Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: dry camping with a separate 12 volt battery

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dry camping with a separate 12 volt battery

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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=12028
Printed Date: 26 Jun 2025 at 12:02pm
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Topic: dry camping with a separate 12 volt battery

Posted By: Happy Tripping
Subject: dry camping with a separate 12 volt battery
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 10:36am

Ghosthawk recently posted - "I saw ... an RVer who had a small 150a inverter that would plug into cig lighter. He used it to run a 12 v charger and charged a spare 12v battery when he was traveling. Battery sat on passenger side floorboards while charging. Fairly low cost and trouble free backup."

I believe a fully-charged 12 volt battery with care lasts 4-5 days dry camping, then switching out the spare battery obviously would prolong this, and using the small inverter to charge the 'reserve battery' could prolong this process indefinitely without the hassle of multi-battery connections or generators.

I guess I'm missing something, "if it's too good to be true, it probably is."

Replies:

Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 2:32pm

A) it's a lot of hassle to switch 45-55 pound batteries out repeatedly.

B) In my world view, it's just dumb to use 12v to covert to 120v, to convert to 13.9v to charge a battery.

C) How long a single battery lasts while boondocking is so variable as to nearly be a laughable question.
D) Not a single penny is saved, and work added. A second battery still had to be bought, and now it's loose and has to be kept track of, AND an inverter and a charger, had to be bought, learned, kept track of.
E) If all you are doing is charging the battery(ies) just use a decent solar panel. Generator and attendant issues are only needed if you want to run the a/c.

Put a second battery on the tongue, if you need more aH's when boondocking, never have to think about it again. While traveling, your truck charges it, when connected to shore power, the Pod charges it.

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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 11 Aug 2018 at 7:04pm

I went with dual 6V batteries (Duracell 215 AH GC2 batteries from Batteries + Bulbs) wired in series to provide the 12V needed. I don't need to do anything more than check the electrolyte level periodically. The converter (or truck if we are traveling with overnight stops) keeps them well charged. I could likely go several days but I do use my generator if we are somewher elonger than a couple of days without shore power to at least partially recharge the batteries. Some places limit generator operating hours. I may get solar panels one of these days, but ti is not on my high-priority list.

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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: Blender Bob
Date Posted: 12 Aug 2018 at 11:02pm

An good farmer friend of mine once said: "It takes a smart man to be lazy" You're working too hard. Furpod's comments are spot on. It's not difficult at all to put a second battery on the tongue. If you're getting 4-5 dry camp days on a battery, you are not using that much 12v power so 100 to 120w solar would do your solution good.

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Bob
2015 Chevy Colorado Z71
2018 178 R-pod Hood River Edition