holstein13 wrote:Mr.Mark wrote:the 16 house batteries are AGM's. The two 1,200 cranking amp chassis batteries are sealed but I'm not sure if they are gel or not. How many house and chassis batteries did you get?
Holstein13, wow, I didn't realize that you had 16 batteries...... are they wet-cell or AGM's?
I know that we can also run the A/C on battery power but I just hate to put that much stress on a battery. Going down the road with the engine running and alternators 'alternating'.... I've run two airs to keep the house comfortable.
MM.
BTW, do you mean that you don't want to stress the batteries while boondocked or while traveling with the alternators "alternating?"
If it's boondocking, I can see that and worry about the same thing, but if it's while driving, I'd think it puts very little stress on the battery considering that most if not all the power would come from your alternator.
Mr.Mark wrote:the 16 house batteries are AGM's. The two 1,200 cranking amp chassis batteries are sealed but I'm not sure if they are gel or not. How many house and chassis batteries did you get?
Holstein13, wow, I didn't realize that you had 16 batteries...... are they wet-cell or AGM's?
I know that we can also run the A/C on battery power but I just hate to put that much stress on a battery. Going down the road with the engine running and alternators 'alternating'.... I've run two airs to keep the house comfortable.
MM.
nemo45 wrote:The 16 batteries are only for the coach. It's part of the "all electric" option on the high end Newmars. I'm told that most folks who buy the King Aire get the "all electric" option. I know there are two inverters (one dedicated to the A/C and refrigerator), but I can't tell if the batteries are hooked up as one bank of 16 or two banks of 8. My best guess is that they are all wired together to make one big battery bank driving both inverters. However, there are two battery chargers as well that can be independently turned on or off.holstein13 wrote:nemo45 wrote:That's an odd question, but in case you are sincere, I can tell you that I have a 210 Amp alternator (over 2,500 watts) that charges my 16 batteries while I'm under way. I have two inverters, one for the Kitchen A/C and refrigerator and one for the rest of the coach. When I'm traveling down the road with the generator off or if I'm boondocking with the generator off, I can run my Kitchen A/C off of the batteries. If the engine is turned on, the batteries will charge from the alternator. I also have solar panels to help charge the batteries, but, as you probably know, they don't produce enough power to keep the batteries charged after running the A/C for any length of time.holstein13 wrote:
You need to exercise your generator under load anyway. What better time than on a long hot drive?
I find that we often go from full hookup to full hookup; therefore, if we want to exercise our generator, we need to do it while hooked up (waste of fuel) or while driving. I'd rather run it while driving because it takes a load off of my alternator. In your case, your alternator is probably not powering the A/C, but at least you won't waste the fuel exercising the generator while you are hooked up.
Ideally, of course, you'd boondock at least once a month and exercise it there. That way you don't waste any fuel at all.
What makes you think that YOUR alternator is running your roof a/c? Only the thermostat is operated on 12V on the roof a/c. What load is the 110V generator going to take off your 12V alternator? Plus running your generator every time you travel is a waste of fuel if you do it more than once a month for an hour. We are full timers and stay in one spot sometimes for as much as 5 mos. so we have to exercise our generator monthly.
The ability to run the A/C off of batteries is a great feature of this coach. It means that while I'm boondocking, I can go to sleep with the generator off and the A/C will continue to run. With the autostart on the generator, I need not worry about draining the batteries either because the generator will kick on to recharge them at a certain voltage.
And finally, no, I don't run the generator every time I travel. In fact, I rarely run it while I travel. I only run it if I need to exercise the generator anyway.
Well, I was sincere. I have never heard of a setup like that. We have one 2500 watt inverter and eight batteries and neither a/c is on the inverter circuit. I have 4-6V batteries for the inverter, 2-12V starting batteries and 2-12V deep cell batteries for the coach 12V charged by a converter. Most of my friends who have DP's have 6 batteries, 4-6V on the inverter and 2-12V starting batteries with no converter. The coach 12V is supplied by the inverter batteries on this setup. I know I have a 210 amp alternator also but not sure if it will charge all of my batteries. I do know that when we pull into a spot after traveling the inverter batteries always show a full charge after using it while driving. Now, 16 batteries? Eight for the inverters, two for starting and two for the coach 12V. What are the other two for? Sincerely asking. Bad enough I have to buy half that many,
holstein13 wrote:nemo45 wrote:That's an odd question, but in case you are sincere, I can tell you that I have a 210 Amp alternator (over 2,500 watts) that charges my 16 batteries while I'm under way. I have two inverters, one for the Kitchen A/C and refrigerator and one for the rest of the coach. When I'm traveling down the road with the generator off or if I'm boondocking with the generator off, I can run my Kitchen A/C off of the batteries. If the engine is turned on, the batteries will charge from the alternator. I also have solar panels to help charge the batteries, but, as you probably know, they don't produce enough power to keep the batteries charged after running the A/C for any length of time.holstein13 wrote:
You need to exercise your generator under load anyway. What better time than on a long hot drive?
