***disclaimer*** reading most of these power related threads is like reading something where 50% of it is in a language I don’t speak/read/understand.I am planning a 10 - 12 day family summer vacation to the Yellowstone Grand Teton area and it looks like we might need to do a fair amount of boondocking.... which is fine by me but we have yet to do. We will do some practice runs around home first but my question is more about which or what size power converter I should upgrade to.My rig currently has the WFCO WF-8955PEC which I understand is not a great converter. I just removed a single Marine style 12V battery in favor of two 6V G2 Golf Cart batteries. My understanding is that is an upgrade but a good example of how good of a grasp on this is that I was shocked when I got to Sams to purchase said 6V batteries and to my surprise they were roughly the same size as the 12V :h I was expecting them to be roughly half the size because well 6 is half of 12.... so that is what you are dealing with here.I am looking to pick up an inverter for the camper (2017 MPG 2400BH) trip and wondering if a 3500 watt (like a Predator or Champion) watt would be sufficient or could I even get by with a 2000? Additionally, what converter should I consider?

Regarding replacing the WFCO converter charger, just call Randy at Bestconverter.com and go with his recommendation. It will likely be a Progressive Dynamics Wildcat or a Boondocker. Both brands have upgrade kits made specifically for your WFCO, and will be about as easy as you can get. You don’t need any bigger than what you have now. I think you meant to say “inverter generator” rather than inverter. Two different things. If you don’t intend to run your air conditioning from the generator, then you could even go with a 1000 watt model. It would have plenty of capacity, as long as you manage what’s using it along with the converter charger. A generator this size is also smaller and lighter, so they are easier to deal with. That’s what I use for our power needs 99% of the time. I personally don’t like the idea of depending on a generator to run the AC, because that typically means you’re going to need a bigger generator, and you’ll want to run it a lot more than for charging a battery, and at a higher load on the generator, so it will be making more noise and consuming more fuel. :):)

Not an expert here but what means are you going to use to recharge those batteries? You need some type of solar charger or generator to keep the batteries up. The 6volt batts are good because they have a higher amp hour rate so with frugal use of power in the rig you should be fine. You will need a way to monitor the charge of the batteries too so that means a multimeter and learn how to use/read it. Look up the numbers for what a fully charged battery should be and what the discharged number is. You will have to recharge them every day most likely. It's not that complicated but when you are unfamiliar with something there is a learning process as you know.

NRALIFR wrote:I think you meant to say “inverter generator” rather than inverter. Two different things. :):)You are correct, that is what I meant. Being in OK and hopefully camping some locally in June - September, running the AC is almost a must.

1. I do a lot of boondocking. I have never felt a need to upgrade my converter.2. I did install a second 12 volt battery so I have two 12 volt batteries. I can camp 3 to 4 days before I need a recharge. Simply do not turn on a lot of light -- enjoy the outdoors. The refrigerator uses most of the power even when on propane. After 3 to 4 days I need to get water and want to move to a new campsite anyway.3. I have never felt the need for an large inverter. I do have a small inverter that will run my computer. What to you plan to run that will need 110 volts. You are boondocking so enjoy nature.4. On the last trip I did pick up a 3,000 watt Champion generator from Home Depot for less than $1,000 to run the A/C since we planed to camp at low elevation desert during the summer. At the high elevation of YS/GT you may not need the A?C

I just replaced my WFCO converter (that's the part that makes 12 vdc from the 120 vac when you are plugged in at a site,for your inside lights and some other things), with a Progressive Dynamics one. So far it has been great.P.S. an inverter changes 12 vdc to 120 vac.

Figuring this power stuff has my head spinning | Good Sam Community

hedgehopper
Explorer
Nov 03, 2019
wa8yxm wrote:
As for the size of the batteries. That is a function of total watts stored. (amp hours times volts)

Some numbers In all cases I'm talkin 12 volt battery packs

Group 24 about 75 AH
Group 27/29 just shy/over 100 AH
Group 31 About 120-130

GC-2 pairs (Two 6 volt) 220 Amp hours

So each six volt battery is between a 29 and a 31 in weight and total volume..

Plus they are a bit taller so you don't need to water as often

And yes 1 12 volt (likely a 29) to a pair of GC-2 gets you from about 20-25 usable amp; hours to 100-115 That's a SERIOUS upgrade.
Why does a 29 have 100 AH but only 20-25 usable (20 percent) and two GC-2s have 220 AH with 100-115 usable (50 percent)?
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 03, 2019
The WFCO is a good converter till it's not. I would not replace it till I had to. Same of several other makes. My Progressive Dynamics 9180+wizard is, near as as I can tell the BEST converter.. till it failed. .now it's replaced with a refurb :).

