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RE: Single cup coffee maker amp draw
TTS,
I've got the same size bank config as yours (440 ah of 6v agms) with mildly better wiring. I run a microwave (110a draw) or an induction cooktop (same draw) for 5 to 10 minutes at a time without harming the bank. The high amp draw can pull the bank voltage reading down to 11.9v temporarily but it does then rebound. This is pretty similar to what happens to the single starting battery when you crank the engine (granted that the starting battery is optimized with lots of plate area---but 4 deep-cycles ought to equal one starting battery in plate area.) So no harm done to my setup.
It is true that you're asking for 150a and hence have a larger temporary voltage drop. I would think your four batteries could still stand that. In the ideal world you would override the Magnum low-voltage cutoff just while you're brewing a cup.
Now the criticism from me is that k-cups must cost 30 or 40 cents each and generate a lot of trash. (They are convenient)
We brew pretty expensive coffee made from beans that run $1/ounce. I use a Melitta drip cone with disposable paper filters (3 cents each) and drip the whole morning's coffee direct into a snug-fitting Thermos. I think the coffee runs about 11 cents per cup by my calculation---about a third of your cost. A tad more work, true, but the aroma alone is worth it. The Thermos certainly has no trouble with a few hours span.
We are agnostic as to whether our French press or Melitta drip cone is a better method. The paper filter full of grinds is as easy to clean up as a K-cup. So easy that the Melitta is used in the stick house over the French press whenever a morning's worth of coffee is to be made. A point for convenience. And boiling water in the the rv can be done however convenient and doesn't have to involve the batteries.
My bro-in-law, drinks one cup a day and uses a k-cup machine. I've sampled 5 or 6 varieties from his stash and found them tolerable but dull. Definitely a point in favor of buying better beans instead and brewing to your own strength.
Go on and reset your low voltage trigger if you're happy with what you've been doing.
Dan
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bananadanna
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05/25/12 05:48pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Rear Storage Box
We have a swing-away bike rack on our Sprinter and it is much appreciated on long trips. But it does make access to the back doors that much harder, makes the van longer and generally advertises that you've got a load of stuff!
The hitch receiver rack comes off whenever otherwise possible as the van is much more user friendly without it.
Bike storage can be pretty space-consuming inside. But I would have to be pretty hard up for interior space to want to add just 13 cu ft on the outside and accept the use restrictions. We have winnowed down what we carry as experience showed what got used. We have also resorted to carrying some critter-resistant containers when extra gear was a necessity. Those items could go outside in camp and get tarped if necessary. Our quickshelter generally swallows up a lot of chairs and outdoor kitchen equipment. An extra 600 cu ft there!
If you don't use your rear doors much and have no parking or urban use issues then I'm sure you'd enjoy the extra room.
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bananadanna
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05/15/12 10:06am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: What Is The Brightest And Longest LED Rope Light?
I have a 40 ft string of ac powered rope lights. It draws 75w IIRC. No idea of the lumens per watt but it must be pretty low.
I just replaced three recessed kitchen lights in the stick house with 18w 75w-equivalent leds. I do believe one could do surgery on the kitchen counter if there was the need! Excellent light quality for fine work and a good concentration because of the reduced angle dispersion of leds.
I am curious why you want rope lights.
Wouldn't a combo of 60w-equivalent LED bulbs work better? The Philips L-Prize winner uses 10w and the cheaper 12.5w versions are available at HD.
We use four 2.5w led fixtures in our van. That allows us to use one or two at a time to minimize energy consumption.
And leds are efficiently dimmable. Is it useful to have plenty of light when you need it and a low energy consumption otherwise?
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bananadanna
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05/03/12 09:21am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Swingaway bike rack
I have a Yak 4-bike Swingdaddy on my 02 Sprinter.
Observations:
The arm is just long enough in the swung-out position to allow the rear passenger door to reach its 90 degree detent. Maybe 1/4" left over. Works for me, not sure about 2007 and newer Sprinters.
The Yak locks to the 2" receiver and comes with a same-key built-in cable lock. Good casual security. U-locks can be used for better security.
