User Tag List

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 49
  1. #1
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Wherever...
    Posts
    9,016
    Mentioned
    187 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Help me think this through (solar/batteries/generator, etc.)

    Baseline: we ordered our 2020 Solitude with a residential fridge and solar, so it has the stock 300W solar panel, 30 amp Jaboni MPPT controller, ATS, sub-panel, and 2,000W inverter. We put two BB 100Ah LiFePO4 batteries in it on arrival. Our intent was to keep the refrigerator running on travel days and the setup has performed that task very well. We don't boondock.

    We've experienced several power outages in the 2-1/2 years since taking delivery of the Solitude. The longest was when a fencing contractor on Aberdeen Proving Ground knocked a transformer off its concrete base and blew a few things up the line. That outage was about four hours - but the sun was out (solar was cranking out the watts) and it was a weekday so the power company got on it immediately (was a bit warm, but we put our recliners under a nice shade tree and read our Kindles). The most recent was last night after a lightening strike on the perimeter of the park. Power was out about 2-1/2 hours before coming back on. At about the two-hour point (10:00PM), the Battle Borns were at 13.2 volts (about 70%?). We were conserving power as much as possible, but it was late in the evening and it was dark (no solar).

    Laura has brought up the topic of a generator every time these situations have occurred - and this morning was no different. I want to lay out several scenarios and solicit input. There are a lot of you out there with a better handle on this than I have and I would like to pose some questions (and certainly wouldn't mind if @SolarPoweredRV were to chime in).

    1) Had the power not come back on, I'm not sure the BBs would have kept the fridge running until the sun came up and started hitting the solar panel this morning. Based on the 13.2 volts after approx. two hours, am I right about this or worrying about nothing?

    2) Could I add two more BB 100Ah batteries - perhaps replacing the cables with busses - without changing the rest of the setup? I know it would take the converter/charger and the 300 watts of solar longer to recharge them, but would four of the BBs get us all the way through a night with power conservation... even in the winter with the furnace cycling? (And - would there be an issue with adding two of the new series BBs to the two existing BBs?)

    3) We're not going to consider an on-board generator installation. It's just not worth it for us. In looking at portable generators, there are several constraints. I'm getting too old to lift a large/heavy generator in and out of the truck bed. The Honda EU2200i is a really nice unit, but would have just enough output to keep the batteries charged, run the fridge, and charge some of our other devices. Even with Easy Starts on the ACs, two of the Hondas ganged would be pushing it for a 15K AC plus the other loads, wouldn't it?

    If one of the Hondas would get us over the hump similar to two additional BB batteries, that option would be about $700 cheaper - but I would have to get out the generator and adapters, connect everything, and start the generator... then refuel during the night if there were more than 1/4 load on the generator. If adding two more BBs were to be viable/compatible, I wouldn't have to do all that (worth $700 to me).

    If there are other options, I would love to hear about them!

    Thanks!

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Casa_Woody's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Location
    Union Valley TX
    Posts
    196
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rob,
    A few months ago I had a 600w solar system installed by JC Refrigeration. This included 4 BB batteries (total 400Ah), and a 3000w inverter. Reason...Keep the refer running while traveling and during power outages. I would recommend adding 2 additional batteries This will double your run time. During known power outages recommend shutting off all non-critical AC breakers. TV, Microwave, etc. Reduce DC load by turning off the TV amplifier, lights, etc. I'm sure you already know this. Your solar will still charge the batteries at the same rate but since the capacity has doubled, it will just take longer to fully charges the batteries. When the AC power is restored charging will occur more rapidly based on the inverter/converter specs.

    Generators are great but do require attention as you mentioned. Would be a good option if worried about extended outages beyond your battery capacity.

    By the way, how much current does you fridge draw? Drives the number of batteries to consider.
    Ken & Tammy
    Union Valley, TX
    2021 GD Reflection 303RLS 5th Wheel
    2019 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins 4x4

  3. #3
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Wherever...
    Posts
    9,016
    Mentioned
    187 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Casa_Woody View Post
    By the way, how much current does you fridge draw? Drives the number of batteries to consider.
    According to Samsung, the average energy consumption is 594 kWh/yr. If I'm calculating correctly, that would come out to about 1,625 watts/day.

