Problem with battery. Experience guy needed
Hi, (problem solved go the last thread) As you know i am new to RV My toy hauler came with a cumins 5500w generator. On our past two dry camping adventure we experienced dead battery. We on...
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I suspect your battery(s) weren't fully charged to begin with. You can't rely on the bar gauge on your panel for an accurate measure. Also, many stock converter/chargers do not charge at the manufacturer recommended level (between 14.2 and 14.6 volts). So running your generator for 2 to 4 hours with these stock chargers (which charge at 13.7 volts) won't come close to fully charging your batteries. If this is the case, there are upgraded converter/chargers that provide multi-stage charging capability. I upgraded mine for around $130.
The decision to invest in solar really depends on how you plan to use your RV (i.e. Stay in campgrounds, boondock, ?). Nevertheless, the rule of thumb for solar I like to follow is to roughly match the solar output (in watts) to the amp hour capacity of your battery bank. So if you have 220 amp hours of battery capacity, then 200-250 watts of solar is a good match. Of course there are several components in a solar charging system that can make or break your efficiency, but that's a good place to start in my opinion. Many folks start out with a 100W portable system that can be hooked in when needed.
The decision to invest in solar really depends on how you plan to use your RV (i.e. Stay in campgrounds, boondock, ?). Nevertheless, the rule of thumb for solar I like to follow is to roughly match the solar output (in watts) to the amp hour capacity of your battery bank. So if you have 220 amp hours of battery capacity, then 200-250 watts of solar is a good match. Of course there are several components in a solar charging system that can make or break your efficiency, but that's a good place to start in my opinion. Many folks start out with a 100W portable system that can be hooked in when needed.
