Charging House Batteries

[GAR2]

Hello All,
I apologize for my absence. In 2022 I had two strokes, so my quest for a T/C got sidetracked. Lots of rehab, lots of prayer, learned to rewalk, lots more of rehab. Now I’m back to work and taking my life back.
I picked up a real nice Leer mid rise topper for $250. that fits my 2002 F350, same color, and looks sharp.

Some are saying just use the 12V+ connector on my 7 pin trailer connector to charge the house battery(s) and others are saying buy a Honda generator, but I’m reading about DC to DC chargers /isolators and maybe even a solar panel while I’m gone camping / hunting and it’s sunny out.

Anyway, I know this is the place to get solid advice, it’s all a new concept for me. I’m almost 61 so I’m wanting enough stored power for CPAP, cell phone, radio. and a few other small items. I’m thinking two 100AH batteries so I have 100 amps to use and only draw batteries down to 50%. Not really sure what I can run on 100AH for a 8 to 10 hour period. But it beats tent camping at my age??

I appreciate the help, Glenn

[c_traveler2]

GAR2 wrote:
Hello All,
I apologize for my absence. In 2022 I had two strokes, so my quest for a T/C got sidetracked. Lots of rehab, lots of prayer, learned to rewalk, lots more of rehab. Now I’m back to work and taking my life back.
I picked up a real nice Leer mid rise topper for $250. that fits my 2002 F350, same color, and looks sharp.

Some are saying just use the 12V+ connector on my 7 pin trailer connector to charge the house battery(s) and others are saying buy a Honda generator, but I’m reading about DC to DC chargers /isolators and maybe even a solar panel while I’m gone camping / hunting and it’s sunny out.

Anyway, I know this is the place to get solid advice, it’s all a new concept for me. I’m almost 61 so I’m wanting enough stored power for CPAP, cell phone, radio. and a few other small items. I’m thinking two 100AH batteries so I have 100 amps to use and only draw batteries down to 50%. Not really sure what I can run on 100AH for a 8 to 10 hour period. But it beats tent camping at my age??

I appreciate the help, Glenn

you've gotten plenty of advise on solar and batteries I'll address your DC to DC and solar charger. I've been using Renogy combine unit for 4 years now with zero problems and would fit your needs, it's easy to install a has a simple setup all types of batteries here's a link to that unit....Renogy dc to dc/ MPPT solar charger

[GAR2]

 c_traveler2……..I hope you’re still on the forum.. I realize this reply is very late 🙄 but with the health issues and other concerns I’ve decided to build a camping rig in my truck topper. It is going very well. I also am using your suggestion of  Renogy’s 50A dc to do charger MPPT solar and maybe an inverter. Also 42 gallon fresh water tank, on demand water pump, outside shower, a diesel air heater, and many other items.

Part of the issue is if I bought a slide in truck camper it wouldn’t fit in my barn and I refuse to have my truck sit outside. and will not invest in another building with the current state of economics and inflation. I do have a question about appliances - am I better buying appliance that are made for DC and will run off my 280 AH lithium LiFePo4 battery rather than run off of an inverter.

Sorry it’s taken so long, I got great advice here years ago on RV.net but a lot went over my head at the time….. it’s making more sense now.

As to the Forum……what in the heck happened- I barely recognized it….. doesn’t seem as user friendly as the old site🤨

[notsobigjoe]

GAR2 wrote:

Post here.

http://photoposting.is-great.net/?i=2

[GAR2]

[StirCrazy]

I'll have to argue that solar is not expensive and is effective no matter where you camp, it just varies between how effective it is.

For a setup with two LFP 100 amp batteries (I'll leave the cost of the batteries out as you need batteries no matter what you do) you're looking at you can get a renogy 40-amp controller on sale right now for about 100 US. You can get the wire you need with ends crimped on from a battery store for about 20 bucks and you can get a 350-watt panel for about 200 bucks (maybe cheaper it might have switched that to CDN on me haha. and say 20 bucks for mounts and a tube of self leveler.

so what are we at 350ish US for a system that just works. I camp in late September to lait oct up here in forested campgrounds I do have a 280AH LFP battery so I can go about 8 days in total darkness as I don't really use anything but the furnace, lights, and the water pump. I have had totally shaded sites, and I still get some charge in them buy ya I will tend to look for one where I get better sun especially when I lait season or early season camp as it helps warm up the camper also. So normally I am charged by noon, in a heavily shaded site with just some sun I will be charged before it gets dark. The only time I ever worried about my battery level was when I was running the set up with two GC2 6V batteries and it was overcast and pouring for 3 days. I was at 50% capacity when it stopped raining and started getting sunny, but I was totally charged by the end of that day.

