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bghouse's avatar
bghouse
Explorer
Jun 04, 2017

Need some help finalizing equipment

I need a little assistance understanding exactly what I need to concentrate on for my rig's equipment - and I'm sending myself in circles reading other threads :-)

Context: I plan to full time and will be solo. I anticipate staying in campgrounds a lot in the beginning, and working up to some boondocking. I also anticipate needing to do the Walmart or Casino parking from time to time. I still work, and I'm a computer programmer / web developer. I need to be able to run the laptop, especially in the evenings. And I don't want to be "that guy" with the annoying generator or anything..

The biggest thing I'm trying to wrap my head around is whether I need an inverter or not, and whether I need a 2nd battery or not.

I'm currently looking at both the Cruise America Majestic 23A and the comparable models at El Monte RV. The CA models are around $10k less for the equivalent year model, and that's a serious amount of cash that can be put toward upgrades, gear I need, etc.

But I need to determine if I can keep the CA on the short list - and that comes down to whether I can have what I need to keep the lights on and the laptop running....

I don't have endless funds to cycle through rigs - so I really need to get as close as I can up front that will give me what I need. I know there are options for portable solar if I can't put anything up there in the future, but I don't understand the inverter enough to know whether the CA can support it in the future.

The single battery also confuses me - and I can't figure out if I can / should have a second one. If I can't, will that be a problem in the future?

I'm also struggling to know whether I can reasonably put other options on a CA unit - such as adding a backup camera, or maybe a leveling system, or a tire pressure monitoring system.

I'd really appreciate feedback from any owners of the Cruise America Majestic 23A or 28A so that I can figure out if they can be on my list, or if I have to just focus on El Monte RV's units and expect to have to spend more.

Thanks in advance!
  • bgum's avatar
    bgum
    Explorer
    Jun 04, 2017
    First off one battery won't be enough with or without a generator and or inverter. Leveling systems are expensive and a couple boards will suffice. Tpms will tell you that you're tire blew out about 39 seconds after it happens. Most bang get several good batteries and either solar or a Honda 2000 to keep them charged. You want need any of that until you start boondocking. Best of luck.
  • JimK-NY's avatar
    JimK-NY
    Explorer II
    Jun 04, 2017
    You are not going to work your way to boondocking without a source of power. If you are going to go full time I recommend starting out right. You definitely do not want to deal with a dinky portable solar system. You should start with a couple of 100 watt panels mounted on the roof. The system will pay for itself very quickly since you will not need to pay high priced campground fees for hook ups.

    I would get a second battery. Unfortunately that probably means you will need to replace the existing battery. Your batteries should be matched. Don't try to cut corners on the batteries. Get quality deep cycle batteries with a total capacity of 200 AH or greater.

    I assume you will have an AC unit. If not, that is another expense to consider. An RV can get pretty hot sitting in the sun all day. It really helps to be able to run AC for an hour or two in the evening. Of course that also means you need to get a generator big enough to run the unit. I get by with a Honda 2000 but many AC units require a 3000 level generator.

    The good news is that you do not need an inverter. In fact with a battery or two you really don't have the power to waste trying to run a microwave, coffee pot or any other power hog appliance. If you don't have them, you will need to get 12 volt chargers for your computer, cellphone, etc. I was not able to find 12 volt chargers for my camera batteries. I bought a small Duracell 175 watt inverter. I think it was about $30. It handles charging batteries such as my camera batteries or maybe something like an electric toothbrush.
  • bghouse's avatar
    bghouse
    Explorer
    Jun 04, 2017
    Thanks JimK-NY. Do you have the unit in question - the Majestic 23A or 28A from Cruise America? Specifically I'm trying to determine if I can even add an additional battery, as they come with just one? They already come with a generator.

    They also do come with the AC, although all my reading and watching videos so far seems to say if I'm hooked up to shore power at a campground I use that to power A/C - correct?

    Still confused on the inverter, sorry. yes - I really DO need coffee, and yes - I would like to run the microwave. And of course, charge my phone, laptop, etc. So yes I need an inverter? No, I don't need an inverter??
  • bghouse's avatar
    bghouse
    Explorer
    Jun 04, 2017
    Thanks bgum. Yes, I realize that many people do not have leveling and use boards or other methods. I'm still evaluating whether I want them or not - for my own personal reasons. I'm trying to understand if they CAN be added specifically to the Cruise America Majestic 23A.

    For the TPMS - my research over the last year seems to lead toward most tire blowouts starting with a slow leak / tire pressure drop. it would seem prudent therefore to have these from a safety perspective. As I am not naturally mechanically inclines, I tend to prioritize pre-emptive safety and maintenance measure for my own peace of mind. So I still want to make sure I can add these, if I choose to, on the Majestic.

    Unfortunately with this being custom built for Cruise America I keep running into issues finding all these specific answers online anywhere...
  • jplante4's avatar
    jplante4
    Explorer II
    Jun 04, 2017
    If you get 2 - 6v golf cart batteries wired in series you can get 225 amp hours of 12v power, running them down to 50 percent will get you 125 ah before you need to charge. You can estimate the usage of your electronics and see if that will be enough. If you decide to get an inverter, get at least a 2000 watt one so you can up the batteries later.

    Even with double that battery storage, I don't use the inverter or the coffee maker on battery. I have a Melita for coffee, and if I need the m'wave, the generator comes on.
  • JimK-NY's avatar
    JimK-NY
    Explorer II
    Jun 04, 2017
    Sorry, I don't know anything about those units. My wife and I full timed in a smallish truck camper.
  • theoldwizard1's avatar
    theoldwizard1
    Explorer II
    Jun 05, 2017
    Batteries, inverter, generator. You are going to need them all !

    At a MINIMUM you will need 2 golf cart batteries. 4 would be better, or you can go with a couple of solar/renewable energy batteries like Trojan J200-RE or L16RE-B. Key to long battery life is a good multi-stage charger, either stand alone or built in to your converter.

    You can probably go with a smaller pure sine wave inverter, say 1,000-1,500 watt peak.

    The Honda EU2000i is the "gold standard", but it may or may not be enough to run your A/C. A Champion 3400 is bigger, heavier, but it costs less and will run pretty much any A/C.

    Long term, you can think about solar power.
  • JimK-NY's avatar
    JimK-NY
    Explorer II
    Jun 05, 2017
    theoldwizard1 wrote:
    Batteries, inverter, generator. You are going to need them all !

    .....

    Why?? I traveled full time for 2 years without an inverter, except for a mini unit only suitable for charging small batteries.

    I rarely use my generator except to run my AC. I usually moved to a different location when the temperatures got too high. Rather than just spout your opinions it can be helpful if you also provide some explanations.

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