As for the size of the batteries. That is a function of total watts stored. (amp hours times volts)

Some numbers In all cases I'm talkin 12 volt battery packs

Group 24 about 75 AH
Group 27/29 just shy/over 100 AH
Group 31 About 120-130

GC-2 pairs (Two 6 volt) 220 Amp hours

So each six volt battery is between a 29 and a 31 in weight and total volume..

Plus they are a bit taller so you don't need to water as often

And yes 1 12 volt (likely a 29) to a pair of GC-2 gets you from about 20-25 usable amp; hours to 100-115 That's a SERIOUS upgrade.
joebedford
Nomad II
Nov 03, 2019
I replaced my WFCO with another WFCO under warranty. The second one has been just fine for the last 6 years.
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 03, 2019
hedgehopper wrote:
NRALIFR wrote:
I personally don’t like the idea of depending on a generator to run the AC, because that typically means you’re going to need a bigger generator, and you’ll want to run it a lot more than for charging a battery, and at a higher load on the generator, so it will be making more noise and consuming more fuel.
Then how do you run the AC?
Utility power or sweat it out.
hedgehopper
Explorer
Nov 03, 2019
NRALIFR wrote:
I personally don’t like the idea of depending on a generator to run the AC, because that typically means you’re going to need a bigger generator, and you’ll want to run it a lot more than for charging a battery, and at a higher load on the generator, so it will be making more noise and consuming more fuel.
Then how do you run the AC?
Harvey51
Explorer
Nov 03, 2019
No winter camping for us. We are 500 km north of Edmonton and our motorhome waterworks is only safe down to -10 C so I winterized in October. Also, it isn’t fun for seniors to camp in the cold and short daylight time. The solar panel doesn’t produce much energy in winter when the sun is low in the sky.

From Calgary, you could easily go south to find summer.
larkyblast
Explorer
Jun 26, 2019
Harvey51 wrote:
We never plug in to shore power even at home except battery charging once or twice in winter. No generator. We camp only in Canada, usually fairly far north where air conditioning is not necessary. Some charging from the engine while driving. I tried a single 100 watt solar panel flat on the roof first to see what it could do. I was very pleasantly surprised that it fulfilled all our electricity needs. Since installing the solar panel about 5 years ago I have never seen the batteries below 80% charge. Now we don’t worry about electricity at all - water is the limiting factor in our boondocking. We were just out for a full week in campsites without electricity with the battery monitor indicating 100% all the time. The freshwater tank and two jugs of drinking water just made the week. We use propane for the fridge and making tea or coffee on the stove.

Harvey, do you winter camp as well with your unit? What do you get out of your solar then? I don't want to run a generator, but am having trouble making it work (on paper) with less than 400W of solar in winter. We only need the circulation pump for the heat and a few lights.
Harvey51
Explorer
Jun 25, 2019
We never plug in to shore power even at home except battery charging once or twice in winter. No generator. We camp only in Canada, usually fairly far north where air conditioning is not necessary. Some charging from the engine while driving. I tried a single 100 watt solar panel flat on the roof first to see what it could do. I was very pleasantly surprised that it fulfilled all our electricity needs. Since installing the solar panel about 5 years ago I have never seen the batteries below 80% charge. Now we don’t worry about electricity at all - water is the limiting factor in our boondocking. We were just out for a full week in campsites without electricity with the battery monitor indicating 100% all the time. The freshwater tank and two jugs of drinking water just made the week. We use propane for the fridge and making tea or coffee on the stove.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jun 22, 2019
Well even the difference between a group 24 and a group 31 (75 and 130 amp hours) is a big difference. I was just pointing out the absurdity of not posting the battery SIZE. I have even seen 4D batteries in a motor home (220 amp horus)
ajriding
Explorer II
Jun 22, 2019
wa8yxm wrote:
I will deal with the size issue.

Many posts the person says "I have a 12 volt battery".. great. I'm looking at a 12 volt battery as I type. I can hold it in one hand comfortably 7 Amp hours capacity.

I once borrowed a battery from a battery company for a weekend This sucker was a good 4 feet long. 3 or more high and a foot thick. they loaded it on my rented trailer with a fork lift. another of the same powered the fork lift.. About a thousand amp hours.

See what "I have a 12 volt battery" is not enough information.. both are 12 volt batteries.

When, on an RV forum, someone says, "12 volt battery" then they are obviously talking about those special flashlight batteries that you can tuck into your pocket, because every RVer needs to carry spare flashlight batteries. You can speculate on what the person means by 12v, but why, for goodness sake, would you take time to post this? Stay within the context of the discussion please.

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