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Forum
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surge vs electric
So I am new to the Motorhome world. Just went from a fiver to a Class A. I am thinking of a tow dolly instead of flat towing--one reason is why spend that money on a vehicle that I will only be towing a few times a year. But with all that said, there are tow dollies that offer the option of surge brakes or electric. My new to me MH has a Prodigy brake controller already installed. So wouldn't that be the best option? I heard you cannot back up with a surge brake because it will activate, but shouldn't I be able to back up a little with the electric? I also heard you cannot back up with flat towing---hear that a lot, but do not know why.
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Campinfan
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11/16/23 05:53am |
Dinghy Towing
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RE: batteries in the winter
Great information from all of you. wa8yxm---loved the last line in your post. The motorhome I may be buying next week is a 2019 so I am sure it is a better converter.
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Campinfan
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11/03/23 07:27pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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batteries in the winter
Ok, so another battery question. The motor home I may buy next week has 2 12 volt batteries in it, not that that makes a difference in my question. I will be storing my unit at home and have a pedestal with 30 amp service.(It was installed when a previous trailer was 30 amp). Over the winter I have some options. Should I leave the MH plugged in all winter and the batteries connected. If I do this, I have a new Battery Minder (not a battery tender that only trickle charges) that keeps the batteries from sulfating---should I attach that to the batteries too or or should I disconnect the batteries, and just use the battery minder. And if I do that, can I leave them in the rig or should I bring them in the house. I am thinking I should bring them in and use the battery minder.
I am open to suggestions. Thanks all.
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Campinfan
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11/03/23 06:04am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Which is the better battery configiration
It looks like the motorhome I may buy has 2 12volts in it now and they are 2 years old. I will keep an eye on them and when it comes time to replace them, I most likely will go for 6 volts.
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Campinfan
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11/03/23 05:57am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Inverter draw from battery for residential fridge
Consider using a kill-a-watt meter from P3. Inexpensive and you can plug your fridge into it for a day or whatever duration you choose. It will give you actual power consumed. Go from there rather than guessing.
Sounds like great advice. Thank you.
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Campinfan
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10/30/23 06:08pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Which is the better battery configiration
Thank you all, I am learning a lot. I ways thought my coach batteries recharged as I was towing. That is problem the root of my problem with my current rig. I was draining the batteries too low as I was running the fridge and driving long distances.
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Campinfan
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10/30/23 02:42am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Which is the better battery configiration
So Pianotuna, are you basically telling me that I could get a DC to DC charger and then that would take the starting (chassis) batteries and use them to charge the house batteries? And of course the alternator would recharge the starting batteries.
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Campinfan
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10/29/23 05:48pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Which is the better battery configiration
Thank you Chris! I really wont be boondocking. I am just thinking I will use it when we are driving and want the fridge to run. I have never had a MH before so I am a newbie in this arena. My current rig is a fiver with a residential fridge and that was new to me too. I have had numerous trailers with gas absorption fridges and just ran them off propane as we drove to our destination. So I may be asking some really dumb questions...lol
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Campinfan
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10/29/23 05:43pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Which is the better battery configiration
I typed the above before I read all the above. Some of the comments are above my knowledge level but I think what Valhalla says is what I am looking at. Why am I looking at this????Well, I have a residential fridge now that is on an inverter. No solar or genny in my fiver. So it does pretty good running my fridge on the way to Florida or so, but then on the way home, my inverter quits (and I think it is due to an overtaxed battery) for the trip home. I really think the one trip pretty much kills the battery. If I get this MH I am looking at, I do not think it has solar but it is ready for it (it is a 2019 unit). I could use the genny to power it (I guess) but I just want to make sure I do not kill my battery. I have gone through 3 -4 batteries in my fiver and then the slides do not want to work right....I am thinking the battery gets drained too fast and then I have to stop, let it reset and then moves the slides 5-10 seconds at a time.
So I am thinking I will get 4 volts for the MH when the time comes. With Lithiums, do I need to get a different charger or something for them. This is the stuff I have no clue on or how hard it is to add a different charger or whatever I need.
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Campinfan
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10/29/23 03:06pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Which is the better battery configiration
The reason why I say four of either is because I would have room for 4. That is why I have the question of 4 12 volts which would give me 4 times the amps of one....or 4 6 volts which would effectively give me 2 12 volts. I hope that clears it up. If all things were even....I would have 4 x 12 volts @100 minutes a piece (just pretending here) so that would give me 400. If each 6 volt was 100, I would only have 200 because I know in series only the volts double not the amps but then they would be partially in series so then I would have the equivalent of 2 12 volt batteries @ 100 a piece for a total of 200. So it seems the 12 volt battery is a better idea until I think about how much lower you can drain the 6 volts.