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  4. #4
    Site Sponsor Casa_Woody's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2021
    Location
    Union Valley TX
    Posts
    196
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rob, I realized that I did not answer your questions:

    1) You are right to be concerned. Your stated 30% use in 2.5 hours. The BB batteries can provide the full 100Ah each. With the two batteries, you should be able to run 6-8 hrs depending on your ability to conserve power. You need to measure your current draw and average hourly power consumption in different scenarios. With and without the heater running. Fridge running and idle.

    2) If your current batteries are in good condition take full charge and able to support full discharge then you should be able to add to additional batteries. The BB’s have a monitor/controller built in to each batteries which should aid in level charging if one battery is weaker than the others. 4 batteries may/should get you through the night depending on the your power consumption (see 1 above).

    3) Running AC’s on battery power is almost a no-go. Will rapidly drain the batteries. A 2200W surge (1800w) generator with easy start on the AC would run one AC unit, and maybe a bit left over to charge the batteries. Starting the AC compressor and the fridge compressor at the same time may be an issues. It all comes down to 1 above.

    Are your AC’s on a separate power panel not connected to the inverter?
    Ken & Tammy
    Union Valley, TX
    2021 GD Reflection 303RLS 5th Wheel
    2019 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummins 4x4

  5. #5
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    "Murvul", TN
    Posts
    3,359
    Mentioned
    135 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rob....I'm not going to offer anything on the solar aspect of it, as I am pretty much solar illiterate....and have no desire to add anything solar to our trailer. But I do have some knowledge of the LFP battery stuff, as I'm sure you've seen some of my posts about my build recently.

    So my battery setup is a 302AH LFP and my fridge is the JC Refrigeration mod to the Norcold 2118. Twin 12V compressors. So when we left Shipshewanna after having the fridge mod done, we had an overnight stay in the Lexington, KY area and my battery was fully charged the next morning when we pulled out for the 6+ hour drive home. From the time I unplugged from shore power in Lexington, till I got home and backed the trailer into the driveway and then plugged in again at my home 50A shore power, was about 6 hrs and 15 minutes...give or take a few. In that period of time (round it out to 6 hours), the Norcold with the twin compressor mod used up just under 6AH for every hour of run time.....so for that trip, I was down 37AH. I had nothing else running in the trailer other than the normal parasitic 12V drain stuff. So doing the math of 6AH times a 24 hour period of 1 full day, the battery would have used roughly 145AH. The twin compressor setup pulls 12.6 amps when BOTH compressors are running...but of course, both compressor don't always run and they cycle on and off during their run time. I don't know how much power your residential fridge will pull from the batteries/inverter, but my example will at least give you a comparison to go by...hopefully.

    So the bottom line in all of this is....302AH worth of battery (and you are considering 400AH of battery) provided me with a full day of usage with nothing else running, and still had well over 100AH available. I have mine setup so that I can't discharge it much lower than about 15% SOC....maybe 12% SOC. So 302 times .85 is equal to roughly 257AH available.....and I used 145 in a 24 hour period of time. I figure at worst case scenario, I could run the fridge 40+ hours before needing to recharge the LPFs. I would venture a guess that 400AH of battery would get you through about anything you may encounter....other than something like a major storm where power would be out for days on end. Hope this helps at least a little.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

  6. #6
    Long Hauler huntindog's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    2,177
    Mentioned
    33 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Adding batteries would only help if they happened to be fully charged when a power outage occured. And even if they were fully charged, if the outage lasted long enough, youi would just have 4 dead batteries. A generator is endless power so long as you have fuel. Two hondas paralled will run a 15K AC along with other loads.. I did it on my last TT at 9000' elevation.
    One Honda will not do it reliably.
    Adding more solar would be my last thing, as it is not available 24/7.


