| Author | Message | ||
| Bob Wies (Ncbob)
Rating: N/A |
My bus currently has (3) Grp 31 12V batteries and (1) old beater charger which I know from experience will eat up the batteries if I don't watch it like a hawk. Our plans for the use of this coach is stricly 'post'.. no boondocking. Occasionally, while traveling we might avail ourselves of the hospitality offered by Walmart. Since we have a 12.5 KW diesel generator I can't envision the need for an inverter. The current 12/110 V refrigerator is going...will be replaced by a straight 110V unit. DC lighting is at a minimum just sufficient to negotiate midnight trips to the B/R, etc. Other than the need for power for a laptop, should I decide to use a GPS program, I find it impractical to invest in an invertor/charger as against a quality 12V charger. The 24V system is just for engine starting and lights..I have a 24V portable charger to back up that system. In searching for such a charger I'm unable to find one which won't eat up batteries as a hobby. Any suggestions? Thanks, NCbob | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
"Smart chargers" for 12vdc can be had at any WalMart for under $50, but you'll only use that at the power pole, right? Why not add a 12v alternator and use that, to keep the house batteries charged? To run a laptop, small TV, etc, the simple and cheap WalMart, or Harbor Freight cigarette lighter inverters work fine. Just get one that provides the amperage you need. With a 12v alternator, you'd have more than enough power to supply a larger inverter, just run the engine as needed... | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
Bob, if you have a residential refer. and no inverter, will you run the genset the whole time you're underway from pole to pole? Living on 12v is fine, if you're set up that way, but you might consider a propane RV model refer if you are dead set against an inverter. I used to think I didn't need an inverter... until I bought a bus that had one in it! I hardly ever have to use the genset. It'll even run the front A/C whilst rolling down the road. Brian Brown Longmont, CO 4108-216 | ||
| Bob Wies (Ncbob)
Rating: N/A |
How big is your inverter, Brian? And would you spend the money today to have what you've got if it cost $1500.00? Please don't think that I'm being a PIA, but it's one thing to look a a situation from your perspective...having one....and from mine not being sure if you need one. I can clearly see the advantages of having an inverter but are the trade-offs worth the expense when I have so many other items I need to spend money on? I guess that was basically my question. NCbob | ||
| Geoff (Geoff)
Rating: N/A |
To me a quality inverter is essential to using the conversion. I cannot imagine having to start the generator everytime I want to heat something up in the microwave or simply to keep my 120v refrigerator going. I can watch TV and run my laptop. I can also flip on the front roof air when it starts getting warm without having to start the genset. Plus I have my 120v bedroom clock and airbed plugged in-- I don't want to start the generator up to adjust the mattress when I go to bed. There is more but you get the picture-- bare bones or comfort and convenience? --Geoff '82 RTS AZ w/Trace SW2512MC inverter | ||
| Geoff (Geoff)
Rating: N/A |
I forgot to answer your question to Brian-- if I had to do over again I would not hesitate to spend $1500 on the inverter, which is about how much it cost me on eBay. --Geoff | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
$1,500 plus, for an inverter... and the batteries are how much each? Aren't quite a few needed, to run the big appliances? Then there's the maintenance of the battery bank.. We all have our priorities, and likes/dislikes.. I personally hate having to take care of a battery bank. Propane and a genset is Easy Street, as far as I'm concerned.. And a small inverter works well, for those "other" things.. The Boat guys have it right. We really oughta' pay more attention to their methods and designs. | ||
| Brian Brown (Blue_velvet)
Rating: N/A |
Bob, my inverter is a 2500watt Heart Freedom (I think Xantrex owns them and Trace now). It's a mod. sine w/ a 130A 3-stage charger/ equalizer and 30A automatic transfer switch. You can pick these up on eBay for less than $1k, I would suspect. Get 4-6 Sam's or Trojan golf carts (6v) and you got yourself a affordable batt. bank. A lot of busnuts swear by the Trace SW units, and those have more advanced features (genset starting, load sharing on limited shore power, etc.), but generally have a much higher price tag. My setup also has a Link (batt management panel and AH meter) that's soooo handy for checking on things and managing the batts. Can't imagine a setup w/o one of these now, either. This is probably a $200 add'l. investment, but can easily give years more use out of a batt. bank by preventing you from drawing them down too far. Granted, all of this came with my bus (and one of the many reasons it was an appealing upgrade), so it was all set-up, ready to go, and covered in the price of the bus. Yeah, John's right with the priorities... everyone's are different. But the convienience of the inverter just really suits our family's lifestyle better than constant noisemaker use... and I wouldn't have necessarily thought so until I had one. BTW, we camped on the Colorado River last weekend (pics coming, of course). We popped popcorn in the microwave, ran a pot of coffee, and listened to the river and a popping campfire... instead of the genset. We then ran a big box fan all night to keep the air moving through the coach. The alternator put back in the juice we took out on the drive back (according to the Link), and I never fired up the genset at all for three days. Brian (Message edited by blue_velvet on May 21, 2006) | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
Notes on Quality Marine , can be on "forever" . 3 or 4 stage chargers is already in the Archives. Summary , Good chargers arent CHEAP, Cheap chargers arent GOOD. The "best" Mastervolt. FAST FRED | ||
| R.C.Bishop Rating: N/A |
That's our FF...  And Amen, Fred! RCB | ||
| Geoff (Geoff)
Rating: N/A |
Oh, that reminds me-- you can always run an extention cord out the window. |