The 4 bike mounts are easy to adjust. Bear in mind that almost any three bike combo will fit but for four bikes they may need to be similar enough to nest close enough. A problem for most multibike racks. Moral: get more capacity than you need.
The Yak is bulletproof--and you pay for it. (Mine was half price as an LLBean return)
It is a shame that swingaway type racks can't be offset enough to allow the rear passenger door to open with an empty rack in its closed position. I take the rack off between vacations as I use the rear doors a lot and it is extra work to swing out the empty rack if it is on the hitch.
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bananadanna
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04/30/12 03:58pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Class B bedding
My DW sewed up our own modified version of a Travasak.
The bottom layer is a piece of denim with a little Velcro at the bottom and 6" up the sides.
The middle layer is a simple "duvet" made from sheets. The 2" memory foam resides there. The sheet "bag" can be flipped for extra life between laundromats.
The top layer is another sheet duvet with some Velcro that mates with the bottom denim. This duvet gets nothing inside in hot weather, a thin down blanket for warm temps, or a heavier down comforter for cold weather.
The whole shebang rolls/unrolls in moments with the denim serving as a protective outer layer. Some Velcro straps make it compressible.
Simple as pie to make. Easy to adjust the stuffing for the season. You could run Velcro further up the sides if you toss and turn.
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bananadanna
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04/30/12 03:32pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: How much difference is there between 720p and 1080p
And don't forget that still pix show resolution better than moving images. We have the new 1080 AppleTv and the slide shows warrant the better resolution.
720p existed because 1080p used to be hard to make. Now even still cameras will shoot movies in 1080. My advice is to avoid the 720 unless you really don't care.
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bananadanna
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04/16/12 08:19am |
Technology Corner
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RE: Electrical Question
V x A = W
I think you mean "how many kilowatt-hours can be used in a day".
W x hr = W-hrs
120v x 30a x 24 hrs = 86.4 kw-hrs
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bananadanna
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04/11/12 10:57am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Inverters & Batteries - RT / PW / LT
I like Mau Mau's approach with the following caveats:
Adding a second battery is very useful and typically room for it can be found. This would satisfy most campers without any high-draw needs. Solar panels can displace gen time but two batteries may not run a microwave. The genset can handle heavy draws and is pretty much a requirement for air conditioning while drycamping.
If you want the equivalent of a no-gen stickhouse outlet then room for four batteries and a nearby 2000w inverter ought to be available. Maybe 8 cu ft. (Worst case is no underside room for any of it.) Gen use may not be needed at all if you don't need ac. Solar panels might also not be needed for drycamping if you drive a few miles every couple of days. Quiet camping is a real luxury IMHO.
So buying a rv with possible room for four batteries and hard-wired inverter gives you the most options. If you find you don't seriously drycamp then no harm done and use the space for something else.
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bananadanna
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03/21/12 09:07am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: fulltimer modifications
Hi, Thank you, everyone :)
I have a few questions. What exactly is a kilowatt hour which a pint o' diesel will supply me with?
An average battery stores a kw-hr. or a little more. My four agms, for example, store 1320 w-hrs each.
A 400 amp bank sounds wonderful... but I dont know if I can fit. I need more measuring. 200 fits easily, but uses all the allocated space. I can see a lot of compromising will be needed, and this info is really helping.
Keep in mind that wet-cells need regular maintenance. Expensive agms need none and can be mounted in any orientation if that solves a space problem. Any room underneath?
With a built-in genset you might be the last person who really needs solar...but heck, solar power is sexy...go for it if the $$$ are burning a hole in your pocket.
Ahhh that plat cat, and as for me Ive realised Im a wussy! I like to set my thermostat at 60'f when its chilly. I am surprised that some dont used it till below 40'f.
I agree that it isn't much fun wearing an overcoat inside the van when one is awake. And unnecessary. But it can be quite cozy under a really nice down comforter. Especially if you get your spouse to warm it up before you come to bed---beats the heck out of a hot water bottle.
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bananadanna
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02/29/12 06:11pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: fulltimer modifications
+1
I'd guess any rv furnace would be above 80% efficiency. Not much of an issue for only a van interior.
