# Anybody good with batteries?



## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time. 
What will last the whole time? 
Willing to spend up to 300.


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## progressive hunter (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.




the simple thing would be to get a marine grade deep cycle,, I doubt it will run an AC for very long without recharge but the rest shouldnt be a problem,,

of course you could get two of them and connect them to get a longer life,,

youre looking at close to 150.00 each,,


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

progressive hunter said:


> TNHarley said:
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It really isnt much of an AC though. 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YGT76J4/?tag=ff0d01-20


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## JoeMoma (Feb 18, 2020)

Why don't you get a portable electric generator?  That's what you need if you will be running a small air conditioner.


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## progressive hunter (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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that is small so it is sure to last longer dependin on the run time and other items being charged,,
there are single panel solar kits available to recharge during the day

I'm very curious to see how it works out cause its perfect size for my teardrop trailer


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

JoeMoma said:


> Why don't you get a portable electric generator?


I have considered it but I dont want to mess with solar panels or a gas generator to charge it. They arent very powerful without spending 500 bucks


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## Mr Natural (Feb 18, 2020)

You have to figure how many amps the loads are drawing.

Once you know that,  you’ll have an idea of how long the battery will go before it needs recharging.


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## miketx (Feb 18, 2020)

I don't know but one of these would be handy.






https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TY3HGF7/?tag=ff0d01-20


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

progressive hunter said:


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My buddy got the same thing and he loves it. It would definitely cool a teardrop. I'm using a tent.
Im also stuck on a nice ground tent or a rooftop tent. I would rather have a teardrop but I dont want a payment until my truck is paid for. I want the offroad ones because I go through some harsh terrain.


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

miketx said:


> I don't know but one of these would be handy.
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A 20 watt panel would take forever to charge a battery, wouldnt it?


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

Mr Clean said:


> You have to figure how many amps the loads are drawing.
> 
> Once you know that,  you’ll have an idea of how long the battery will go before it needs recharging.


Math? Gross


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## miketx (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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It would take a while but I used one on a three day canoe trip and using a battery on a trolling motor it kept it going all three days. it just helps is all.


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## Mr Natural (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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C’mon,  math is fun!


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

miketx said:


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Did you keep it connected while you were using the battery?


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## JoeMoma (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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I don't see you getting more power from a battery......  but then again, I'm no expert.


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## miketx (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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I did.


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## Rambunctious (Feb 18, 2020)

Foldable and Portable Solar Panels - Jackery


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## Rambunctious (Feb 18, 2020)

Home - Battle Born Batteries


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## Dick Foster (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.



Well for what it's worth I was an avid off roader so did lots of research on batteries and found Odyssey AGM batteries to be about the best bang for the buck going.
There not cheap but you do tend to get what you pay for. There is a lot of info out there about them including exactly  how and where they're made.
They're Made in the US while the one time favorite Optima are now Mexican made and not the bargain they once were.
Get the most amp hour storage capacity you can afford and want to lug around. Warning Odyssey batteries are heavy for their size which is part of why they're so good. Lots of capacity is a smaller volume.


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

JoeMoma said:


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Me either but from what I could tell, a battery generator is usually around 100 to 150 watts with around a 40AH. A deep cycle has 100 to 150AH which means amp hours and can pull way more wattage.
But like i said, I might not fully understand all this.


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## OldLady (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.


Wow.  Young people "off grid" a lot different than we used to.   Pitch a tent, ring a fire pit with stones, dig a latrine hole and cover it with a piece of plywood.  Morning ablutions in the river.  For special moments after everyone is super stoned, turn on the car and listen to music on the stereo for awhile.

laptops, ac, phones?

What must the bears think?


