Roadtrek RV 12V >1,000 ah

[lkruper]

I'd like to see RV in the forum title only because it would draw people with RV's to the section that would hold the most info pertaining to them.

Some RV's have fairly good sized systems. Those big MH's can hold a lot of panel, especially the ones with trailers. Add in huge battery bays and some of these guys can run their roof top airs as easy as I do the little window shaker we use. Our system of 750w on the trailer and 230w on the truck at one time would have been considered large but not any more. Cheap panels have really opened it up for RV'rs and that works all the way down to affordable folding portables that allow many to get their feet wet and gain an understanding before going hog wild on their roof.

Even class b's like Roadtrek have come out with an e-trek which is now all electric, except for heat and hot water which are diesel. It has a 245w solar panel, 5000w inverter, 8 6v AGM deep cycle - 1600 total amp-hrs and 3 step 45 amp. charger. I understand the AC can run for about 4 hours without shore power. This is the sort of system that interests me someday and I do have an interest in converting my own van. But I need to acquire the skills before I start.

[Willy T]

I used the term " Solar Assist " since many systems were never designed to re-charge the power load placed on the battery bank. Most will have at least one generator and will use shore power when available. The number of panels is up to each ones desires, personally I don't want to drive a rolling / floating solar farm and am willing to pay the cost of fuel with some limitations. Any amp hr you save is a amp hr you don't have to put back, any your panels generate is money in the bank.

UL 458 Standard places a 30 amp limitation Mobile Inverter / Chargers on pass through and requires a automatic neutral / ground bond on shore / generator power no matter what the system voltage is. ( 12v, 24,or 48v) You can have parallel systems, it doesn't always work trying to use the same battery bank.

So, expect see a lot of workarounds to have a viable working system.

[SunEagle]

Ok, since the post was edited and the " Any Thing Small " was highlighted bold there must be some kind of restrictions ( undefined ) being levied on this section for the systems discussed here. I guess that means my 45 ft Class A Prevost Motorhome system ( 1,300 amp hr ) won't be welcome here or my Houseboat ( 2,100 amp hr total, 3 systems ) , both have Xantrex SW-3012 Inverters and Solar assisted power.

Since we know that the systems are 12v, it must be a limit for Inverter size or amp capacity of the Battery bank ?? Is this correct ??

Interesting. I would have expected Prevost to have a more complex (and expensive) battery system at a higher voltage along with DC - DC inverters to provide power for specific loads.

Since I can't afford one of those puppies I'll stay with my 36ft Challenger 12volt 232Ah coach battery system.

What type of batteries are you using in your Prevost that makes it 1300Ah?

[Willy T]

Interesting. I would have expected Prevost to have a more complex (and expensive) battery system at a higher voltage along with DC - DC inverters to provide power for specific loads.

Since I can't afford one of those puppies I'll stay with my 36ft Challenger 12volt 232Ah coach battery system.

What type of batteries are you using in your Prevost that makes it 1300Ah?

The coach is a 1996, I'v had 8 years, not as fancy as the new ones. Of course I am old. I have broken it down into three systems, One is 6, 2v Rolls s-1725 and the newest are 8, 260 amp LiFep04. It has some 24 V and they are 8, GC-2's.

If the LFP's work out , I am going to ditch the LA stuff and go back to two systems.

[Sundetective]

In 2014 there were some articles about a car-top

'Transport Turbine' they were working on.

Be nice to have one some day with a conversion kit consisting of
a little gear-up unit and an adjustable Marine Mast.

Add a nice little set of Blades and you would have a real nice
Beach unit for a motorhome.

Bill Blake

[SunEagle]

The coach is a 1996, I'v had 8 years, not as fancy as the new ones. Of course I am old. I have broken it down into three systems, One is 6, 2v Rolls s-1725 and the newest are 8, 260 amp LiFep04. It has some 24 V and they are 8, GC-2's.

If the LFP's work out , I am going to ditch the LA stuff.

Sounds like a plan. Hope it works out for you. Thanks for the info.

[Sunking]

Even class b's like Roadtrek have come out with an e-trek which is now all electric, except for heat and hot water which are diesel. It has a 245w solar panel, 5000w inverter, 8 6v AGM deep cycle - 1600 total amp-hrs and 3 step 45 amp. charger. .

Talk about a piss poor design.

[inetdog]

Talk about a piss poor design.

I'd just as soon not.

[lkruper]

Talk about a piss poor design.

You don't like C/35 charge?

I think that they use an alternator for most of the charging. They say the alternator (which they call a generator) gives 3.5 KW at idle and 5.5KW when driving.

[inetdog]

You don't like C/35 charge?

I think that they use an alternator for most of the charging. They say the alternator (which they call a generator) gives 3.5 KW at idle and 5.5KW when driving.

I think the bigger question is the four parallel strings of two six volt batteries each, assuming that this a 12V system.
Now if it is 48V, then we have a different animal.

[Sunking]

I think that they use an alternator for most of the charging. They say the alternator (which they call a generator) gives 3.5 KW at idle and 5.5KW when driving.

I cannot help but LOL. WTF is the panel for? It amounts to a fart in a hurricane. Secondly 12 volts was STUPID for that design. Just plain ole everyday stupid.

[inetdog]

I cannot help but LOL. WTF is the panel for?

It looks really cool and is a good talking point with your neighbors.

[Sunking]

It looks really cool and is a good talking point with your neighbors.

LOL. Yeah I figured that out already. Its the 12 volt 3000 AH batteries (2000 pounds) that make my head explode. That high end of a vehicle could have easily used say 144 volts @ 120 AH LFP or LiMm. Would have been less expensive, 1/5 the battery weight to haul around. 1/4 the space, provided more usable energy, last longer, and a whole lot safer. Just plain ole stupidity. Sounds like a Hippy or Mechanic was the designer.

[inetdog]

LOL. Yeah I figured that out already. Its the 12 volt 3000 AH batteries that make my head explode. That high end of a vehicle could have easily use say 144 volts @ 120 AH lithium. Would have been less expensive, 1/5 the battery weight to haul around. 1/3 the space, provided more usable energy, and a whole lot safer. Just plain ole stupidity. Sounds like a Hippy or Mechanic was the designer.

Nope, just a marketeer.
I am sure that the Marketing Requirements Doc given to Engineering included "Must have at least one good looking solar panel, visible when parked."

[Sunking]

Nope, just a marketeer.

Whatcha wanna bet a card carrying Green Mafia Marketer with long hair in a pony tail, beard, over 60, and smoking Whacky Tobacky? Betcha it was Willy