Hi all. This weekend is the first trip with our new to us camper. Last was used primarily as a tent on wheels when we had no hydro. Didn't have onboard water and only ran the fridge on electricity. This one is complete. We have no power this weekend. I will have the fridge running on propane. Shouldn't need the furnace. What kind of battery life should I expect using the trailer lighting (conservatively we don't really spend time in the trailer) the water pump, the electric tongue jack and whatever the normal parasitic draw is off things like the co detector and what not? I realize there cant be specifics but I'm inexperienced and looking for a stat. Thanks. I do have a small solar panel if needed although our sight is full shade. Last concern would be if I get it wrong and drain the battery, to hitch up will plugging in to the running truck be sufficient to operate the tongue jack? Thanks. Any tips appreciated.

To many variables to give you a definitive answer. Do you have led bulbs in the lights or incandescent? Is the battery a true deep cycle or combination start/deep cycle? What's the age of the battery? I had 2-6 volt golf cart batteries in my RV and was able to boondock for a week with conservative use. Some people can run a battery down in a day. Your truck battery should be able to power the tongue jack. If you complete discharge a battery it shortens the life.Parasitic drains,even your frig will use power on propane for the electric portion, radio, propane detector, and other small draws. A conventional batery can be discharged in as little as a week from parasitic drains.

its a group 31 deep cycle, about 4 years old. takes full charge. no history on it (only owned it a week). reading 12.6 volts at full charge

Opps forgot lights are LED. Have no intention of running the battery dead just thinking of hypotheticals and trying to wrap my head around everything. would assume the water pump is drawing the most right?

Any electric motor will draw the most power. Water pump or furnace blower motor. I added more info to my original post. 4 years is getting old for a RV battery. Some people use a very small quiet generator or solar to charge the batteries during the day. Some of the very best camping spots are off grid.

Thanks for the nudge in the right direction. We are only going local for 2 nights and there is a TSC (hardware on steroids) down the road. Perfect for a shakedown. I realize the battery is nearing its end and will likely be demoted to trolling motor duty at the end of this season (if it makes it that far)

realistic power usage | Good Sam Community

Jebby14
Explorer
May 24, 2019
we made out ok. didn't use much in the camper shy of the controller for the fridge. we opted to shut down the fridge and use the coolers the final day and put some charge to the battery off the truck the last day. all in all a smooth maiden voyage. excited to get out again.
Huntindog
Explorer
May 24, 2019
Jebby14 wrote:
Opps forgot lights are LED. Have no intention of running the battery dead just thinking of hypotheticals and trying to wrap my head around everything. would assume the water pump is drawing the most right?
When boondocking , your water pump will be your lowest power draw.... You only have so much water... When it is gone, the pump draw stops. Other items, even a single light left on can use more total power on a boondocking trip.
Vintage465
Nomad
May 23, 2019
I have answers............from my experience. My old trailer had 2-12v batteries from Costco, called deep cycle....... Arrive Saturday afternoon, real careful with lighting and water pump only. No generation, no solar. By Wednesday night I would be plugging the trailer into the car and charge for an our at a time to try and get the battery up enough to get through the night. So much better now-a-days with my solar and 6v in series.
gmckenzie
Explorer
May 23, 2019
owenssailor wrote:
theoldwizard1 wrote:
Jebby14 wrote:
Hi all. This weekend is the first trip with our new to us camper. Last was used primarily as a tent on wheels when we had no hydro.

To clarify for those who do not speak "Canadian", "hydro" means AC power ! The vast majority of the population of Canada get their power from Niagara Falls, hence "hydro". Most of the folks in Western Canada still use the term, but they are NOT getting their power from Niagara Falls !

I'd like to clarify a bit. Canada is a big country. The term hydro meaning electricity started in Ontario when the Hydro Electric Commission of Ontario first started providing electricity to the province . Most was from hydro-electric plants with the ones at Niagara being the largest.

Today 60% of the electricity for Ontario is from Nuclear generating stations. We have no coal or oil fired plants left. Niagara still matters but it is not the major generator by any means.

The rest of the country uses varying means. Quebec - water powered. The prairies still on oil and coal. And so on.

BC gets the bulk of it's power from Hydro, but not Niagra Falls :)
opnspaces
Navigator II
May 23, 2019
How'd the trip go was the one battery enough?
owenssailor
Explorer
May 17, 2019
theoldwizard1 wrote:
Jebby14 wrote:
Hi all. This weekend is the first trip with our new to us camper. Last was used primarily as a tent on wheels when we had no hydro.

To clarify for those who do not speak "Canadian", "hydro" means AC power ! The vast majority of the population of Canada get their power from Niagara Falls, hence "hydro". Most of the folks in Western Canada still use the term, but they are NOT getting their power from Niagara Falls !

I'd like to clarify a bit. Canada is a big country. The term hydro meaning electricity started in Ontario when the Hydro Electric Commission of Ontario first started providing electricity to the province . Most was from hydro-electric plants with the ones at Niagara being the largest.

Today 60% of the electricity for Ontario is from Nuclear generating stations. We have no coal or oil fired plants left. Niagara still matters but it is not the major generator by any means.

The rest of the country uses varying means. Quebec - water powered. The prairies still on oil and coal. And so on.
pianotuna
Nomad III
May 16, 2019
Jebby,

What size (wattage and voltage) is the panel?
Lwiddis
Explorer II
May 16, 2019
Not fully recharging deep cycle batteries every day isn’t good for them and even in shade a properly sized solar system will produce power.
Jebby14
Explorer
May 16, 2019
never mind I started a new thread for solar talk.
Jebby14
Explorer
May 16, 2019
Can I take my small solar panel and alligator clip direct to the battery or will I overcharge?

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