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## The Irish Ram (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> to charge laptop, phones, speakers small



That's funny.  You aren't camping, you're just moving your stuff to a different location.  

https://encrypted-vtbn0.gstatic.com...f7RPW1ZT0ARnXfQUdS_dAAan5cXwhy2JZh3DCFzYd5IVH


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

Rambunctious said:


> Home - Battle Born Batteries


I dont want to have to sell my child lol


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

OldLady said:


> TNHarley said:
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Lol thats I have been doing for years. I felt it was time to upgrade.
Have you ever tried to sleep on a TN summer night with 80 percent humidity? Lol


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

The Irish Ram said:


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Lol


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## Mr Natural (Feb 18, 2020)

OldLady said:


> TNHarley said:
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“There’s no electricity in camping!”


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

How about i call it "boondocking" instead? Is that better? 
Damn boomers


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## Picaro (Feb 18, 2020)

Just go with the gas/multi-fuel generator. Most of us are going to end up bankrupted by the HMO industry in our old age anyway, no matter how much you think you've saved, so why worry?


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## Rambunctious (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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deep cycle 12V RV Batteries at Batteries Plus Bulbs

Lifeline GPL-27T AGM Sealed Battery 12V 100Ah


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## Tumblin Tumbleweed (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.



I've been overlanding enough in BFE that my deep cycle marine battery just doesn't cut it without my Honda 2200 amp generator to keep it charged (about 45 min./day).


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## miketx (Feb 18, 2020)

miketx said:


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Just to clarify this, we didn't run the motor every moment we were on the river and we usually got on the water by 9 am so it charged from dawn until then and we would stop and camp before dark so it charged from then until dark.


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## Deplorable Yankee (Feb 18, 2020)

This thread is not inclusive enough ....you'll need more women's and gay men's opinions 



 

you've been reported to the local cultural diversity response team


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## Maxdeath (Feb 18, 2020)

As was mentioned you need to add up the usage of everything. 
That being said six volt golf cart batteries give you the most run time.
Two of them are very heavy. Never allow any battery to get below half.
If you discharge them too much it breaks down the ability of the battery to hold a charge.
If you only want one battery a 12 volt deep cycle marine battery is the next best.
AGM and other types are good but they get expensive in a hurry and really do not carry much more amp hours


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## Rambunctious (Feb 18, 2020)

My RV came equipped with solar panels and 4 Lifeline deep cycle house batteries...when I go camping unplugged I use my computer and air conditioner along with my TV without giving it a second thought for a 4 or 5 day boon docking camp out...I have 4 solar panels and I think they are 350 watts each...not sure...I can see my lifeline batteries getting weaker as they age but they still work great for me...the battle born batteries are on my wish list...but $900 each is a hefty price...maybe I'll buy one at a time and store them until I have all four and then put them in...


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## OldLady (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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I don't blame you, TN.  I don't camp much anymore, but if I do, the Mr. Coffee comes with me and if there's no electric plug on our site I hump it over to the shower room and make the coffee there.  Off grid adventures are in my past.
It takes too long to start a wood fire and get coffee made, especially if it's wet out.  I am extremely grumpy until I have my coffee.  No sense in suffering, I say.


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

Tumblin Tumbleweed said:


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What all do you use the battery for


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## Daryl Hunt (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.



Let's take you most major amp draw.  Your 35AH AC.  You are going to need to multiply the 35 by the number of hours you are going to have it on during the night plus the number of days.  Now add in your Laptop, Speakers and the like.  I am just guessing.

35 x 8 x 3 = 840
Your Laptop is going to take about 20 AH
Your Speakers are going to take about 20 ah
Your Phone is going take about 5 ah

Now, let's add this all together.

You are going to need 885 AHs minimum.  Now let's add a 20%   buffer to that. That means you are going to need about a 1062 AH.  

Now the bad news.  A 1200 AH Deep cell is rated at 20 hours for 1200 and only 862 at 5 hours.  You are going to need two of them to really make sure you have enough power with reserves.  I found one that would do the job but get ready for the price.  And remember, you are going to need two of these.  One thing you might consider is to have one and have a gas powered generator as well.

*CROWN-1 2V 1200Ah (2,400Wh) AGM Sealed Deep-Cycle Battery*
  $479.95 

Or you can have a gas powered generator of sufficient run time and power output to handle it alone.  Either way, you are going to be nearing 1000 bucks.


