How to Increase Battery Capacity
After spending 10+ years studying RVs prior to buying one I’m amazed at what I still don’t know! Turns out the cure for that is this amazing forum. The latest issue I’m lost about is a LOT more ...
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I have several times camped for four weeks in a pop-up with a group 27 AGM deep cycle battery.
Used AA battery Sylvania LED puck lights for reading at night.
Did not have a refrigerator.
Did not use forced air propane heater (have catalytic propane that requires no 12 VDC)
Installed a marine battery cut off switch to isolate battery unless using overhead LED converted lights or pressure water system.
Noticed the converter would use some 12DC power with everything off.
Battery voltage started at 12.8 VDC.
Four weeks later battery was at 12.4 VDC.
Battery usage style was to leave the water pump and overhead lights on and turn both on/off with the marine battery switch.
Only turned battery switch on when eating and when water was needed.
I also installed switched USB charging station for the cell phones.
A pop-up is much smaller and requires less lighting and I'm not sure you could shut the battery off and still have the refrigerator run.
I set the pop-up to be very conservative of battery power because I never camp where power is available.
So if you are ultra conservative with 12 VDC usage you should be able to last at least a week or two if you upgrade your battery.
Used AA battery Sylvania LED puck lights for reading at night.
Did not have a refrigerator.
Did not use forced air propane heater (have catalytic propane that requires no 12 VDC)
Installed a marine battery cut off switch to isolate battery unless using overhead LED converted lights or pressure water system.
Noticed the converter would use some 12DC power with everything off.
Battery voltage started at 12.8 VDC.
Four weeks later battery was at 12.4 VDC.
Battery usage style was to leave the water pump and overhead lights on and turn both on/off with the marine battery switch.
Only turned battery switch on when eating and when water was needed.
I also installed switched USB charging station for the cell phones.
A pop-up is much smaller and requires less lighting and I'm not sure you could shut the battery off and still have the refrigerator run.
I set the pop-up to be very conservative of battery power because I never camp where power is available.
So if you are ultra conservative with 12 VDC usage you should be able to last at least a week or two if you upgrade your battery.
