Some info on water and 12v usage when boondocking, without using fancy words and numbers.:WWe just camped in Cataloochee NC for 6 days, no power hook up or water, I installed a second 12v deep cycle batt to go along with the factory one, my TT is a 2017 with a 48gl fresh water tank.we ran the fridge on LP along with the WH of corse, just my wife and I and the two little dogs on this trip.we took 3 showers each " military style " get wet soap up head to toe and rinse, on the other days we washed the stinky spots, we also washed up the dishes every night.If we were outside the TT we walked to the CG bathrooms so we didn't fill the black tank, but we had plenty of room left at the end of the 6 days.we used small magnetic led lights for house lights when we were in the TT after dark, unless we had lost something then we turned on the big lights.I grilled every night and she fixed sides in the outdoor kitchen.we also have a net dome that will cover the table and a 10x10 EZ-up canopy.when we left we had 1/2 of the fresh water left and at least half the 12v power left, we could have taken a shower every night and used the house lights more.If you don't waste any 12v or water I really think 10-12 days is doable if you use your potty for night time and emergency only and and use water sparingly you can still smell pretty good at the end of the stay.Dar

Our Conservative Campin' Style (CCS) is simialr to yours. Trojan batteries with 125Ah available, 60 gal fresh water and 2 40-gal sewer tanks. Only real difference is that we camp where no campground bathroom is available.After about 6 or 7 days, the batteries are at just about 50-percent, our water is getting low, and the black tank is at 3/4. We have yet to run out of anything nor had the battery get below 50-percent, but this summer we will push beyond the 7-days and see what happens.

IF you consider doing all the above fun, ok with me. Of course not refilling fresh water won't hurt the fresh water tank but not recharging batteries will shorten their useful life.IF you don't consider such frugality fun, then install solar which will refill your batteries by 2 p.m. or so on most days.

It's really the furnace that uses the most energy on most RV's. I use a pair of GC2's on my trailer. I can easily go an entire week or more if I'm not needing the furnace, but most of the places I camp are wooded and cold, so it's a comfort requirement. I tend to limit to 2-3 nights in that case before I either hook up or top off with a generator. Last time out I stretched it to 5 nights and didn't have enough voltage left to wind up my awning, but was using the furnace and bathroom vent fan a lot.

the furnace will kill a battery over night.

I've done 4 days with 3/4 battery remaining. All LED lights inside and out which were used at will, heater not needed and really just water pump as the only drain. My limit is definatly the black tank as it's only 15 gallons but after dark it's back to nature if you know what I mean. OP, nice truck;)

How long will the batteries last | Good Sam Community

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2017
"true for most marine batteries but NOT true for most GC 6v. They are a true deep discharge and designed for many cycles well below 50 percent."

ktmrfs, you are giving bad advice. Who wants to replace their Trojan battery after 500 cycles? That is wasteful and just over a year for F/Ts.

Actually on T-125s Trojan says on their chart 500 cycles if you discharge 100% but 1,500 cycles with a 40% discharge - three times the life. Buying extra batteries lowers the discharge percentage, extends the life the batteries and saves money, not to mention having back up/emergency power. Let me know privately if you want the T-125 chart from Trojan. Solar is the easy way to recharge. Oh, oh! Anyone hear me recharging? Nope.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2017
korbe wrote:
Lwiddis wrote:
"I am simply informing some new campers how long you can go without shore power, and dumping."

You are simply informing some new campers of how to shorten the useful life of their batteries...simply.

Hey new campers out there. Do not let your batteries get below 50-percent of full charge, it will shorten their lives.

true for most marine batteries but NOT true for most GC 6v. They are a true deep discharge and designed for many cycles well below 50 percent. Trojan gives cycle life down to 25 percent SOC or 75 percent DOD at over 500 cycles. I can verify on two sets, that have been discharged to 25 percent SOC several hundred times that this is accurate. One set just went bad after 14 years, the other set of 4 is still going strong after 9 years and probably 200 discharges down to 25 percent SOC. Golf carts do that constantly.

Just don't leave them discharged for more than a week before getting them fully charged again.

Yes, discharging to 50 percent on a GC does give more cycle life, but how many RV'rs need or even see 500 cycles to 25 percent let alone 1500 cycles to 50 percent
korbe
Explorer
Jun 20, 2017
Lwiddis wrote:
"I am simply informing some new campers how long you can go without shore power, and dumping."

You are simply informing some new campers of how to shorten the useful life of their batteries...simply.

Hey new campers out there. Do not let your batteries get below 50-percent of full charge, it will shorten their lives.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2017
using the conversation and care outlined above we also can go more than a week on our batteries and water. But after adding 600W of solar, now batteries are NOT an issue. DW wants to use the microwave to reheat tea or warm vegies, NO problem. Hot out and want to run the two roof fans on high all day NO problem. rainy at night and want to watch TV with the lights on NO problem.

Gets cold at night and run the furnace NO problem. Last time out was for 14 days and batteries never went below 50 percent and were at 95 percent when we left. Now water is the limiting factor.\

and anymore 400 to 600W of solar is not that expensive nor are decent 30 + Amp PWM controller
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2017
using the conversation and care outlined above we also can go more than a week on our batteries and water. But after adding 600W of solar, now batteries are NOT an issue. DW wants to use the microwave to reheat tea or warm vegies, NO problem. Hot out and want to run the two roof fans on high all day NO problem. rainy at night and want to watch TV with the lights on NO problem.

Gets cold at night and run the furnace NO problem. Last time out was for 14 days and batteries never went below 50 percent and were at 95 percent when we left. Now water is the limiting factor.
theoldwizard1
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2017
1stgenfarmboy wrote:

If you don't waste any 12v or water I really think 10-12 days is doable if you use your potty for night time and emergency only and and use water sparingly you can still smell pretty good at the end of the stay.

Most people are not willing to make the "sacrifices" that you did ! Adding some solar wood allow you to be more generous with your power usage.

I always wonder how many people take outside showers (in bathing suits of course or some kind of small "tent" with spouse on guard) so that they do not fill up the gray water tank.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Jun 20, 2017
1stgenfarmboy wrote:
Why would I add 3-7 hundred bucks worth of solar If I can go a week without it.

I had solar on my Lance TC, it was nice, but I don't have it on this TT.

I am simply informing some new campers how long you can go without shore power, and dumping.

.

I agree.

What I did ( and think that you would be happy with too) was to change out my bulbs in the TT to LED's. They are so efficient that you don't have to worry about using the house lights. Much easier then using flash lights.

Each TT is set up different. I am just a weekend camper that goes out for 2-3 days. I have done 4. I never run out of black water space. But, my TT has such a small fresh water tank that I carry a extra 5 gallon jug of water.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jun 20, 2017
"I am simply informing some new campers how long you can go without shore power, and dumping."

You are simply informing some new campers of how to shorten the useful life of their batteries...simply.
time2roll
Nomad
Jun 19, 2017
1stgenfarmboy wrote:
Why would I add 3-7 hundred bucks worth of solar If I can go a week without it.
Maybe someone reading this thread wants to go three weeks.
K-9_HANDLER
Explorer
Jun 19, 2017
Would do 5 days per battery when the kids were younger and it was just them and me. Tanks were the limiting factor even after taking ocean baths which the kids claimed were legit.

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