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## Tumblin Tumbleweed (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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A/C, water pumps, TV, Radio & interior/exterior lighting. Only the A/C is a real draw on the battery. Refrigerator, range/stove and heat are on propane.


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## Tumblin Tumbleweed (Feb 18, 2020)

Daryl Hunt said:


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At least. I've got probably more like $3000 into my setup.


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## Pogo (Feb 18, 2020)

You need to just ditch the A/C and tough out those horrid 67 degree Tennessee nights TNH.

Problem solved.  Thank me later.


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## Rambunctious (Feb 18, 2020)

OldLady said:


> I am extremely grumpy until I have my coffee


Yes we know.....


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## gipper (Feb 18, 2020)

The Irish Ram said:


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We boondock in this. 400 amp hour flooded batteries and 10000 watt Cumins generator keeps us happy.


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

gipper said:


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No offense but my tent is wayyy nicer


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## Daryl Hunt (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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And at 100AH, it wouldn't be enough by far.  LIPO4 has some advantages but sometimes the old tried and true Lead Acid (gel) wins the race.  And I have a feeling you can shop around and get a pretty good deal on a 850AH battery.  But it won't be light nor small.  And you are going to need two of them for your needs.  And you are looking at Cold Crank rating which is the smaller of the two ratings.  

The two advantages of the LIPO is that it can be recharged about 5 times or more before it degrades.  Sounds like this isn't a problem for you.  The other is weight whereas the Lipo is about 3 to 5 times lighter.  But you end up paying 3 times or more for an inferior Lipo4 rated battery than the Sealed Lead Acid.  So, like many fishing batteries, the Sealed Lead Acid Deep Cells wins the race.  And, in affect, that is your application.


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

I just found a small 900 running watt generator for 100 bucks. I guess I could get that and a decent 200 dollar battery and use my 10 amp charger and still be around 300


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## progressive hunter (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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the teardrop I have my son and I made about 6 yrs ago and he lived in it in  leadville colorado and tuscon az when he worked for the national parks,,we used a harbor freight trailer and the back doors of a semi trailer as sides,,worked out really well and has got about 10K miles on it so far,

I am trying to close up my window business and then make a few of the overland style trailers at a lower cost that the ones on the market,,this is a design I will most likely use


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## Tumblin Tumbleweed (Feb 18, 2020)

gipper said:


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Hell of a nice rig. It wouldn't make it to 3/4 of the places I like to camp, however.


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## progressive hunter (Feb 18, 2020)

progressive hunter said:


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## CWayne (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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Solar panels would be the best way to go to recharge.  I run my garden and hydroponics using solar and a couple of batteries.  This way, I can keep the small circulating pump going 24/7 when its the growing season.


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## miketx (Feb 18, 2020)

Deplorable Yankee said:


> This thread is not inclusive enough ....you'll need more women's and gay men's opinions
> 
> View attachment 307431
> 
> you've been reported to the local cultural diversity response team


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## TNHarley (Feb 18, 2020)

progressive hunter said:


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Sweet!


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## gipper (Feb 18, 2020)

Tumblin Tumbleweed said:


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Yes sometimes it’s size prevent us from staying in some places. But we have stayed many times in the deserts of AZ and CA, without difficulty. We full time so we needed the size.


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## Bruce_T_Laney (Feb 18, 2020)

My Uncle had this old School Bus that had railroad batteries in it to power the bus off grid.

I am unsure if you can buy them or not though.

We would use a charger to charge them up for him and  he could go for days...


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## Tumblin Tumbleweed (Feb 18, 2020)

gipper said:


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Me and the wife are currently using an overland pop-up camper with my pickup. But, I'm working on a project similar to this:


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## Ringel05 (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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Try it in a Virginia summer with 98% humidity...........  Wearing wool..........  And only what you can carry.......


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## Ringel05 (Feb 18, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.


At 65 my idea of camping is a hotel suite without room service.........


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 19, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.



