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WME

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Posts posted by WME

    Boondock vs. plugged in What can/can't I run?

    in Electrical

    Posted

    Tecno Babble... Converter makes 12v DC from 120v AC, standard equipment on 99% of commercial made RV's. Inverter is backwards, it makes 120v AC from 12v DC it is very seldom installed in low/mid price RV's. An inverter on a Toy would most likely been installed by a previous owner and who knows how it's wired.

    Inverters have an idle draw, like a car engine idling, no work but its using gas. Most inverters have an on/off switch. The high class ones have auto on function so they have a greatly reduced idle draw. An "old school" setup you would have to plug the shore power cord into the inverter. A smart setup would have an auto transfer switch (ATS) that will automatically power the Rv. SOME inverters have an ATS built in. Again whatcha got?

    So the question is do you really have an inverter?? If you find one, what make and what power rating?

    What works boondocking??? Your Fridge, house heater, water heater all are propane powered. Your house heater fan, stove vent fan, lights are all 12v powered. The outlets are 120v AC only so to power them you need an 1. inverter or 2. Shore power 120v AC or 3. Generator.

     

    If you plan on a lot boondocking you need to look into a solar setup, but that's another conversation.

     

     

    How does my hot water heater work?

    in Coach ApplianceTech Issues

    Posted

    If your RV was stored for an extended period of time, the gas lines will fill with air and it may take several tries to get gas to the appliance. I think that is what happened to your water heater. After you purged the lines everything works as it is supposed to. The water is automatic and will cycle on/off as needed. 

    P.S. The dang thing sounds like a jet engine when its running so a lot of us turn it off at night for a sound sleep.

     

    extension cord

    in Electrical

    Idaho Doug's Sunrader build

    in Improvement and Do-It-Yourself Projects you have done to Share!

    Posted

    Demms some bright lights.    OK back to solar and some rambling thoughts

     

    1. Install 3 AGMs 2 for house and 1 for engine, then your good to go

     

    2. LFP is NOT a starter battery. You need a regular car battery or an AGM starter battery.

    3. Your old 12v RV converter will charge a LFP to about an 80% SOC (state of charge). As an idea 2 of the 100 amp LFP batteries at 80% will have about 150% more energy than the battery you had. Depending when you park for the day, your solar may top off the battery before the end of the day

    Also remember as your driving down the road your roof mounted solar panels are working.

    4. The problem with LFP and a stock alternator is that the LFP has a very low internal resistance. The LiTime battery will easily accept a 90 amp charge. 2 of them means a 180 amp charge rate. How long do you think a stock Toyota alternator of 60 amps will last at full power before it melts?

    The way the BMS inside of each battery (battery management System, with its controlling computer) works is if the battery is 90% DOD then it gets charged at 90 amps, if the battery is 50% DOD it gets charged at 90 amps, if its 25% DOD it gets 90 amps, if its 5% DOD then it gets 5 amps.

    5. The DC2DC charger will let you set the MAX input amps from the alternator, then it talks to the BMS in the LFP batteries and divides the MAX input you selected, between the 2 batteries. So a 30 amp max input gets divided and each battery gets a 15 amp charge when your driving.

    So when your driving each battery would get 15 amps from the DC2DC and 5 amps from the solar panels. 

     

    TMI... got room for a single 200 AH LFP battery, 21"x9"x8.5"?? There are a few with blu-tooth, low temp cut off,and self heating that run about $625 and would greatly simplify the wiring and the cost of the wires. You understand that your talking about 4/0 AWG sized wires for this much power. Without the bells and whistles a 12v 200 ah battery is under $500

    You need to size the wire and fuses according to the batteries potential power, not how much you think your going to be using. You will always figure a way to use the extra power with some new widjet

     

    This is the boring part of designing a solar system. You should do a power audit, how much power each item uses and how many hours or minutes it runs in a day. Add it all up in watt hours or amp hours but not both mixed up, apple and oranges stuff.  You may not need 200 AH of batteries. 

