First Time Boondocking.....Need a few Questions Answered

[Glen1978]

We bought a 2005 Fleetwood Gearbox last month and are goin to take it to Taylor Park, Co next month. Ive tried to read as much as I can off here and have answered alot of my own questions. BIG thanks for that. Some mods we have already done include replacing wheels with 16" and swithing to 225/75-16 Firestone Transforce LT tires (load range E). Bought a Reese twin cam sway/weight distribution setup. Purchased a Honda 2000 watt Inverter/genny, Weber Q1200 grill, all LED lights for inside. And a HUGE AC Delco battery that sets on neck....think its 125 ah. My main concern is HEATING as it will be 30s to 40s at night. Read the furnace will suck alot of propane and eat at the battery.....dont plan to run genny all night, just top battery off in the AM. Do the Wave 3 or 6 heaters work at that altitude....10k'? I keep reading different reviews that say yes, then no. Pretty much everyone says the Buddy heaters wont. Need some ideas on this heating issue. Thanks VERY MUCH!!!!

[Glen1978]

Most of the day we will be out exploring and will not have a thing running in the RV. In the evening it will be showers for two adults and two boys....9 and 6. Supper will be cooked outside over a fire in a disco or on the Weber Q1200 grille via propane. NO Tv, No nothing. All lights are LED. Fridge will be on propane. I dont see us using that much power.

[Glen1978]

It was put on 3 days before I bought it. It is 150 AH and is a AC Delco 4DA. Its about 18" across and weighs 100# according to specs. I had 125 AH in my head from something but its 150 after looking. Whatever I do I need to do it soon. Leaving sometime after 1st of July.

skripo wrote:

Glen1978 wrote:
...Is the dual 6V setup better than doubling what I have now?...

It's not really about 6V vs 12V its about the fact that any deep cycle battery you buy is also made for starting, which mean thinner plates, which means less tolerance for deep discharge. Your battery may be rated at 125AH but if it only tolerates a 50% discharge before you damage it, you are only getting half that,

The trojans are golf cart battery and made for this type of abuse. I would have done that myself but I had a tent trailer at the time and bought an AGM Solar rated battery. If you don't need to keep it inside or have an externally vented compartment, go for the lead acid Trojans.

If I were in your shoes, I would look for a reasonably priced solar specific 12V battery to add to the existing one.

Sounds like you paid good money for it, what model is it?

[skripo]

JiminDenver wrote:

Glen1978 wrote:
Here is the battery I have now. Sucker is 100#'s so would rather not have two of them.....it is 150 AH.

http://www.jegs.com/i/ACDelco/065/4DA/10002/-1

You have that battery and you are worried about making it thru the night? I run our trailer with a 95 Ah grp 27 and it will handle the job for a few nights in the 20's. We set the stat at 74f during the day and 68f at night and never think about it.

Agreed.

[skripo]

Glen1978 wrote:
...Is the dual 6V setup better than doubling what I have now?...

It's not really about 6V vs 12V its about the fact that any deep cycle battery you buy is also made for starting, which mean thinner plates, which means less tolerance for deep discharge. Your battery may be rated at 125AH but if it only tolerates a 50% discharge before you damage it, you are only getting half that,

The trojans are golf cart battery and made for this type of abuse. I would have done that myself but I had a tent trailer at the time and bought an AGM Solar rated battery. If you don't need to keep it inside or have an externally vented compartment, go for the lead acid Trojans.

If I were in your shoes, I would look for a reasonably priced solar specific 12V battery to add to the existing one.

Sounds like you paid good money for it, what model is it?

[Glen1978]

That sure is good to know. Seems everybody else thought different. But then again I have no idea what our furnace pulls.

JiminDenver wrote:

Glen1978 wrote:
Here is the battery I have now. Sucker is 100#'s so would rather not have two of them.....it is 150 AH.

http://www.jegs.com/i/ACDelco/065/4DA/10002/-1

You have that battery and you are worried about making it thru the night? I run our trailer with a 95 Ah grp 27 and it will handle the job for a few nights in the 20's. We set the stat at 74f during the day and 68f at night and never think about it.