Now having said that if you chose to get solar installed for you by a dealer then buying their kits can be very expensive, if you can't install it yourself, I would look at buying the parts yourself and maybe getting a mobile repair guy to install the panel and run the wires for you on an hourly charge.

The big question you need to look at is how much power that CPAP machine uses. I have no experience with them but that and your other needs will let you know how much power you need. Also, for battery size, once you figure out your daily consumption, I like to size that for 3 days' worth of power as a minimum. This gives you a cushion for bad solar days if you decide to add solar, if not it lets you camp for a long weekend without rechaging..

I forgot about the other question. go with the dc to dc charger if you are having any sort of recharging from the vehicle and LFP batteries. It lets you give the batteries a proper charge profile.

I am going to install one also, I haven't yet as my solar takes care of everything and I have a 9 day backup with the batteries but I am adding it more so I can use the truck as an emergency generator if something breaks in the solar and I can't get it fixed for a while.

[GAR2]

Trying to post picture

[GAR2]

notsobigjoe wrote:
I know nothing about solar so welcome back and I am glad your feeling better. My wife and I just got off of a really bad year with elderly deaths and dementia. It gets hard at times. I just turned 61 so I guess its my turn at bat. Welcome back.

Yes, thank you! for the kind words. Weve had a run of it too.....my Dad with Dimensia passed in’20, Mom passed in ‘23, and my Wifes’ Mothers Dimensia is getting bad now. But, my wife and I were both fortunate to have our parents into their 80’s- not everyone is so lucky.

[notsobigjoe]

I know nothing about solar so welcome back and I am glad your feeling better. My wife and I just got off of a really bad year with elderly deaths and dementia. It gets hard at times. I just turned 61 so I guess its my turn at bat. Welcome back.

[RickW]

Hi,

If you are camping in a truck bed topper, no furnace, TV or microwave, your largest load is probably the CPAP. If you move every couple of days, connecting batteries to the alternator through the trailer connector is sufficient.

If you stay in one place more than a few days, get a single 100 watt portable solar panel with a small inverter. Charge when sunny. Using an electric blanket might require a second solar panel. They are $100 each or less.

I use 2 flexible solar panels that fit under the mattress when not in use and can go three days or longer on two 80 AH batteries without any charging in my TC.

Hope this helps,

[GAR2]

OK, thanks guys! I was also thinking a 12V electric blanket or invertor with a 115V AC heating pad for colder deer hunting weather. None of the areas I go to are terribly remote (Illinois) so there would be some driving into towns, utilizing the trucks charging system and 110A alternator, though I may end up upgrading to a 140A alternator if needed. Currently, without house batteries, I am showing 13.7 to 14.0 volts on my digital volt gage depending on load. I also have a high idle tune on my F350 7.3 if I need to bring rpm’s up when not driving.

[theoldwizard1]

GAR2 wrote:

Some are saying just use the 12V+ connector on my 7 pin trailer connector to charge the house battery(s) and others are saying buy a Honda generator, but I’m reading about DC to DC chargers /isolators and maybe even a solar panel while I’m gone camping / hunting and it’s sunny out.

Solar can get pricey and it can be a lot of extra wiring. Unless you boondock where it is very sunny, they are not worth it.

Yes, on the DC-DC charger ! Especially if you are using Lithium batteries. I highly recommend Lithium batteries.

2 - 100Ah batteries for you small loads should be fine. If you are going to run a microwave or make multiple pots of coffee on an electric coffee maker, then maybe a 2000W generator. Also depends how many hours you spend driving day to day.

[srschang]

For reference, I have 2 lithium batteries, so I have 200ah available. I rarely run them below 1/2, so 100 ah same as you are planning. Our daily activities to use 100ah include: lights in the evening, microwave 10-15 minutes to make dinner, watch a movie on tv. In the morning listen to the radio a couple hours, 4 cups of coffee from Keurig, wife uses hair dryer. If it’s sunny batteries are recharged by 1, if cloudy recharged by 5 or 6 pm. We have 4 - 100watt panels to achieve this recharge.