Latner
Indiana
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Joined: 08/06/2006
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pianotuna wrote:Hi,
Almost no one boondocks with a single group 24.
Consider upgraded the capacity.
I've had great luck with reconditioned telcom jars.
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Latner
Indiana
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JimK-NY wrote:swimmer_spe wrote:
A few things:
1) where would I get the information needed to know how much the fridge would draw?
2)I have 2 other deep cell batteries that are good. Would that likely get me through a weekend with the information I have already spoke of?
3) If I boondock more often, I will be getting a generator.This is more of a one off situation.
1. Online or from refrigerator manufacturer.
2. You killed one battery in 24 hours, do you want to drain 2 batteries in 2 days?
3. If this is a one off situation and you are only looking to camp for 2 days, maybe you should just go with an ice chest.
Using a cooler makes the most sense to me.
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MNtundraRet
Bloomington, MN
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Joined: 12/06/2007
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Unfortunately, we cannot trust manufacturers to do the right thing. Our first pop-up was purchased in 1976. They delivered it with a car starting battery. That lasted about 3 months. Any rv should be installed with enough batteries to handle installed options to handle a 2-day weekend.
Finding an electric site is difficult and the park might not allow generator use.
Mark & Jan "Old age & treachery win over youth & enthusiasm"
2003 Fleetwood Jamboree 29
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MFL
Midwest
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swimmer_spe wrote:MNtundraRet wrote:You may need to get a generator for boondocking.
I don't boondock often enough to make it worth it.
I bought a nice little 2K Champion gen, for cheap. I rarely use it camping, but when I do, it is great, very quiet, fuel stingy, and enough power to keep battery up, plus run most other things. It is the 100565 model, light wt, easy to start.
A small portable gen can be used for various things, other than camping. If I wanted to sell it, I'd recover most of my cost, which was $335 on a Home Depot black Friday sale.
Jerry
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theoldwizard1
SE MI
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First, a pair of 6V golf cart batteries will last longer and not cost much more (or possibly less !) than a Marine/RV dual purpose or standard car battery.
You can do a fairly accurate home test on a battery with 3 things. A charger, a meter and a load like a head light bulb (5A-10A).
• Disconnect battery.
• Charge battery for at least 12 hours.
• Remove from charger and let "rest" for 15 - 30 minutes.
• Check voltage it should be 13.0V - 13.2V. If not, repeat step one or replace battery.
• Connect light bulb (or 2) for about 10 minutes.
• With bulb still connected, voltage should be about 12V or higher.
• Disconnect light bulb. Wait 10 minutes and check voltage. It should be a bit higher now.
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swimmer_spe
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
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valhalla360 wrote:swimmer_spe wrote:MNtundraRet wrote:That's about right. You should not be running an electric fridge on that battery. The battery will be shot before the end of the year.
We have no choice as it is a 12v/120v fridge. I typically do not use it on 12v except for while driving.
Based on prior threads you have posted, I believe you have a 12v DC fridge (no propane option).
When on shore power, your converter takes the 120v AC and converts it to 12v DC to power the fridge and other DC loads.
If it's the 12v DC fridge I think it is, it draws around 50w when running (approx 4amps). Assuming it's running approximately 50% of the time, that's 24hr * 50% * 4amp ~ 48amp-hr for a 24hr day (in hot weather it will run more and use more amp-hr).
Of course, there are probably another 10-20amp-hr from lights and other 12v devices so call it 60amp-hr.
A single 12v dual purpose battery is likely around 70-100amp-hr depending on specifics but you really don't want to use more than half of that (35-50amp-hr) or the battery will have a really short lifespan. As you can see, you are running that battery near dead boondocking.
Options:
- Get a second battery and wire in parallel to double your available amp-hr. This will buy you a day. If you want a weekend, you likely need more batteries (6v golf cart batteries would be a better option as they hold more amp-hr for a given size)
- Get a small generator and run it once or twice a day to keep the batteries charged (a single battery will be marginal getting thru the night, so 2 batteries would be best).
- In a pinch, you could hook the trailer up to the truck and run the engine and the trailer plug will charge the batteries. Not a great option as it's very slow charging and you are putting wear & tear on an expensive piece of machinery.
- Stay in a park with electric hookups.
Thank you for the insight.
Since it will be a one off, I will lug the extra batteries around.
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Thermoguy
Graham, WA
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if you have an extra battery, run them in parallel. My RV was set up with 2 RV/Marine batteries in parallel when I got it. After I found I didn't want to camp in an apartment complex I started boondocking. At that point when we needed batteries we switched to 6v GC batteries, better and longer life. But, I also bring a generator so I can charge up the batteries after a few days. We have a propane fridge.
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Vintage465
Prunedale CA.
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swimmer_spe wrote:MNtundraRet wrote:You should use an electric site when camping. If you keep running the battery down you will have nothing working in your trailer.
That is my goal, an electric site. However, it would be nice to boon dock for a weekend without another battery or generator, or wall of solar panels.
Well, I've not read the rest of the post yet, but with a 12v fridge, you're not going to boon dock for a weekend(well, not successfully)with one group 24 battery and no solar and no genny...........
V-465
2013 GMC 2500HD Duramax Denali. 2015 CreekSide 20fq w/450 watts solar and 465 amp/hour of batteries. Retired and living the dream!
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ewarnerusa
Helena, Montana
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swimmer_spe wrote:...They don't install absorption fridges anymore.
That's what I've gathered from the forums. Followed by grumpy scoffs from boondockers! LOL You mentioned that you're in a one-off boondock situation so not worth investing in any more gear. So you can fire up your tow vehicle and plug in the trailer via 7-pin to get some juice into the battery. Without upgrades to that wire path, it will not provide a whole lot of current for charging. But it is equipment you already have.
Aspen Trail 2710BH | 470 watts of solar | 2x 6V GC batteries | 100% LED lighting | 1500W PSW inverter | MicroAir on air con | Yamaha 2400 gen
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JimK-NY
NY
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swimmer_spe wrote:They don't install absorption fridges anymore.
Who is "they"? There are plenty of makers who install 3 way, absorption refrigerators. You bought the wrong unit for any boondocking. You need to camp with hook ups always.
In fact the situation is even worse than that. It seems you have a fairly large compressor refrigerator and a puny battery. Totally depleting the battery in 24 hours means even an overnight stay at a rest stop or Walmart while traveling is going to be a strain and shorten the life of your battery. You better also hope that when camping with hookups, the power never goes out for more than a brief time.
How much cold food and drink do you need for a weekend trip without electricity? Use an ice chest or get everything cold before your boondocking and then turn off the refrigerator.
* This post was
edited 03/24/23 01:32pm by JimK-NY *
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