Generator and dimming lights
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=11889
Printed Date: 16 May 2024 at 11:33am
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Topic: Generator and dimming lights
Posted By: cariefields
Subject: Generator and dimming lights
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 6:09pm
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Just bought new Rpod 171. I know zero about electrical stuff but totally willing to learn!! 1. I'm thinking about buying a generator instead of second battery. Is that wise? What lightweight generator is recommended for a 171 and where would I buy it? Are there minimum specs I need to look for? 2. The bright LED lights are driving me nuts. I am considering a film that goes inside the light. Anyone have experience with this or suggestions for how to tone down the lights? See link below. 3. Can I charge my battery with my xc70 volvo jumper cables? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/44201-REG/Rosco_RS340811_3408_Filter_RoscoSun.html Thanks. |
Replies:
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 9:15pm
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1. If all you want to do is power the lights and charge your battery, a very small generator is all that is needed. If however, you want to run the AC, Microwave, etc. then you will need a 3500 Watt generator (Look at Harbor Freight's Predator 3500 as it is getting great reviews). If you are willing to go somewhere between, you will need a generator that provides at least 2000 running Watts with higher surge capability. This will run the microwave or the AC, just not at the same time. If you are trying to run the refrigerator, that too would require the larger generator. I recently installed a https://www.microair.net/collections/easystart-soft-starters - Micro-Air Easy Start on my AC. My Genreac iX2000 (2000 running Watts, 2200 surge Watts) runs it just fine and does not sound like it is going to explode when the compressor kicks in anymore. Micro-Air has a Westinghouse iGen2500 model (2200 running Watts, 2500 peak Watts) that they sell that they guarantee to run up to a 15000 BTU AC if the Easy Start is installed. It has some nice features and is certainly lighter than the Predator 3500. Micro-Air has a $40 discount if you use the discount code "FORESTRIVER" in the discount box that will show up during checkout. They are offering free shipping also. 2. Some people have switched out lights. Some have taken the cover off and put a gel filter in to cut the brightness. My wife and I are happy with the amount of light, but not everyone needs or wants that level of brightness. 3. You probably could but if you have AC power available, let the converter charge the battery. If not, then you certainly can use jumper cables. That will charge faster than your trailer's umbilical because the wire gauge is much heavier and can transfer a higher current. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: FrayAdjacent
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2018 at 9:48pm
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What Stephen said is right good. There are two types of power our campers will use. 12V DC (from the battery and from the converter powered by.. ) and 120V AC. The 12V DC system powers the lights, the thermostat, the control circuitry for the fridge, the water pump, and the control circuitry for the water heater. These are all very low power items, drawing in the single to double digit power range in watts. The AC, by comparison, uses 1670W. The microwave is probably around 1200W while running. I'm not sure how much the water heater electric element draws, but it's probably several hundred watts. So if you want a generator, what do you want to run off of the generator? If you want to run your AC, you're gonna need a generator that supports at least ~1700W output AND you want to consider that the AC compressor requires a large amount of current to start. Stephen mentioned the Easy Start, which is a device installed and wired into the AC unit that reduces the startup power demand of the compressor by more slowly starting it, rather than it trying to start 'all at once'. It works wonders and allows you to use a smaller generator and not overload it when the AC starts. Note that if you're running the AC, you won't be able to run your microwave at the same time. If you step up to something like the Predator 3500W generator (which BTW has a great reputation, I'm probably going to get one myself), you could probably run the microwave and AC at the same time. For the fridge, IMHO, the best way to run it is off of LP, unless you are at a campsite or location with a 30A connection. Then I'd run it off of AC. Running off of battery will suck a battery dry in a few hours. Draining a 12V lead acid battery too low can destroy it (it won't explode or anything, but it may lose its ability to recharge or hold a charge). |
Posted By: cariefields
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 6:04am
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Thanks to both of you, this information is great!!!!! Beth
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 7:13am
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Glad to help. Welcome and congratulations on your 171. We have a 179 which has been a great way to travel for my wife and me. I hope you have many great adventures and make many wonderful memories in the process. The initial learning curve can be steep. However, it won't take long before you get comfortable with your R-Pod. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 7:56am
