Ah!, thanks for the tip regarding "reply with quote".
Given the experience we had with the AGM battery, we have kind of convinced ourselves that we NEVER dry camp again. Well I don't think thats very realistic. I think we'd be better of prepared and not need it, as apposed to needing the extra power and not having it. That said just need to figure out which brand/model to try.
Thanks again for the pointers!!
Gary
Yes, if you are under prepared with Lead Acid batteries, boondocking can be disappointing (or down right miserable if it is cold outside).
However, if you are properly equipped, boondocking is a fantastic way to camp. Before we installed our Solar system, we used our Champion Dual Fuel (Propane or Gasoline) Generator to power our Camper while boondocking. One of the places we liked to boondock was at the Tampa RV SuperShow in January. Because the nights were cool, we did not need to run the Generator at night (for Air Conditioning). We would usually run it for a few hours in the evening to cool down our coach (from the Florida Sunshine) and ensure the batteries were topped off to run the furnace while we slept.
When planning your battery bank (and Solar system) it is important to know the type of camping you want to do and the number of days you want to boondock (if you want to boondock at all).
The factors to consider when planning are the weather, your refrigerator type and what electric (120 volt) conveniences you want to have while camping, i.e.: entertainment center, morning coffee, C-Pap machines, hair dryers and even running an Air Conditioner. You also want to plan for expansion of your battery bank as your needs change with experience.
It is hard to recommend how much battery capacity someone might need without knowing the answers to the questions above, however, some guidance can be given based on what others have shared on the forum...
Let's presume that you simply want to camp overnight without hookups (at a music concert or a Harvest Hosts), if you have a Propane refrigerator and the temperatures are moderate (you don't need the furnace to blast all night) you could probably camp comfortably with a single 100ah Lithium battery. If you have a Residential refrigerator or a 12v compressor fridge you would need at least 2, 100ah Lithium batteries and 3 batteries would be better. This should set a baseline to start your planning.
Once you start thinking about adding Inverters and Solar panels your need for Battery storage will increase. For example: we have 1,200 Watts of Solar, 800ah (useable) of battery storage and a 3,000 Watt Inverter that provides 120 volts throughout the coach. I consider this a robust Solar system. With this system, we can stop for lunch, or a nap, and run the microwave or air conditioner (for a couple of hours), we can also boondock for 12 - 14 days without needing to find Shore Power. When we are boondocking, it is almost like being at a campground with Shore Power, there are few limitations on which 120v appliances we can operate (obviously, we use Propane for our fridge and hot water). We often sit and marvel at how nice it is to have 120v power throughout the coach.
To get a better idea of how much battery storage you might need, read the thread: "Affordable Solar..." pinned at the top of the Solar and Generators forum.
I would also recommend you read the links in that thread titled: "Cheap Batteries..." and "Lithium over Lead Acid...". In these linked threads are recommendations on which battery brands you might consider and how to avoid buying a poor quality Lithium battery.
