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djconklin's avatar
djconklin
Explorer
Aug 21, 2013

battery question

I'm looking to convert a bus into an RV. I found a good portable generator that puts out 4,000 watts. I'd like to store the excess power into some marine batteries. How many do I need? What do I look for in batteries? I was thinking of using Sears Die Hard Marine batteries.

15 Replies

  • >Look at Costco for batteries

    Good idea!

    > Many of us have switched to LEDs to reduce the energy used for lighting.

    Yep, that was a good idea I gleaned some months ago.

    >The furnace and water pump both draw substantial current

    Well since I was planning moving out to a desert I don't think I'll need a furnace! Now the AC ... I just checked; that uses 810 watts, 7.3 amps.
  • Look at Costco for batteries.

    The fridge uses about 18-20 AH per day running on propane. The lights can be an energy hog if you are using incandescent lights. Many of us have switched to LEDs to reduce the energy used for lighting. The furnace and water pump both draw substantial current, in the 6-8 amp range so if they run very long they can use considerable power.
  • Thank you!

    Even as I was typing in the question I realized some of the variables that you mentioned! But, since I haven't even started I couldn't figure out how to answer them!

    The only real energy hogs I can think of would be my fridge and computer.
  • You store energy (watt-hours). You put it in and take it out as power (watts) over a period of time.

    How many batteries depends on how much energy you plan to store, or use. How many watts do you need to draw from storage, for how many hours? Different types of usage have radically different answers.

    Most small RVs store 1200 to 2400 watt-hours, e.g. 100 to 200 amp-hours at 12 volts, with the expectation of using no more than half of that during one charge-discharge cycle, which might be a day. Using more than half the batteries' capacity greatly shortens the number if cycles available.

    Larger RVs running a number of large electric appliances from stored power may store 4 to 10 KW hours, might have 400 to 1000 pounds of lead-acid batteries to do that. But then they need much larger charging systems to keep those up, or need to be charging for long periods of time.

    You need to figure out your own electricity use and storage goals.

    My need was for marine (rather than deep cycle) batteries, because I have some short-term high amperage loads, but I passed on the DieHards. Those were priced way higher than equivalent batteries from discount stores, auto stores, and even the overpriced Interstates at RV and boat dealers. If you have smaller loads over a longer period of time, you should look at golf-cart batteries.

    A consideration for me is package size. You might get the same capacity in four 60 pound batteries, two 110 pound batteries, or one 190 pound battery. Fewer bigger batteries can save you a little weight (and sometimes quite a bit of cost), but what can you lift and wrestle into the space?