red31
Bryan
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Joined: 08/04/2008
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Battery care seems more important.
I easily get 2 cold nights with a single group 24 (50a-h available to use)
Atwood 7916 rated 3.4A/40watts
That's 14 hours of constant run time from the furnace yilds a dead battery and empty propane container! If the furnace runs constantly, it's very cold and windy and not the best camping weather.
Either 2 31s or 2 6 volt (deep cycle of course). 6 days or more!
Having a small generator for backup allows the coffee maker and microwave use!
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4runnerguy
Glenwood Springs, CO
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Joined: 03/10/2003
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Just like at home, saving energy is important to minimize power usage.
Consider replacing your light bulbs with LED's which use far less power. They make them that go right in your current receptacles.
If you anticipate cool or cold weather camping, consider insulation. The furnace is a major energy draw. Some people put reflectix (or equivalent) under their mattresses. You can put PopUpGizmos over the bunk end. You can cut reflectix to fit in all of your windows to hold the heat in.
Also, consider your childs bedding. When it gets cool, we have a big down comforter we sleep under. It's too warm to use if the nights are above 45 or 50 degrees, but when it gets down toward freezing, it is SOOOO comfy and warm.
Also, have your child wear a knit hat to bed at night. Makes a huge difference in keeping warm (if they keep it on).
We rarely use the furnace. Mostly on frosty mornings. I'll get up, turn on the furnace and coffee, and sneak back under the covers for 10 minutes. Even if we run the furnace at the lowest setting (~50 degrees), it gets too warm at night in the PUP with the down comforter. And we don't have any of the insulation I've mentioned, although it's been on my to-do list for a couple of years now.
For us, we have a group 31 battery. With two propane tanks, there's already enough stuff and tongue weight on the tongue anyway. We use a Honda to recharge when necessary. In the boonies, I'm more concerned about running out of propane, hence the two propane tanks rather than two batteries.
Ken & Allison
2 Camping Cats (1 diabetic)
1996 4Runner, TRD Supercharger, Edelbrock headers
2007 Fleetwood Arcadia, Honda EU2000i
4 mountain bikes, 1 canoe, 4 tents, 8 sleeping bags, 2 backpacks
(You get the idea!)
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Guest
USA
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Joined: 08/02/2004
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Battery needs vary wildly depending on what your power desires are. We have small kids that generally go to bed shortly after dark. I have virtually zero lighting amp draw and very little water pump either (maybe 5 gallons a day, the rest is used outside from portable tanks). Our low wall pup fridge has no control board, so uses zero battery juice when on LP, no stereo, no power toilet flush...
My G27 Walmart cheapie would last me 4-5 nights of camping with furnace set to 55 or so (and the thermostat anticipator properly adjusted!). That's been perfect for us in weather with lows down to about freezing. The "12 volt side of life" site referenced earlier has crucial info for the care and feeding of these batteries. A must read.
I retired that G27 at four years old to backup sump pump battery and bought a Walmart G29 this time. So far so good.
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bondebond
The bluest spot in Kansas
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Joined: 07/16/2008
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Most of the upgrades/modifications to equipment AND behavior have been mentioned previously.
Since you spend some focus on the furnace, I will say that one of the best savings (LP and battery, both) came by replacing the cheap brown Attwood furnace thermostat with a basic digital programmable household thermostat from an orange big box store. I'd rather not have to mess with the OEM thermostat's anticipator (which I did for a while).
I can set it to just be a specific temp all the time (what I usually do) or program it to raise and lower the temp throughout the day or night. Choices.
I've done the reflective materials under the bunk ends, replaced all lighting with LEDs, reduced electric useage behaviors, upgraded to a single Group31 battery, run the fridge on LP, and so on.
I can go 5 days with furnace use at night only, keeping the kiddos warm at about 65 degrees before hitting 50% on the battery. This includes several gallons a day water pump usage and minimal interior lighting. I also use Coleman LED lantern when really trying to stretch long term dry camping.
I've used the vehicle to charge once, when desperate. That's tough and only a Hail Mary. Takes hours to be useful.
You have to be willing to commit serious coin to solar before you reach a good level of recharge, if you are seriously energy frugal. It's a bit more challenging to haul on PUPs, temporary mounts, etc are needed.
I hated the generator after doing 9 days of dry camping in Colorado with buddies who had no interest in learning why they shouldn't leave lights on all night and use the PUP battery to recharge their Macs, iPods and PSPs. Can't blame them for...yeah, sure I can.
Anyway, you have options. This is an ever-refining process. Don't try to jump all the way to the Cadillac configuration. Do a number of upgrades and see that fits your usage. If not, go to the next thing up the list.
Myself, The Boss, and two wanna-be Bosses
2006 Jayco 1007
Yum...nature is tasty.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2005
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Good Sam RV Club
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nuke1105 wrote:I was also told that i could hook the trailer up to my truck for about 30 minutes while (leave my truck running of course) and that will charge my batties half way or so?
Half way is doubtful. A 100 amp hour battery down 60% needs 60+ amps for an hour to get back up. 10 amps you need 6 hours.
When I had I PUP I would put one of the two batteries in the back of the bed and connected to the trailer connector to charge while I was out sight seeing. A few hours driving around will get some decent charge back in the battery. Then swap and charge the other the next day.
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
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