I find that we often go from full hookup to full hookup; therefore, if we want to exercise our generator, we need to do it while hooked up (waste of fuel) or while driving. I'd rather run it while driving because it takes a load off of my alternator. In your case, your alternator is probably not powering the A/C, but at least you won't waste the fuel exercising the generator while you are hooked up.
Ideally, of course, you'd boondock at least once a month and exercise it there. That way you don't waste any fuel at all.
What makes you think that YOUR alternator is running your roof a/c? Only the thermostat is operated on 12V on the roof a/c. What load is the 110V generator going to take off your 12V alternator? Plus running your generator every time you travel is a waste of fuel if you do it more than once a month for an hour. We are full timers and stay in one spot sometimes for as much as 5 mos. so we have to exercise our generator monthly.
The ability to run the A/C off of batteries is a great feature of this coach. It means that while I'm boondocking, I can go to sleep with the generator off and the A/C will continue to run. With the autostart on the generator, I need not worry about draining the batteries either because the generator will kick on to recharge them at a certain voltage.
And finally, no, I don't run the generator every time I travel. In fact, I rarely run it while I travel. I only run it if I need to exercise the generator anyway.
nemo45 wrote:That's an odd question, but in case you are sincere, I can tell you that I have a 210 Amp alternator (over 2,500 watts) that charges my 16 batteries while I'm under way. I have two inverters, one for the Kitchen A/C and refrigerator and one for the rest of the coach. When I'm traveling down the road with the generator off or if I'm boondocking with the generator off, I can run my Kitchen A/C off of the batteries. If the engine is turned on, the batteries will charge from the alternator. I also have solar panels to help charge the batteries, but, as you probably know, they don't produce enough power to keep the batteries charged after running the A/C for any length of time.holstein13 wrote:
You need to exercise your generator under load anyway. What better time than on a long hot drive?
I find that we often go from full hookup to full hookup; therefore, if we want to exercise our generator, we need to do it while hooked up (waste of fuel) or while driving. I'd rather run it while driving because it takes a load off of my alternator. In your case, your alternator is probably not powering the A/C, but at least you won't waste the fuel exercising the generator while you are hooked up.
Ideally, of course, you'd boondock at least once a month and exercise it there. That way you don't waste any fuel at all.
What makes you think that YOUR alternator is running your roof a/c? Only the thermostat is operated on 12V on the roof a/c. What load is the 110V generator going to take off your 12V alternator? Plus running your generator every time you travel is a waste of fuel if you do it more than once a month for an hour. We are full timers and stay in one spot sometimes for as much as 5 mos. so we have to exercise our generator monthly.
holstein13 wrote:
You need to exercise your generator under load anyway. What better time than on a long hot drive?
I find that we often go from full hookup to full hookup; therefore, if we want to exercise our generator, we need to do it while hooked up (waste of fuel) or while driving. I'd rather run it while driving because it takes a load off of my alternator. In your case, your alternator is probably not powering the A/C, but at least you won't waste the fuel exercising the generator while you are hooked up.
Ideally, of course, you'd boondock at least once a month and exercise it there. That way you don't waste any fuel at all.
shelbylen wrote:wont hurt a thing but I recommend you get the dash A/C fixed it will help keep you more comfortable when the sun beats on that windshield
I am getting ready to take our first voyage in our new (new to us) Class A. I am wondering should i run the generator and the roof AC while traveling to cool the inside of the coach? What is the norm. Will it hurt anything to do this? I know the front AC by the driver is broken, so this would be the only source of AC for the unit. What is your advise?
shelbylen wrote:
Thanks for all the input. I didn't know if that was a norm or not. Our class A has about 32,000 miles but right at 100 hours on the genny. So when I was doing my math either the previous owner didn't run it much in the summer, didn't use the ac, or I am just wrong on the amount of hours I feel it should have. This is what got me thinking. Thankfully I asked because I would have been flipping out if the air shut off with a quarter tank left. LOL Thanks for all the advise
