david.lemke
Adventurer
thanks
that helped me out on figuring which set of batteries to get
that helped me out on figuring which set of batteries to get
My Dual Battery plan! Battery charge current draw?
- Thread starter mburrows
- Start date
mburrows
New member
I finally got the fridge and the charger put in, panels back up and rig on the road.
I went camping for the weekend, outside temp was about 20 degrees C during the day and 10 at night, I set the fridge to 35 degrees F and was always in and out getting beers. I drove for about an hour and charged the batteries, when I arrived at 2 PM Friday they where at 12.83V. Saturday at 2 PM they where at 12.51V and Sunday when I left at 3 PM they where 12.09V. Drove for an hour back home and they where at 12.84V.
Gives me the estimate that I might get 72 hours in mild weather running the fridge and a few lights, without dropping below 11V. In hot weather I suspect the fridge efficiency to be far worse and may only get 48 hours. So far I'm happy but I won't really know until we start living in the truck full time.
Count down is on, and Mid June is fast approaching.
I went camping for the weekend, outside temp was about 20 degrees C during the day and 10 at night, I set the fridge to 35 degrees F and was always in and out getting beers. I drove for about an hour and charged the batteries, when I arrived at 2 PM Friday they where at 12.83V. Saturday at 2 PM they where at 12.51V and Sunday when I left at 3 PM they where 12.09V. Drove for an hour back home and they where at 12.84V.
Gives me the estimate that I might get 72 hours in mild weather running the fridge and a few lights, without dropping below 11V. In hot weather I suspect the fridge efficiency to be far worse and may only get 48 hours. So far I'm happy but I won't really know until we start living in the truck full time.
Count down is on, and Mid June is fast approaching.
rayra
Expedition Leader
Add a solar panel on the roof for passive power generation while you are parked / camped and you can extend that battery time quite a bit. Even a small panel system can help. Harbor Freight's low budget 45W / 4A kit gets good reviews and it's about $150.
Great idea on the battery location. Was worried about the loss of the rear AC, but then saw you were in Canada. Couldn't do without it here in SoCal. I've been planning a cargo area drawer system, about 6-7" deep and have been fiddling with the idea of a power conversion / battery expansion in a compartment at the front end, with various power port types. Your battery placement has inspired me to dig into the interior trim where the jack storage is. I can move that to the drawers and go with full sized batteries as you have, in the other rear corner. If the fuel filler doesn't interfere. And now that I say that it doesn't seem a good idea to mix power and gas so close.
Great idea on the battery location. Was worried about the loss of the rear AC, but then saw you were in Canada. Couldn't do without it here in SoCal. I've been planning a cargo area drawer system, about 6-7" deep and have been fiddling with the idea of a power conversion / battery expansion in a compartment at the front end, with various power port types. Your battery placement has inspired me to dig into the interior trim where the jack storage is. I can move that to the drawers and go with full sized batteries as you have, in the other rear corner. If the fuel filler doesn't interfere. And now that I say that it doesn't seem a good idea to mix power and gas so close.