  Thats some tough requirements.
Why not a small Predator inverter/generator for an extra $150 bucks?
  They're quiet as hell and sip gas.
2000 Watt Super Quiet Inverter Generator


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## TNHarley (Feb 19, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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Yea i think im going to get a generator too


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 19, 2020)

Tumblin Tumbleweed said:


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  Yep...I've got the Honda 2200 for lite work and the 7000 for the Travel trailer.
   People regularly leave their generators at the lease we're on but I'm finding it hard to leave a $4500 dollar generator up there.
    Decided to buy a Predator 3500 for $700 bucks which will run the A/C and if it gets stolen it's no big loss.

  Hell the Honda 7000 is still sitting in the crate it came in in the garage.
  Going to keep it for hurricane season since it'll run the A/C unit in the master bedroom,the master bath,the gun room and the fridge freezer.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 19, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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   Than your battery choice just got easier....and a hell of a lot cheaper.
     The good thing about an inverter/generator besides constant power is it's safe for delicate electronics like smart phones and laptops.
    Never run or charge those on your basic briggs generator or you're gonna fuck em up.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 19, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> I just found a small 900 running watt generator for 100 bucks. I guess I could get that and a decent 200 dollar battery and use my 10 amp charger and still be around 300



  How loud is it?
The inverters are so quiet you can carry on a conversation in a normal voice right next to them.
   Even the predator from harbor freight only runs at 65 decibels which is as loud as a normal conversation.
Noise Comparisons


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 19, 2020)

gipper said:


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  So thats your home.
I never could figure out why someone would buy a motorhome of that size unless they were living in it full time.
    My Aunt and Uncle had one like it and the damn thing barely fit in my driveway when they came for a visit.
    They eventually scaled down and were much happier.
I guess they needed time to figure out they didnt need all the square footage.


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## TNHarley (Feb 19, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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I forget. I think around 75. I have looked at inverters too. A decent one is only around 50 bucks higher too.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 19, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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 If ya want quiet you have no choice but to get an inverter generator.


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## Crixus (Feb 19, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.




Just hook clamps up to your bike and go for a ride when you need to top up the battery.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 19, 2020)

Crixus said:


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   LOL.....I could probably charge up a shake flashlight.


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## Crixus (Feb 19, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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If you set the Shake light on a Harley and let it idle it turns into a death ray.


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## Bob Blaylock (Feb 19, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.



  You need to understand some of the math, at least, in order to be able to figure any of this out.

  To begin with, let us define _“all night”_ as eight hours.  So, to run 35-watt air conditioner for eight hours, you need a total of {35 8 ×} 280 watt-hours of energy.  To do that for three nights, you need {280 3 ×} 840 watt-hours.

  Now batteries are rated in ampere-hours, not watt-hours.  You need to multiply the ampere-hour rating by the voltage of the battery, to get watt-hours.

  Assuming twelve-volt batteries, you need {840 12 ÷} 70 amp-hours worth of batteries to equal that 840 watt-hours.  A quick Google search got me this statement showing up prominently in my results:

_A standard small car battery is about 45 amp/hours. That means that it will supply over two amps for 20 hours. A battery should not be discharged at a higher current draw, or asked to deliver more amps than its amp/hour rating divided by 10 in order to get maximum capacity out of it._​
  So, the equivalent of two standard car batteries ought to do it, depending on how great the losses are in the inverter.  I don't know what to assume about that, but perhaps you should with the equivalent of three or four such batteries.  And, of course, you'll want to go with deep-cycle batteries, rather than standard car batteries, and I think these are likely to be of lower capacity.


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## Daryl Hunt (Feb 19, 2020)

Bob Blaylock said:


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That's what I said.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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   Wanna buy my rooftop tent with an A/C and heater?


 



   The A/C and heater is still in the box. Obviously not the one shown but the same model.
I could also give you a good deal on a Honda 2200 generator to run it.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

OldLady said:


> TNHarley said:
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  Sure when you're young.

The Wife said no more primitive camping!!!
By that she means a bathroom with a hot water shower,A/C and heat.
  And to be honest I'm right there with Her.
To me it's more about setting everything up and tearing it down for a two night stay. Way to much work.
   Hell,I built my own shower system to try and get Her to go with me when I went to the lake but the sticking point was always the bathroom. Or as she put it....HELL no I'm not shitting in the woods!!!!