Unless yours uses some odd type of RV furnace, the standard-in-most-B's little Suburban should be quite adequate for overnights in your stated type of use. Their main drawbacks are noise and battery use. They're not really LP hogs, certainly not enough to justify major dollars on an alternative on that basis. Just lower the t'stat at night and plan to sleep under more blankets to keep from running your battery down too much. If it's really going to be an issue, curtain off the cab to avoid the heat loss thru the front windows and make rear window covers from Reflectix. Time your LP and diesel refills with a close weather forecast watch.
I'd suggest not putting a lot of work and $$$ and thought into modifications until you've actually lived in it for a few weeks and found out what needs to be done to make it better for your particular situation.
Jim, "Out of my mind. Back in five minutes."
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bananadanna
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02/28/12 02:08pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: fulltimer modifications
Per Don's post, note that you get roughly twice as fast sustained recharge rates with twice the battery size bank. (There will also be an initial charge rate higher than that.)
Since you have a diesel genset, it's unlikely you'll run out of power. (A pint of diesel should provide about a kw-hr---one average battery's worth.)
So, extra batteries let you stay in camp for maybe a day per battery before running the genset.
Now if you also drive somewhere, that will displace some genset use. With enough batteries you can capture a kw-hr on even a typical one hour grocery run.
And if its a travel day of 250 miles then you might not need any gen use for the next four days in camp (assumes 4 batteries).
We have a nice quiet Honda genset with very few hours on it. Our discovery was that we can manage any trip without it except for long stays in camp. No solar, just four batteries and an alternator.
Solar works great to displace an extra battery or two---but you'll really want a 400 ah bank if you want no-genset use of a microwave or other high-draw device. Whether or not you want to add solar then depends on how long your immobile camp stays run.
Our DIY 02 Sprinter has foamed-walls and an electrically efficient diesel furnace. But that furnace does not run much in our favorite shoulder seasons. We run it while we're awake but prefer to sleep under a comfy down comforter over furnace use until temps drop near freezing. So even your poorly insulated van might not require much night furnace use above 40F.
We are road cyclists and noted how many cross-country cycling groups we encountered passing through the national parks. I could certainly imagine the massage business you could get after a hard day in the mountains.
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bananadanna
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02/28/12 12:22pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: fulltimer modifications
So if you have a 17000 btu propane furnace and an expensive 2500w diesel genset why would you want a 3000 btu catalytic? And two solar panels?
I'd consider upgrading to 400ah of batteries and a 2000w psw inverter. The 400 ah of batteries would give you a long furnace run and power whatever other dc devices you have. Always nice to not need to run the gen every day if air conditioning is not needed.
That size bank is recommended for a 2000w inverter and that means you can run a microwave or any other common consumer device without running the noisy generator.
TX is a great place for solar but it isn't too essential unless you plan to plant your garden and sit still until its harvested. Lots of class B owners are mobile enough to keep a bank charged from alternator miles alone. (We can sit still for four days to the half-discharge point with 400 ah) The more immobile you are, the more the solar argument prevails.
Remember that a large bank swallows a kw-hr from a genset much quicker than a small bank does. Much nicer than waiting for enough to trickle into a small bank.
On another topic, expanding your domain with a quick shelter or cabin wall tent can do wonders. A floorless quickshelter is great for messy cooking,spreading out your kitchen, enjoying nature. We triple our bugless living area with a screenset that unites our awning to the quickshelter. And even less work if all you need is sun protection.
Enjoy your new life.
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bananadanna
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02/27/12 04:50pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Killed jar after four months... let this be a lesson
One of the solar sites sold me my four Concorde Lifeline agms about 6 years ago. I can vouch for their ruggedness and durability.
The 4C battery size is the largest agm that can be shipped by regular UPS. When I bought mine I could not find a reseller for three states around me that could match the shipped price of the online dealer.
Those Optimas are rugged but really for folks who do not need many Ah's. Not even close in price per ah when I got my "gold standard" Concordes.
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bananadanna
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02/27/12 03:04pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: foam or memory foam?
We found a 1.5" memory foam topper from WM did a reasonable job of softening our firm underlayer. IIRC the one from WM was a little better than the 1.5" one from Target per both us and Consumer's Reports.
