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offgrid View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: battery full but no power?
    Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 6:47pm
No one is more in favor of solar than I am. I worked in that field my whole career, almost 40 years. But you cannot count on it being there any given day. That is the reality, you either need a couple of days or of batteryl storage or an alternative charging system. To run high reliability off grid smlolar systems in CO we would typicamlly have 4-6 sunless days battery storage. Our requirements aren't that critcal and can be met by just running the TV if needed and recharging from the alternator if you don't want to carry a generator around and don't need a/c.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 4:42pm
One other factor is solar, and whether you live somewhere with lots of sun. I'm in Colorado and we have sun virtually all days, so a single deep cycle marine/rv battery is fine, since when we're  camping the solar panels are always topping up the battery (100 watt  Renogy suitcase solar charger). 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 10:56am
There is no one best battery. Depends on how you use your pod, how you feel about maintenance,how you'll charge it and store it. Like all things in life there are tradeoffs. My recommendations are:

If you camp without hookups often and have the tow vehicle tongue weight capacity then 2 6V golf cart batteries are a good way to go. Flooded batteries you can put distilled water in are the most cost effective and tolerate charging well, but you have to check the water level every few weeks. Otherwise spend the money and get AGM batteries.Just don't overcharge them.

If you mostly camp with hookups and when camping without them don't use much power then get a single marine dual use battery, which will handle some cycling but probably have a longer lifetime for you because of chemistry differences. Flooded or AGM, same criteria as for the golf cart batteries.

If you never camp without hookups then just about any battery will do.

If you boondock and are a heavy user but can't tolerate the tongue weight then you either need to install a lithium system or move some weight rearward to counterbalance the heavy batteries on the tongue.

In all cases you will need to keep the batteries charged while in storage, but the golf cart batteries will need more frequent charging because they have a higher self discharge rate. Either disconnect the rpod from the batteries to get rid of the parasitic loads or leave them on solar or onboard charger all the time.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Mar 2021 at 10:10am
Here's a pretty good chart for State Of Charge for various batteries. There is some additional variation based on small chemistry variations in batteries. Call that bug dust, but you can ask your battery maker for voltage specific to its battery.

https://www.energymatters.com.au/components/battery-voltage-discharge/

I would go with an AGM battery for convenience and higher output, deep cycle, of course. You might ask for a trolling motor battery, or a "solar" battery.

https://lifelinebatteries.com/2019/11/pros-cons-of-agm-batteries/

It's best not to pull a battery down below 50% SOC, but a deep cycle battery will allow you to go as low as 30% with reduced, but acceptable life. Go as big as you're willing to afford (size AND amp-hrs), but remember all that weight is very close to your hitch.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Mar 2021 at 3:50pm
Most on this forum will direct you to a pair of 6v golf cart batteries that you hook up in series to get 12 volts.  If you plan on boondocking a lot off grid this is the preferred method.  A pair of 6 volt Trojans T-105 will weigh in at about 125 lbs. total. 

If your plan is camping where electric is available than all you need is a single 12v.  In my case I had a single 12v and then purchased another.  My goal was to get a pair of 6 volts when these decided to retire - but nothing doing - they still perform amazingly well for a set of 10 year old batteries.  They are 12v Interstates, group size 24, deep cycle marine batteries.  You have already read the maintenance on these above.  I usually boondock for up to 6 to 7 days at a time and the pair of 12v suit my needs very well.  The two 12v batteries weigh in at 98 lbs. total, so slightly less weight on your a-frame than the two 6 volts.

Others who want to spend the big $$$ go with lithium.  I am not well versed in those but others on here are who will let you know more about those 'goldbergs' if you are interested and have deep pockets.

Also, I camp basic, no solar or generator.  If you plan on utilizing either or both of those methods you can get by with less battery than what I currently use.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Mar 2021 at 12:54pm
Took battery out and over to mechanic for testing since the meter will take a bit.  Yep, battery tostito.  He also said in his opinion it's not a very good quality battery.  Any thoughts anyone has on the "best" battery to get as replacement (or what to avoid?)
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Mar 2021 at 3:21am
Take it one step at a time. First determine if your current battery is still good or needs to be replaced.

Then worry about how to keep it or a new one charged properly. You can do that via the onboard charger, by removing the battery and putting it in a charger at home, by using your solar kit, or by intermittently charging it and keeping it disconnected while in storage. Which is best depends on your storage and usage situation.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 9:00pm
Multimeter on order.  Now I have to figure out how to use that :)  

And next weekend's project will be to look inside the battery as described, which I've never done (in my defense it's encased in a really tight anti-theft security bracket which is a real PITA to get off...so have not wanted to get in there and poke around if I don't have to).

So, it sounds like we also either need (or need both) a trickle charger (have no idea what that is (hello Google) or any specific recommendations from anyone?) and/or a disconnect switch (again, any recommendations?) going forward?  We're likely using the pod about once every 3-4 weeks going forward at best, not more often than that, which means if it is the battery getting drained due to non-use we could have this problem again (unless as jato said, we just leave it constantly plugged into to shore power...but if we're away from home and not in the trailer, I don't really want to do that).

So, any recommendations on trickle charger and/or disconnect switch?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 7:57pm
Car batteries can recover from being fully discharged once of twice because they are not called upon to provide much energy. All they have to dois produce some current for a few seconds.

It does sound like a either bad connection or battery at it's end of life. Either will create a high resistance which will cause the voltage to fly up and down as your solar controller attempts to regulate the amount of charging. Charge it and retest it or take we it to a shop and have them test it.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 6:12pm
Speaking from experience, no it is not possessed, but I experienced similar (lights rhythmically blinking) when I had hand tightened the connections at the battery.  By simply using a wrench, and I only got an additional 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn, that was rectified-problem solved.

Your auto has (and the pod doesn't) a generator so that once you are running, the battery will eventually get 100% charged.  Your pod could do the same IF you plug it into shore power and leave it plugged in allowing the online converter to charge the battery.  Your battery is probably quite low in voltage (again using that multimeter that you are going to purchase) and when you hooked up the solar the battery was slowly charging back up but when you unhooked the solar the battery (being close to low anyway) after a short while would give you the same indicators that it did previously, low or dim lights, ect.

There are many podders who leave their r-pod plugged in 24/7 when not in use and it works for them.  In my case (northern Michigan) I pull both 12v batteries out 1st week in November, check electrolyte and give each a 2 amp trickle charge for 24-36 hours, disconnect from charger, then set both on a concrete floor in our unheated garage.  They 'hibernate' there until the following end of April or first week of May (depends on weather) and the process of charging is done again before being re-installed in our 177.  These 12v Interstate group size 24 batteries are used a lot as we usually boondock, they are now 10 years old and still performing well.  One thing of many things I learned here was not to drain the battery down below 60% S.O.C. or 12.2v (using your multimeterSmile) to keep an eye on things before recharging. 

I have benefited greatly from this forum for many years.  The people on this forum are great.
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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