Woodsie8_
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Re: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
time2roll wrote: If your were evacuated I am not sure why you are at home trying to run a bunch of freezers. I would be tempted to just leave. We went between be ready, get ready and leave. While I was in the RV waiting to be evacuated, I plugged them into RV, then killed battery. Once evacuated, they were not hooked to RV but still frozen but after that, no power @ home, no battery on RV. Was just trying to figure out for future what I can do for extended periods of outages. Hook to RV with RV generator going, , buy another house generator, solar, etc.497Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
jdc1 wrote: I have to ask: How long are you running the genset? To keep tat food cold, you should only have to run it 3-4 times a day, an hour at a time....not continuously. That would also be sufficient to charge your battery. A 100w solar panel would be a great idea too, to keep your RV topped off, smoke or no smoke. Having a spare 12V battery sitting around might be a good idea too, since you don't seem to have a secondary battery in your B. No secondary battery. I was running it about 4 hours but all at once. I really think I must have used way more than my generator was charging. I ended up ordering a small generator for the house last night. It is small enough I can bring with if I ever need to. Portable, less than 50lbs. I will continue to look at solar for RV. I love the Jackery idea, but they look like they only last about 4-6 yrs, before the internal lithium battery is toast. You can’t replace the battery. I may just get their panels, if I can hook up to the house battery, instead of buying their portable power box. https://www.jackery.com/products/explorer-1000-portable-power-station?variant=31523358769239¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gclid=CjwKCAjwzIH7BRAbEiwAoDxxTv4OPJecRXKzC2A80dXDUHcyX9yLxG9FtWQZwp7MePFkEdhZexAXCRoCB8UQAvD_BwE https://www.jackery.com/products/solarsaga-100w-solar-panel?variant=19479350837335498Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
time2roll wrote: Need a roof? Tesla solar roof plus a few power wall batteries. Works for you even when the power is on. big $$$ up front. Otherwise maybe a home generator and 500 gallon propane tank. Or get the RV systems working. Consider adding a home transfer switch and power inlet to make living without power plug and play. I have a house propane tank. I think that might be the way to go. Don’t have to haul gas. Don’t have to use RV generator and drain battery. I never had issues with RV system before so I must have just asked it to do more than I was suppose to. I will be working on that too. Might just be me, not understanding the limitations.497Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
time2roll wrote: How about put them on a small utility trailer(uhaul?), connect to the van, and just go. Plug them all in at a comfortable RV park until you get word the power is back on. I am not that vested in saving the food :) I think I am more trying to figure out for extended outages in the future. Hoping not to get evacuated again!498Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
time2roll wrote: If your were evacuated I am not sure why you are at home trying to run a bunch of freezers. I would be tempted to just leave. We went between be ready, get ready and leave. While I was in the RV waiting to be evacuated, I plugged them into RV, then killed battery. Once evacuated, they were not hooked to RV but still frozen but after that, no power @ home, no battery on RV. Was just trying to figure out for future what I can do for extended periods of outages. Hook to RV with RV generator going, , buy another house generator, solar, etc.498Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
opnspaces wrote: You do not need a second generator. Where or how would you hook this second generator up? However you are envisioning hooking up the second generator will be the same for the existing generator. Number one, turn off the generator, find the circuit breakers in the house and find the one that is tripped and not charging the battery. If you can't find the specific charger circuit breaker then turn them all off. Now push extra hard on any breakers that seem to be springy or have any sponginess until it snaps all the way off. Now turn all the breakers back on. Once the breakers are all back on, turn on a light or two and maybe turn on a ventilation fan as well. Now start the generator and see if the fan speeds up and the lights get brighter. If the fan speeds up and the lights get brighter you have probably fixed the house battery charging. If you still can't get the house battery charging, then buy one of these Link, and plug it into the trailer or directly into your generator. Then plug the trailer shore power cord into the end. This will charge your house battery until you can get a multimeter. Second generator was going to be for home, to handle freezer/frig in outage in future instead of using RV generator to keep them running. Thanks for the steps! I will try that.497Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
Thx everyone! As soon as I can my hands on a volt meter, I will problem solve more. I am rethinking a lot, for future events. Maybe get a second battery, or add at least one solar panel, not ask as much from the house battery, get a portable battery booster/charger. Maybe get a second generator for the house but that seems unneeded.497Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
Woodsie8* wrote: ndrorder wrote: Unless you have an inverter which uses 12v battery to make 120V plug power, the two are separate and having something plugged in will not affect the battery. If you do Have an inverter, the plugs would stay powered when shore power and the generator off. Doesn't sound like that is the case. If only using lights and water pump, those shouldn't drain a battery that much that 3 to 4 hours of generator can't replenish. I think I have an inverter. I usually have the RV plugged into shore power and it charges the house battery. I guess when I get electricity back, I will plug in and see if the house battery charges. I also will see (once charged and unplugged to shore power) if the outside outlets are alive. It lasted for 3 days, so it had juice, assuming from the generator keeping it charged. A deep freeze and house frig probably pulls a lot, and I used A/C a very small bit, with inside lights and water pump for toilet.228Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
ndrorder wrote: Unless you have an inverter which uses 12v battery to make 120V plug power, the two are separate and having something plugged in will not affect the battery. If you do Have an inverter, the plugs would stay powered when shore power and the generator off. Doesn't sound like that is the case. If only using lights and water pump, those shouldn't drain a battery that much that 3 to 4 hours of generator can't replenish. I think I have an inverter.229Views0likes0CommentsRe: Needing help, evacuated, battery dead
RambleOnNW wrote: Can you start the engine, then start the generator from the 12V supplied by the engine alternator? Sounds like your house battery is bad or your converter is bad and not charging the house battery. I have started the rig to charge my phone and let it run, generator still dead.228Views0likes0Comments
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