Need some suggestions on upgrading batteries for dry camping

[jamesroadking]

I'm thinking of modifying my Forest River Work and Play 30WRS toy hauling trailer to use for dry camping in the National Forest.
The trailer has big fresh, gray and black tank capacities, 2 @ 30 lb LP gas bottles and a single battery on the tongue.
I was thinking of purchasing four batteries and cabling them up for a lot more battery capacity. There's a generator rack on the tongue, but I was thinking that putting four batteries along with the two 30 lb. LP gas bottles is a lot of weight on the tongue.
Here's the questions, most these new batteries are sealed, so is their a fire / fume hazard if mounting them in the garage next to the wheel well box box on the same side and close to the trailer's stock inverter.
Anyone with thoughts on just keeping the extra batteries in the bed of my F250 while camping, (unloading when not camping) and running a jumper cable to the existing battery on the tongue.
Can the stock inverter charge 4 deep cycle batteries adequately?
If not what size battery charger do I need? I have a 30 amp generator that keep in the bed of the truck when RV'ing that I plan on using for charging the batteries every few days as needed.
Suggestions on battery size, type, and cabling the batteries up in series and parallel etc.
Thanks for your ideas and suggestion,

[BFL13]

Still not clear if you have an "inverter", or meant "converter."

If you do intend to run some 120v things from inverter and the rest of the rig straight from batteries when off grid, there is another way not yet mentioned.

You can have your 2000w inverter inside the rig on a couple of AGMs (two 100w deep cycle ones is good for that-- can run the microwave and toaster and kettle and TV/DVD etc) You plug the shore power cable into the inverter and shut off your converter--run the fridge and WH on gas (do not put the fridge on "auto" or it will go to 120v, not gas)

Leave two Wet cell (two 6s is very good for that) on the tongue for normal 12v usage.

So now you have two separate systems. You can use a portable charger run from the gen to keep both sets of batteries up as needed (will likely be on different days before each reaches 50% and needs a "50-90" recharge.)

You can also have two sets of solar, one for each set of batteries. Or if your solar is portable, you can swap over between battery sets using the clamps on the battery posts, whichever needs it first .

You can get Eg, a 25 ft jumper cable set up to #1 AWG cu-al not too expensive, (unlike the cu ones) and just jumper both sets of batteries and use one charger and do them all, then return to two separate sets

Or you could set up one in the truck bed like you said and use jumper cables.

You can cart along extra batteries and set them on the ground beside the tongue battery set, jumper them all up, and then when leaving, tuck all that away and head on to the next campground.

You can do whatever works best for you! Almost anything will work, and no doubt somebody else has already tried it. You do not have to re-invent the wheel to go RVing! Glen Curtis had some good ideas that still apply 🙂

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Bothered people don't smile :B

[jamesroadking]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Permanently mounting inside the trailer isn't going to work because tying into the existing 12 volt cables would require a lot of bending and kneeling down which is very painful for me because of a bad knee...

Might have been a good idea mentioning this going in...:)

And why does that bother you?
I'd just rather work of things that are easier to reach. Mounting the original one under the refrigerator seems kind of dumb to me.
It's easier and safer to maintain, and troubleshoot problems on a piece of equipment is easily accessible. So tying the new battery cables to the existing cables out on the trailer tongue just makes sense to me.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Permanently mounting inside the trailer isn't going to work because tying into the existing 12 volt cables would require a lot of bending and kneeling down which is very painful for me because of a bad knee...

Might have been a good idea mentioning this going in...:)

[jamesroadking]

Thank you all for some good suggestions. I found this web site that shows the proper way to cable up multiple batteries and the generator. www.impactbattery.com Might buy solar panels at a later date.
As far as to where to place the batteries, I haven't come up with a perfect location, my trailer tongue weight is heavy with 2 @ 30 lb LP bottles there already. I do use a 15k Reese weight distribution hitch and have Firestone airbags on my F250.
Permanently mounting inside the trailer isn't going to work because tying into the existing 12 volt cables would require a lot of bending and kneeling down which is very painful for me because of a bad knee. It's either in the bed of the truck, or maybe outside in a box that disassemble and is moved back and forth into the back of the toyhauler on a dolly for use when we long time dry camp.

[brulaz]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

...
Mounting more than 2 batteries on the tongue is not a good idea.
...

What, What?

A lot of us have 4 GC2s on the tongue. Yes, you need a truck that can handle the tongue weight and a trailer with a decent frame ...

[Lwiddis]

Or, Ductape, don't stay in camp at all on most days and recharge via solar.

[Ductape]

Unless you enjoy being trapped in camp all day listening to your generator drone, you want the largest charger your generator will support and enough batteries to accept the max charging current at least during most of the bulk charging. Plan your system to cycle between say 60% and 90% state of charge. You don't really want to run a gen for that last ten percent, get that on shore power or solar.

AGM is your friend if you have the budget.

[theoldwizard1]

The most important thing is to purchase TRUE deep cycle batteries. They will last longer than normal or "dual purpose" batteries.

Deep cycle AGM will cost more and are difficult to locate. Costco/Sams Club flooded/wet golf cart batteries are still the best bang for the buck and easy to locate. Noco does make a battery box that will hold two 6V batteries.

Mounting more than 2 batteries on the tongue is not a good idea. If you do plan on travelling with the batteries in the bed of your truck, I suggest you use Anderson SB175 or SB350 connectors. Make sure you have adequately sized cables from the battery to the trailer distribution panel and the charger.

[toedtoes]

What do you want to operate while dry camping?

You may not need as much as you think depending on what you plan on using.

Will you use a toasterd, microwave, hair dryer, etc.? (Things that heat up use more power)

Will you just want to light you LED lights, power the fridge and water heater on propane, and maybe a movie once in a while?

Do you want tons of light, television, computers and printers, and so on?

How long do you want to be able to dry camp without recharging?

Without knowing what you want the power for or how long you want it for, you will get answers that will power everything and be recharged every day or two. With more info, you will get answers that will give you what you want and need according to your intended usage.

[Lwiddis]

“You can get by with less batteries if you buy some solar. Solar is awesome and cheap now.“

Ne’s comment is good. Two batteries and solar. Less weight and mostly no generator use.

[MrWizard]

yes you can put AGM batteries in the garage

you said 'inverter'

do you have an inverter/charger combo unit

or do you have seperate converter for charging and inverter for making 120v

what make model, what charge rate ?

probably anything you have can be used, but people have a habit of using large amounts of power when using an inverter aka microwave cooking, coffee maker
then they want to run the generator the shortest amount of time
sometimes they don't run it enough, because they are not charging/replacing the used power like they think they are

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A suggestion. Multiple AGM batteries where you propose to put your batteries next to your CONverter. That way, nothing corrodes including your converter.

Three Lifeline batteries can accept a 300 amp charge when starting out.

So your existing charger is as worthwhile as having a garden hose in a forest fire. Even 3 regular batteries can accept 100+ amperes.

Unless you like hearing your generator run.

Now here is a BARB directed at some folks (heh heh heh)

A good AGM can be discharged to a level of 30% remaining charge and not be damaged anywhere near as much as a flooded battery (cycle life degradation). Weight and space-wise this can be a deal maker.

Sell the battery on the tongue. Reduce weight. Having it there is a stupid design flaw, weight wise. Placing batteries opposite heavy appliances near the axles is the best distribution objective.

An EIGHTY to ONE HUNDRED ampere charger will reduce generator run time. Dramatically. As in, it's either that or three dollar + gallon gasoline and ear plugs and plan on seeing the local gas station, often.

[time2roll]

post the converter model number for best suggestions.