Boondocking

[The Gritz Carlton]

True...we will travel with two labs and can't always take them with us on short excursions or restaurant stops. The AGS with dual A/C's will assure me they will sleep very comfortably on the forbidden sofa while we are away.

[Funhog]

Just spent our first weekend "boondocking" with the new coach. Over the last 10 years or so, most of our camping has been boondocking as we are always out 4-wheeling somewhere with our toy-hauler.

So we arrived at a camp spot Thursday night. Ran the genie for a couple hours to make sure everything was up to snuff before retiring for the evening. Batteries indicated full-charge (14.7 V) when I went to bed. About 6 hours later, batteries indicated 13.7V. And with the fridge running, I was drawing about 21A. When fridge cycled off, amps dropped to 3. So we camped all weekend, and I being the nervous nelly was constantly checking the battery state, amp draw, and what was running at the time.

So to make a long story a little longer ...
Ran the genie twice a day ... a couple hours at a time each morning, and each evening. And when the genie is running, everyone gets notice to charge their stuff (phones, tablets, PCs, etc.) Batteries only once got down to 12.3V so AGS never kicked in but a nice comfort factor knowing it was there.

And consumed no noticeable amount of fuel over the 3 1/2 days we were out. I had thought about the solar option, but it is pricey. My diesel genie is way quieter than my previous gas Onan, so I don't even feel bad when I have to run it.

[The Gritz Carlton]

As a friend of mine in Michigan says..."Well, now there you have it!". I love the QD6000. It's like a sleep machine!

[Funhog]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

As a friend of mine in Michigan says..."Well, now there you have it!". I love the QD6000. It's like a sleep machine!

Funny thing, while on the way back from San Antonio, we made an overnight stop in Dumas at the local Wally-World. Pulled in there were a couple of 18 wheelers who were just pulling out. It was hotter than Hades so sparked up the genie and the AC. Fell asleep with everything running all night long.

Yep - a sleep machine. Next morning while I was fixing my first cup of coffee, peaked out the window and we were surrounded by 18-wheelers! Never heard a thing all night.

SO besides providing power to the AC on a very hot night, it is a wonderful noise-canceling system as well

[Bob Denman]

Just don't get caught pumping your "macerator drippings" into their dumpsters...

[petefoss]

Hey Boondockers with residential fridges,

I just got my inverter replaced so I can test battery life again. General RV tested them and they test "OK". But in the past I have had terrible performance with the inverter running the fridge.

How low do you go on the battery voltage under load before you say enough is enough to still start the generator?

Pete

[The Gritz Carlton]

11.7 for me

[petefoss]

Wow that's very low expecially for a hybrid vs. a true deep cycle.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Twin 6 volts.

[petefoss]

AGM or flooded?

[sanjaun2]

Gritz said 11.7 volts. the key here is the question of how low do you go under loaded conditions. Unloaded and rested the battery voltage will increase. You will have to play with this yourselves as each battery bank is different, So are the loads you place on them.

[revjeffrey]

I am Printing Post #33 & #40 and adding them to Ed's Manual. I will use them while Educating my Family about the different systems while camping. Very Well Explained and I thank you! Also useful as a Quiz when brother in law asks if he can "borrow" the Motorhome at Christmas dinner....Never Happen.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Clearing the air...the lowest it's ever gone was 11.7. My batteries will run the fridge for 2 days before it gets this low. I was testing the system to see limits. I usually will not go more than 24 hours before turning something on...portable gen, house gen or shore power. It stays on shore power at home 24/7 with fridge on all the time. They are wet 6 volts that came with the coach. I've thought about changing them out for two 12's in a series but some battery gurus here say it wouldn't make much difference. As long as the inverter kicks out at a given voltage, the fridge will never be harmed.

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

Clearing the air...the lowest it's ever gone was 11.7. My batteries will run the fridge for 2 days before it gets this low. I was testing the system to see limits. I usually will not go more than 24 hours before turning something on...portable gen, house gen or shore power. It stays on shore power at home 24/7 with fridge on all the time. They are wet 6 volts that came with the coach. I've thought about changing them out for two 12's in a series but some battery gurus here say it wouldn't make much difference. As long as the inverter kicks out at a given voltage, the fridge will never be harmed.

Two 12's in a series would give you 24 volts--don't want that (or 0 if you hook them up backwards but that will also give you busted batteries ). You want the 12's in parallel.

Your 6's are in series.

[The Gritz Carlton]

2 12's in a serialized parallelogram. 12 volts end result...just like in my boat...use one or the other, or both.

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

2 12's in a serialized parallelogram. 12 volts end result...just like in my boat...use one or the other, or both.

"serialized parallelogram" ! LOL or a "rectangle"??

I would recommend that: A marine style disconnect switch if you're going with 2 12's:
Like this one (Amazon).

[Bob Denman]

Is that sort of like this?

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1534853463

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Is that sort of like this?

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1534853393

Yup, there is also a good diagram in the pictures on that amazon link in my previous post.

There is an added benefit to that disconnect switch: If one of your 12V's dies you just switch to the other and fix it later

[The Gritz Carlton]

That's the exact switch I have on the boat.

[cqfarm123]

I have this same issue. Nothing works with just the battery and they are fully charged. They do need to be charged enough to start the generator and once that starts everything works fine. Trying to figure out if something is wrong or if that is the way it is as the motorhome is new to me. It is a 2014 hurricane 32n.

On a related note, i see inverters like the sine inverter but don't understand how they would be installed to operate certain things in the motorhome. Does it plug in someplace by the house batteries and then certain items will just work in the motorhome, or is it that only items that you physically plug into the inverter will run?