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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: 3d printers for making stuff for the RV
I bought one for an rv project and that was it, I thought it might be a toy. I now will never not own one.
I design 99% of what I print with Fusion360. most are functional parts and are impressively strong. I primarily print in PETG
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LittleBill
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01/16/22 07:02am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Alternator and LiFePo battery question
i also still have not read of someone burning out an alternator on here from charging.
It has been mentioned on some boating forums.
their environment is completely different then ours. Their engine rooms are significantly hotter, 0 ventilation. etc not even close to an apples to apples comparison
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LittleBill
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01/09/22 02:53pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Alternator and LiFePo battery question
The Redarc also has an MPPT controller. I'm planning to add 600 watts of solar. I upgraded to LiFePo to charge the big batteries on our E-mtbs. Between the driving and solar I think we'll be fine.
I am going to add a second dedicated alternator and plan to have three of the 50 amp Redarc, two on the truck for two 280ah LifeP04 and one in the truck camper to charge one 280ah LifeP04. I talked to Redarc and they said you could parallel up to four.
why would use 2 280ah for the truck portion?
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LittleBill
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01/09/22 12:01pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Alternator and LiFePo battery question
The wire from the alternator to the batteries and from the house battery to the inverter is all 1/0 ga. The very short wires from the batteries to the DC to DC charger are 6 ga as specified by Redarc. The problem is the alternator is tied directly to the house battery. This is so it can be used as a boost if the starting battery is too weak to start the engine. I need to disconnect the alternator from the house battery so it only feeds the starting battery, then passes through the DC to DC charger to the house battery
I will miss the super fast 80-100 amp charging lol, but I don't want to risk burning out the alternator.
then disconnect the solenoid controller, and leave the emergency start,
personally I think you will be fine, boaters run up in the 90's for hours, with significantly less ventilation.
also these alternators at least some are computer controlled, i would think they would reduce amperage at high temp.
i also still have not read of someone burning out an alternator on here from charging.
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LittleBill
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01/09/22 07:06am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Musk Starlink now has a new problem
Quote -
“ we can only use it at approximately 40% of our campsites”
“ We’re paying $100/mo whether we us it or not”
As long as YOU are ok with paying that much for that little service…..
Yep, not an issue. We can only use AT&T part of the time, or Verizon part of the time... and pay for those as well. Don't really see how that is any different. We've spent weeks to months in areas that we couldn't get decent signal with one or the other.
Between all three, and good equipment, we have pretty good Internet anywhere we go. Since I require Internet to keep paychecks coming in... I don't mind spending a fair bit of money on it.
How do you know if you are in an open cell? do you just fire it up and test? Tesla doesn't care that the dish is roaming?
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LittleBill
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01/06/22 08:28pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: this is why
this has been solved. they now sell bms's with heating options. When I make the switch they will be used in 0f unprotected temps. Wont the heating option then use battery power?
No, the heating option is powered by the battery’s charging source.
3 tons
If there is a constant charging source, no need to mess about with a large battery bank...which is the primary reason to install lithium.
Of course, if there is a charging source, a small heating blanket negates the temperature issue of cold.
may not be shore power they are using to preheat the batteries, it might be solar. once the batteries are preheated there is no need to keep them warm as the furnace will be warming the space there in, if they are set up properly. all the BMS does is redirect the power it recives to heating pads or what not instead of the batteries untill the internal temp of the batteries is high enough for them to safely accept a charge. but people keep forgetting that you can discharge LFP batteries in most cases to -20C so in reality you could start the furnace and warm up the rv. If you have the batteries inside the heated space, this inturn would also warm up the batteries, and all you need to do is install a disconect on your solar panels that you can leave off untill they are warm. theres always ways around cold if your willing to look for them.
Steve
Pretty much, the bms's have a configuration for min temp for charge, pretty simple. the battery doesn't charge until the temperature goes up to a set point , at which point it stops heating and redirects the charge into the battery's themselves.
Also don't need a solar disconnect since its in front of the bms, bms will just use the solar to keep the battery's warm, no different than any other charge source.
OP's case is extreme, and shouldn't be considered for a normal use case. Still I would be confident I could keep them warm at -40, with an insulated box, and the heating pads I have looked at... Will it extend charge times? Yes... how much I don't know. But at -40, my generator is prolly running a lot. also how are you dealing with water and tanks? seems like that's a bigger issue to handle power wise, then the battery component.
I have camped so far to about 20F, and its prolly the coldest I'm going. I have single pain windows, and were easily the coldest component of the rv.
let the op buy his batteries. hope they work, for everyone else a heated bms, pretty much allows the lith's to sit outside unprotected. Which is where mine are going.
remember charge/vs use are different values. Most people are not camping below the use case scenario. and in my case. the bank will be so large. I prolly won't need to charge the entire time I am there.
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LittleBill
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12/28/21 10:25am |
Tech Issues
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RE: this is why
this has been solved. they now sell bms's with heating options. When I make the switch they will be used in 0f unprotected temps.