    Since I always boondock, often in remote locations, I have a lot of redundancy.
    1860 watts of solar, the factory 5.5K Onan, and left over from my TT days 2 Honda EU 2000s.
    A single Honda is my go to in most cases if the solar won't keep up.
    2021 398M Full Body Paint 8k axles. LRH tires. Disc brakes.
    Two bathrooms, no waiting 155 fresh, 104 black, 104 grey 1860 watts solar.
    800AH BattleBorn Batteries No campgrounds 100% boondocking
    2020 Silverado High Country 3500 dually crewcab Duramax Allison

  7. #7
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Wherever...
    Posts
    9,016
    Mentioned
    187 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Casa_Woody View Post
    Rob, I realized that I did not answer your questions:

    1) You are right to be concerned. Your stated 30% use in 2.5 hours. The BB batteries can provide the full 100Ah each. With the two batteries, you should be able to run 6-8 hrs depending on your ability to conserve power. You need to measure your current draw and average hourly power consumption in different scenarios. With and without the heater running. Fridge running and idle.

    2) If your current batteries are in good condition take full charge and able to support full discharge then you should be able to add to additional batteries. The BB’s have a monitor/controller built in to each batteries which should aid in level charging if one battery is weaker than the others. 4 batteries may/should get you through the night depending on the your power consumption (see 1 above).

    3) Running AC’s on battery power is almost a no-go. Will rapidly drain the batteries. A 2200W surge (1800w) generator with easy start on the AC would run one AC unit, and maybe a bit left over to charge the batteries. Starting the AC compressor and the fridge compressor at the same time may be an issues. It all comes down to 1 above.

    Are your AC’s on a separate power panel not connected to the inverter?
    Ken,

    I never contemplated running ACs on the batteries and inverter - ACs were only mentioned in relation to the size of generator that would be needed. The ACs are each on their own circuit on opposite sides of the main bus - separate from the sub-panel for the ATS and inverter. The fridge is "twin cooling" meaning that it has separate, smaller compressors for the fridge and freezer. I'm already on the BB site looking at batteries and thinking about how I would reconfigure the front compartment to get everything in there...

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

  8. #8
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    "Murvul", TN
    Posts
    3,359
    Mentioned
    135 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Rob....you posted up while I was typing above and I see that your residential pulls 1625 a day.....so that's 3250W for two full days. That would be doable with my 302AH worth of battery, so adding two more BB to your system would probably cover you quite nicely....other than very extended outages.....tornadoes/hurricanes/etc.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

  9. #9
    Rolling Along
    Join Date
    Apr 2021
    Posts
    500
    Mentioned
    8 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I like doing things myself. I get that BB is a good product but so is a Maybach. It's too rich for my budget. There are extremely good Lithium batteries on the market that store electrons just as well. If you are sold on BB and nothing will change your mind, good for you. But, with some research and an open mind, I suspect you could almost double your proposed 200ah BB purchase to 400ah alternative [same budget].

    You will never have enough power for every situation but a small generator would probably be the easiest. I do not see gasoline ever not being available in my lifetime. Since I do believe you cannot get a good cheap generator [like you can with batteries] I would stick with a small Honda [or other name brand] for the long term outages.

    If you live in an area where you must have A/C, I think a larger generator would be needed. Maybe smaller generators daisy chained together.

    In the end, there will always be a scenario that will not work but I think a bit more ah and a small generator could get you by for days without A/C.

    I have a 3k inverter with 600ah, no generator or solar [yet] and I should be able to last several days. I cannot ever see using a generator for camping because I hate the noise it brings. A large power outage at home, I would be ok with the noise, just not camping.

    I look forward to your decision.

  10. #10
    Site Team Second Chance's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Wherever...
    Posts
    9,016
    Mentioned
    187 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Thanks, everyone - and keep those ideas coming. Laura and I are discussing each and every one! The good thing is that we don't have to make a decision this weekend, so we can take our time and think it through thoroughly.

    Rob
    U.S. Army Retired
    2012 F350 DRW CC LB Lariat PS 6.7
    2020 Solitude 310GK-R, MORryde IS, disc brakes,
    Sailun LRG tires, solar, DP windows, W/D
    (Previously in a Reflection 337RLS)
    Full time since 08/2015

Page 1 of 5 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.