Batteries - What do you use
Have a 32' 5th wheel - the dealier looked at me as though I was crazy when I made him add batteries when I bought it, configured for (1)12v upgraded to (4)12v in all. He did it with 4 Exide dual purp...
Forum Discussion
I'm serious about having plenty of 12V DC high amperage long time draw battery capability. In our Carrilite 5th wheel I had a battery compartment put on each side of the RV that would hold a Group 31 Deep Cycle battery with 225 minute reserve at a 23 amp draw. Then in the front storage area by the front jacks, I have a sealable plastic box with a cover that's vented and a 3/4"ID flexible plactic tube going thru the floor (bottom) and there's 3 more of the same batteries in there.
All 5 are hooked together with #2 fine strand copper welder cable. 2 more pigtales (one + and one -) from the box goes up to a marine 500 amp barrel disconnect waterproof switch that's mounted at the top of the front storage outside bulkhead next to the compartment access doors where it can hardley be seen. 2 additional #2 cables go from the barrel switch back thru the front bulkhead and under the bed and drop thru at the pin hitch and have an additional about 8' of free length. Wnen not used, just wrap them around the hitch as the barrel switch cuts power to them.
These 2 leads go to the 2 additional same size batteries in the truck's bed on the driver side ahead of the rear wheelwell. They clear the TC when we put it on and they are used for out TC also. Plenty of room for this in a GM long bed truck with a TC on. I made a cover for the batteries that has a chain passing thru it with a padlock to the backplated "U" bolt thru the wheel well so someone doesn't "borrow" our batteries when setup for the 5th wheel.
That's 2 + 3 + 2 or 7 batteries with 225 minutes reserve each or 1575 minutes total with a 23 amp draw.
In the diesel truck, I have dual 130 amp alternators with #2 cable going thru an 80 amp starter solenoid powered by the truck's ignition to isolate the circuit. Then thru the 80 amp slide switch so I can manually disconnect power if wanted and an 80 amp marine slow blow fuse under the hood and down under the truck attached to the frame in plastic protective shielding that comes up into the bed to another 80 amp marine slow blow fuse. Then goes to the 2 batteries with exposed studs to connect the 2 leads from the 5th wheel to or the TC internal battery leads. 2 Stainless steel wingnuts on 3/8" brass studs in a bolted on 1" thick di-electric plastic terminal block I made attaches everything together. Never rusts! Still room for 2 more batteries in the bed on the other side of the bed but never needed them. 7 seems to be plenty!
Why all this?
We have a 2500 watt inverter in the 5th wheel in the front compartment where the extra 3 batteries are and it's remote controlled from inside the RV. I ran 2 additional 110 AC 14-3 romex 15 amp circuits thru the RV basement with one going to additional outlets I installed in the bedroom and bathroom area. The other goes to the living room and 2 outlets in the kitchen and one has a green neon indicator on the outlet to show whether the inverter is turned on or off. The TC has a 1500 watt inverter but it's mounted inside under the fridge area on the front lower wall of the water tank enclosure.
BTW, there's also a Honda EU2000 generator mounted on the back of the 5th wheel and has a pigtale #12 AC wire coming out of the 5th wheel basement with a male plug on it. It's controlled by the generator sending current to a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) 25 amp relay so you can't get a shock from a live circuit when unplugged. The microwave also has a duplex outlet in the upper cupboard that has one outlet powered by shore power and the other by the inverter. Same in the TC for the microwave as you simply move the plug in the cupboard from one outlet to the other depending on where the AC is coming from. Also, the TC has a built in 3400 watt propane generator.
3 different AC power options for each RV. Shore power, silent inverter power with lots of amps, or if desired or boondocking and want to run the 13500 A/C or you name it, start the generator. Also have propane for energy in the RV of course. We are truely "Self Contained" anywhere, anytime, and for many days if desired and live just like we were home! Yup, we're 2 pampered old farts but that's the way we like it!
Originally wrote this in the wee hours (2:30am) so I had to edit and correct several typo's. We stop for the night etc where we want to and when we want to. Don't need any hookups at all when traveling or just taking a ~8 hour break to get some shuteye. Nope, not Wally worlds as they are too noisey for our liking. Use your imagination! electric hookup is fine when in a CG or staying a week or two etc but not required. Dump stations and water are everywhere so that's no problem. Yes, we sometimes go to CG's with full hookups but sure don't require them. My mods aren't really for saving money as that's not a problem. We just enjoy being very versatile and self sufficient anywhere. It open a whole new world to explore everywhere in real comfort, unattached, and always have our Jet Pack and 3 laptops with us rather than two tin cans with a long stirng between. We are "travelnutz" in both our RV's and our boats.
