Casita phantom load

.4 amps is probably a reasonable phantom load.

As far as generator run time, we really need to know what charger she has. 12.7 VDC will NOT fully charge a battery. Particularly if paying to run a generator, the charge voltage needs to be 14 or slightly higher.

So, my first suspect is the converter/charger, not the battery.

wolfe10 wrote:
.4 amps is probably a reasonable phantom load.

As far as generator run time, we really need to know what charger she has. 12.7 VDC will NOT fully charge a battery. Particularly if paying to run a generator, the charge voltage needs to be 14 or slightly higher.

So, my first suspect is the converter/charger, not the battery.

The charging voltage is 13.5ish with a Honda 2000. Converter is ETD 7345. Sorry I left that out.

With everything off the phantom draws are the propane detector and radio memory in my TT. I put a switch on the radio and the detector draw is 70ma (.07A) IIRR.
Yes, you need 14V+ at the battery to get a good charge. I mounted a deck-mount IOTA to the ceiling of the pass-through. 3' cable run to the batteries. The problem with a long wire run to the inadequate WFCO converter was solved.

Start pulling fuses. What kind of charger is the Honda powering? Assumptive energy management always leads to this kind of situation. She needs to learn to be smart enough to ask the right questions and learn.

A large enough Honda to power a 60 ampere charger would not be overkill here.

A 75 Amp hour battery is a group 24, and an Optima is a horrible choice for a deep cycle battery. It is not enough battery for her current level of amperage consumption... 37 amps in 24 hours, and that battery is being worked to death with a 50% or greater level of discharge. Great way to destroy a deep cycle battery.

A 2012 dated battery, by Optima, is about done by now... she really needs to complete an equalization charge on that battery to 16.0V pronto, like in yesterday, to see if it is salvageable.

Do a search on how to equalize charge a battery here by mexico wanderer

What she needs is a good 30 amp charger that will output 14.8V at the battery, and a run cycle of a minimum of 2 hours, first thing in the morning, on the generator.

I'd suggest 2 things... a real industrial grade deep cycle battery like a pair of 6 volt GC-2's from Costco, wired in series, for 210 amp hours, or find a good used Teleco 140 to 150 amp hour 12V AGM type battery for sale on Craigslist, and charge it at 13.6V.

The charge controller she probably has now in her Casitas, is for RV parks and pedestal full time hook ups, not for dry camping and boondocking, which it is inadequate for.

She needs to run the fans and water pump only when absolutely necessary, and I see a 160W folding portable solar panel in her future, if she want's to keep the generator turned off and quiet.

You say a "ETD 7345." I bet that is a Parallax/Magnatek 7345. That is a poor converter/charger. That is the one my RV came with. I finally got tired of poor performance and upgraded to a Progressive Dynamics PD4655 after 4 frustrating years.

A charge rate of 13.5 is going to take days to recharge a battery. You really do need at least 14.2, and that charger is not going to do that. Her other option is to buy a battery charger at Walmart or AutoZone, and use that to charge her battery.

Even with a 14.2 converter, or a battery charger from the store, a 1 hour charge won't be enough. You need to run it about 3 hours to get a good charge.

If you don't figure it out than check out the Little House of Customs
they are Casita specials http://littlehousecustoms.com/ They are in Quitman Texas.