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Old 02-10-2019, 06:11 PM   #1
Tbos
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How long should the batteries run the fridge and heater?

Last night I tested our 2019 Alpine 3651RL to see if it would run the heater and residential fridge all night on the 2 batteries. It didn’t. It did get down to 17 last night. The heat was set to 68. I started with 2 fully charged batteries at 10 pm and by 8am they were down to 10v and neither the heater or inverter would work with the voltage that low. Both batteries were new in April. Based on these results We won’t be able to do any boondocking in the winter when heat is needed. At least not until I can figure out if everything is working like advertised or if there is a problem. Nothing else was running except one led light. I figured that would simulate some use of the lights at night. I didn’t even attempt to simulate the power the pump would draw when flushing or washing hands. Any ideas on what to look for or where to start? TIA.
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Old 02-10-2019, 06:17 PM   #2
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If your not getting into the fridge for any midnight snacks, turn it off. Furnace fan is a big draw. You could measure the amp draw from your batteries with the inverter turned off, then on. Then measure amp draw with the furnace running. These figures will help you figure things out.
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Old 02-10-2019, 06:36 PM   #3
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As you probably already know these inverters put a large load on the batteries. Until you get some real data on current draw from the battery for the blower motor and that inverter, I also think your only option is to turn the inverter off and minimize access to the frig. Better option than going with no heat. I would think you would be good with door closed overnight. If I recall others with residential frigs have added more batteries to address boon docking. I assume you run generator during the day
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Old 02-10-2019, 07:31 PM   #4
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Your other option is to upgrade your battery bank to a LiFEPO4 medium. It is expensive but you'll more than double your amp hours and shed quite a few pounds. Recharge rate is much better than typical AGM or flooded batteries and the number of discharge cycles is in the 1000's. If I had a big, expensive rig like yours, that's what I would do, especially if your plan is to stay off grid. (Note...These batteries need to be above freezing temps in order to effectively charge so many owners will relocate the battery bank inside the living space).
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Old 02-10-2019, 08:50 PM   #5
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Big, expensive? It's all relative. That model looks darn nice in the photo's I've seen. Good job picking that alpine out! Have fun.
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Old 02-10-2019, 08:53 PM   #6
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17 degrees outside while keeping the trailer at 68 while running a residential fridge doesn't surprise me in the least that your 2 batteries went dead. That's just asking too much from those batteries. At that outside temperature I have to think the furnace ran nearly non-stop.
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Old 02-10-2019, 09:04 PM   #7
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There's really not nearly enough information to make anything but a guess about the OP's question.

Is he running two GP24 marine deep cycle batteries?
Is he running two GC2 or EGC2 golf cart batteries? (There's a BIG difference)
Is he running the ice maker on his residential refrigerator?
Is the furnace set on 68F and it's 17F outside with the furnace cycling or is the thermostat set on 74F and running continuously without any hope of warming the trailer to the Tstat setting? I know what he posted, I'm using that as an example of what "could happen" with thermostat calibration not being accurate.

Depending on the refrigerator demand on the inverter, with two EGC2 fully charged batteries, he "should" be able to keep the trailer at 66-68F, turn the ice maker off on the refrigerator (the lower cold water line is probably frozen anyway)

IMHO, there's really no way to determine whether his battery bank is sufficient to operate the system given the information available.
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Old 02-11-2019, 05:58 AM   #8
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This week I’ll try to find out exactly what Batteries I have. The box the are in is a pain to access and we have lousy weather today and tomorrow. I know they are 12V in parallel installed by the dealer but other than that I don’t have any other info on them. The furnace is pretty efficient and was cycling on and off. I used the fireplace to help bring it up to temp before disconnecting shore power. The ice maker was not on and fridge was not opened. The only draw on the inverter is the fridge. I don’t have an amp meter but looks like I need to buy one. What are the longest lasting 12V deep cycle non lithium batteries?
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Old 02-11-2019, 07:10 AM   #9
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Refrigerators are an incredible draw. Though not at any one point. But they run almost continuously. The heat is underneath the fridge and it must run a fan to dissipate that heat, almost a full time basis. Turn off the fridge at night, it will be fine till the AM. Or, if you plan to do lots of boondocking consider replacing the residential style with an RV style that you could run on propane.


