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Old 09-22-2016, 11:33 AM   #1
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Battery Drain?

We just did some extended dry camping with our new-to-us 2004 Newmar Mountain Aire home. (37' 8.1 liter gas Workhorse chassis).

House batteries are (2) Interstate deep-cycle 6-volt. Previous owner had noted 2/2013 on the top of the batteries. We cleaned the battery terminals and re-connected them tightly (but not over-tightened).

I would use the generator plus a battery charger for 2 - 3 hours during the afternoon / evening. An hour after disconnecting the charger and powering down the generator, I tested the batteries with a volt meter, and they tested 12.4 - 12.7 VDC depending on the day. I usually did this around 7 pm.

The next morning I would test them, and they were usually 11.4 - 11.7 VDC.

We kept electrical use to a minimum -- didn't even use lights. Dometic refrigerator was auto/LPG. We did not use the furnace, even though several nights got below freezing -- we just used extra-warm blankets. Water heater was turned off.

Known electrical use:
* water pump - dry camping, we kept water use to a minimum i.e. just flushing the toilet (and during the day we used the campground's john).
* inverter is Xantrex HI400, 400 W, mounted aftermarket. Per specs, no-load current draw is less than 400 mA. It's wired to one circuit that powers 2 new LCD TVs and the 'Box Of Many Buttons'. The TVs were never turned on, but the 'pilot lights' glowed red. The only thing we used on that circuit was a CPAP I need to sleep. It's power supply says it takes 1.0 - 1.5 Amp (on 110 VAC). If I didn't need the CPAP, we would not have turned the inverter on.

Question is, is that power drain normal? Is there anything else I should check or be aware of? I'd thought I could go a few days between charging, not one day.

Over the next few months, we anticipate dry camping / boondocking a little more.
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Old 09-22-2016, 11:45 AM   #2
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I have found that the inverter will draw power when left on, whether or not you are using any electrical devices. When we dry camp I run the generator for a couple of hours in the morning and then a coupe of hours just before quiet tie and our batteries have been good.
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Old 09-22-2016, 12:46 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arboldt View Post
We just did some extended dry camping with our new-to-us 2004 Newmar Mountain Aire home. (37' 8.1 liter gas Workhorse chassis).

House batteries are (2) Interstate deep-cycle 6-volt. Previous owner had noted 2/2013 on the top of the batteries. We cleaned the battery terminals and re-connected them tightly (but not over-tightened).

I would use the generator plus a battery charger for 2 - 3 hours during the afternoon / evening. An hour after disconnecting the charger and powering down the generator, I tested the batteries with a volt meter, and they tested 12.4 - 12.7 VDC depending on the day. I usually did this around 7 pm.

The next morning I would test them, and they were usually 11.4 - 11.7 VDC.

We kept electrical use to a minimum -- didn't even use lights. Dometic refrigerator was auto/LPG. We did not use the furnace, even though several nights got below freezing -- we just used extra-warm blankets. Water heater was turned off.

Known electrical use:
* water pump - dry camping, we kept water use to a minimum i.e. just flushing the toilet (and during the day we used the campground's john).
* inverter is Xantrex HI400, 400 W, mounted aftermarket. Per specs, no-load current draw is less than 400 mA. It's wired to one circuit that powers 2 new LCD TVs and the 'Box Of Many Buttons'. The TVs were never turned on, but the 'pilot lights' glowed red. The only thing we used on that circuit was a CPAP I need to sleep. It's power supply says it takes 1.0 - 1.5 Amp (on 110 VAC). If I didn't need the CPAP, we would not have turned the inverter on.

Question is, is that power drain normal? Is there anything else I should check or be aware of? I'd thought I could go a few days between charging, not one day.

Over the next few months, we anticipate dry camping / boondocking a little more.
arboldt
IMO only "(2) Interstate deep-cycle 6-volt" house batteries are marginal for boondocking with a 120VAC CPAP machine.

My CPAP runs on either 12VDC or a 120VAC power supply.
If I use my inverter to supply the 120V power the CPAP uses far more battery than when the 12V CPAP cord is plugged into a cigarette lighter socket.

Mel
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Old 09-22-2016, 01:20 PM   #4
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Short answer:

Yes, it seems normal.

Long answer:

Here's a chart which you can use to roughly determine your state of charge:


Assuming that the voltages you measured were with the battery at rest (no current into or out of the battery, including the inverter) you were charging to 80 to 100% charge. So far, so good, your charging system is mostly to fully charging your batteries with the generator.

In the AM the measurements are saying you discharged to about 15 to 30%. Not terrible, but your batteries will have a significantly lower life if you discharge them below 50%.

Your batteries have approximately 220AH capacity, so you were using 110 to 187AH.

Your inverter will draw maybe 2AH for every hour you leave it on (the standby circuits that light the red pilot lights on your TV's do take some power). Your CPAP draws 10 to 15AH for every hour you use it.

Assuming you have the CPAP on 8 hours an evening and the inverter on the same or more, your taking 102 to 144AH just to run the CPAP machine with the inverter. The fridge uses 1AH every hour as well, so that would be another 21-23 AH with running the generator 2-3 hours per day, for a total of 123 to 167AH. Not too far from the 110 to 187AH calculated above.

I agree with Mel that the 2 6V batteries are marginal powering a CPAP from the inverter. My wife's CPAP runs off 120VAC and 12VDC also, we bought the 12V DC cord from a medical supply house for approximately $30.

These numbers are just guesses, if you really want to know what you are drawing I'd highly suggest installing a TriMetric or equivalent Energy Meter, which will tell you exactly what you're putting into and taking out of your batteries.

I obtained the chart above from The 12V Side of Life, a resource I'd highly recommend reading.
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Old 09-22-2016, 02:28 PM   #5
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Agree with Luv2Go. Looks normal. Batteries are also 3 years old and have been "abused" (going lower than 50% SOC).
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Old 09-22-2016, 03:09 PM   #6
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Welcome to the forum.
Never did like the 6 volt batteries in my 03 Kountry Star Workhorse, was tired of constant clean up of wet cells and before taking a trip one winter to Newmar plant than to FL. in Jan I changed them to two 12 volt AGM's that fit on same tray you have.
Traveling was stops at night in Cracker Barrel restaurants over night to and from destinations.
The refrigerator was always on propane but all other usage was off batteries for tv, lights, furnace, starting for Gen when needed for Micro or coffee pot.
The furnace worked all night for heat and during the day because of cold before reaching FL.
The two AGM's surprised me as to their efficiency in keeping us comfortable with the use of TV and furnace keeping us warm all night.
I have the same 400 inverter you have for TV's.
The batteries never went so low as to not start the coach or continue for the next night of boon docking at next CB, made 4 stops down and back at the restaurants.
Boon docking as you do would require the use of the Gen but the same charging system would be from your BIRD System which charges all your batteries both chassis and house from your converter which is connecter to a 110 outlet in your coach.
I think you would be a lot happier with the two AGM's purchased mine at Sams for a reasonable price.
Below in my signature you will find links to many items in your Newmar here is one found in QT's # 3 about your battery charging system.
Enjoy the forum and safe travels.
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