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Stephen, I did not realize you already have the micro air easy start installed. I just started looking into it. So your saying that with this installed, you run your a/c with 2000 watt genny? I thought you had a little bigger genny. I would love to get this installed if thats true. Was it easy install? Youtube video? As I stated a few days ago, I got my a/c to run on the Honda 2000I genny, But it was running at or near max RPM. This will cause an auto shut off for heat. So with this switch installed, my genny would run it at lower RPM? And not run as hot. Do you know if it would run at 1600 RPM or less? I know i'm asking alot. Thanks
***** Update: I went to micro air website. They claim this will work fine with 0ne 2000I genny. I'm ordering it. Only thing is figuring out how to put it in once i get it. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 5:55pm
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Cariefields - one thing to add to the mix. If you don't need to power items that require a generator or 120v electrical power (like microwave and air conditioner), then you might consider solar. I have a single 12v battery and most of the time we camp where electricity is not available, and a simple 100w solar panel system keeps my battery charged up. My main needs are lights, occasional heater use (primarily propane is used for heat but the battery powers the fan), and water pump. A self-contained solar system costs around $2-300. It just plugs into the side of the rPod (you should see a plug next to your door that says "solar-ready". I always use propane for the fridge, whether camping or traveling. Same for hot water. Only occasionally do we stay where we have access to electricity. Just fyi, since you said that you're a novice at electrical stuff, I'll go out on a limb and state the obvious, just in case you don't know. If you stay in a campground with electrical hookups (120v), your battery is charged while plugged in. And you can run your fridge, ac, and microwave when plugged in to the campground circuit. No need for a second battery or means to charge it if you are plugged in. And for most, your battery is also charging when you are driving (some tow vehicles are not so equipped). Best of luck with your new rig - hope you have lots of fun with it!
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 6:49pm
The easy-start thingy just makes it easier to start your A/C. It doesn't do anything to lower the amps needed to run it. Your generator won't run any cooler or at lower RPMs with the easy-start thing. It may help you restart the air when after the thermostat shuts it down because it's cool enough inside and then starts it back up. There may be cheaper options than what has been discussed here, and they're probably a good idea in your situation. Just don't think your generator won't have to work as hard or that it will run any cooler. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2018 at 10:48pm
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Micro-Air's web site contains a pretty detailed instruction for the Dometic Penguin II AC unit. It was not hard to install. I did not purchase the installation kit because I had most of what was needed on hand and only needed some capped splices. I agree with TT. The generator will still be running pretty hard but it will start the AC unit. I have tested with the Generac iX2000 (2000 running and 2200 surge Watts) and it has worked quite well. I don't know about the Honda 2000I since I don't have one for comparison. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: cariefields
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 7:51am
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Ben - thank you for the solar info. I will mostly be camping without electric - mainly in wooded areas. Will that be an issue with the solar working effectively? Again, major power novice here
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Posted By: cariefields
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 7:57am
| One more question - I'm ok with no ac but would like to use a fan. Will I be able to plug in a fan (or anything for that matter) with solar? In other words, do the outlets work only when hooked up to electric? Beth |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 8:19am
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Beth, the outlets are 120. To use a fan it would have to be 12V and you need a suitable socket or you would need an Inverter to convert 12V to AC. Small inverters are reasonable. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: cariefields
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 8:31am
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Thanks Mike - pardon my ignorance but ....... What is an Inverter to convert 12V to AC? Beth |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 8:38am
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Exactly, you can't use a large wattage inverter on battery power. Battery will discharge quickly. I have a 150W inverter I can run the TV on. However the radio and ant amp also are using power. I'm looking on interweb to see what a small fan draws, power wise. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 8:46am