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

Rambunctious said:


> My RV came equipped with solar panels and 4 Lifeline deep cycle house batteries...when I go camping unplugged I use my computer and air conditioner along with my TV without giving it a second thought for a 4 or 5 day boon docking camp out...I have 4 solar panels and I think they are 350 watts each...not sure...I can see my lifeline batteries getting weaker as they age but they still work great for me...the battle born batteries are on my wish list...but $900 each is a hefty price...maybe I'll buy one at a time and store them until I have all four and then put them in...



   You can actually run your A/C for 4 or 5 days on battery power?


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


> Rambunctious said:
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> > My RV came equipped with solar panels and 4 Lifeline deep cycle house batteries...when I go camping unplugged I use my computer and air conditioner along with my TV without giving it a second thought for a 4 or 5 day boon docking camp out...I have 4 solar panels and I think they are 350 watts each...not sure...I can see my lifeline batteries getting weaker as they age but they still work great for me...the battle born batteries are on my wish list...but $900 each is a hefty price...maybe I'll buy one at a time and store them until I have all four and then put them in...
> ...


No....with my solar panels...I hardly ever need to run my generator...


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

Rambunctious said:


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  So a combo of batteries and solar?


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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Yes having solar panels with no place to hold the power they generate is useless...so with four panels and a converter my four deep cycle batteries have enough capacity to save that power until I use it....for lights TV computer AC etc etc I should have two more batteries but I don't know where I would put them....


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

Rambunctious said:


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  We run two Lithium batteries with a single panel to keep them charged while we're away and to run the slide out when we first get there along with the LCD lighting.
   That will keep us lite up for three or four days easily but we have to fire up the genny for A/C and the microwave.


 



   Wouldnt mind assing up the money for more batteries and panels if we could spend the weekend without firing up the generator.


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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Yes basically anything that gets hot or cold will need a lot of juice...like a blow dryer or AC or Microwave...the goal is to use all of those appliances without having to use a generator...in the past with my old RV I would drive around with my generator running so I could use the house AC when it was too hot for the dash AC to cool the rig....now on cloudy days or worse a cloudy week I end up using my generator so I have enough power for the night...But I'm a power hog when I go camping....I want all the comforts of home...I have a 40 and a 32  inch TV and a desk top PC in my RV....plus 6 24 hour security cameras on 24 hours a day when I am traveling... it takes a lot of juice....


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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Nice trailer....call these folks...they are the best...
Northern Arizona Wind & Sun | Off Grid & Grid-Tied Solar Power Systems


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

You could get by with a nice portable panel or two and 2 - 4 batteries...I'm sure that would do you good...


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

watch this install...


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

Rambunctious said:


> You could get by with a nice portable panel or two and 2 - 4 batteries...I'm sure that would do you good...



  Even with running the A/C?

The RV comes pre wired for four rooftop panels and a portable which we bought just to maintain the batteries while we're gone.

  If I could wire up enough panels to run the A/C it would open up a whole new world!!!


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## TNHarley (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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I was going to get a roof top but I decided against it.  My son will want to be up there with us so we would need a big one and I dont want one that big lol


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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That depends on your AC...today's RV AC's are not the power hogs they use to be...but if you are already wired for panels on the roof I would go that route if I were you...but have them professionally installed...keep in mind that when its really hot most people want to camp under a tree for shade....making it harder for your roof panels...but also today's panels are better in shade too...


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

And you can add panels one or two at a time...this helps with affordability...


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

TNHarley said:


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 Yeah...The James will only sleep two comfortably but it's bullet proof when it comes to weather.
    There are plenty of family size rooftop tents but if you're like me I dont want to leave it on my truck all the time hence the trailer.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

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    If I remember correctly they put the next one up from the 13500 BTU since we're in Texas.
   This is the actual RV we bought and I cant seem to find the actual BTU's.
New 2019 Lance Lance Travel Trailers 1995 Travel Trailer at Princess Craft Campers | Round Rock, TX | #326369


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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  I take that back. This isnt the actual unit,our interior colors are saddle leather.


