BATTERY LIFESPAN survey...
Near impossible to recollect the number of discharge cycles So........ Anyone gone ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY BOONDOCKING DAYS on the same battery? Doesn't sound like much unti you figure out this m...
Forum Discussion
Hi Mex,
From March 2009 to June 2013 I had no generator. I used the RV 50 nights per year with about 50% of them with no shore power. Charging sources were solar (May 2009), alternator, and a PD 40 amp converter with wizard.
Solar did 100% of the storage charging. Blue Sky controller with a temperature sensor powered by 256 watts of Unisolar panels. Any equalization that happened was via the Blue Sky on a 30 day cycle. I do have a switch installed so I can "force" an equalization voltage.
Alternator did do lots of charging as my travel distances average 1000 miles per month, mostly at highway speeds. The fridge was operated on 120 volts while "on the road".
Shore power was used to cool the fridge before trips (6 hours), but of course the battery bank was always topped up from storage.
Power use was recklessly as at that time I had a 2500 watt MSW inverter that I used to power the "whole house" with the exception of the converter. I cooked with two hot plates. I would use 60 pounds of propane per year. Trips were up to six nights, with one longer trip per year. The RV was operated pretty much as if I had shore power 24/7.
Opportunity charging was done mostly with 15 amp shore power with the PD 40 amp. Space heating used up to 1500 watts while the charging was done.
The battery bank consists of 4 Walmart Marine batteries that were 5 years old in May of 2009, and 4 similar batteries that were new in May of 2010, one of which was used as a chassis battery. They are independently switched from all loads and charging sources. i.e. I can charge one bank while using the other. A second charging circuit from the alternator was added to allow this.
Additions and upgrades have been a Magnum 3000 watt hybrid inverter/charger(May 2014), and a Yamaha 3000 sIEB generator (June 2013). Remote start was added to the generator in March of 2014.
Until I got the Magnum inverter, I rarely used the "equalization" switch on the Blue Sky. Now I use it when the Magnum is in charging mode from the generator, as the Magnum charge voltage is enough to "fool" the Blue Sky into providing no charging.
The generator has been run less than 100 hours since it was purchased.
I'll replace the banks with AGM, when the time comes, unless cold weather LI batteries become available and affordable.
I have been full time since May 1, 2013. I do a lot of "urban docking", parking at Chain Stores, or on the streets.
In the last year I've had shore power for 4 months. About 50% of that shore power was 15 amp from private homes and Church parking lots. The RV was in storage for 2 months in 2014. The other 6 months I boondocked.
I've used 4 tanks of fuel in the generator in 2014, and used 56 pounds of propane. 50% of the generator time was to run the roof air and of course I opportunity charged the battery bank.
I can still operate the air conditioner from the battery bank for over an hour before low DC voltage shuts it down.
I'm currently in Florida and the RV is in storage in Saskatchewan.
From March 2009 to June 2013 I had no generator. I used the RV 50 nights per year with about 50% of them with no shore power. Charging sources were solar (May 2009), alternator, and a PD 40 amp converter with wizard.
Solar did 100% of the storage charging. Blue Sky controller with a temperature sensor powered by 256 watts of Unisolar panels. Any equalization that happened was via the Blue Sky on a 30 day cycle. I do have a switch installed so I can "force" an equalization voltage.
Alternator did do lots of charging as my travel distances average 1000 miles per month, mostly at highway speeds. The fridge was operated on 120 volts while "on the road".
Shore power was used to cool the fridge before trips (6 hours), but of course the battery bank was always topped up from storage.
Power use was recklessly as at that time I had a 2500 watt MSW inverter that I used to power the "whole house" with the exception of the converter. I cooked with two hot plates. I would use 60 pounds of propane per year. Trips were up to six nights, with one longer trip per year. The RV was operated pretty much as if I had shore power 24/7.
Opportunity charging was done mostly with 15 amp shore power with the PD 40 amp. Space heating used up to 1500 watts while the charging was done.
The battery bank consists of 4 Walmart Marine batteries that were 5 years old in May of 2009, and 4 similar batteries that were new in May of 2010, one of which was used as a chassis battery. They are independently switched from all loads and charging sources. i.e. I can charge one bank while using the other. A second charging circuit from the alternator was added to allow this.
Additions and upgrades have been a Magnum 3000 watt hybrid inverter/charger(May 2014), and a Yamaha 3000 sIEB generator (June 2013). Remote start was added to the generator in March of 2014.
Until I got the Magnum inverter, I rarely used the "equalization" switch on the Blue Sky. Now I use it when the Magnum is in charging mode from the generator, as the Magnum charge voltage is enough to "fool" the Blue Sky into providing no charging.
The generator has been run less than 100 hours since it was purchased.
I'll replace the banks with AGM, when the time comes, unless cold weather LI batteries become available and affordable.
I have been full time since May 1, 2013. I do a lot of "urban docking", parking at Chain Stores, or on the streets.
In the last year I've had shore power for 4 months. About 50% of that shore power was 15 amp from private homes and Church parking lots. The RV was in storage for 2 months in 2014. The other 6 months I boondocked.
I've used 4 tanks of fuel in the generator in 2014, and used 56 pounds of propane. 50% of the generator time was to run the roof air and of course I opportunity charged the battery bank.
I can still operate the air conditioner from the battery bank for over an hour before low DC voltage shuts it down.
I'm currently in Florida and the RV is in storage in Saskatchewan.
