Forum Discussion

MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Jul 15, 2015

OP and responses to battery issues

Abbott and Costello with their Who's On First(?) routine would have blushed in shame at the confusion generated by battery chatter in this forum.

Folks connected to power pedestals are chiming in "answers and statements" to short vacation statements, which were posted in response to pure Boondocking original posts.

Pretty please

When forming a response please make some sort of note what kind of a battery user (abuser?) you are. The difference between an RVer who uses a generator never mind a solar setup for five days then heads for a power pedestal is a whole different world than a pure boondocker's. A weekend warrior is a different case altogether. Shallow discharges are galaxies apart from slight discharges.

EXAMPLE Pure boondock, solar.

Pure boondock generator

5 Days boondock

Weekends

Heavy
or
Light
Disharges

Batteries are stupid and stubborn. They can be Jekyll or Hyde depending on their usage, and treatment.

Many Thanks

9 Replies

  • BruceMc's avatar
    BruceMc
    Explorer III
    Jul 16, 2015
    Yea, sounds like my chassis battery when trying to start the MH lately... clat clat clat clat... heh heh hen heh wheeze... Not enough power to keep the starter solenoid pulled in. Punch in emergency connect; that pair of 7 year old 6V GC batteries spin the old V10 without breaking a sweat.

    After 6 years of care, that's what I get from the Les Schwab (a Northwest tire/battery/etc dealer) battery. It was in the unit when we bought it in May '10, who knows how it was treated previously. Dates punches says it was put in service in '09. I guess 6 years isn't too bad for a starting battery... but I expect to get another 10 from the 6V batts!

    Oh, wait, was this a solar topic? No?
    Ok, just another battery (abusers) posting!
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    Inanimate objects cannot become evil pranksters. Fight a flooded to equalize turn your back and hear a faint...

    "Heh heh heh heh"
  • tpi's avatar
    tpi
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    I read the tech issues area far more than I post. Always good info to read on batteries, solar, on and on. Learned a lot over the years. Thanks to all!
  • 3oaks's avatar
    3oaks
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
    ..........................
    Batteries are stupid and stubborn. They can be Jekyll or Hyde depending on their usage, and treatment...................
    No, batteries are inanimate objects.
    People fit that description.
  • NinerBikes's avatar
    NinerBikes
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    Most of my electrical charging posts are Boondocker /Dry camping oriented. Sitting tethered to a pedestal, I have found, is not my idea of camping, or fun. Being off the powergrid is nice.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    Nah, I'm as much to blame as anyone else...

    The subject sometimes meanders so much I respond to a specific point and it appears three interim posts later and looks like it is completely out of context. Answering to powee pedestal float when the thread suddenly has shifted to boondocking. Sometimes replies are like Dogpile On The Quarterback. The someone chimes in with a note about solar and floating. Maybe the problem is me...
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Jul 16, 2015
    Mex, are you blaming innocent Forum members in good standing, who crank out their canned battery charging posts whenever a newbie asks a question about that?

    Unfair! It is the newbie's fault for asking a newbie question, and he should know better!

    The collective Forum will soon smarten him up! He won't ask any more questions, and we can get back to normal business :)
  • darsben's avatar
    darsben
    Explorer II
    Jul 16, 2015
    Chris Bryant wrote:
    Excellent point- many people would be fine with a garden variety G24, with enough capacity to work emergency brakes, run the water pump at a rest stop, and that's about it.
    Others are like Apollo 13, where they were figuring the watt-minutes out to the last erg.

    LUV the Apollo 13 analogy
  • Chris_Bryant's avatar
    Chris_Bryant
    Explorer II
    Jul 15, 2015
    Excellent point- many people would be fine with a garden variety G24, with enough capacity to work emergency brakes, run the water pump at a rest stop, and that's about it.
    Others are like Apollo 13, where they were figuring the watt-minutes out to the last erg.

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