You will need to replace the Parallax 7300 (Magnetek) series converter for a SMART MODE Converter/Charger unit. The 7300 only puts out a single charging DC voltage...
Smart Mode converter/chargers put out multiple charging voltages and can re-charge your depleted batteries from 50% to 90% charge state in a quick three generator run time when camping off the power grid...
I would suggest getting a PD9260C 60A converter/charger to replace the 7300 unit. You will also want to upgrade your battery cables to 4AWG size...
You also will want to reduce your high wattage Incandescent automotive lights for LED lights. This alone will give an 80% power saving for your lights.
This is my setup for camping off the power grid except I am now using just a 600WATT PSW Aims Inverter verses the 1500WATT shown in the drawing...
My battery bank is three each 85AH GP24 12VDC general issue GP24 Instate batteries (255AHs total capacity)...
Running two 6VDC deep cycle batteries in series will give you a good 200AHs plus and if you added two more 6VDC Batteries you can come up with 400-450AHs battery bank capacity for minimal cost using the COSCO $90 6VDC golf cart batteries...
Something like this...
My camping off the power grid concept is to run all the things we want to have ON during the one day/night run off the batteries and have it planned out that the battery will only drop to their 50% charge state (appx 12.0VDC) by 8AM the next morning. Then I will connect my trailer shore power power cable directly to the 2KW Honda generator 120VAC receptacle using a RV30-15A long adapter. This will recharge my 50% depleted battery bank back up to their 90% charge state in just a three hour generator run time. Then we are good to go to do this all over again for the next day/night run off the batteries... I can do these 50-90% charge state cycles about 12-14 times before having to do a full 100% charge state which in case will take a good 12-13 hours of generator run time. The Campground and Natl Forest area around here would not allow me to do to run my generator that long of a time due to generator run time restrictions in place. This is usually when we head for the house and do my full 100% charge state at home.
Where we camp here on the East side of the US we are always running into the Campground or Natl Forest generator run time restrictions in place so having the three hour re-charge period is very important to us.
It will take a good 24 hours of re-charge time to get your battery back up from 50% to 90% charge state using the 7300 Series single mode Converter/charger unit. If you don't start your camping day/night with at least a 90% charge state battery bank you will find it getting dark on you around 10PM at night... That is what happens to us at least...
I'm sure others do it differently but this is what works for us - been doing this since 2009...
We are able to run almost everything we run at electric sites except no air conditioner or high wattage microwave. This also doesn't address running the propane furnace somewhat high current 12VDC blower fan as well... That alone is a high current demand on the batteries if run constantly.
We did several camping exercises off the batteries only in the back yard perfecting all of this before getting stranded out in the woods somewhere...
We found out real quick you just can't show up in the woods and make it through the night without planning... If you are only running D-cell flashlights and candles then no problem haha
We want to watch some NCIS on HDTV and check the 24-7 Radar channels for bad weather approaching when we get settled-in for the night.
Roy Ken
Smart Mode converter/chargers put out multiple charging voltages and can re-charge your depleted batteries from 50% to 90% charge state in a quick three generator run time when camping off the power grid...
I would suggest getting a PD9260C 60A converter/charger to replace the 7300 unit. You will also want to upgrade your battery cables to 4AWG size...
You also will want to reduce your high wattage Incandescent automotive lights for LED lights. This alone will give an 80% power saving for your lights.
This is my setup for camping off the power grid except I am now using just a 600WATT PSW Aims Inverter verses the 1500WATT shown in the drawing...
My battery bank is three each 85AH GP24 12VDC general issue GP24 Instate batteries (255AHs total capacity)...
Running two 6VDC deep cycle batteries in series will give you a good 200AHs plus and if you added two more 6VDC Batteries you can come up with 400-450AHs battery bank capacity for minimal cost using the COSCO $90 6VDC golf cart batteries...
Something like this...
My camping off the power grid concept is to run all the things we want to have ON during the one day/night run off the batteries and have it planned out that the battery will only drop to their 50% charge state (appx 12.0VDC) by 8AM the next morning. Then I will connect my trailer shore power power cable directly to the 2KW Honda generator 120VAC receptacle using a RV30-15A long adapter. This will recharge my 50% depleted battery bank back up to their 90% charge state in just a three hour generator run time. Then we are good to go to do this all over again for the next day/night run off the batteries... I can do these 50-90% charge state cycles about 12-14 times before having to do a full 100% charge state which in case will take a good 12-13 hours of generator run time. The Campground and Natl Forest area around here would not allow me to do to run my generator that long of a time due to generator run time restrictions in place. This is usually when we head for the house and do my full 100% charge state at home.
Where we camp here on the East side of the US we are always running into the Campground or Natl Forest generator run time restrictions in place so having the three hour re-charge period is very important to us.
It will take a good 24 hours of re-charge time to get your battery back up from 50% to 90% charge state using the 7300 Series single mode Converter/charger unit. If you don't start your camping day/night with at least a 90% charge state battery bank you will find it getting dark on you around 10PM at night... That is what happens to us at least...
I'm sure others do it differently but this is what works for us - been doing this since 2009...
We are able to run almost everything we run at electric sites except no air conditioner or high wattage microwave. This also doesn't address running the propane furnace somewhat high current 12VDC blower fan as well... That alone is a high current demand on the batteries if run constantly.
We did several camping exercises off the batteries only in the back yard perfecting all of this before getting stranded out in the woods somewhere...
We found out real quick you just can't show up in the woods and make it through the night without planning... If you are only running D-cell flashlights and candles then no problem haha
We want to watch some NCIS on HDTV and check the 24-7 Radar channels for bad weather approaching when we get settled-in for the night.
Roy Ken