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The bathroom vent fan is 12v, so you have that. You can also get battery operated fans. Walmart usually has them in two sizes. They work fine for a long time. The big one takes 8 D batteries though. This isn't for everyone, but if you have 30v cordless DeWalt tools. DeWalt has a 20v fan that is great. It's overpriced, in my opinion, especially if you have to buyu a battery and a charger. An inverter is a gizmo that usually plugs in to a cigarette lighter kind of 12v outlet and converts 12v DC to 120v AC. If you have a way to plug one in in the Pod you can plug in something little anytime. They come in all sizes; without really knowing what you are doing, you don't want one any bigger than about 200 watts, maybe 400; That will let you charge your computer, plug in a TV or a fan, but it won't come close to letting you use the microwave, A/C, or a hair drier. And if you have much plugged in, they will suck the juice out of your battery fairly quickly. (That's one reason to limit the size to about 200 watts.) You can pick one up at Walmart or just about anywhere. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 8:48am
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Interesting video, skip the stupid ad:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnKIvYpjlaw ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 10:06am
We do the same, mostly camping in the woods in Colorado and Utah. If you add a fairly long cord (20-25 ft) to your solar unit, it can be moved around to take best advantage of the sun. Usually I move it 2-3 times during the day. Keep pin mind that you still get some benefit even if not in full sun, just not as much. Our house has a solar system and I'm always surprised at how much benefit we get even on cloudy days (sort of like why they tell you to wear sunscreen even on cloudy days!).
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Posted By: Ben Herman
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 10:11am
Beth - you can use battery fans or there are fans like this one that tap into the 12v system via a usb cord: http://www.amazon.com/O2COOL-Portable-Electric-Blue-Gray/dp/B06W5QZ4ZW/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_201_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5KG30P8T3TZ3FANK8WEP - http://www.amazon.com/O2COOL-Portable-Electric-Blue-Gray/dp/B06W5QZ4ZW/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_201_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=5KG30P8T3TZ3FANK8WEP I installed a box in the wall (above bed, next to tv where it was easy to tap into the 12v wiring behind the sound system) that has 4 - usb outlets. It lets us charge our iPhones but can also be used to power other 12v devices with usb cable connectors. I haven't tried the fans but they get good reviews on Amazon.
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 14 Jul 2018 at 2:25pm
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I have an O2 Cool fan, but a different model than the one Ben linked. https://smile.amazon.com/O2COOL-Portable-Adapter-Battery-10-Inch/dp/B00ATSHMIQ/ - O2 Cool 10 inch Battery or Electric Fan The fan and AC adapter are included. It uses six D-cell batteries. I found that it will run on a 12V adapter as well but it is just a little louder as it is running faster. It moves a nice amount of air. We use it at the base of the bed to help circulate heat from the furnace in our 179. I had the 12V cord from a RoadPro fan that was making bearing noise, so I replaced it with this model. I actually found it at my local Staples store for less than the Amazon price but they appear to have been discontinued. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: cariefields
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 8:15am
Thanks - so easy. BTW - I loved that ad!!!!
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Posted By: cariefields
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 8:46am
| I would like to install a little lightweight wall shelf of some sort near the bed - to put the fan, cell, etc in/on. I've looked online and can't find anything. Ideas? |
Posted By: cariefields
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 8:49am
| I see 200 watt inverters at Wallmart but what does the cig lighter type end plug into??? |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 9:03am
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I built my own small shelf, but I do know Lowes has a wide selection, both metal and wood.
The cig lighter type plug, goes into a cig lighter socket. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 15 Jul 2018 at 1:12pm
I think newer Pods may come with 12v receptacles but you have to install your own on older pods. It's pretty easy if you don't mind pulling the converter out for access to 12v, fishing some wires to where you want to put the receptacle, and drilling a hole to put it in. Maybe not totally trivial, but easy for a lot of folks. Rocket engineering for others. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: VancleVector
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2018 at 2:09am
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Silent 2kVA Pure Sine Wave Inverter Generator
This http://https://www.dieselgeneratortech.com/low-noise-genset/starlight-low-noise-genset.html - silent generator set is petrol powered and differs from cheaper units, in that the engine (which is built to the same design as the market leading Japanese brands) drives a DC alternator. A pure sine wave inverter then converts the DC to a stable pure sine voltage, suitable for appliances including sensitive electronics. No matter what the load is on the generator, the output remains the same.