But these were the common 3lb-density models. We eventually upgraded to a higher quality 2" memory foam layer in a 4lb-density. For us, the 5lb-density would have been too firm.
Very reluctant to sleep elsewhere on the road since our bed is so excellent.
Hot sleepers can add a thin cotton mattress pad to the memory foam if that is needed.
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bananadanna
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02/24/12 01:01pm |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: pvr plan?
We've used the dishtv predecessor to this Channelmaster dual tuner dvr for a couple of years. Our use is all OTA in our stickhouse. Very happy with the old product---looks like the new version adds wifi.
I'm an Apple fanboy and have been tempted by the set up the OP mentions. But some kind of improved AppleTV is due soon. And a GoogleTV box might also appear. Both of those imminent products raise the hope of something compact and easy to use.
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bananadanna
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02/13/12 12:02pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: New LED Projector for TV
We have had an Optoma HD20 for a few years. I had lurked in the "Digital Projectors Under $3000" group on avs forum until the 1080p projectors dropped under $1000. A good site if you want to get it right before spending $$$.
We use ours in the stick house but I have considered bringing it along on group whitewater trips since many of us shoot video on the river these days. I have a simple screen-and-easel but inflatable screens for outdoor movies are quite popular.
Our Optoma projects a 92" diagonal image from about 11' in our home theater. It went to a friend's Superbowl party and did fine projecting about a 150" diagonal on a white wall from further back. About half the illumination but the crowd liked it.
Mine is 1700 lumens, IIRC. But most projectors benefit from the darkest possible room. It would work inside an rv after dark or if you were able to black out the windows. Not too useful in a sunlit environment.
There are lots of specific projector features that let you project off-angle or give you more latitude in how-wide-a pic-from-how-close. Not an issue for outdoor use after dark. Big issue for inside placement. The av site has links to calculator tools.
Projectors are terrific for movies and sports. Otherwise most video does fine on smaller screens. I'd think you'd use a ceiling mount to avoid the loss of seating from a shelf mount.
Most projector owners also own regular lcd or plasma sets for everyday viewing as opposed to having a theater experience.
Lots more power use with projectors until they invent a bright led or laser light source.
Projectors are a lot of fun but not suited for much daytime rv use.
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bananadanna
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02/10/12 01:09pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Coach batteries and alternators
The 250a alternator is too much.
I upgraded the 90a alternator on my Sprinter to 150a in order to feed a 420a-hr coach bank. I have a dc fridge and a 2000w inverter and a microwave and sundry small electronics. Daily power usage averages less than a kw-hr. Virtually all our camping is boondocking.
No solar or genset use needed if the van gets driven once every four days.
My relatively large bank accepts a kw-hr from the alternator very quickly, so even shortish errands restores an extra day of capacity.
I'd think two batteries would be fine if you're not running an electric kitchen like me. I get both long draws for the 18w average fridge and short heavy draws for the 1100w micro.
Solar can also displace alternator miles. I'd add some if I stayed still for a week or more. Or bring my genset along.
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bananadanna
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02/07/12 10:46am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Checking New Solar panel output with multimeter?
Could be a good use for a clamp-on ammeter.
Not terribly expensive for a useful addition to the toolbox.
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bananadanna
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02/07/12 10:26am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Wireless Speakers
A different approach would be to use wifi to stream audio and/or video to the great outdoors.
We use a tiny Apple Express to connect to a second stereo in our stick house. Plenty of other devices could also feed a boombox, receiver or powered speakers.
We bring an iPod and/or a laptop on our camping trips as an easy way to bring a few hundred albums and podcasts with us.
I know this sounds like a techy solution.
Figured you'd just use a boombox if you wanted to hear a radio station.
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bananadanna
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02/07/12 10:21am |
Do It Yourself Modifications and Upgrades (DIY)
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RE: Battery Issues when boondocking..........
We find that we like to run the furnace mostly when we're up and about. Sleeping under a thick down comforter generally doesn't require much furnace use until the temps are well under 20 degrees F.
So a little adjustment from shore power lifestyle is likely all you need. Extra batteries are always useful but maybe not required if you're a minimal boondocker.
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bananadanna
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02/04/12 02:44pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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