Community Forums

brobox · 08-07-2016, 06:18 AM

Need feedback from Anthem and CS owners with AGM batteries.

I am trying to get an idea of how long most can get on their batteries if dry camped with the refrigerator, main TV, satellite, the 3 kitchen LED lights and one Maxx Fan running.

I cannot get more than 2 hours with factory or custom settings on brand new batteries. My AGS is set to start at 12v. 757Driver has been a big help, but I am looking for some feedback when I talk with Entegra in the morning on what the average time is by others.

D Lindy · 08-07-2016, 06:27 AM

While our rig is different here's our experience. We have 6 AGM's, a 2800 watt Magnum inverter, Maytag residential fridge, and our lights are LED's, and I keep the hot wateer tank on propane. I run the generator in the A.M. for about an hr while brewing coffee and making breakfast etc. Then we run it again in the evening for about 2 hours to ensure the batteries are full for the overnight. I haven't set my generator to the Auto Start option, but just kept an eye on the battery voltage.

brobox · 08-07-2016, 06:37 AM

Thank you for the input, however I am looking for feedback from Entegra owners. I will be having a meeting with the service department in the morning and I need to see what other Entegras owners report so I am not pulling times out of the air. Thanks.

MRUSA14 · 08-07-2016, 07:00 AM

Chuck, try turning off the AGS and see what happens. If I charge for two hours before bedtime, I can run two DirecTv DVRs all night long as well as AH heater and fridge. After 8 hours of sleep with AGS off, I awake to about 11.8 or 11.9 volts, but my BMK battery meter usually shows about 60% charge which is okay. When I tried it with AGS on and set to 12V, the generator would start at about 4AM.

Gary.Jones · 08-07-2016, 07:20 AM

Chuck

I dry camped for 2 weeks when we were at Quartzsite last year, and I did it with minimal problems. I followed this strategem..... I manually turned on the generator 2 hours before I planned to hit the hay each evening and ran the generator just to charge the batteries for two hours with the TV on, the lights needed to type on the computer or read, etc. in the main salon of the coach and maybe the bathrooms as needed. Then we went to bed. The nights were cool so the AquaHot was on and off all night (on diesel). Then I was awake usually at 6:30-7:00 and I would turn the generator on (before starting, the voltages were usually 12.0 - 12.2 volts) and let it run for roughly 2 hours. That recharged batteries and also permitted the generator to be on when using the microwave and making coffee so those loads were handled by the generator and not the batteries. That was the only normal times. Now. If Dee was going to make pasta or some dish that needed to boil water or cook intensely something, I might kick the generator back on while she was doing that high current draw stuff, but lets say 20 minutes or less. That regime handled us for 2 weeks.... Battery voltage was always above 12 volts and it never got (obviously, the refrig, all electronics normally "on", and the basement fridge also running) below 12 volts. I set the AGS to 12 volts and the genny, depending on my memory, never came on during the night (night temps in the mid to upper 30s) in that 2 weeks. There is a possibility that the AGS might have kicked the genny on for a period on some day for some random reason, but that was the regime that got us past Quartzsite for 2 weeks.

If you can't get more than 2 hours out of your rig and batteries, there is something very different going wrong with your rig than was true of mine. Now there were 12-15 other rigs that contribute to this iRV2 forum that were at Quartzsite last year from 3 to 7 days and they can give you their experience. One clarification.... I would run the genny when cooking for lunch or dinner, but only during the time that Dee had either the induction or microwave running and as soon as she was done cooking, the genny went back off...

Now, just between you and me, I have my doubts about Entegra's intimate knowledge about our coaches electrical systems....