     

    FWIW I been doing RV solar for 25 years, my first system was a used 60 w panel, a 15 amp controller and a Wal Mart Marine Deep Cycle GP 27 battery. It cost more than your 3 panel system. will. BUT it worked within its limits. Our winter boondocking time went from 2 days to 5 days before we ran out of power. Out of water after 5 days anyway so it was OK.

    Idaho Doug's Sunrader build

    in Improvement and Do-It-Yourself Projects you have done to Share!

    Posted

    Spring is springing, time to get your ducks in a row. 

    Batteries...

    AGM  100ah Renogy is $190, weighs 65lbs, MAX safe Depth of discharge (DOD, going all techie) is 70%, they will work down to -4 deg, last 5-7 years, never needs water, can mount inside if you going out at -4 deg, works great with solar, Toyota alternator and your current 12v converter.

     

    LifePo4 (LFP) 100 ah , mid range $$ , a name brand-Litime, Redodo, is $230, weight 25lbs, MAX safe DOD is 100%, this maybe important to some the low temp cut off is 32 deg,...@ 80% DOD lifespan is 20 years, never needs water, can mount inside, works great with your solar, works so so with your factory 12v converter, Toyota factory alternators are not real happy. You need a DC to DC charger to protect the alternator.

     The LFP batteries are decreasing in price.

    Alternate LFP... the standard  LFP100ah battery is between GP 24-27. There is now a mini 100ah LFP that is smaller than a GP 24 and weighs 19 lbs, cost is + $20.

     Also there LFP batteries that have low temp cut off built in, some even have heaters and blu tooth. There are +$60 depending which of the features you want

     

    Idaho Doug's Sunrader build

    in Improvement and Do-It-Yourself Projects you have done to Share!

    Posted · Edited by WME

    If I read the Renogy web info right, you have a Renogy Adventure Li-30 PWM controller. With all the numbers running around the solar stuff, its easy to get things mixed up.

    The Adventure is a 30 AMP controller, that's the MAX amps OUTPUT it will send to your batteries. It's rated for a MAX of 50 volts, 400 watts  INPUT from your solar panels. So using 3-100w panels in Parallel would be OK.

    NOTE a  PWM controller is sensitive to miss matched panels, so make sure that your panels are the same, Voc and Isc. Those numbers should be on a label on the back of the panel. Amazon sells Renogy so you could get your extra panel there.

    P.S. easy up grade would be a 30 amp MPPT controller. They work differently and are in the range of 20% more efficient.

    P.P.S. A solar "day" is 5 hr, so under perfect conditions your setup w/ 3 panels will recharge about 65 AMP HOURS into your batteries a day.

    Anybody feel qualified to tell me what components to get for a from-scratch Sunrader electrical system?

    in Electrical

    Posted · Edited by WME

    Welcome to the world of solar powered everything. Lots of folks want/need all the comforts of home all the time in their RV, think Glampers. 

    If you "promise" no a/c, no microwave, no electric heater, there may be an alternative... 

    https://www.licitti.com/product/acbatterybox/ 

    Its a DIY solar generator, it comes with EVERYTHING you need for a LFP powered setup except the battery. Charger, pure sine inverter, 120v outlet, usb ports, 12v auto jack, MPPT solar controller.

    So with that and a 100ah battery, for a total of $500, you can have a "solar generator" that has 2x the total useable watt hours of the original Sunrader 12v system. Add $90 for a 100w solar panel and your all set to boondock.

    I have the 1000w unit with a 100ah LFP Redodo 100ah Mini battery, its the backup power for my wifes CPAP during power outages at home.  

    Interesting LFP battery situation, there is a company named LiTime that used to be AmpereTime, they are selling all the NOS AmpereTime labled batteries at a deep discount.

