Community Forums

nathans · 07-18-2012, 03:48 PM

Have noticed on the Entegra Aspire we only have four house batteries. I know most mfgs. are installing 6 when you have the extra load on a Residential Refrigerator. Will our generator be starting up all nite to keep our batteries charged. We only will be overnighting for one nite at a time . Will we need to add two more batteries?

slabman · 07-18-2012, 04:02 PM

Everyone else has a min. 6 batts with all electric. I have 8 batts and can barely make it through the night.

tnrzryd · 07-18-2012, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slabman

Everyone else has a min. 6 batts with all electric. I have 8 batts and can barely make it through the night.

The Aspire isn't all electric. That feature is only available on the Anthem and Cornerstone.

tnrzryd · 07-18-2012, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nathans

Have noticed on the Entegra Aspire we only have four house batteries. I know most mfgs. are installing 6 when you have the extra load on a Residential Refrigerator. Will our generator be starting up all nite to keep our batteries charged. We only will be overnighting for one nite at a time . Will we need to add two more batteries?

I would suspect you would be OK especially if you run your generator to top off your batteries and get the frig cold for the night. When you are ready to shut things off for the night, try to limit opening of the refrigerator door. Also you can save battery power by turning off the inverter. Then in the morning, start the genset back up and put a good charge back on the batteries.

If I was you though, I would check to see if there is room for two additional batteries.

slabman · 07-20-2012, 08:13 AM

The all-electric option replaces the gas cooktop and ammonia gas refer with electric-powered units. Since the batts aren't going to run the cooktop, the residential refer is the ONLY thing added in an all-electric rig. Therefore, the use of an extra couple of batteries is MANDATORY with this setup.

As mentioned, my 8 batts are marginal, in my opinion.

tnrzryd · 07-20-2012, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slabman

The all-electric option replaces the gas cooktop and ammonia gas refer with electric-powered units. Since the batts aren't going to run the cooktop, the residential refer is the ONLY thing added in an all-electric rig. Therefore, the use of an extra couple of batteries is MANDATORY with this setup.

As mentioned, my 8 batts are marginal, in my opinion.

Bob, the OP says he's looking at the Aspire. It isn't all electric and has a gas cooktop and also uses LP for the aqua hot. I don't see why an extra couple of batteries are MANDATORY if they exercise care and don't go to bed with everything turned on. Would a couple extra batteries make it easier? - definitely and that's why I recommended them in an earlier post.

slabman · 07-20-2012, 09:06 AM

Yes, I understand.

The batteries will have to be in top condition and FULLY CHARGED. He will need to kill all standby drains from entertainment systems, all lights off, of course, and maybe, just maybe he'll get by. But I'd make sure that auto genset start is working reliably....mine never has.

Would I want to live with those constraints?...NO WAY!

tnrzryd · 07-20-2012, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nathans

Have noticed on the Entegra Aspire we only have four house batteries. I know most mfgs. are installing 6 when you have the extra load on a Residential Refrigerator. Will our generator be starting up all nite to keep our batteries charged. We only will be overnighting for one nite at a time . Will we need to add two more batteries?

Nathans- what do you think? Can you put up with the limitations for just a night?

rrrider · 07-20-2012, 06:34 PM

We have a 2011 Aspire 40SKT with the 120V residential refrigerator, propane AquaHot, and propane stove. No problems overnighting with just the 4 batteries. Use lights, TV, showers, etc. just like when we're plugged in to shore power. No dead batteries in the morning. The generator has never automatically started. Have yet to push it to two nights in a row parked without running the genset, though.

rvguy02 · 07-20-2012, 09:21 PM

I have an Aspire 40DRQ and can report the same thing. - no problem running the refrigerator and lights for a night. I can't tell you if the batteries will support TV usage since we almost never watch them when we're in the coach! Four TVs - more than in my house - and we still have yet to try all of them! Oh well, we've got 1.5 years left on our warranty!

nathans · 07-21-2012, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrrider

We have a 2011 Aspire 40SKT with the 120V residential refrigerator, propane AquaHot, and propane stove. No problems overnighting with just the 4 batteries. Use lights, TV, showers, etc. just like when we're plugged in to shore power. No dead batteries in the morning. The generator has never automatically started. Have yet to push it to two nights in a row parked without running the genset, though.

Do you leave the Residential Refrigerator on?

rrrider · 07-21-2012, 09:49 AM

Yes, we leave the refrigerator on and use it like normal. We don't restrict opening/closing doors. We use the ice maker dispenser, too. I even watch the LR tv while wife watches the BR tv late into the night.

TerryO · 07-22-2012, 07:26 AM

We've never had a problem making it thru the night with our 2012 42RBQ Aspire's battery's. We run the lights, TV's and use the refrigerator with ice maker as usual. I do have the auto start set but it only comes on when the ac's call in the summer. In the cooler months it never starts. On the other hand we never stay more than one night dry camping.

Ann n Gene · 07-22-2012, 08:24 PM

Bob, not sure why, only 2 more batteries than the Alante but with them being AGMs you would not believe the difference. We have the auto start. Set but it has never started except on ac call,unbelievable.