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

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Probably 15,000

ᐅ RV Air Conditioners - Find the best AC unit | Dometic


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

Must be 15,000 btu's then...


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

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  While my Lance doesnt compare to your class A ride it does beat out all other Towable RV's in quality other than the Airstream.
   It'll be a good test to see if the Wife and I want to take it further and go full time once we sell the house.
   Have you got any insight about the experience,good and bad?
Our biggest concern is we'll get tired of it....or should I say it's Her biggest concern.


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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There are a lot of rigs out there with very low mileage because people don't use their RV's as much as they thought they would...but full time RVing?...I've thought about it...I and my ex wife went on a 6 month trip around the nation...I never had more fun...

We went everywhere and anywhere we wanted...Disney world...mt Rushmore...Texas coastline New Orleans for Mardi gras...the west coast redwood forests...but we had a home base to return to...
My advise would be to take an extended trip before you sell off everything for full time...an RV is very different than a home....

Always needing to fill tanks and dump waste...but if you have a decent income you can be comfortable and go to the nicer parks...
We even boon docked in Wallmarts and Home depots from time to time...

My ex just bought a class B Mercedes...Its really sharp...and I still use my class A...I'll even take it out for the day to the beach with the grand kids...so mine gets used often...

Watch some full timers on youtube...get an idea what it would be like...


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

2019 Lance  RV TT 1995 for Sale in Los Banos, CA 93635 | 7618


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## Rambunctious (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


> 2019 Lance  RV TT 1995 for Sale in Los Banos, CA 93635 | 7618


That's a very nice trailer...


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## Dick Foster (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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Wouldn't it be easier and cheaper in the long run just to go find a motel?

I've done a whole lot of camping but to me camping means a tent way out and away where most people can't even get to unless they walk in for the most part.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

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  I've watched a bunch of their vids.
At this point we're looking for acreage in the 40 plus acre range with a 3 or 4 acre lake on it or a creek to feed one we build and having a Barndominium built.
   It sucks being at the age that your last decision will most likely be your last.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

Dick Foster said:


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   You wont find a hotel where we want to stay.


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## Crepitus (Feb 21, 2020)

TNHarley said:


> Ok, I want a battery for when we go off grid camping. I know I need a deep cycle but the AH and stuff I don't understand.
> I will be hooking up a power inverter to it(with alligator clamps) to charge laptop, phones, speakers small stuff like that. I also have a 35 watt portable air conditioner I will be having on all night.
> Will be used 2 or 3 nights at a time.
> What will last the whole time?
> Willing to spend up to 300.


There is no single battery that will do that as far as I know.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

Rambunctious said:


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We searched all brands to find a good quality RV.
There are plenty of em out there that cost 14 to 18k in the 20 ft range but most are garbage.

 We love the 45 gallon Black water as well as the rest of the tanks holding the same. All the tanks are heated to stop freezing and there's double pane windows throughout.
It's a true 4 season RV and it has all the bells and whistles.


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## TNHarley (Feb 21, 2020)

HereWeGoAgain said:


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Yea. I found one big enough for under 1200 bucks but it woulf be a bitch getting it up and down by myself. My explorer is too high for my boy or gf to help.
I am going to get a blackout ground tent for now and when I pay my vehicle off, im getting an offroad teardrop.
Thats the plan anyway.


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## TNHarley (Feb 21, 2020)

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my dream retirement is to retire early, sell everything amd buy an amazing RV and just live on the road. Well, until I get too old lol


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## TNHarley (Feb 21, 2020)

Crepitus said:


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Yeah I'm going to get a generator to keep it going. Just something small to charge it back up.


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## HereWeGoAgain (Feb 21, 2020)

Dick Foster said:


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      You need to stop and think how much it cost to hit even a cheap hotel every night.

   Ya gotta figure a month in a hotel will cost you over 2k a month at 75 bucks a night.


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