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jefftreece 
Newbie 
Joined: 06 May 2014 Location: seattle Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
 Topic: 2014 rpod 179Posted: 07 May 2014 at 7:40pm |
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Rpod come with LED interior lights however we find them too bright any body else replace there's if so do they know the style that they are? Thanks
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jeff treece
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Jdub
Groupie 
Joined: 17 Mar 2013 Online Status: Offline Posts: 94 |
Posted: 08 May 2014 at 9:49pm |
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How many of the light diodes? We are busy replacing our regular inside light bulbs with the Led.....
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RPodWeGo
Senior Member 
Joined: 10 Jul 2012 Location: Salt Lake City Online Status: Offline Posts: 112 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 12:59am |
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Not all LEDs are created equal...look for warm
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RPodWeGo
RPod 177 04 v8 Toyota 4Runner |
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Budward
Senior Member
Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Location: SC/NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 438 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 4:17am |
You must be one of them young whippersnappers  At my age the brightness is highly appreciated.  I haven't looked at the interior light fixtures, but it may not be possible to switch the internal LED packages out easily...IOW they may not have sockets. If they have sockets then it is simply a matter of buying lower output LED packages. I think I'd try some sort of diffuser insert, inside the lens, maybe wax paper? LED lights don't get very warm. They draw so little current wasting some lumens with a diffuser is somewhat inconsequential. Unlike incandescent bulbs dimming LEDs is technically complicated, especially if one wants to reduce power consumption as well. BTW the two outside lights that came on my 179 were not LED. They are now though, switched out the bulbs for LED adapters. For me saving battery power is critical as we rarely camp where there is commercial power available. One of my favorite campgrounds has a 2 hour per day max generator run time rule- with too much battery power used that quickly becomes a losing battle. Battery chargers can put a lot back in bulk mode, but 2 hours a day isn't enough time to go into proper multi stage charging. Do that for days or weeks and you have a problem. |
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2014 179
Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp 
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 8:02am |
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When boondocking the goal over any given 7-day period isn't a full charge every day. The goal is to keep it above 50% SOC most of the time through the week, then on the 7th day you'll need to do a full charge to prevent sulphation (preferably from an outlet for the reason I'm about to explain). It is ok to go below 50% down to 30% very occasionally.
An hour of charging every other day will usually be more than enough. The reason for every other day is how a lead-acid battery charges. It will accept more amps more quickly when it is below 80% SOC than above that - in other words, you can charge it from 50% to 80% much faster than you can from 80% to 100%. So you'll get more amps into the battery per gallon of fuel you burn by doing it every other day, and then only getting it back up to some point below 80% SOC. Not getting it to 100% is fine until you hit that 7-day mark, then you need to do it. So a typical week boondocking might give you this SOC per day, assuming 20% used each day: Monday morning 100 Tuesday morning 80 Wednesday morning 60, 1 hour charge back to 80 Thursday 60 Friday 40, 1 hour charge back to 75 (note more amps put in during this hour) Saturday 65 Sunday 45, 1 hour charge back to 80 Monday 60, several hour charge back to 95-100 Repeat the next week
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fwunder
Senior Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 9:30am |
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Here's my Techntrek (Mr. Electric) cheat sheet, wallet size:
 And a wallet size photo of Techntrek...the early years:  |
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2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
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Budward
Senior Member
Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Location: SC/NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 438 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 11:27am |
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techntrek- good write up on batteries-
My situation is this- 210 AH of AGM batteries, two each group 31 at 105 AH each.
Overnight CPAP uses about 60 AH.
Other loads throughout the day, constant drain from refrigerator electronics (I miss the old electromechanical thermostat)* plus occasional light usage plus water pump plus constant drain from "entertainment center" (to which I'm going to add a true on/off switch) plus phone charging plus computer use etc-
I figure all this can easily add up to 70AH per day, probably more than that really..
