Converting a travel trailer to all 120/240 volt electric

[Guy_Roan]

Has any one here ever done it and got rid of the 12 volt system and inverter/converter ?

Guy

[time2roll]

I see nothing odd about the project compared to some of the nonsense that goes on here.
Do it your own way should be encouraged.

[Bumpyroad]

Gdetrailer wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:


Nit picking...batteries last a heck of a long time in normal use. If you never run them down, you can expect many years out of a battery.

As far as just running off the converter, it will work but then he isn't eliminating the 12v system, just powering it from a different source and it's still better to keep the battery in the system.

Removing the holding tanks can make sense. There is a purpose...you don't have to monitor the tanks and manually drain them every few days.

I seriously doubt asking about the purpose is going to drive the OP away.

valhalla,

Get a life.

OP answered in another separate NEW thread they started, doubt they will be back to this thread but I am quoting their post in that new thread for you..

Guy Roan wrote:
Answer to your question is Yes

That is why I don't pay any attention to all the other "blather"

And I already got rid of the black water tank and now have a residential toilet and residential refrigerator

Guy

So, in a nutshell, they are not towing, have no intention to move it and ZERO reason to keep putting money into a battery.

That IS stupid to keep a battery on a unit that is no longer moving, it is something that you HAVE to maintain, check on and replace when it dies.

The converter WILL support their trailer WITHOUT a battery attached so why would anyone be so stupid to keep putting a battery on a trailer that will not be moved.

I am glad I don't rely on help from this forum, you folks really know how to scare folks out of the building.

perhaps if the OP had made a more meaningful and informative request for information, some of the "blather" would not have been needed nor received. An answer to all of these inadequate could always be, "yes you can do it, all it takes is money".
bumpy

[Gdetrailer]

valhalla360 wrote:


Nit picking...batteries last a heck of a long time in normal use. If you never run them down, you can expect many years out of a battery.

As far as just running off the converter, it will work but then he isn't eliminating the 12v system, just powering it from a different source and it's still better to keep the battery in the system.

Removing the holding tanks can make sense. There is a purpose...you don't have to monitor the tanks and manually drain them every few days.

I seriously doubt asking about the purpose is going to drive the OP away.

valhalla,

Get a life.

OP answered in another separate NEW thread they started, doubt they will be back to this thread but I am quoting their post in that new thread for you..

Guy Roan wrote:
Answer to your question is Yes

That is why I don't pay any attention to all the other "blather"

And I already got rid of the black water tank and now have a residential toilet and residential refrigerator

Guy

So, in a nutshell, they are not towing, have no intention to move it and ZERO reason to keep putting money into a battery.

That IS stupid to keep a battery on a unit that is no longer moving, it is something that you HAVE to maintain, check on and replace when it dies.

The converter WILL support their trailer WITHOUT a battery attached so why would anyone be so stupid to keep putting a battery on a trailer that will not be moved.

I am glad I don't rely on help from this forum, you folks really know how to scare folks out of the building.

[Grit_dog]

2oldman wrote:
Who said he was parking it ?

It’s a reasonable assumption since it would be a really dumb thing to do on a mobile RV.

But, you’re correct, we don’t know that it’s planting roots.

[colliehauler]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I think the best suggestion was
"If you want to live in a mobile home get rid of the RV and buy one. It would probably be cheaper in the long run."

bumpy

In a nut shell, the condensed version.

[Bumpyroad]

I think the best suggestion was
"If you want to live in a mobile home get rid of the RV and buy one. It would probably be cheaper in the long run."

bumpy

[GrandpaKip]

Wow, you guys just took off on this one.
Hey, Guy Roan, since the general answer, along with loads of blather, is no, please tell us why you want to do this. Are you permanently parked?

[valhalla360]

Gdetrailer wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:
I'm failing to see a purpose:
- If you are towing, you need a battery if for no other reason than the emergency brakes if the trailer becomes separated.
- If you are stationary, the battery lasts pretty much forever because it's never run down.

By the time you update all the 12v devices, you are likely looking in the thousands of dollars to pay someone (cheaper obviously DIY but still far from free). All to save replacing a $50 battery every 5-10yrs.

Batteries do not "last forever" just because they are not "run down".

Batteries DO FAIL not being "run down".

Just because modern RVs may have a multistage charging converter does not mean the batteries will "last forever".

Multistage converters will apply 13.2V in storage mode, that WILL boil any battery dry in 3yr-5yrs IF you do nothing to the battery like ADDING WATER.

My GC2 batteries use 16 oz of water per yr and that IS with a converter that DOES go into storage mode at 13.2V, they are substantially larger than any group24/27 battery, they have more water capacity to afford more water loss than any group24/27..

Most RV/marine batteries are SEALED, the tops ARE PLASTIC WELDED IN PLACE and cannot be removed without serious force which typically damages the caps in the process.

If the trailer is not going to ever be towed again, leaving a 12V battery connected is the dumbest thing I have ever heard and a complete waste of money.

Modern switching power supply converters actually CAN be operated WITHOUT A BATTERY CONNECTED. The old transformer linear converters cannot.

