first wild camping trip (1 Viewer)

[beltsandbraces]

ok not quite wild camping but heading to the new forest next weekend for 4 nights with no hook up (gulp) realized last week that we had only 2 batteries both with only 20 amp hours which even with the solar panel I don't think they would suffice, don't understand why they have fitted such small batteries on such a large wagon, even though they marked out to cut a larger hole for the installation of a larger bank of batteries although we were told she was built as a show home. so this weekend is being spent installing 2 x 130 amp hour batteries which have just arrived. Non stop this motor homing lark.

 

[Spriddler]

You're right; 20Ah batteries are totally inadequate (and very unusual to find in a m/home).
How long your 130Ah capacity batteries last is down to what you run off them. Lights and the water pump will draw next to nothing but a T.V. and a blown heating fan motor will need the larger capacity batteries which IMHO will be fine.

 

[Boringfrog]

Are you sure your looking at the correct batteries?

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[beltsandbraces]

You're right; 20Ah batteries are totally inadequate (and very unusual to find in a m/home).
How long your 130Ah capacity batteries last is down to what you run off them. Lights and the water pump will draw next to nothing but a T.V. and a blown heating fan motor will need the larger capacity batteries which IMHO will be fine.

so I have done the right thing, this was my opinion too, hence take the financial hit rather than the hit round the face from the wife whilst the lights dim and the shower starts dribbling water mid hair wash !!!! and not to mention the dreaded H***dryer!!!!

 

[beltsandbraces]

Are you sure your looking at the correct batteries?

not sure what you mean???

 

[Silver-Fox]

Are you sure the 1 hadn't fallen of both the batteries

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[beltsandbraces]

Are you sure the 1 hadn't fallen of both the batteries

defiantly 20 amp hours printed on the top.

 

[Spriddler]

I have a 12v x 20Ah battery on my motorbike. It's about 2/3rds the size of a house brick. I cannot believe that they would be fitted in a m/h or would be at all suitable for use with a solar panel.
As you say, better to take the cost hit in the comfort of your own driveway than the ire of an exasperated woman in the middle of a pitch black muddy field And as for the hairdryer...........

Later edit.
Do make sure you have a fuse in the supply from the batteries in case of a short circuit or finger trouble whilst installing the new batteries. If your handbook doesn't specify it, a 25Amp fuse should be o.k. provided that the manufacturers didn't fit lower than 25Amp current carrying wiring as well, e.g. they may have used wiring that is just robust enough to handle the current from 20A batteries. I doubt they would do that but it's no good having a 25Amp fuse in wiring that will only handle say, 15 amps as in that case if there's a fault in equipment or a short circuit the wiring will fail before the fuse blows.
Sorry if I'm teaching granddad............etc.

 

[beltsandbraces]

I have a 12v x 20Ah battery on my motorbike. It's about 2/3rds the size of a house brick. I cannot believe that they would be fitted in a m/h or would be at all suitable for use with a solar panel.
As you say, better to take the cost hit in the comfort of your own driveway than the ire of an exasperated woman in the middle of a pitch black muddy field And as for the hairdryer...........

I am now questioning myself maybe they are 40amp hours each but I still felt this not enough having read posts on here and most vans having much higher rated batteries.

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[Boringfrog]

Even a 40AH battery is just like a golf cart battery. And saying you are installing 2 x 130ah batteries, where are these going? In the same place as the 40ah?

 

[beltsandbraces]

Even a 40AH battery is just like a golf cart battery. And saying you are installing 2 x 130ah batteries, where are these going? In the same place as the 40ah?

yes I am installing in the same place as the originals although I am making a battery tray to accommodate and getting new battery boxes, fortunately they are mounted under the bench seat so loads of space. Are there likely to be any pitfulls installing bigger batteries because I always believed them to be storage boxes and what you are running is just drawing power from them as needed.

 

[Rockcrawler]

It just means you can use them for a longer period of time before running them flat.
I will always recommend to customers to buy a 135a battery if they can physically get it in

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[DBK]

How big are these 20 Ah batteries? A photograph would be very helpful.

 

[beltsandbraces]

How big are these 20 Ah batteries? A photograph would be very helpful.

I will take a picky at the weekend

 

[Silver-Fox]

defiantly 20 amp hours printed on the top.

I was only pulling your leg

Seems a bit strange such a low amp batt.

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[DBK]

I will take a picky at the weekend

If they are a similar size to your new batteries then something isn't right. The 20Ah might be a daily discharge rate - just a guess.

 

[beltsandbraces]

hope i have not made a mistake it would not be the first time!!! the battery had a label and said 75amp 12 volt class c 20ah, sure like some advice on this should i not bother fitting the new batteries?? the new ones are bigger than the ones fitted.

 

[Teuchter]

hope i have not made a mistake it would not be the first time!!! the battery had a label and said 75amp 12 volt class c 20ah, sure like some advice on this should i not bother fitting the new batteries?? the new ones are bigger than the ones fitted.

I think you will find that "75amp 12 volt class c 20ah means a 12 v battery with a 75 amperehour capacity at a continuous discharge rate of 20 amps

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[beltsandbraces]

I think you will find that "75amp 12 volt class c 20ah means a 12 v battery with a 75 amperehour capacity at a continuous discharge rate of 20 amps

thank you for that!!!! not a complete mistake to fit the larger batteries though??

 

[Boringfrog]

thank you for that!!!! not a complete mistake to fit the larger batteries though??

The bigger the better.

 

[Mr Ed]

I think you need to cover your solar panel if doing any work in daylight.(or something like that).

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[Teuchter]

thank you for that!!!! not a complete mistake to fit the larger batteries though??

Not at all - as @Boringfrog says - the bigger the better!

 

[Boringfrog]

I think you need to cover your solar panel if doing any work in daylight.(or something like that).

Or should be a fuse in the solar controller or before it.