[JiminDenver]

Glen1978 wrote:
Here is the battery I have now. Sucker is 100#'s so would rather not have two of them.....it is 150 AH.

http://www.jegs.com/i/ACDelco/065/4DA/10002/-1

You have that battery and you are worried about making it thru the night? I run our trailer with a 95 Ah grp 27 and it will handle the job for a few nights in the 20's. We set the stat at 74f during the day and 68f at night and never think about it.

[Glen1978]

We have thought about letting the back ramp down while its warm still and letting the inside warm up then close it. No idea on the pillow things your talking about, Im sure the blinds will stay closed anyway, didnt know there was a way to close stove vent....I will check into that.

For the HA Honda jet, no I have not thought of that either. I did plan to run by Honda and get a new plug regardless. I always carry tools on a trip no matter what so thats covered. All our lights will be LED. Only other thing running will be water pump, and furnace controls. Brand new 150 AH battery and can hook up to truck if need be. I plan to bring our battery charger with us. Running the genny every day for awhile doesnt bother me in the least. I have 38 gallon fuel storage in the toyhauler and will carry a 5 gallon can to bring back extra. Thanks!!

[BubbaChris]

First thought, have you installed the high-altitude jet in your Honda generator? At 9,300 ft I'd rather not be running rich and risk fouling the plug. At least bring a spare plug and wrench.

Second thought, do you have a list of things to do at night to give your heater all the help you can? For example, close all curtains/blinds, get the pillow insulators for your overhead vents, close the stove vent, etc.

We're in our second year of TT camping and getting more and more comfortable with dry camping/boondocking. With 2 batteries we know we're good for 1-2 nights of getting down into the 40's and running the furnace at night. Our other electric demands are few as we have LED lights and typically run the electric stabilizers and slide out while still hooked up to the truck to share a little bit of that current draw.

If you have 1 fresh battery and will be hooking it up to the generator each morning for a few hours through a good charger, you'll do fine.

[Glen1978]

Keep em coming folks. Love hearing yalls ideas. Happy Fathers day to yall also.

[RFV]

rtate wrote:

JiminDenver wrote:
Buddy heater at 10'000 Ft? I think they are limited to around 7000 ft unless the sensor fails. Then you die.

We camp at 10,000 ft and the furnace runs at night during the summer months too in cooler years. It always runs at night spring and fall when it can get into the 20s. We have only a single 95 Ah grp 27 that runs the trailer and it has never had a problem making it through a night. We would run the generator for a few hours a day when we used one. Now with the solar we never think about it at all.

Funny! I dont feel dead. We use a Big Buddy regularly at 9500'. Works fine. Be sure to leave a window cracked open an inch or two

I went on a recent camping trip in the AZ White Mountains and at 9300 feet elevation I was very surprised that my Mr. Buddy heater worked so well.

Rudy

[pianotuna]

Yes, the batteries need to be identical.

[Glen1978]

Here is the battery I have now. Sucker is 100#'s so would rather not have two of them.....it is 150 AH.

http://www.jegs.com/i/ACDelco/065/4DA/10002/-1

[Adam_H]

Although it is not ideal, batteries are not smart so matching exactly is not necessary. Close is good enough, like horse shoes. I have 2 gp 24 and 1 gp 27 I add when off grid. Works great even with a residential fridge. 2 hrs of gen in the am, and 2 hrs in the pm if the heater is going to be used. All through the factory converter. Once again, maybe not perfect or as good as a smart charger but it only has to be good enough. Now if I had solar........

[profdant139]

I guess you have to be from hot dry Southern California (as we are) to appreciate the "fun" of being in cold weather -- yes, it is different and an adventure. But to each his own! Not everyone enjoys suffering. 😉

[Glen1978]

Yall have gave me alot of ideas. Adam H that was a VERY good point on the dual 6's. Wouldnt have thought about that till I got in the situation that sounds like you got in. I can just add another 12V like I have to give me about 250 AH. I remember reading that whatever batteries you pair together you want them to be the same....is this correct?

Im not giving up the idea totally of running a Wave heater. No elec needed and they will keep my toyhauler warm. Im kinda of like the other guy said....if I wanted to be cold I would have spent $200 on a tent.