2 or 4 6V batteries.
Getting ready to get new batteries for my 5th wheel. We do mostly dry camping but mix in CG's with elec/water off and on thru the season. Most of our dry camping is in the 3-6 night range, with most j...
Forum Discussion
Hi Coach-man,
Doubling the size of the battery bank more than doubles the time needed between charges because of the Peukert effect.
No one, who can avoid it, charges to 100% on a generator, and acceptance rates drop to 12.5 amps per 100 amp hours at about 85% state of charge. So, with an appropriate converter, generator run times for useful power may actually be lower than with a smaller bank.
Here is a scenario:
200 amp-hour bank at 50% may take 2 hours to get to 85% or 170 amp-hours (70 amp hours usable). Assuming parasitic loads are about 1.46 amps the next recharge is in 56 hours or a little over 2 days.
400 amp-hour bank at 50% may take 4 hours (probably less, if the converter is large) to get to 85% or 340 amp-hours (140 amp hours usable). Same parasitic load recharge happens in 129 hours, or a little over 5 days.
Doubling the size of the battery bank more than doubles the time needed between charges because of the Peukert effect.
No one, who can avoid it, charges to 100% on a generator, and acceptance rates drop to 12.5 amps per 100 amp hours at about 85% state of charge. So, with an appropriate converter, generator run times for useful power may actually be lower than with a smaller bank.
Here is a scenario:
200 amp-hour bank at 50% may take 2 hours to get to 85% or 170 amp-hours (70 amp hours usable). Assuming parasitic loads are about 1.46 amps the next recharge is in 56 hours or a little over 2 days.
400 amp-hour bank at 50% may take 4 hours (probably less, if the converter is large) to get to 85% or 340 amp-hours (140 amp hours usable). Same parasitic load recharge happens in 129 hours, or a little over 5 days.
Coach-man wrote:
By simply adding 2 additional batteries, I do not think you will double the time between charges, and as pointed out re charge time would go up.