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Campinfan
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10/29/23 02:56pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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Which is the better battery configiration
I am trying to learn more about 6 volts batteries versus 12 volts. I know the 6 volts can be drained further and recharged more (better lifetime). At least that is what I think is true. But it seems 12 volts have more amp hours (or minutes) (I think). So if I got 4 batteries, would you get 4 12 volts and put them parallel or 4 6 volts and wire them in series to get 12 volts and then in parallel to double the amp time? And why? I may be venturing into the Motorhome world and I have many questions.
Thank you.
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Campinfan
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10/29/23 07:02am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Inverter draw from battery for residential fridge
My rig is a fifth wheel so I do not have a tongue (on the trailer...lol) I figure the truck is helping to keep the battery charged as I am driving. I am exploring other battery options such as 6 volts wired in series (not enough room for 4 of them to run them parallel and in series. With Lithium Ion, don't I need to get a different converter to charge them. Every time I think I understand this stuff, I come upon something that makes me confused.
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Campinfan
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10/27/23 11:53am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Inverter draw from battery for residential fridge
I am trying to figure out a couple things on this. We have gone to Florida and the fridge stayed on for each day of the trip there. So the truck must be recharging the battery as I drive it, but then on the way home, the battery went low (eventually bad) and the inverter shut off. I did go buy a group 27 instead of the group 24 but now I am thinking I should have gotten the 6 volts or a second 12 volt but I am not sure another 12 volt will fit in the space.
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Campinfan
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10/25/23 02:09pm |
General RVing Issues
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Inverter draw from battery for residential fridge
Does anyone know how many amps are drawn by an inverter to convert to AC for a residential fridge. My battery is rated at 175 minutes at 25 amps but I am trying to figure out how many amps are being drawn out. Or can anyone tell me how to figure it out.
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Campinfan
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10/25/23 10:53am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Suggestions when looking at used Class A motor homes
One thing I am hearing (and I have not verified it yet) is that banks do not like to finance a 10 year old RV. If that is true, that means someone needs cash to make the sale and maybe a lot of people cannot afford to buy an expensive 10 year old coach.
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Campinfan
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10/08/23 01:46pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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Anyone with a 34 J Motorhome
I know many different companies make the 34J. There is Hurricane, Windsport, Holiday Rambler etc. So any of those will work. I like the floorplan but I have not been able to locate any good photos of the storage area. It does not seem there are any pass throughs but are any of the bays long enough to store some of those portable tables...you know the metal folding legs, white top and are about 24x 72 (I think). Thanks
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Campinfan
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10/08/23 06:49am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: thinking of buying a Motorhome....looking for tips/hints
Thank you all for your tips and suggestions. I am glad I am not in a hurry.
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Campinfan
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09/25/23 04:51am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Just Joining The RV Life
Buy good sewer hoses....I have the Rhino ones. They last and I have not had a pinhole leak or anything like that at all. Get some good comfy outdoor chairs. We have a "topper" for our bed we got years ago from Overstock.com. The bed is super comfortable. Consolidate your tools. I have things like a screwdriver with bits so I can use it for a flat head, phillips head, and torx. Think about a screen type tarp that you can hang from your awning in case you are parked in a spot that has no shade and the sun is quite hot. I have one that I do not use a lot but everynow and then it is needed, collapsible step stool.
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Campinfan
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09/19/23 01:41pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Tips on how to hook up at an extreme angle?
I have a Demco but there is no locking plate, it has the silver guide rails on the hitch. I have pulled them off or backed them all the way off....was pretty easy.....hooked up and then pulled out. If I had them off. I stopped, put them on and rehitched. Only took a few minutes. Without the rails in place, the hitch still works, it just does not "autoslide". If I had the rails backed off, I just slid them over once the trailer was straight and then tightened them.
My hitch is a few years old now so the design might be a bit different from the new ones.
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Campinfan
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09/19/23 03:50am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: What to do when you are not camping for awhile
I love the Head South comments. Maybe in a few years that will be our winter routine but I think my boss would realize that I am really working REMOTE.
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Campinfan
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09/17/23 06:52pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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