Question about Generators and boon docking
The more I thought about this the more I thought I should ask. Just returned from our first boon docking trip on a generator. I know the led lights, bathroom fan, radio, etc. are all 12V and draw ...
Forum Discussion
Do they draw from the battery or inverter?
Yes.
Well they do. If you have a inverter/charger, it will draw from that if it has power going into the inverter/charger and it putting power into the battery. If not it will draw from the battery.
So your charger (and most RV's come with only a converter/charger) will put out say 40 amps while the generator is running. The battery will be accepting 35 amps, and the converter/charger will be supplying the loads at that time.
The RV will be consuming 35 amp hours a day to run the propane and CO detectors, and refrigerator.
The lights, water pump, and other small loads are not significant ones. The Furnace can be a significant load - it can draw 7.5 amps per hour.
Your battery is about 100 amp hours capacity. So you might get 4 days on a pair of batteries without recharging - if you barely use any lights (or use LEDs) and no furnace.
Recharging sure helps. I prefer to use the sun. I have a 415 rated watt solar system. It cost about $3,000 back in the 90's but can be replaced for about $800 today.
SunElec.com They sell a 140 watt panel for $229 last time I checked.
I would recommend a pair of 140 watt panels and a PWM controller rated at 20 amps.
Have fun camping!
Fred.
Yes.
Well they do. If you have a inverter/charger, it will draw from that if it has power going into the inverter/charger and it putting power into the battery. If not it will draw from the battery.
So your charger (and most RV's come with only a converter/charger) will put out say 40 amps while the generator is running. The battery will be accepting 35 amps, and the converter/charger will be supplying the loads at that time.
The RV will be consuming 35 amp hours a day to run the propane and CO detectors, and refrigerator.
The lights, water pump, and other small loads are not significant ones. The Furnace can be a significant load - it can draw 7.5 amps per hour.
Your battery is about 100 amp hours capacity. So you might get 4 days on a pair of batteries without recharging - if you barely use any lights (or use LEDs) and no furnace.
Recharging sure helps. I prefer to use the sun. I have a 415 rated watt solar system. It cost about $3,000 back in the 90's but can be replaced for about $800 today.
SunElec.com They sell a 140 watt panel for $229 last time I checked.
I would recommend a pair of 140 watt panels and a PWM controller rated at 20 amps.
Have fun camping!
Fred.
