Community Forums

RightUR · 05-07-2019, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuise

I’m very concerned that Thor will kill entegra

I am too. But I keep praying for Entegra.

MRUSA14 · 05-07-2019, 08:10 AM

Entegra is better than ever. Ask anybody who has owned both an older one and a new one. I know several such people, and they are thrilled with the new Entegras.

Sweetbriar · 05-07-2019, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RightUR

Having read the article I'm sure you picked up on the fact that it's a Concept vehicle.
So....do you have an Opinion about this "futuristic" technology, or did you just want to inform us about why you think the "numbers" are problematic?
(it's concept vehicle, so I get it that the numbers aren't perfect yet).

Yes I have an opinion, it doesn't work for this application and to even bother to develop such at the current level of available and affordable technology was a waste of resources that could have been better utilized to improve the quality control of current production.

You asked what we thought about the concept but anyone that disputes the configuration as presented doesn't seem to know what they are looking at. If that is the case then next time just post it as a blog and disable comments by readers.

knightstorm · 05-07-2019, 10:23 AM

While we’re looking at future tech, they’re working on diesel-powered fuel cells.

https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise...icity.amp.html

757driver · 05-07-2019, 11:13 AM

Interesting idea to eliminate the generator in favour of a large lithium battery bank BUT 540 watts of solar will no where keep up to the power needs of an all electric coach. That leaves the engine and somewhat long driving days to recharge the battery bank or shore power. From a boondocking perspective I don’t think it will be practical in its present form. With today’s Cummins engines and DPF that do not like to be idled excessively I wonder if Cummins was consulted on the idea of someone idling the engine for extended periods of time to recharge the batteries?

jcussen · 05-07-2019, 12:10 PM

Seeing everything is run off inverters anyway, a small dedicated 58 volt dc diesel generator would be a good option, if you do a lot of boondocking.

RightUR · 05-07-2019, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetbriar

Yes I have an opinion, it doesn't work for this application and to even bother to develop such at the current level of available and affordable technology was a waste of resources that could have been better utilized to improve the quality control of current production.

You asked what we thought about the concept but anyone that disputes the configuration as presented doesn't seem to know what they are looking at. If that is the case then next time just post it as a blog and disable comments by readers.

Ok, nice 1st paragraph, now was that so hard to write. But...You just posting numbers that you say are problematic after Current Engineers of all sorts have worked on this "Imperfect" (in our opinion) concept vehicle, without posting any sort of Credentials is just Hogwash. Now if after posting your "numbers" you say: "I'm a Dr in..." or "Engineer" or PH.D in..., to validate and add credibility to "stepping" on someone elses Hard work, then you may have a point. But you didn't, you just expected me (and others) to take your "Word" as gospel. And God forbid someone should challenge you. Everyone else here, wrote there opinion why they don't like it. If they stated something that was not grounded in facts, I have a choice, like everyone else, to challenge it or question it.

SteveNV · 05-12-2019, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 153stars

Why only one version of a diesel invertor generator.
Seen version of this fuel cell. If I remember right NASA engineer changed the way a fuel would work after his project was scrapped. Makes electricity from natural gas . Probably work with propane. Maybe one a 5 to 10k watt fuel cell.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/theweek...el-cell-future

The problem with fuel cells is they can only do so many start/stop cycles and are typically designed for continuous runs not the very random use for an RV. Natural gas systems are starting to become more available, versus the initial hydrogen systems, but don’t think fuel cells are economically viable for this particular application yet.

jcussen · 05-12-2019, 03:48 PM

Keep battery pack and recharge it with a dc generator when required.
https://polarpower.com/products/dc-generators/
https://polarpower.com/products/dc-g.../8080y-2tnv70/

Roadyacht1 · 05-12-2019, 05:57 PM

Apples and oranges. Not the same. I’d love both if I could afford them. Already have a great Diesel Genny so will stay with it and 4 Trojan T-105’s plus 200W solar.
Will eventually add more solar. Diesel generators are great. So is solar!

jcussen · 05-12-2019, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadyacht1

Apples and oranges. Not the same. I’d love both if I could afford them. Already have a great Diesel Genny so will stay with it and 4 Trojan T-105’s plus 200W solar.
Will eventually add more solar. Diesel generators are great. So is solar!

What's not the same?

09 harley · 05-12-2019, 06:18 PM

Solar is great until it isn’t.
I want a reliable backup and that is a generator.

jcussen · 05-12-2019, 06:54 PM

The premise is great, The entire coach including air conditioners, run off inverters powered by the 36 kw lithium bank. With one ac, should be able to run off batteries for 24+ hours. The problem is recharging the batteries.
No way you could put enough solar on the coach to accomplish this, so you need another way to charge batteries. A dedicated 58 volt dc generator that just charges the batteries could replace a normal ac generator that normally powers all the ac equipment. They are small [less than 250 lbs] and could run for a couple of hours every day to recharge the batteries.
So when dry camping, a couple of hours charging up the batteries and 22 hours on batteries alone. If just overnighting and travelling in the daytime, the big engine alternator would recharge while moving and you would be fully recharged and have a night without a generator.
Post #38 for the dc only generators. Some Prevost conversions use this type of system.

Don Juane · 05-12-2019, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Domo

Wouldn't that pretty much eliminate boondocking in the NW - say Seattle/Portland when the clouds turn gray and raining for four months?

LOL - no room for logic when marketing meets techno-babble and people who still view electricity as wizardry are in charge. This proves one thing alone and that's that the engineers have never gone camping in one of these things, so avoid it and all models by this company like the plague.

Let's forget lithium or the buzz word of the day. Let's imagine space men have installed a perfect battery in your rig, something you can charge for 3 days and have 3 days of exact power out of it. You still have to come up with a lot of solar power to keep it topped up unless you are using no power to speak of. Take 500W of solar (like I use about every day boondocking on my 20' rig for the past 3 years and never "pole-camping". Once you've fed the lights, the water pumps, a couple of laptops, a tablet and a phone or two and maybe 12V TV for a couple of hours, then add all day of a fantastic fan or two during the summer or a furnace motor running all night, you're square out of all the power you captured the previous day. Now add to that a battery operated fridge (what challenged designer allowed this hungry thing to replace gas absorption) and you are out of luck.

And what would you call a camper (or an engineer for that matter) who believes there is sun every day and that you'll never be forced to park in shade?

Need I really say more? If you can't figure this electrical formula out, and you boondock at all, it's probably a really good time to think about getting off the road and into a rocking chair somewhere.