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Old 02-11-2019, 07:31 AM   #10
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My small frig draws 2.4 amps posted on the door. I recently installed 3 k inverter and 500 watts of solor panels. I run out gas the auto will switch over to electric. I'm use 345 A H agm 12 volt Duracell batters . If I figure with the frig draw I could run 7 days with no sun .
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Old 02-11-2019, 07:47 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by busterbrown View Post
Your other option is to upgrade your battery bank to a LiFEPO4 medium. It is expensive but you'll more than double your amp hours and shed quite a few pounds. Recharge rate is much better than typical AGM or flooded batteries and the number of discharge cycles is in the 1000's. If I had a big, expensive rig like yours, that's what I would do, especially if your plan is to stay off grid. (Note...These batteries need to be above freezing temps in order to effectively charge so many owners will relocate the battery bank inside the living space).

Would you have to install special chargers with those batteries? Those definitely look fairly high tech. Has anyone out there used them for RVing?


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Old 02-11-2019, 07:51 AM   #12
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Don't be so set on 12v batteries. Good 6v batteries can offer higher AH rating and can discharge further and more often without causing failures.

And they don't cost much more than their 12v contemporaries.
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Old 02-11-2019, 09:40 AM   #13
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Don't be so set on 12v batteries. Good 6v batteries can offer higher AH rating and can discharge further and more often without causing failures.



And they don't cost much more than their 12v contemporaries.


Two 6 volt deep cycle may be the way I go. I also like the idea of having a separate battery or set of batteries for the fridge. Once I figure out what I have in there I can decide which path to go. We don’t plan to boondock often but would like the option to do it for a day or two if possible.
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:00 AM   #14
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My opinion, when dry camping in any of these typical RVs you need more power than 2 12v batteries. Having a back up a genny will fill that gap. Maybe solar depending where your at. For me a generator is simple, get 1 that you can move without breaking your back. Place away from the unit, you likely will not here it running. Example with my TT and a 2000w Yamaha. I placed the genny about 5 ft from the rear of the TT. Inside the unit I could hear it, but at night while sleeping the furnace running is many times louder. I am giving up on having 2 12v batteries, they only last about 2 days in cold temps in this TT. I have leds in all lights, run refer on propane and HW on propane only when needed. The furnace is the big draw. It seemed to take around 6 hours to recharge to full batteries everyday. My last routine was to start the genny full of fuel around 4p and let it run all night til we left at 6am. That insured no getting up at night without heat or electricity. Getting 2 6v batteries is my spring upgrade project.
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:30 AM   #15
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Two 6 volt deep cycle may be the way I go. I also like the idea of having a separate battery or set of batteries for the fridge. Once I figure out what I have in there I can decide which path to go. We don’t plan to boondock often but would like the option to do it for a day or two if possible.
One option that may "transition you" into an adequate battery configuration would be to move your current battery pair to the refrigerator only circuit and turn the refrigerator off when possible (don't run the ice maker at all when on batteries) and buy two GC2 or EGC2 (higher amp rating) to operate the trailer systems. That way you'd have increased capacity for the furnace and continue to have availability from your old batteries without discarding them.

Once those 12 volt batteries finally die, replace them with the same type golf cart batteries by shifting the existing ones to the refrigerator circuit and installing the new ones on the main system.
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Old 02-11-2019, 10:55 AM   #16
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One option that may "transition you" into an adequate battery configuration would be to move your current battery pair to the refrigerator only circuit and turn the refrigerator off when possible (don't run the ice maker at all when on batteries) and buy two GC2 or EGC2 (higher amp rating) to operate the trailer systems. That way you'd have increased capacity for the furnace and continue to have availability from your old batteries without discarding them.



Once those 12 volt batteries finally die, replace them with the same type golf cart batteries by shifting the existing ones to the refrigerator circuit and installing the new ones on the main system.


Good idea. I also need to understand how the charger/converter is connected before I change anything.
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Old 02-11-2019, 11:08 AM   #17
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Good idea. I also need to understand how the charger/converter is connected before I change anything.
I can't say how your system is designed. Some have an "inverter/charger" which gives the refrigerator system a separate charging capacity through the inverter and any batteries installed on the inverter can be separate and distinct from the main coach system.

Some later models don't have that capability. No idea what is installed in your trailer so no way to say if you can separate the refrigerator from the main coach or not (without rewiring some things)....

Ideally, if you can separate the refrigerator from the main coach electrical system, then you would have the capacity to run the refrigerator "until the inverter shuts off" without affecting your furnace and water pump function. That way, you wouldn't wake up cold with no lights caused by the refrigerator "stealing all your power"...
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Old 02-17-2019, 04:06 PM   #18
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Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_2864.jpg
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ID:	20363 Here is a picture of one of the 2 batteries I have installed. From what I find online it’s a series 27 deep cycle battery. I’m still trying to completely understand all the different types and designations for the batteries.
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