Batteries drained...but I have solar!?
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10199
Printed Date: 30 Jun 2025 at 10:48pm
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Topic: Batteries drained...but I have solar!?
Posted By: MoodyBlue
Subject: Batteries drained...but I have solar!?
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 7:15pm
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Hi There! I've only had my 2017 Rpod 171 for a few months, so forgive me if this is a newbie mistake. I had a solar panel installed because I plan on a lot of state park camping. Why then, are my batteries draining so that I have no power and my CO detector is alarming. I drove for 2 hours, charging my batteries to full absorption, but within 24 hours, everything is dead. What am I doing wrong? ------------- Celeste 2 Jack Russell Terriers 2017 R-Pod 171 2014 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 |
Replies:
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 7:21pm
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A) How much charge is your solar panel sending to the batteries? B) What panel, controller, batteries? C) If you had "dead" batteries, a two hour drive DID NOT any way shape or form, charge them to 100%. D) what is on in the Pod when you are not using it? ------------- |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 7:26pm
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In addition to furpods thorough questions were your batteries fully charged when you left home? How did you check your batteries to see if they were indeed fully charged?
------------- 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." |
Posted By: MoodyBlue
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 7:52pm
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Some of your questions I can't answer because I don't even know these basics. I know, pathetic! When I got the walk-through at the dealer, I didn't get any real info about using the solar. I have made an appt for Friday for the dealer to explain all of this better. ------------- Celeste 2 Jack Russell Terriers 2017 R-Pod 171 2014 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 8:11pm
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1. Are you sure your TV is sending a charge to the battery? 2. What kind of power is your panel providing?
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Posted By: bob-Pod
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 8:47pm
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Even an incomplete charge will often show full on the 4 light push button display. Once you draw a load, you get a real reading. ------------- 2015 RPOD 178 HRE (2015- ) 2010 RPOD 171 (2009-2015) 2010 Toyota Tacoma Quad Cab |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 19 Jun 2017 at 8:48pm
| Is the exterior solar plug actually hooked up to the battery in the battery box? |
Posted By: MoodyBlue
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2017 at 5:53pm
I finally have an answer!! The dealer did not wire the solar correctly, therefore I had no charge from my panel. All is fixed now, and I just spent my first week of boondocking with no problems! ------------- Celeste 2 Jack Russell Terriers 2017 R-Pod 171 2014 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 |
Posted By: Bhfromme
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2017 at 11:04pm
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Celeste don't feel bad about not knowing much about battery life, etc. I'm new too and have been trying to learn how to keep my unit powered when we dry camp. Here are the basics I've learned:
Pods come with one Group 24 battery. About 80 amp hours. A Group 31 is 105 amp hours. Upgrading to 2 Group 31s would give me 210 amp hours as opposed to the 80 I have now. Pretty good bang for the buck. I've read that the converter/charger on the pods are actually very good ones. One guy wrote he can charge his 2 Group 31 batteries from nearly zero to 80 percent in about an hour and a half. But at 80 percent the charger slows down and takes 6 to 8 hours to charge the remaining 20% to full charge. That's a pretty significant piece of information. The panel inside the pod may show 4 lights but you may not be fully charged. I thought that was good info also. I bought a 40 amp Zamp solar panel and plug it into the prewired jack on my pod but it doesn't seem to charge the battery. I'm wondering if I can wire another 40 in parallel to the one I have. Does anyone have experience with this? Also, is it better to connect the solar panel directly to the battery as opposed to using the prewired jack? Any information people can share on this would be very useful. Happy trails out there everyone... ------------- Bill and Female Companion aka She Who Must be Obeyed |
Posted By: sailor323
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 6:28am
Upgrading to 2 6v golf cart batteries would give you 225 amp hours (Trojan 105 or equivalent) and 2 Trojan 145 (or equivalent) would give you 265 amp hours. In addition, you would have true deep cycle batteries that can be discharged more deeply than the marine/hybrids, can be recharged far more many times. Price for 2 6v T105 not much different than 2 grp 31 and 2 6v 145 definitely worth the difference in price
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Posted By: podzilla
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 6:38am
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Celeste just wondering, I was picking up my R-Pod at Pete's on the 14th and when I was doing my walk around a pod caught my eye. It had a Moody Blue sticker on the back. Could it be yours? |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 10:07am
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: Bhfromme
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 10:12am
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Thanks glue guy. Are Group 27 and Group 31 the same size as the 24 I have now? Not really looking to make major changes. Just want more amp hours. ------------- Bill and Female Companion aka She Who Must be Obeyed |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 22 Jul 2017 at 10:23am
------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |