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Old 08-26-2017, 08:04 PM   #40
Forest Grump
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: ACE 27.1
State: California
Posts: 258
THOR #3186
Finally I've seen one post that mentioned Ah, amp hours at a 20 hour rating. This is the capacity of a deep cycle battery whether 6 or 12v for a 20 hour period. If your battery has reserve capacity instead of Ah then it is not a true deep cycle. If it has CCA it is not a deep cycle battery.

Do an energy audit to see how many amps you will use in a day. If you have a residential fridge this is mandatory. Add in everything else such as the furnace, microwave, lights, hair dryers, tv etc. the total is the minimum amperage you will need to regenerate somehow each and every day. My inverter is 3,000 W, I added a second transfer switch and a sub panel. I used the bus's bar technique for fusing.

I use 40 - 50 amps per day so my batteries are 360 Ah via 2 Trojan 6v. The coach converter is entry level 55 amps and is powered either by shore power or by a generator. Modern chargers need solar controllers offer three stage charging designed to keep your battery within manufacturer specs. About half the Ah of a lead acid battery are usable. So my 360 is now 180.

I have 480w of solar with a high quality solar controller and 6 gauge wiring, about 29 amps. We seldom camp where there are hookups for an extended stay. We like the USFS campgrounds. My fridge is a Dometice, gas/electric and at the #3 of 5 setting is keeps the fridge in the mid 30's even when warm out, 105 to 110.

I don't know how many amps a residential fridge uses but let's say it's around 80. You probably have a load of 120 to 160 amps per day which you will need to regenerate. I'm thinking somewhere around 600 - 800 Ah. Solar is roughly calculated by having your wattage be equal or above you Ah of batteries. So you are looking at 800 to 1000 watts of solar.

Unfortunately the batteries that come with the coach are the combos, if 12v usually around 60Ah at the 20 hour rating. But this is not a true deep cycle which means it really doesn't like to be deeply discharged and not working to well for Boondocking. True deep cycle batteries can be 50% discharged and then fully recharge above 95% with the right charger. So that's one of the reasons you are unhappy.

As for lead acid vs. glass mat, gel, lithium or iron phosphate do your homework. AGM'S have issues to. The key is that whatever you get get a quality deep cycle that is large enough to meet your needs in Ah's and that you have sufficient amperage in your charger to recharge them in a reasonable period of time, do the math.
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