Invertor power consumption

[behengold]

My new to me RV came with a xantrex freedom 458 invertor with two new 8D AGM batteries.I set the panel for that type of battery. How long should those batteries last with a tv and fan going? The reason I ask is I'm seeing a drop from 12.5V to 12V within 1/2 hr according to the display panel.Will the panel alert me if the batteries drop too low.How much power do one of these invertors draw sitting idle? Should I turn the invertor off when I'm not using 120V? Thanks

[behengold]

Just ordered one of those fans. Thanks for all the responses.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Un uh. My observations are purely by description like The Modified Mercalli versus Richter Scale.

According to my Mercalli observation, A Fantastic Roof air would blow an unfolded newspaper laying atop a bed, apart and scatter it ten feet down the hallway.

IF IT EQUALED THE EFFECTS OF THE ENDLESS BREEZE

It helps to actually be in a motorhome and have a roof fan duke it out with the endless breeze. Perhaps they use the same motor, but the Endless Breeze moves far more PERCEPTIBLE air.

In any event, this is not a dog fire hydrant issue. It focuses on a Fantastic Fan Endless Breeze versus a standard AC fan sucking inefficient power through an even more inefficient inverter. Ampere hour versus ampere hour. Reminds me of trying to justify the use of a cigarette lighter type car heater.

[Almot]

Mex, are you saying that Breeze version has a motor much better/powerful than roof versions?

[time2roll]

behengold wrote:
for a brief period the battery was show 14.5 volts and full charge. After a while it's down to 13v and showing float.

Sounds like all is normal with the charging system.

After it has been on float overnight try the tv test again. And of course plug in and recharge after the test.

If you are on a 20a circuit consider 16 amps as max input to comply with the NEC 80% rule for continuous loads.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

This is the fan I referred to. The roof vent Fantastic fans change the air in the rig. As far as personal air movement goes, comparing the air movement between the two is like comparing performance between a Ferrari and Ford Escort.

The ENDLESS BREEZE

BY FAR

Is the most economical fan I have ever used. Even when I connect it to a AC/DC converter, the AC wattage is incredibly low actually insultingly so as compared to an outright AC fan. How much air does this mean? It means set on "1" the lowest one ampere setting I could not ignite a BIC lighter at a distance of six feet. At ten feet, set on "3" high, at ten feet distance it makes my eyes tear up. At TWENTY FEET DISTANCE, set at the doorway of my umbilical connected building the breeze is appreciable. And it is blowing out the entire room through the far open window.

These things use a Japanese SAMSUNG permanent magnet motor. Not just any permanent magnet. The pull is so strong I suspect the magnets are made of N52 Neodymium. To me this means "Economy of Energy". My original Endless Breeze (I have 3) is still working good. It has many thousands of hours of # 3 operation on it.

But it cannot be compared to a roof vent Fantastic. Two fans for different purposes.

[behengold]

for a brief period the battery was show 14.5 volts and full charge. After a while it's down to 13v and showing float. I'll leave it plugged in for the afternoon and see how high it gets. I'm still going through the invertor. I may try the direct charge route overnight .

[MrWizard]

Almot wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
lets stay on topic and minimize the conjecture AKA wild a$$ guessing
Naio has repeatedly stated, it mostly dry camping
so forget the comments about using line power input
its battery and solar for everything

Don't be a buzzkill, nobody would be reading this topic if it wasn't for Mex' deviations 🙂

And it's not Naio, this time. It's about full charge and proper charging profile. They need to get over the 14.x hump and check the rested voltage 12-24 hours later.

PS: battery reads 12.5 shortly after charging, and drops to 12 after 3 hours on few amps load = IT IS NOT FULLY CHARGED, not even close. Or maybe dying already.

Almot
you are correct..i'm cross wiring threads
sorry .. my bad

[westend]

behengold wrote:
I'm charging off a 20 amp circuit. I will boost to 20 amp and see what happens. I also plan to add more solar. Just wanted something to keep batteries from completely discharging . Worked for that purpose with everything disconnected. I considered the smaller inverter option as well. The fan I'm using is a window fan. I have a fantastic fan as well. Thought the stand alone would use less juice and pull more air. Today the batteries showed 12.5 amps. After running the fan for 3 hrs Its 12v. I'll charge overnight and see if I can get over 14v.sorry for the double post

The DC output of your inverter/charger is not limited to the 20 amp input of it's 120V circuit. You can raise the output to it's highest setting and not damage your batteries.

Nearly all AGM batteries like a high charge current and appreciate being charged to 105 per cent full. If you have a stand-alone charger, put that on the batteries, also. I am thinking you have never fully charged the batteries.

[time2roll]

Did the batteries discharge much in storage?
Really need to tip top 100% charge an AGM and then remove a cable for storage without a float.

[behengold]

The batteries have only really been used on a few occasions. Hope they're not that easy to damage. It's mostly been in storage. I've run the generator monthly to avoid problems with it. Hopefully the resting the incoming amps will fully charge the batteries.
Would it be any advantage to charge with a separate charger straight to the batteries?

[Almot]

MrWizard wrote:
lets stay on topic and minimize the conjecture AKA wild a$$ guessing
Naio has repeatedly stated, it mostly dry camping
so forget the comments about using line power input
its battery and solar for everything

Don't be a buzzkill, nobody would be reading this topic if it wasn't for Mex' deviations 🙂

And it's not Naio, this time. It's about full charge and proper charging profile. They need to get over the 14.x hump and check the rested voltage 12-24 hours later.

PS: battery reads 12.5 shortly after charging, and drops to 12 after 3 hours on few amps load = IT IS NOT FULLY CHARGED, not even close. Or maybe dying already.

[behengold]

I'm charging off a 20 amp circuit. I will boost to 20 amp and see what happens. I also plan to add more solar. Just wanted something to keep batteries from completely discharging . Worked for that purpose with everything disconnected. I considered the smaller inverter option as well. The fan I'm using is a window fan. I have a fantastic fan as well. Thought the stand alone would use less juice and pull more air. Today the batteries showed 12.5 amps. After running the fan for 3 hrs Its 12v. I'll charge overnight and see if I can get over 14v.sorry for the double post

[behengold]

I'm charging off a 20 amp circuit. I will boost to 20 amp and see what happens. I also plan to add more solar. Just wanted something to keep batteries from completely discharging . Worked for that purpose with everything disconnected. I considered the smaller inverter option as well. The fan I'm using is a window fan. I have a fantastic fan as well. Thought the stand alone would use less juice and pull more air. Today the batteries showed 12.5 amps. After running the fan for 3 hrs Its 12v. I'll charge overnight and see if I can get over 14v.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Summer Solstice at 35ø latitude.

By 1:00 PM the bank had to be at 80% full to allow the array to achieve 100% fill* before array output decreased to 10% or less.

*Gravity readings.

So configure the size of your array accordingly.

Sure, the above is ambiguous. It has to be.

Minimizing conjecture and WA guessing.

It take math to translate this into usable information. But without kWh load estimates, it's all wild speculation and conjecture.

This is why insist customers acquire a means to charge their bank to gain instant vMax 14.8 vdc absorbsion. Now -that- is not conjecture.

Want a tip?

PLUG IN!

And measure kWh used by the converter to power calculated use of 12 volt accessories. Add 20% (120%) and the sum will be close enough for thermonuclear grade accuracy.

An AMP HOUR METER would be even better.

But utter conjecture, guesswork, and theory is utterly a waste of time.