The added benefit is that the petrol motor is far better matched to the load, reducing overall size, keeping engine speed in line with the load, reducing noise and increasing fuel efficiency.
It also uses a high-speed multi-point alternator that is integrated into the engine itself. This SWISS developed technology reduces the overall weight and size by 25% to 50% compared to similarly classed conventional models, making it very portable.
The generator is powerful enough to be used in a wide range of home, recreational and professional uses, whilst maintaining portability. ------------- Never too late to learn |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2018 at 7:57am
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Last post doesn't appear trustworthy. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Blender Bob
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2018 at 8:49am
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Good solar harvest needs direct sunlight. The more the better. Shade reduces capture. Moving panels into the sunlight and towards the sun may be effort and require a longer cable. I recommend adding a second battery. ------------- Bob 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71 2018 178 R-pod Hood River Edition |
Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2018 at 9:40am
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Great little dimming USB light. We have two and use them as reading lights at night. With small USB power bank they will run for days or use cigarette plug USB adapter. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0151FGFPC/ - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0151FGFPC/ I converted one of the little O2Cool 5 inch fans to run off USB also. Works great and also will run for days on battery bank. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007GB3WGK/ - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007GB3WGK/ Battery bank I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z9QVE4Q/ - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z9QVE4Q/ BTW, the USB (5v) to 3v O2Cool fan motor was a fun little electronic project. fred ------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2018 at 11:29am
He has 3 posts over 8 months, all genny related.. hard to tell.. we will keep an eye on it/him/her. Link seems dead.
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Posted By: fwunder
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2018 at 3:25pm
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It was just a malformed link that points to https://www.dieselgeneratortech.com/ - https://www.dieselgeneratortech.com/ It's Chinese spam, but maybe we can figure out a way to hook up one of those 50Kw babies to the back of a pod and sell hookups to the whole campground or small town?!  fred P.S. Feel free to delete this. No sense in giving them anymore clicks than necessary.
------------- 2014 RPod 178 => https://goo.gl/CV446f - MyMods and Buying Habits 2008 4Runner Limited 4.0-liter V6 Yes, those are wild ponies dining on grass while dumping tanks! |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 14 Aug 2018 at 12:42pm
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A few thoughts and suggestions. Sorry if some of this gets a bit technical. 1) Rather than inverting 12Vdc to 115Vac for the TV for about the price of a little inverter you can get a 12V/120V dual voltage TV such as: Mounts right up. Then sell your 115Vac TV on CL for a few bucks. Then the only remaining items in the rpod requiring 115Vac are the battery charger, microwave and the air conditioner. Obviously, you'd never run the battery charger on an inverter! On my 179 I was able to pick off 12Vdc from the input to the audio system and run it out to a cig adapter such as: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B79F8CW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 next to the TV. Very simple to do. It also has a couple of usb power ports for our mobile phones. Then with a phone to HDMI adapter you can stream video to the TV while running audio via bluetooth to to audio system. Rpod Netflix. SAFETY NOTE: Pull the appropriate fuse before installing the cig adapter. 2) I did install an Easystart on my Dometic A/C unit. My Honda EU2000i starts it just fine now, but will just barely run it with no other loads. And that's at sea level, although I do have mine converted to propane (I personally hate the smell of gasoline) so that is probably reducing its output a bit. That means, no microwave and turn the breaker off to the battery charger when you're running the A/C. I think one of the newer 2200-2400w generators plus an Easystart would be a better choice if you don't already have a genny. 