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07-27-2007, 03:15 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 110
SUN #83
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Two Batteries
For those times when DW and I want to camp for 4 or 5 days in our T2753, where an electric hookup is not an option, I'd like to be to have enough power available to us for more tham 2 or 3 days. Generators are very expensive, especially the ones that are quiet. I've heard that utilizing two batteries (mounted on the tongue) is a viable option. I'm interested in your thoughts.
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John & Jeanne
2007 Sunline T-2753
2010 Dodge RAM 1500 SLT Crew Cab 4X4
5.7-Liter V8 Hemi
5-speed auto
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07-27-2007, 04:10 PM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 1,920
SUN #98
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Here's some information on Multiple RV Batteries that may answer a lot of your questions.
Important key is to have both batteries the same age, brand, size, etc. and connect them in parallel.
There are a lot of members here that boondock that can provide very good advice from a practical perspective.
Hope this helps.
Hutch
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Mary & Tom (aka Hutch)
2015 Jayco Eagle Premier 361REQS
2014 GMC Sierra 3500HD 4x4 CC D/A
Sunlines: 2005 Solaris T-280SR; 1999 Solaris T-2670; 1998 Saturn T-24A
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07-30-2007, 06:30 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 854
SUN #115
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The way I figure it is, each battery will give us one day of using lights, and a few non-power drianing items.....If you plan on using the Heat, or Water Heater, forget about all of this.
But if you just plan on using the lights and the water pump, fans and water pump, you should be albe to go a full day on each battery without having to recharge them. Even one solar panel might give you some more time without having to plug in.
Withour Four 6-Volt batteries, if we have no sun to recharge them, we average about 4-5 days before they show a low battery light. THe big difference between Deep Cell Batteries and a standard battery, is True Deep Cell batteries can with stand multiple drainings and rechargings before they need to be replaced. If you plann on doing a lot of Boondocking, spend the extra money on a high quality battery.
Good Luck
Pat
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07-30-2007, 08:14 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,025
SUN #292
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My Boon docking solution
We're taking a trip to Labrador next spring expecting to Boondock a lot. We purchased a small generator from NorthernTool.com, weighs about the same as a deep cycle battery, 40 pounds and is about a cubic foot in size and produces 1000 watts. It cost $149. The following link can get you to the site.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...ategory%20Page
Its certainly noiser than a solar panel. We have found over six years that we hardly ever use a generator more than an hour a day, do not find them bothersome and if you choose to enclose it they're almost unnoticable.
The site has a lot of positive reviews. We haven't had ours long enough for me to provide a review.
Norm Milliard
2004 Honda CRV
1982 Sunline 15.5 SB
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07-30-2007, 08:39 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,025
SUN #292
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A deal
I just went to the Northern Tool site I posted in the previous email and see the generators on sale for $119.
Norm Milliard
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07-30-2007, 09:37 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
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We mostly dry camp and I have two deep cycle batteries which fit end to end on the hitch. Now, using one light at a time at night, a 12v power fan a few minutes at a time, watch a movie at night on a 12v DVD player and a Satellite radio tuner much of the time along with the units radio, I've gone 4 days and three nights and just turned into the second indicator on battery level. I think 5 days and 4 nights are safe to say on two batteries. Once, as a test at home just so I'd know, I backed the car up, plugged it in and in 90 minutes the batteries were charged. A little extreme maybe but much cheaper than a $900 generator. I've read that two six volt batteries in series have even more power. If you travel daily you'll recharge the batteries also.
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Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
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07-30-2007, 12:56 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 854
SUN #115
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Yeah, I could see if you really skimped on the power consumption how you could last for awhile. CIndy and I tend to forget about the fact taht we're running off of batteries most of the time.
SHe tends to leave lights on and we almost always have a radio or one if not two of the Exhaust fans running. With the heat of the summer, it's just too dang hot not to keep them going. Once it cools of a little, I can see how the batteries would go for much longer.
$119 for a 1000watt generator is cheap. If you only ran it for an hour a day to charge the batteries, it'd be well worth it no matter how loud it is.
Pat
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07-30-2007, 01:21 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,025
SUN #292
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Generator Reviews
I bought the generator based upon its size and the purchaser's reviews. There are 26 reviews on the site and 23 give high praise. It is a 2 cycle engine but I have ran mine and did not find it particularly loud.
Norm Milliard
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07-31-2007, 06:44 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 945
SUN #258
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Being conservative on the lights and fan do make a big difference on the batteries. $900 is too much for a generator to just charge the batteries. 1000 watt is too small for most anthing but lights but $119 is a whole different story. They do have good reviews.
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Paul & Sheri - Upstate New York - SUN-0258
Amateur Radio KD2KCY - VHF 146.520 MHz
2012 F150 F/X 4, 6cyl EcoBoost, Max Tow pkg
2013 Rockwood 8280WS 5th wheel
2006 Sunline Solaris T-1950
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07-31-2007, 07:33 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,025
SUN #292
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Generators
If you're not powering an air conditioner, 1000 watts can be adequate for boon docking. Certainly it can charge one's batteries, run a coffee pot, power ones LCD TV (about 100 watts), easily run the refrigerator in the electric mode (mine's 135 watts.
When we're home we have our Bounder plugged into a 15 amp outlet and manage to run the entire rig, hot water on and occasionally the air conditioner without tripping the breaker.
Generally 1000 watts continuous/ 1200 watts surge is more than enough to support boon docking except for air conditioning and the large micro waves. It definitely means you can't run everything at once but people rarely do. It does mean you can extend your battery boon docking until your gas supply runs out.
Interestingly our home uses about 30 KWHrs of electricity a day, or an average of about 1200 watts an hour and that includes an electric dryer. It turns out that the amount we use on average is quite low.
In my case with a 15.5 SB without air conditioner or microwave it should be more than adequate. I'll document our experience after we finish our two month Labrador trip. Here's hoping our experience is as good as the reviewers of the product.
Norm Milliard
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