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LittleBill
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12/27/21 06:02pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Generator only runs with engine on
sounds like the onan onboard fuel pump is dead. or if the definition of doesn't start means not crank. then on the board charging system is not working/powered and the batteries are going dead killing the fuel pump as well.
for those of you saying the onan has a charge circuit, it doesn't, at least not on the 4k onan.
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LittleBill
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11/18/21 03:39pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Loading generator
i was given my rv, the onan 4k hadn't run in 5 years due to a ignition coil issue. Fixed coil. generator runs flawless. take from that what you will
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LittleBill
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11/08/21 07:43pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Laptop battery stored in a cold car...?
I have left laptops in cars over night for 15 years. literally every single day, temps as low as -10f, where water drips off the laptop as you bring it inside. and I turn them on while still wet.
They all have lasted 5+ years and died due to cycle count.
Don't remotely worry about it.
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LittleBill
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10/30/21 06:14pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Hughes Autoformers PWD30-EPO, 30 Amp
I have the 30amp model, just started using it, I like it, love the info it provides, its quite LARGE, like 8+ inches large, I also taped up 99% of the bulldog face, as the light is very very bright at night.
with the right adapters can be used in the house as a kilowatt meter.
I also have the autoformer, it works great as well.
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LittleBill
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10/30/21 06:10pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Replacing water heater due to age........
2000 atwood here. use it all the time. i drain it every trip, 0 crud
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LittleBill
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10/10/21 07:19pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: 3500w power inverter
. . . It would take a huge battery bank and solar system to try to use batteries for running an A/C unit. Even a microwave is more than I would want to power unless it is just for a short use in reheating coffee or the like.When we had our two GC2's we were happy just to power our microwave. When we upgraded to a DIY 200ah Lifepo4 pack, it was a game-changer. It had more than double the useable AH vs. our two GC2's. Weighed 90 lbs. less, and was far from "huge"---BMS & cells fit inside a small Group 24 battery box. On top of all this, the Lifepo4 also produced excellent voltage stability while under heavy load from 100-10% SOC (12.8v/100a/100% SOC; 12.2v/100a/10% SOC). Discovered it would power our a/c (120vac, 10-11a) with ease. We're able to get 90 min. of runtime (100% to 10-15% SOC with compressor on 100%). No, not practical for cooling the camper while dry camping, but it's an awesome convenience when we take short breaks while we're on the road. Our a/c only takes 5 min to make a very noticeable difference inside our truck camper even on a hot day. No generator rumble or noise to contend with, just turn on the a/c and relax. When we get back on the road our dc to dc charger charges the Lifepo4 back-up in time for our next break.
what bms are you using that allows you over 200amps? daly?
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LittleBill
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10/05/21 02:45pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Truck Battery discharging overnight
instead of guessing, get a meter, tie it inline with a battery lead, and pull fuses till the drain disappears.
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LittleBill
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10/02/21 05:05pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: We've had 8 years and 68,000 trouble free miles...
my big struggle with my 2000 24 is lack of towing capacity. i camp in state parks, pull ins are tight, no way to do some of it with a trailer. my tow limit is 3500, so pulling my van is out of the question, once i get setup in camp, i really don't want to tear down to go site seeing. Looking at an electric bike now, but we generally ended up driving my van separately which kind of sucks
the other thing i am noticing is the lack of windows in new rv's my 2000 has 5 windows on the passenger side. i also could use more outside storage, but for the most part I am happy
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LittleBill
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10/02/21 08:29am |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Home - Waste Dump
buy a macerator and just send it down the toilet. or a 2 inch line will work for the hose.
Flojet Macerator
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LittleBill
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09/30/21 01:38pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Battery Disconnect Switch ??
Make sure the connections on the relay solenoid are clean. The solenoids are not expensive, i would buy a new one and try it. Its a common enough fix in these systems, if that doesn't help, keep it as a spare. Its a good part to have on hand.
I'm presuming that the relay solenoid, you mentioned, is located in the battery compartment under the step to the right with the cable connections.
Had a SC moment ... Maybe this might help, and I should of mentioned this before but with the generator running the battery connect switch will activate. However the DC/Coach power does not activate otherwise.
Will check this out further ... Thanks for the suggestion.
is this a new issue? otherwise sounds like the solenoid switch is wired to the wrong side of the solenoid, sounds like its getting power from the converter side, when it should be powered by the battery side.
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LittleBill
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09/18/21 09:49pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Battery Disconnect Switch ??
if this is the unit im thinking of, it has a fuse itself on the solenoid itself, has that been checked and or does the led glow on the disconnect switch?
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LittleBill
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09/18/21 09:39pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Lithium cost keep dropping!
I wish I knew how to judge the quality of those batteries.Price is usually a good indicator.
no its not, Will (youtuber who loves this stuff) got shafted on a set of batteries that were 30% more, and they were identical
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LittleBill
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09/15/21 05:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Windows 11 available on October 5
you guys are hilarious i built a computer back 2010, it was able to run windows 10 without issue, not sure how long you expect them to support a operating system, no one is forced to upgrade. They are a business, go to mac or linux if your not happy.
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LittleBill
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09/15/21 05:07pm |
Technology Corner
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