    They also sell used inspected batteries, cheap. Mostly returns for physical size or capacity problems. Might be worth a look. I don't have one, but recently heard about them.https://www.litime.com/collections/12v-like-new-batteries

    Anybody feel qualified to tell me what components to get for a from-scratch Sunrader electrical system?

    in Electrical

    Posted

    Before WE can help you to build a system for your RV, WE need to know what you want to power. Its called an energy audit. Watts used x hours ran.

    FWIW I have a 1500w Panasonic inverter microwave and power it with a 2000w inverter, a friend has a TT with a 800w traditional microwave, it will NOT run using a 1500w inverter.

    A very useful cheap tool to use is a Kill a Watt meter. Its great for 120v ac loads. 

    Anybody feel qualified to tell me what components to get for a from-scratch Sunrader electrical system?

    in Electrical

    Posted · Edited by WME

    OK another comment. Top tier equipment AKA "bet your a** on it" is usually considered Victron. There is some good mid grade (tier2) stuff and a whole bunch of bottom tier 3/4 junk.

    Reading...

    DIYSolarforum.com

     

    UTUBE people 

    Reeway outdoors

    HOBOTECH

     

    Another P.S.  Have you thought about one of the all in box "solar generator" units

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlK7lWdyb_I&t=89s

     

    Anybody feel qualified to tell me what components to get for a from-scratch Sunrader electrical system?

    in Electrical

    Posted · Edited by WME

    Some random babblings🤪 to go with your random babblings.

    A 1500w microwave is going to need a 2000w+ pure sine wave inverter.

    FLA car battery and a LFP house battery SHOULD have a DC2DC charger to protect the alternator. A LFP can draw full power from your alternator and can overheat it. A 100ah LFP can draw 100amps during charging

     

    How much space for house batteries??

     

    Some LFP rated RV converters have a bit too high output. FLA batteries love being kept at 100% charged, LFP not so much. An old style converter usually wouldn't harm an LFP battery, but it will only charge it to 80% or so

    Redodo is making a 100ah mini.. 10.25Lx5.24wx9h, weighs 19lb on sale $227. Three of these fit where 2ea CG-2 6v FLA were

    LiTime has a 230ah mini just released, 19lx6.7wx9.5h, weighs 45lbs, $630.

    Choice depends on your willingness to fuss with LARGE wires 2/0 awg

    Mid quality level 100ah LFP batteries are all around the $225ea. Self heating, waterproof, blu tooth batteries are a bit more.

     

    Power panels are all basically the same, 1 20 amp breaker, 2 15 amp breaker and a dozen 12v dc fuses

     

    Simplify some things,  3000w pure sine wave inverter AND a LFP rated charger in one box

     

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VYRMH7M/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B09VYRMH7M&ref_=sbv_search_btf&qid=&pd_rd_w=W7jRg&content-id=amzn1.sym.4ce7861b-6eb2-4a5c-9f9e-8bdb3caa65db%3Aamzn1.sym.4ce7861b-6eb2-4a5c-9f9e-8bdb3caa65db&pf_rd_p=4ce7861b-6eb2-4a5c-9f9e-8bdb3caa65db&pf_rd_r=ZNNV6A4SS4D3XECPH6B4&pd_rd_wg=XF8Qu&pd_rd_r=37f0880d-720d-4917-a094-91cd2fcb7600&th=1

     

    OOPS forgot is there solar in your future???

    Inverter installation advice

    in Electrical

    Posted

    An ATS would simplify things greatly. Install things so that the inverter is "the generator"

    Just cut the shore power cord where you want to mount the ATS. The shore power cord then goes into "power "on the ATS, the inverter to the "generator" and the short bit of the old shore power cord goes to the ATS output. 

    A warning of sorts when the inverter is running the RV the original converter is trying to charge the battery that the inverter is drawing power from, a vicious self defeating circle.

    Answer.. find the C/B for the converter and remember to turn it off when ever the inverter is running. OR get this ATS that shuts off the converter automatically.

     

     Go Power GP-TS 30

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