Solar or Generator??
We are going to have some short boon-docking trips (3-4 days). I do not know my actual energy needs right now, but the DW and I are conservative when it comes to water and power. I really just want ...
Forum Discussion
pianotuna wrote:
Hi pnichols,
See my post to BFL
Don ... thanks. You did indeed provide a detailed analysis.
Basically, you're doing it by somewhat invoking some of the extremes I jokingly listed:
- You have a tremendous battery bank for the size of your RV (are you doing this in your 28 foot Class C?). You may not need a trailer load of batteries behind it like I listed, however you do have a lot of battery volume that must be consuming valuable cargo space that otherwise should/could be carrying a lot of other essentials. Many of the "other essentials" we carry instead of batteries are necessary for maximum anywhere, anytime, any-theme camping flexibility. We do all our drycamping with 200 amp hours of AGM batteru capacity carried only right where Winnebago intended - under the step.
- We carry a full compliment of window insulation at all times but hesitate to use it except for extreme cold. We would not use it on merely cloudy, wet 35-45 degree stays in Oregon, Washington, or Canada. We like more light coming inside.
- We do have block-off curtains for three areas inside the RV. The one we most always use in cool weather is the one that blocks off the cab area, as Ford did not insulate this area anywhere near as well as Winnebago insulated the coach area.
- Your furnace usage looks way lower than "comfortable" to me. On cloudy, wet 35-45 degree stays we WOULD NOT sit outside under the awning all bundled up ... nor would we sit inside all bundled up. We would sit inside in light long-sleeves or short-sleeves reading or watching moves with the furnace set at 70-72 during the day and set at 60-62 during the nights to both be as comfortable as at home, and prevent any mold/mildew buildup inside the RV in moist, cold weather. This is what we spent the big RV bucks for .... not minimalist living in a box. Even with this kind of furnace usage, two weeks is completely doable with our 18 gallon propane tank.
- We also have had full LED lighting in our RV ever since it was bleeding edge to have them ... around five or six years now. I discovered long ago this secret to "adding" battery capacity.
We would do two weeks in chilly, wet weather by running the 650 watt Honda every second day and idling the V10 for a short while about every five or six days.
Boy ... would I like that fuel cell to do it right!!