Gary

DebbieMH · 08-07-2016, 07:21 AM

When we were in Big Sky, our generator ran most of the time ... it would be off for about 2 hours and then back on for several hours. I was surprised how little amount of diesel it used, however. So, if it wants to run .... fine with me. It is a bit noisy .... but it is doing it's job.

voltdoc · 08-07-2016, 07:41 AM

Chuck, the ME-BMK battery monitor kit for the Magnum would help you get to the bottom of things, you are running blind as far as the batteries go. With it you would be able to see actual amps being consumed from the batteries at any point in time or better yet actual total amp- hours consumed during X time period. This will help you track down any excessive power consumers if there is a problem, or perhaps determine that all is normal and the AGS is just being too sensitive to voltage dips. Just saying there are lots of variables here and you are going to need some more definitive data to make your case.

Using Marc's numbers as a guide and assuming the SOC is still accurate, he is consuming roughly 350 Amp- hours overnight. Roughly 30 Amps/hour which sounds about right.

Gary.Jones · 08-07-2016, 07:43 AM

Lynn

If your generator was only recharging batteries when it was running, in contrast to powering the AC units, your generator should be at, or close, to essentially a very light load (idling Sp?) situation, and my memory is that our generators will burn about a gallon an hour at full load (near 12.5 KW), about a half gallon an hour at 50-60% load, and at very light load, like 1/3 of a gallon an hour. I have it written down from Onan's spec sheet, and will look it up, but that is approximately true. Your genny should be burning low levels of diesel if all you are doing is recharging batteries.

Gary

cewgcw · 08-07-2016, 07:46 AM

Chuck when we had our anthem like yours we would pull off the highway at 3-3:30 and use frig,tv lights ect until next morning 6-6:30 and did not start generator.Unfortunately did not note battery voltages the next morning.This was approx.15-16 hours with no ill effect.

brobox · 08-07-2016, 07:49 AM

A little of what I am doing and the reason for the battery question.

On the way to Camp Entegra we had to Walmart it as it was the 4th of July weekend and all RV parks were full. No AGS on, but in 1.5 hours after turning the generator off and going bed the CO detector alarm went off (low voltage). There was not enough power to started the generator. Used the jump start and the generator ran until 5AM, shut it off and by 7AM the batteries were dead again, with only my laptop on.

New batteries were replaced on our PDI as mine were bad. New batteries are down to 12v in 2 hours and I am trying to find out if this is normal. That is 50% charge in 2 hours which means I would be totally dead in 4 hours, which sure doesn't sound right to me.

I have the AGS on for 2 reason, when the batteries failed the old AGS program would not start the generator......voltage drop was too rapid.
I am in Entegra's parking lot and last night was cool enough to test the batteries and the new AGS program. The program worked, but I am thinking 2 hours is not very long on 8 new batteries.

Watching the inverter amp meter the front inverter was drawing 2 amps and the rear inverter was drawing 30 amps.

Hayman · 08-07-2016, 08:34 AM

Chuck, limited experience on our trip north but very similiar to Clayton's experience easily 8-10 hrs stopped in parking lot 2 different nights and AGS didn't need to start w/11.9 volt as set point. I did start genny while using microwave for supper and putting on coffee in AM but only ran while needed for those functions.

Something doesn't seem right ! Bad inverter ?

brobox · 08-07-2016, 08:40 AM

Rob, thanks for your feedback. I know I do not have sophisticated enough equipment to find the problem. I am hoping Entegra does and why I was trying to get a time idea on the batteries from others while I am here at Entegra.

Clayton, thank you, just the kind of info I was looking for. I would be happy with 7-8 hours.

757driver · 08-07-2016, 08:44 AM

Chuck,

With your new East Penn AGM batteries you have a total of 760 AH available. A normal draw on the batteries while unplugged is about 25-35 AH, so for a 50% discharge (380 AH) you should last at least 10-14 hours with fully charged batteries. Something is not right, either the batteries are not getting charged or there is a very high draw while inverting.

brobox · 08-07-2016, 09:01 AM

Don, perfect analogy. My inverter meters showed a total of 32 amps per hour draw. If the meters are correct, that would point towards the batteries not being fully charged?? I will get on the batteries with a volt meter today. A tech did that Friday and they were all at 100% with the cables off and checked individually. That is what is driving me nuts. I personally saw his diagram and voltage readings.