So the AGM manufacturer recommends a max charge rate of about 60 amps...so I'd be able to more than bring things up fully in 2 hours- except- the charger in the r-pod can't deliver 60 amps, more like 25-30 I figure but I'll have to test that to be sure....the WFCO in my previous camper (Aliner) nowhere near put out rated current for charge.
So if one camps long enough, and I've done up to 14+ days in the past- I can't put enough back to stay ahead. The full top off after a week would be nice- except if the campground has a generator limit- where you can't do it in the time alotted...
My point was by minimizing usage one can go more days before it is an issue....and with the cost of 210 amp hours of AGM, about $400, I want to extend life as long as possible
 *one additional caveat of electronics- we were camped in the mountains of NC with NO hookups- lightning hit a nearby tree and fried the board in my Norcold fridge- classic EMP. No fridge the rest of that trip and a $200 board bought when we got home. Sigh- old mechanical bulb t'stat would have just kept on working
 Being an electronics guy I figured I'd troubleshoot the old board using the new board as a guide and have a spare for next time- NOPE they changed the design..
 I probably won't buy AGMs again- they were bought for a special need in a different camper so I already own them...I much prefer 6v GC batts in series- I've proved to myself many times over the most AH for the dollar is derived that way- at least in my experience.
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2014 179
Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp
Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 11:42am |
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fwunder - love it!
Budward - I have a similar problem right now, I'm sure I need a new control board. You are right the old style fridges would just keep moving along...and don't need constant 12 volt input. This is one area where I feel camping technology has actually gone backwards through their efforts to "improve" it. Are you sure about the actual amp draw from your CPAP? I'd bet it is labeled @ 5 amps but that is only because of the startup current for the motor. Once running it probably isn't using more than an amp. Unless you are using the humidifier which is just a big heating element and that will use several more amps.
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Budward
Senior Member
Joined: 21 Apr 2014 Location: SC/NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 438 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 7:08pm |
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My CPAP is a ResMed S9 with the heated humidifier and the heated hose. The provided power supply is 24V at 90 watts. Sure wish it was 12V- would make camping easier.
I haven't actually measured the power consumption, but due to the heated hose and heated distilled water reservoir the useage can vary some based on the room temp I'm sure. I know in colder conditions the hose gets quite warm trying to maintain the set point measured in the mask connection. I have one of those Kill-O-Watt meters..If I remember I'll plug it in tonight and see what it draws in power over a 6-8 hour sleep period. Of course right now with the room temp at 77 it will be less power required than at 60-65 in the winter. Being a camping forum I have to mention something about CPAP- I knew I was snoring, the wife told me so! Then we were camped in CO when another camper, mentioned my snoring was easily heard at night in HIS camper 75 ft away! Sort of embarrassing. Anyway got on the CPAP, and let me tell everyone that is considering it to do it! I feel like 20 years were taken off my age- never getting proper sleep when snoring (apnea) I cannot believe how much better I feel and don't get so drowsy during the day now that I get effective sleep.. Sure there are some adjustments getting used to it and sometimes it is a PITA but if anyone tried to take my CPAP away now they'd have a hell of a fight on their hands  |
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2014 179
Towed by a 2015 Ford Transit Diesel Supervised by a German/Aussie mix and a Labradoodle! |
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fwunder
Senior Member
Joined: 04 Oct 2013 Location: New Jersey Online Status: Offline Posts: 1676 |
Posted: 09 May 2014 at 10:20pm |
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Should be in a separate thread, but:
I know everyone is different, but in the five years I've been using my CPAP, I can easily go days without the humidifier and still enjoy the benefits. The savings in power are significant. I can run my ResMed S8 for 2 nights on a 11AH booster battery and everyone sleeps well. The humidifier/heated hose is a luxury, IMO. There are also oral appliances worth exploring. fred
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2014 RPod 178 => MyMods and Buying Habits
2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
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2014 rpod 179