OP COULD just remove the battery and as long as they are plugged into shore power the converter should supply enough 12V to run the furnace, lights, fridge control board, water heater control board.

BUT, the thing you are also missing is the OP mentioned replacing the 30A 120V supply with 120V/240V supply which at least means they will be rewiring anyway with new breaker panel and I suspect they were planning to stay in one place..

Not unheard of and I am sure folks HAVE done this, recently seen someone posting about removing all the grey and black tanks and putting a residential toilet..

So, not everyone likes to hug all of the RV stuff..

I AM sure the OP has their reasons for the questions and I would not doubt that they have left the building after all of the sniveling here about batteries being cheap and live forever.. They are not cheap and they do not live forever so if you don't plan to use the 12V stuff why keep it clicking away at a battery?

Nit picking...batteries last a heck of a long time in normal use. If you never run them down, you can expect many years out of a battery.

As far as just running off the converter, it will work but then he isn't eliminating the 12v system, just powering it from a different source and it's still better to keep the battery in the system.

Removing the holding tanks can make sense. There is a purpose...you don't have to monitor the tanks and manually drain them every few days.

I seriously doubt asking about the purpose is going to drive the OP away.

[Bumpyroad]

Guy Roan wrote:

Lwiddis wrote:
“My concern would be a power outage. With no 12 volt back-up...”

Excellent comment! X2

Do you have 12 volt back up in you residential home now ?
Do you have a 12 volt system that can burn out now in your residential home.
Why don't you have a dual water heater system in your residential home

I won't answer all the questions or comment on all the remarks but I am glad to see that one person with a fifth wheel did it and loves it.

And I will comment that it is a lot easier trouble shooting just a 120/240 volt system then that combined with a 12 volt system

Guy

that one person now has his unit (NON RV) permanently setup at a site.
bumpy

[Bumpyroad]

trail-explorer wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
do "park" models run stuff on 12 volt?
bumpy

Probably should start your own thread for your question, since it has nothing to do with the OP's topic.

for those who didn't understand my post. if the OP wants to be 12 volt free, just get a park model in the first place, assuming that park models don't use 12 volt stuff.
what is the advantage to converting a standard Rv to no 12 volt stuff anyhow?
bumpy

[Guy_Roan]

Lwiddis wrote:
“My concern would be a power outage. With no 12 volt back-up...”

Excellent comment! X2

Do you have 12 volt back up in you residential home now ?
Do you have a 12 volt system that can burn out now in your residential home.
Why don't you have a dual water heater system in your residential home

I won't answer all the questions or comment on all the remarks but I am glad to see that one person with a fifth wheel did it and loves it.

And I will comment that it is a lot easier trouble shooting just a 120/240 volt system then that combined with a 12 volt system

Guy

[trail-explorer]

Bumpyroad wrote:
do "park" models run stuff on 12 volt?
bumpy

Probably should start your own thread for your question, since it has nothing to do with the OP's topic.

[Gdetrailer]

valhalla360 wrote:
I'm failing to see a purpose:
- If you are towing, you need a battery if for no other reason than the emergency brakes if the trailer becomes separated.
- If you are stationary, the battery lasts pretty much forever because it's never run down.

By the time you update all the 12v devices, you are likely looking in the thousands of dollars to pay someone (cheaper obviously DIY but still far from free). All to save replacing a $50 battery every 5-10yrs.

Batteries do not "last forever" just because they are not "run down".

Batteries DO FAIL not being "run down".

Just because modern RVs may have a multistage charging converter does not mean the batteries will "last forever".

Multistage converters will apply 13.2V in storage mode, that WILL boil any battery dry in 3yr-5yrs IF you do nothing to the battery like ADDING WATER.

My GC2 batteries use 16 oz of water per yr and that IS with a converter that DOES go into storage mode at 13.2V, they are substantially larger than any group24/27 battery, they have more water capacity to afford more water loss than any group24/27..

Most RV/marine batteries are SEALED, the tops ARE PLASTIC WELDED IN PLACE and cannot be removed without serious force which typically damages the caps in the process.

If the trailer is not going to ever be towed again, leaving a 12V battery connected is the dumbest thing I have ever heard and a complete waste of money.

Modern switching power supply converters actually CAN be operated WITHOUT A BATTERY CONNECTED. The old transformer linear converters cannot.

OP COULD just remove the battery and as long as they are plugged into shore power the converter should supply enough 12V to run the furnace, lights, fridge control board, water heater control board.

BUT, the thing you are also missing is the OP mentioned replacing the 30A 120V supply with 120V/240V supply which at least means they will be rewiring anyway with new breaker panel and I suspect they were planning to stay in one place..

Not unheard of and I am sure folks HAVE done this, recently seen someone posting about removing all the grey and black tanks and putting a residential toilet..

So, not everyone likes to hug all of the RV stuff..

I AM sure the OP has their reasons for the questions and I would not doubt that they have left the building after all of the sniveling here about batteries being cheap and live forever.. They are not cheap and they do not live forever so if you don't plan to use the 12V stuff why keep it clicking away at a battery?

[time2roll]

Guy Roan wrote:
Has any one here ever done it and got rid of the 12 volt system and inverter/converter ?

No