be in a static no load condition for a minimum of 12 hours for an accurate indication.

The way the computer monitors work is:

You tell them the starting condition. When you are sure they are 100percent. Usually when they have been on shore power for at least a week. Also you tell the computer the amp hour capacity of your bank.

The computer then sets the starting condition to be "100 percent"

Then all amps into and out of the batteries are counted and a running display of capacity is noted as well as current status (amps in or out).

scubieman · 02-24-2011, 08:19 PM

I agree Lou, I guess I don't know as much as you about chargers. But just throwing out a possible way it could of been 4 hours.

I agree rv 12v system is HORRIBLE.

**Herk7769** · 02-24-2011, 08:24 PM

That is why I posted to Paul. I did not know.
It is certainly possible to do a full charge with a dedicated battery charger; but I got the impression that might not have been the case.

As to knowing; believe me I too am "drinking from a fire hose" here.

Having the TM-2025 to actually test stuff written about here is a real eye opener. I learned a LOT about the limitations of the house charger right here on the forum.

psmcn · 02-24-2011, 10:22 PM

I let it run for 4 hours on the RV unit . then hooked my real charger to the battery. It read fully charged as soon as I hooked it up and has stayed there in float mode. I don't know how accurate this is but it's close enough right now.

Like I said it is purely unscientific and i'm just trying to get a feel for what the system will do.

As I stated before, " I think trial and error is going to be the best learning experience. So now I need to go camping

"

**Herk7769** · 02-25-2011, 07:38 AM

Paul, I have no doubt you fully charged it in 4 hours. However, if that is the case, I do not think you had discharged it as deeply as you thought. The "Good" "Fair" "Low" lights don't mean very much.

My idiot lights are still on "G" and the TM-2025 shows 88% remaining after watching TV last night for about an hour on the inverter after quiet hours.

Smokyroo · 02-25-2011, 07:53 AM

We can do a full week without a problem. Some others pointed out some variables like is it winter or summer camping and so forth. We have battery operated head lights, and lanterns, use those instead of the trailer lighting. I brush my teeth at the bathhouse and not in the camper and use the restroom there and not in the camper...chances are if there is no electrical service at the site, then there is no water too.

I rely on the battery to help run the refrigerator and thats about it.

You could replace the interior lighting with LED stuff that is out today and you could save critical amps there.

MtnGuy · 02-25-2011, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psmcn

I think if I'm going to purchase a generator it will be either a 2000w or 3000w. I think 1000 is just not going to cut it. I have a friend selling a 3000w Yamaha quiet gen for $1300 and it only has about 100hrs on it.

If you are just going to charge the batteries, then you won't need a big generator.......the 1000 series should do it. That is plenty to plug up and use the converter to charge the battery.....but not much else. If you plan on using the onboard 12 volt charger, then that might made a difference, as the smaller units show an 8 amp charger, and the larger units at 12 amps....but it is a lot of weight to carry around with the larger units. You could always get a small battery charger geared to the amp battery you are trying to charge, and plug that into the 110 volt generator....in that case I would think that a 1000 watt unit should be a plenty.

**Herk7769** · 02-25-2011, 09:03 AM

99% of the time my Yamaha 3000 is "too much generator" for my needs. It loafs on idle most of the time. It will ramp up some for the coffee maker and Microwave just like a Honda 2000 (which screams like a banshee running a coffeemaker).

The OTHER 1% is why I tote that heavy sucker around. When I need AC; I need AC in a big way. It will dehumidify and air condition our camper and we suddenly become everyone's best friend when dry camping.

$1300 is a steal for a 3000 with 100 hours on the Hobbs meter.

psmcn · 02-25-2011, 11:34 AM

If the idiot lights are showing more of a dischargee then there really is, that is a good thing in my book. As mentioned before and I know, the lights are pretty much a joke. What is an inexpensive way to monitor the batteries more accurately??

I'll have to look at what my charger draws. the 1000w gen's weigh in at 29lbs the 2000 @ 75lbs and the 3000 at 130lbs all approximate but close. i don't know if i really need to carry around a heavy generator but as stated, when you want it its there to run the AC. I also founds a 2400 that is rated at 17.5 amps. enough to run the AC if needed and nothing else for a while and good for general use. Hummm choices, choices choices......

**Herk7769** · 02-25-2011, 01:48 PM

I saw the TM-2025 for $152.00 but you will still need the shunt and some wire. Easy install.

Bad Boy · 05-02-2011, 04:49 AM

Has anyone ever Tried Hooking up a Inverter to the Battery and plugging a Battery Charger to the Inverter and Continuosly Charging the Battery?

kbrown1075 · 05-02-2011, 05:30 AM

An inverter is about 60% efficient so you would consume more than you could produce.

**Herk7769** · 05-02-2011, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbrown1075

An inverter is about 60% efficient so you would consume more than you could produce.

I think the Amps lost due to wires, charger, internal resistance in the battery due to the high current draw and loss of capacity, and the inverter itself, would make it much worse than 60%. Most likely you would kill your battery in minutes; if not seconds.

The higher the current draw FROM the battery, the less capacity the battery has. This graph plots the loss in battery capacity due to amps out.