How long should a battery last?
Typical code 24 battery, how long should it last with lights and electric RV fridge? I am only getting about 24 hours before it gets under 11.5V. Also, would a battery shop have a way to properly test...
Forum Discussion
No matter what you see on TV you can't have all of the conveniences of home in a TT that only has an itty bitty group 24 battery bank.
When it comes to dry camping battery bank capacity & fresh water capacity is King. Sure, one person can get by one night with a single group 24 being very frugal with the power use. Add another person with the additional use of everything 12V & that group 24 is dead very quickly.
For 13 years of our boating days we were out every weekend, 2 nights, May to October. No generator. No solar onboard. Always 'on the hook' anchored someplace. The battery bank consisted of two group 31 gel cells linked through a battery switch enabling the use of battery #1, battery #2, or both combined.
We had to be very conscious of power use. Enough power had to be there to start the diesel when it was time to move, hence the battery switch to isolate one of the batteries & use the other as the 'house' battery on anchor.
Unfortunately RVs are not setup that way, unless their owners 'marinize' their wiring & install a battery selector switch. A relatively inexpensive & simple thing to do.
With a setup such as this, if you leave something on & discharge one battery you have the other to switch to. It is always good to pack as much battery power as possible. You never know when you will really need it.
When it comes to dry camping battery bank capacity & fresh water capacity is King. Sure, one person can get by one night with a single group 24 being very frugal with the power use. Add another person with the additional use of everything 12V & that group 24 is dead very quickly.
For 13 years of our boating days we were out every weekend, 2 nights, May to October. No generator. No solar onboard. Always 'on the hook' anchored someplace. The battery bank consisted of two group 31 gel cells linked through a battery switch enabling the use of battery #1, battery #2, or both combined.
We had to be very conscious of power use. Enough power had to be there to start the diesel when it was time to move, hence the battery switch to isolate one of the batteries & use the other as the 'house' battery on anchor.
Unfortunately RVs are not setup that way, unless their owners 'marinize' their wiring & install a battery selector switch. A relatively inexpensive & simple thing to do.
With a setup such as this, if you leave something on & discharge one battery you have the other to switch to. It is always good to pack as much battery power as possible. You never know when you will really need it.
