Adding extra batteries
I've started looking into adding two extra batteries to my Winnebago Via 25P. This is to give myself enough battery power to make the furnace heater fan last through a night My main concern with th...
Forum Discussion
I agree that 45 amps will charge your battery pack fairly quickly.
I question why you want such small capacity group 24 batteries? They only hold a 'Rated' 85 amps, but in reality will not last as long as a group 31 or group 27 battery. We had a manlift at my work with a group 31 battery, and I upgraded that to a group 5 Trojan battery that was rated at 185 AH at 12 volts. IT was a lot taller, 85 pounds, and a true deep cycle battery.
I guess if you have a height limit, then group 24 is all that will fit, go for it. But you will get just as much capacity with 3 of the group 31 or group 27.
I have a set of 4 golf cart batteries with a total of 440 amp hours at 12 volts, and have a 70 amp charger built into my inverter. It is hooked up with #000 wire (about the size of my thumb) and will charge at 55 amps when the battery bank is about 30% discharged for only a few minutes. After reaching 14.4 volts, the charger slows down a lot, and would only be at 45 amps within 30 minutes - according to my E-Meter. After 1 hour, charge rate will go below 35 amps, that is just how batteries charge. The first hour is really fast, while the second hour is much slower.
Most of the time I let my 415 rated watt solar system charge it. I can put back 120 amp hours per day, but if I used the furnace and watched a lot of TV the night before, I can have the E-Meter reading that there is -130 AH taken from the battery bank, and I might run the generator for 1/2 hour or so in the morning to put back a lot of power quickly, and make it easy for the solar to finish charging it.
Installing a couple of 140 watt solar panels will also help a LOT. Lighter than an expanded battery bank, it will produce all the power that is consumed during the day. Your RV will consume 35 AH daily just to run the CO meter, propane leak detector and refrigerator. This will make a factory pair of batteries go dead in about 3 days.
One of my 120 watt panels will produce about 35 AH daily.
SunElec.com has 140 watt 12 volt nominal panels for $229 a few weeks ago. With aluminum frames. All you will need is a PWM controller, some grey UV rated direct burial wire from Home Depot, and time to install it on your roof.
Good luck,
Fred.
I question why you want such small capacity group 24 batteries? They only hold a 'Rated' 85 amps, but in reality will not last as long as a group 31 or group 27 battery. We had a manlift at my work with a group 31 battery, and I upgraded that to a group 5 Trojan battery that was rated at 185 AH at 12 volts. IT was a lot taller, 85 pounds, and a true deep cycle battery.
I guess if you have a height limit, then group 24 is all that will fit, go for it. But you will get just as much capacity with 3 of the group 31 or group 27.
I have a set of 4 golf cart batteries with a total of 440 amp hours at 12 volts, and have a 70 amp charger built into my inverter. It is hooked up with #000 wire (about the size of my thumb) and will charge at 55 amps when the battery bank is about 30% discharged for only a few minutes. After reaching 14.4 volts, the charger slows down a lot, and would only be at 45 amps within 30 minutes - according to my E-Meter. After 1 hour, charge rate will go below 35 amps, that is just how batteries charge. The first hour is really fast, while the second hour is much slower.
Most of the time I let my 415 rated watt solar system charge it. I can put back 120 amp hours per day, but if I used the furnace and watched a lot of TV the night before, I can have the E-Meter reading that there is -130 AH taken from the battery bank, and I might run the generator for 1/2 hour or so in the morning to put back a lot of power quickly, and make it easy for the solar to finish charging it.
Installing a couple of 140 watt solar panels will also help a LOT. Lighter than an expanded battery bank, it will produce all the power that is consumed during the day. Your RV will consume 35 AH daily just to run the CO meter, propane leak detector and refrigerator. This will make a factory pair of batteries go dead in about 3 days.
One of my 120 watt panels will produce about 35 AH daily.
SunElec.com has 140 watt 12 volt nominal panels for $229 a few weeks ago. With aluminum frames. All you will need is a PWM controller, some grey UV rated direct burial wire from Home Depot, and time to install it on your roof.
Good luck,
Fred.
