Dutch Oven Man
Tennessee
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Joined: 05/10/2007
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We have just recently started dry camping more. Mostly, overnight while traveling, but sometimes for two nights at a National Park with no electricity.
My question is about batteries. Last week while traveling through West Virgina, we stopped for the night at a church parking lot. It was about 34 degrees outside, so I set the furnace at about 62 to keep from freezing. After about 5 hours, my single 12v deep cycle was dead. I probably need to replace my battery anyway because it sat discharged for about 3 months last winter without my knowledge. I will go with two batteries, maybe 6v Sams golf cart batteries or something equalivant.
How long can I expect two batteries to last while dry camping? I've been holding off on a generator hoping 2 good batteries will get me by for a night or two of dry camping.
* This post was
edited 11/01/09 03:06pm by an administrator/moderator *
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Dennis Smith
Colorado Springs
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Joined: 09/07/2007
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My fun finder 16 with 2 12volts, I can go almost three nights. This was in 45 degree weather and raining with us inside most of the time. Yep it was a bad weekend of camping. The third morning I had to hook up the truck and run the heater off of it while we were getting ready to leave. I have went many three days without the heater and had plent of power left.
But this is 16 feet with just two of us.And we are still newly weds.
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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Joined: 12/18/2004
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Hi Dutch Oven Man,
It does sound as if your old battery is not in good shape.
When selecting replacement batteries what matters is the total number of amp-hours. What doesn't matter is whether they are 2 volt, 6 volt or 12 volt. Chose the format that gives you be greatest number of amp-hours for the physical limitations of the space in your battery box.
My own personal choice was 12 volt batteries at $0.60 cents per amp-hour. For more information on battery selection surf here:
Technology
And click on "Battery Selection".
With 250 amp-hours of storage and conservation in place 3 days would be possible before you reached 50% discharge.
Dutch Oven Man wrote:We have just recently started dry camping more. Mostly, overnight while traveling, but sometimes for two nights at a National Park with no electricity.
My question is about batteries. Last week while traveling through West Virgina, we stopped for the night at a church parking lot. It was about 34 degrees outside, so I set the furnace at about 62 to keep from freezing. After about 5 hours, my single 12v deep cycle was dead. I probably need to replace my battery anyway because it sat discharged for about 3 months last winter without my knowledge. I will go with two batteries, maybe 6v Sams golf cart batteries or something equalivant.
How long can I expect two batteries to last while dry camping? I've been holding off on a generator hoping 2 good batteries will get me by for a night or two of dry camping.
Regards, Don
Kustom Koach Class C 28'5" 256 watts solar, 875 amp hours in two battery banks 12 volt batteries 2500 watt inverter.
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mainetom
Maine, near Augusta
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Joined: 11/26/2000
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Twice this past summer I went for seven days on one 12V deep cycle. We were in our extreme elec. conservation mode, i.e. using the battery almost exclusively to power the water pump and to ignite the refrig. (propane). For everything else, we made other arrangements to avoid using the battery. When setting up I even cranked up the tongue jack by hand rather than using the batt. The battery wasn't flat at the end of either seven day period. My main interest was in keeping the refrig. going. We could have made other arrangements for flushing and washing to minimize water pump use.
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Padlin
W. Ma.
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Joined: 06/15/2006
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I have 2 85A 12v deep cycle batteries. In the fall when it may get to freezing over night I've gotten 3 nights with the batteries getting to the suggeste 1/2 charge. I would not expect to make it a 4th night. I keep the trailer (small with just one bunk open) at 65 from 8-10 pm and the, 55 from 10-5am, then 65 again from 5-8am, then the heat goes off. Other then the heat our electric use is minimul. I have gotten 5+ days without the heat. I now carry a genny in these conditions and run it for a couple hours a day.
Bob & Deb
W Ma.
04 GMC 1500 4X4, 5.3L
06 Starcraft 18SB
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Empty Nest, Soon
Southeast Ohio
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Joined: 02/02/2003
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A lot depends upon how much power you use, and of course how much battery capacity you have. It's good not to run your batteries down much more than half for longest life.
We can easily go two nights dry camping in cold weather in the mountains of WV with our two Trojan T-105 6-volt golf cart batteries. But we don't have a TV or any other fancy gadgets.
Wayne
Wayne & Michelle
2004 Pioneer 19T4
1998 GMC 2500HD, 5.7L, HD 5-speed, 3.73
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skipnchar
Topeka Kansas USA
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Joined: 12/17/2003
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Regardless of how long you CAN go you should NEVER discharge your batteries over 50%. Doing so will cause a BIG TIME loss of longevity for the life span of the battery. with an RV/MARINE combination battery sometimes only a couple of times will be enough to cause them to fail. It's ALWAYS best to recharge batteries each day even though you may be able to go two or three days. If you're using the furnace, it's probably the highest electrical use item in the RV and with a 50% duty cycle you're pretty lucky to get more than a single overnight without discharging it deeply. If you plan on dry camping frequently I'd advise you to upgrade your batteries to add more power. For BEST results and if you're really serious install a couple of 6 volt Golf Cart batteries. They'll give you more reserve capacity and last longer (battery longevity) than just about anything else you can put in. My twin 6 volts are seven years old now and still performing nearly as well as when new.
Good luck / skip
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OR 2004 F-150 HD (85,000 towing miles)
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redwake
Visalia, CA
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Joined: 08/18/2008
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single 12v i can bank on it lasting one night stretch it for 2 if i dont use the inverter and minimze runtime on the heater.
i usually re-charge off the gen durring the next day at some point though.
TT: 08 Monterey 27 PT by Extreme RV
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colliehauler
Mc Pherson KS USA
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Joined: 01/27/2004
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I would echo what Skipnchar said. My Sam's club 6 volt batteries are going on 6 years.
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PZebich
E.Oregon
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Joined: 04/05/2009
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I choose a different route, I installed an Interstate 4DM 12volt battery
which is the largest one I could find that would fit between the rails of
the tongue.Was nesc. to slightly modify mount frame. the battery weights
119 Pounds, I installed a hundred watt solar panel and as a result have
never run low on power. I have dry camped for as long as seven days running
the heater at night and as long as there was some sunshine during the day
battery stayed charged. I did replace the battery after 5 1/2 years because
it didn't charge to a high of voltage as it usually did however it didn't go dead.
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