3) Batteries. I would second the recommendation for installation of dual batteries, the single 100 or so amphour battery that comes with the rpod is really probably too small capacity for most folks needs. Your tongue weight will increase by about 60 lbs with two larger batteries though, so be careful if you are near your tow vehicle's tongue weight capacity. Two golf cart batteries (GC2 case size) fit nicely and will provide 200-220 amphours depending on which ones you get. Best to get the batteries locally to avoid shipping costs. I personally prefer the old school flooded batteries to the newer AGM type, much less expensive, less sensitive to overcharging, and I don't mind checking the water level every month or so. These battery cases worked well: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00316KU6E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 And you'll need a battery cable such as: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JGJGFQY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 If you choose to install dual batteries, do try to use 2, 6V in series rather than 2, 12V in parallel. That keeps both batteries balanced. Don't place batteries of different ages or capacities in the same system. If you really MUST use two 12V batteries in parallel, take your positive feed from one battery and the negative from the other to help keep them balanced. Also, it's much better for the batteries to be recharged every day than allowing them to be more deeply discharged over a longer period of time. Shoot for using no more than 50% of total battery capacity before recharging. SAFETY NOTE: If you are uncomfortable handling batteries get help connecting the them. They contain a lot of energy so accidental shorting creates very high currents and can burn you or start a fire. 4) Solar. If you nearly always camp under tree canopies without direct solar access then its probably not worth bothering with, solar modules just don't perform well under these conditions. Even partial shade causes a severe reduction in performance because the cells in the modules are in series so shading one cell pretty much blocks the output of the whole module. Then you also have the issue of how to maintain battery charge over a series of cloudy days. Just get a generator and run the battery charger with it for a couple hours a day (depending on your usage) instead. I'm speaking from 35 plus years experience as a solar and battery engineering professional. If you do mostly camp in direct sun and in sunny weather then by all means go for the solar installation. Keep the genny for cloudy day backup and for when you are camped under trees. I'd suggest you try the dual battery installation first and determine how long that lasts for you before deciding how large a solar array you need. If you install say a dual 210 amphour battery bank and it gets down to one light on your led display after about 48 hours then you would roughly need about 200 watts of PV (unshaded, summer conditions). Shut off all your loads and charging sources and wait half an hour before checking the display. If you get down to the same state of battery charge after one day then you'd need double that and half that if it takes 4 days. Double these estimates for late fall/winter conditions (less sun in winter of course). Also, your electrical loads will be different in cooler weather (more lighting, heater usage, probably more entertainment usage, less fan usage). This gets technical but you could also try to estimate your daily electrical load. In case anyone is interested, here are measured current draws from my rpod:
You would need to estimate how many hours (or fractions of an hour) each device was operating, multiply by the current draws, and add to get a 24 hour total. As a shortcut, if you take that calculated amphour total and multiply by 3 that is roughly the size of solar array you'd need for summer unshaded conditions. For example, I use about 75 amphours/day in the summer so I'd need about 225 watts. For larger scale solar applications, say above 200 watts or so, consider buying one or more residential style PV modules as they are far less expensive than the RV kits. These larger modules operate at higher voltages than the smaller (nominally 12V) modules. You can get MPPT type charge controllers to downconvert the module voltage to charge your 12V battery bank. You will need a charge controller regardless of which module type you get anyway. I haven't yet added solar to my rig as I just got it this spring and I want to assess my fall and winter usage, so I don't have any specific recommendations for solar installation hardware yet. 5) Inverters. If you get the 12V TV then probably the only item you would be running with an inverter would be the microwave. Forget about running the air conditioner on batteries and solar. You would likely need at least a 2kW inverter for the microwave, I haven't tested it. Has anyone? So far, I just run my genny when I want to use the microwave. 6) Fans. I got a couple of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003SS62PS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They plug into a cig lighter socket and mount with clamps so you can move them around as needed. Get a single to dual lighter splitter like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072KDR63B/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 in case you want to run the fans and TV at the same time. Hope this helps. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |