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RE: SOLAR EXPERTS ONLY - YOUR OPINION PLEASE
Hello and thanks for the continuation of ideas!
My normal routine is to have the 2 Lifelines (210 amps total) fully charged at home, and then I will dry camping for 4-5 days.
Under the absolute worst case scenario in winter, with the new Platinum Cat heater installed, I would use no more than 30 amps a day. This would allow me a little over 3 days before charging would be necessary.
Your 30ah max usage guesstimate is very close to my actual usage. I have 220ah worth of batteries, 200w of solar on the roof. In full sun, not far from winter solstice, I am charged (meaning above 90%, in absorption mode, down to 2 amps or so) by noon after being down 30ah at sunrise. However, that's in Southern California. But considering you are talking about being out 4 to 5 days max, you don't really need a full recharge every day. You just need enough to keep you above that 50% battery level until you get home and fully recharge. Even with absolutely no charging at all, you wouldn't be down that low until the 4th day out, per your worst case scenario. You could probably get by fine with 100w of solar, taking those things into consideration. If you can average 5 amps per hour for three hours daily from your solar, you're good. You might start with a 100w (or so) panel, see how it goes. Size your wiring and controller to allow adding another panel later if needed. Best of luck.
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Simplygib
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04/26/12 10:45pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Sewer smell...at wit's end!
Just had a similar episode myself. Had an awful smell in the rig and assumed the tank was near full so dumped it. The smell seemed to disappear so I thought I had it fixed. A couple of days later it starts again. Couldn't figure it out. Started sniffing around everywhere - drains, toilet, etc. The smell was strongest in one cabinet that holds a sliding hamper next to the bathroom - which also is open to the black tank vent line as well as various other lines. I figured I had some kind of leak where the vent pipe entered the black tank, but couldn't see down in there to verify.
Later went outside and noticed the smell out there too. Started sniffing again. Noticed it was rather strong at the furnace exhaust port. Then checked the next access over - battery compartment. Extremely strong there, and noticeable heat coming from the door vent! Turns out a cell in the battery was shorted out, the whole thing was red hot and boiling away. The resulting "rotten egg" smell of boiling battery acid was the culprit. Smelled just like raw sewage. Was just thankful I caught it before it got any worse.
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Simplygib
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08/22/11 05:31pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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