Hi all, just on the GCR stuck at the WA border due to closed road on the NT side (unseasonal rain) and ran out of 12V after 4 days off grid. Got to power back up at a roadhouse but really highlighted that I need a backup power station or gennie for winter sun angle with cloudy days. I only want it to be able to plug into an existing Anderson I have direct to batteries, as a top up. Beyond just carrying another fully charged 120A AGM, is there a power station with Anderson plug out that would bring my 2 x 120A AGMs up about 50% to get up a day more?
Electrical Power station recommendations
- Thread starter Fallen
- Start date
My solar isn't keeping up when very cloudy and winter sun angle. It's been fine all other seasons but this is our first winter trip and the sunny Central Oz wasn't to be, all cloud cover and rain.
And no I don't charge van batteries from the ute - just direct connection from 2nd ute battery to van fridge which works very well.
Thought about a gennie and could be an option.
And no I don't charge van batteries from the ute - just direct connection from 2nd ute battery to van fridge which works very well.
Thought about a gennie and could be an option.
4 days is really about normal, when the clouds roll in I cut back on non essential power use but by Day 4 its certainly genny time, though I would run it earlier so needing a shorter running time to charge so less fuel used and less genny noise, (I hate the things) if you were running your tug to charge the batteries up each day it would be idling for a few hours and thats not good for it at all, especially if its a CRD ..................... soon as the clouds roll in then you go into power save mode, no invertor usage, no electrical gear left on stand by all shut down by switch, something that should be done all the time actually..... one phone turned on others shut down, a couple of phones on charge or left on charge will suck power.....
The only sure fire way is to have a genny really, while they are a pain they do save the day, when needed to charge the batteries you stay in economy mode for power usage and plug in the stuff you need charging into the 240 points while the genny is charging the batteries then when done keep power usage at economy rate till the sunshines again.......... My genny doesn't get used often but has been a god send at times especially when the Colorado battery died, the genny got enough charge in it to start and get to a town for new battery...it paid for itself that time.
My set up on rainy days will still manage to drag some power in but its no where near enough and if its really cold weather needing the diesel heater of a morning then my power isn't going to last 4 days at all...
The only sure fire way is to have a genny really, while they are a pain they do save the day, when needed to charge the batteries you stay in economy mode for power usage and plug in the stuff you need charging into the 240 points while the genny is charging the batteries then when done keep power usage at economy rate till the sunshines again.......... My genny doesn't get used often but has been a god send at times especially when the Colorado battery died, the genny got enough charge in it to start and get to a town for new battery...it paid for itself that time.
My set up on rainy days will still manage to drag some power in but its no where near enough and if its really cold weather needing the diesel heater of a morning then my power isn't going to last 4 days at all...
Personally I’d buy a small generator that you can plug into the van, I have solar on the roof and 300w portable solar but when the sun doesn’t shine you don’t have a lot of options. Good thing about carrying a generator is it’ll never rain lol
@Fallen , I think that you will find that the "jump starter" is rated at 2400ma, NOT AMPS. Those smaller "jump starters" give high current/output for a very short time (suitable for a quick start if fully charged) and would be useless for any longer time. Adding another battery (44ah) as mentioned is just that- only 44ah which if using just 22ah (to 50% as recommended for full recovery when charged) will not go far - maybe a couple of hours at best depending on load. Even if you purchase another 120ah AGM and connect it in series with the other (flat??) batteries, you are still faced with the problem of charging all the batteries. Pray for good sun or you need a 240 volt charger connected to the grid or a portable generator. This is where solar panels connected in SERIES through a good MPPT controller will outshine (pun intended!) PARALLEL connected solar panels. And make sure your solar panels are clean as possible and not covered in dust.
Important:: My mistake!!!!!@#$^%@@! Should have read " even if you purchase another 120ah AGM and connected it in PARALLEL (not series!!!) with the other (flat?) batteries, you are still faced with the problem of charging all the batteries". Not only that, but connecting a fully charged battery in PARALLEL with flat batteries, will only hasten the discharge ot the full battery as it will tend to try to charge the flat batteries!!
having read all thats being said , is it worth carrying a gennie??? and dont forget the jerries of petrol ,for the odd time you get inclement weather , there are times when paying the $40 or so to park in a caravan park and recharge your batteries is good value , dont forget the cost of the fuel to drag all that extra weight around , maybe using if its cloudy in a country known for its sunshine, how much does it cost to run a jennie to recharge your battery , the conversion rate is not really great ,when you look at the battery charge rate , just thinking???
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My genny has been a god send about 3 times over the years, mostly when the nearest grid power is a days drive or more away and got the engine going on my tug, as well as keeping the fridge at home going during a 5 hr blackout..weighs as much as a AGM battery and a few lts of fuel is nothing compared to being left with hit beer..It also allows me to use my soldering iron for emergency repaiirs. I never noticed sny change in fuel burn when its been left at home but the Jeep has lots of grunt..
A jump start is good for charging phones and thats about all....it may not actually jump start your vehicle in some situations..
A jump start is good for charging phones and thats about all....it may not actually jump start your vehicle in some situations..
three times over how many years???my soldering iron works off 12volt or the gas stove, for my birthday i got a new solar powered battery bank to recharge my phone, (4 times)i pad ,(2 times) apple mac ,(once) camera, (twice) blue tooth speakers ( 3 times) and it has a torch ! it will probably sit in the cupboard until my estate sells the van ,along with my other unused cargo.
Yep, I know what you mean about carrying it around on the off chance mine does get used at home at times, if I'm doing park runs it stays home and it does depend on how often you actually go away and where but to cover the OP's situation its the way to go............. cutting back on power usage soon as rain is about that looks like clouding up for days, especially when roads are cut, thats the situation where all the times of no use are forgotten............ Just like all the times I carry my Kayak arpund and its never used........... I have a jump start which will charge all manner of 12v things, has a torch but I just keep it stashed for that time the starter battery is dead, the one time I needed it recently the battery had a collapsed cell so no way would it jump start, dead in the water and a genny wouldn't have helped either................... Oh and thats 3 times over probably 8 or 9 years, that it saved the day but does get used at other times for various reasons, running AC, washing machine etc ............. and one time some idiot stuffed up by turning his panels off accidentally.... but when out in the boonies its like carrying around a spare fan belt rarely used but when it it does saves a lot of grief.
A bit like upgrading batteries, solar and invertor to run a coffee machine, a little bit of bling.
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The thing about using a gennie for battery charging is the time required - my standard setec in the jayco puts out maybe 10amps? With lithiums I installed a 30amp charger so a couple of hours will give me a days worth of charge.
We use the microwave a fair bit so the rule is inverter for under 20mins and gennie for over. The other use is on stinking hot days in a rest area - a tank will give us about 4 to 5 hours of aircon
We use the microwave a fair bit so the rule is inverter for under 20mins and gennie for over. The other use is on stinking hot days in a rest area - a tank will give us about 4 to 5 hours of aircon
But back on topic regarding the OP, a Genny is really the only sure fire guarantee when your in that situation, if you have fuel you can keep the charge up easily until the sun shines again, the secret is to give it a charge daily not wait till the batteries are knackered and cut back on usage of non essential things, if batteries only used for lights/water pump and as a mate of mine says with his compressor fridge lots of storage and a Honda because he's been stuck and keeping the fridge going meant no power used and just one light so it didn't die, he has a great set up now which I fixed 3 x 120ah AGMs and heaps of solar and a LRPS to make sure now.