All 5 are hooked together with #2 fine strand copper welder cable. 2 more pigtales (one + and one -) from the box goes up to a marine 500 amp barrel disconnect waterproof switch that's mounted at the top of the front storage outside bulkhead next to the compartment access doors where it can hardley be seen. 2 additional #2 cables go from the barrel switch back thru the front bulkhead and under the bed and drop thru at the pin hitch and have an additional about 8' of free length. Wnen not used, just wrap them around the hitch as the barrel switch cuts power to them.
These 2 leads go to the 2 additional same size batteries in the truck's bed on the driver side ahead of the rear wheelwell. They clear the TC when we put it on and they are used for out TC also. Plenty of room for this in a GM long bed truck with a TC on. I made a cover for the batteries that has a chain passing thru it with a padlock to the backplated "U" bolt thru the wheel well so someone doesn't "borrow" our batteries when setup for the 5th wheel.
That's 2 + 3 + 2 or 7 batteries with 225 minutes reserve each or 1575 minutes total with a 23 amp draw.
In the diesel truck, I have dual 130 amp alternators with #2 cable going thru an 80 amp starter solenoid powered by the truck's ignition to isolate the circuit. Then thru the 80 amp slide switch so I can manually disconnect power if wanted and an 80 amp marine slow blow fuse under the hood and down under the truck attached to the frame in plastic protective shielding that comes up into the bed to another 80 amp marine slow blow fuse. Then goes to the 2 batteries with exposed studs to connect the 2 leads from the 5th wheel to or the TC internal battery leads. 2 Stainless steel wingnuts on 3/8" brass studs in a bolted on 1" thick di-electric plastic terminal block I made attaches everything together. Never rusts! Still room for 2 more batteries in the bed on the other side of the bed but never needed them. 7 seems to be plenty!
Why all this?
We have a 2500 watt inverter in the 5th wheel in the front compartment where the extra 3 batteries are and it's remote controlled from inside the RV. I ran 2 additional 110 AC 14-3 romex 15 amp circuits thru the RV basement with one going to additional outlets I installed in the bedroom and bathroom area. The other goes to the living room and 2 outlets in the kitchen and one has a green neon indicator on the outlet to show whether the inverter is turned on or off. The TC has a 1500 watt inverter but it's mounted inside under the fridge area on the front lower wall of the water tank enclosure.
BTW, there's also a Honda EU2000 generator mounted on the back of the 5th wheel and has a pigtale #12 AC wire coming out of the 5th wheel basement with a male plug on it. It's controlled by the generator sending current to a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) 25 amp relay so you can't get a shock from a live circuit when unplugged. The microwave also has a duplex outlet in the upper cupboard that has one outlet powered by shore power and the other by the inverter. Same in the TC for the microwave as you simply move the plug in the cupboard from one outlet to the other depending on where the AC is coming from. Also, the TC has a built in 3400 watt propane generator.
3 different AC power options for each RV. Shore power, silent inverter power with lots of amps, or if desired or boondocking and want to run the 13500 A/C or you name it, start the generator. Also have propane for energy in the RV of course. We are truely "Self Contained" anywhere, anytime, and for many days if desired and live just like we were home! Yup, we're 2 pampered old farts but that's the way we like it!
Originally wrote this in the wee hours (2:30am) so I had to edit and correct several typo's. We stop for the night etc where we want to and when we want to. Don't need any hookups at all when traveling or just taking a ~8 hour break to get some shuteye. Nope, not Wally worlds as they are too noisey for our liking. Use your imagination! electric hookup is fine when in a CG or staying a week or two etc but not required. Dump stations and water are everywhere so that's no problem. Yes, we sometimes go to CG's with full hookups but sure don't require them. My mods aren't really for saving money as that's not a problem. We just enjoy being very versatile and self sufficient anywhere. It open a whole new world to explore everywhere in real comfort, unattached, and always have our Jet Pack and 3 laptops with us rather than two tin cans with a long stirng between. We are "travelnutz" in both our RV's and our boats.
