obiwancanoli
Napa
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I've been doing a lot of research on beefing up my electrical system, and next week, should have had a Voltmeter, MPPT Controller, and 4 Battle Born Lithium batteries installed. Likely future addition includes another 340W in solar, perhaps more, as I've got plenty of room...
My system, once complete, will include 4-100Ah Lithium batteries, 600W Solar, 100A MPPT Solar Controller. I have a DP with 8K Generator.
I got to thinking that, since my goal was to better prepare for likely dry camp or boondocking adventures, when heat is needed, what's better - heat via Propane, or, electrically via shore power switch? Don't know if the latter can actually run and heat the MH, and if it can, do I have enough power to do so?
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Gottahaveit
Stockton CA
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Joined: 11/01/2002
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Use your Propane when dry camping. We use a portable heater when hooked up since I can't stand the sound of a heat pump turning on and off.
40ft Mandalay Quad Slide
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
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MrWizard
Traveling
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Joined: 06/27/2004
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Propane for heat For heat when dry camping
Electric only if you have shore power and it's not too cold outside
Radiate The Happy
....
Connected using Verizon and AT&T
1997 F53 Bounder 36s
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wildtoad
Blythewood, SC
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Joined: 06/05/2011
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My rule of thumb is save your batteries for those items that require electricity, use propane where it is optional. Heating anything with electricity is a big power draw. Something to consider is if you heat with electricity and if cold enough to freeze will your storage area get heat.
Tom Wilds
Blythewood, SC
2016 Newmar Baystar Sport 3004
2015 Jeep Wrangler 2dr HT
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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Unless you have a rather large solar field and about 3 tons of batteries
PROPANE
1500 watts is 125 amps at 12 volt. So a pair of GC-2 last. less than 1 hour.
Home is where I park it.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times
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Itinerant1
Itinerant
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Joined: 05/23/2017
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If you had enough solar during the day you could possibly offset the propane use but a night use the 12v furnace.
I have run my fireplace heater for stretches, turn the fridge over to electric from propane during the day but there is 1,280w solar on the roof.
12v 500ah (5,120Wh usable) , 20 cells_ 4s5p (GBS LFMP battery system). 8 CTI 160 watt panels (1,280 watts) 2s4p. Panels mounted flat on the roof. Magnum PT100 controller, Magnum 3012 hybrid inverter, ME-ARC 50. Installed 4/2016 been on 24/7/365
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naturist
Lynchburg, VA
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400 AH is 4800 WH. The most common electric heaters of plugin sort are 1500 watts. Just one of them will exhaust your 4 LiFePO batteries in just over 3 hours. Add 8 more of those batteries to run that heater overnight.
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obiwancanoli
Napa
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Now THAT'S a lesson I'll not soon forget!
Thank you all
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corvettekent
Marysville, WA
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We use a Big Buddy to heat our RV. It is much more efficient than the furnace.
2007.5 GMC Dually EC/LB, LMM. Banks IQ, Speed Brake, Six Gun. B&W Turnover Ball, Companion Hitch, Amp power steps. Hadley Air horns.
2004 32' Carriage 5th wheel. 860 watts of solar MPPT and four 6 volt batteries. Samlex 2,000 watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter.
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pianotuna
Regina, SK, Canada
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obiwancanoli wrote:Now THAT'S a lesson I'll not soon forget!
Thank you all
I do use a heating pad or electric mattress pad when dry camping.
If you have 6 to 8 hundred watts of panels then an absorption fridge may be run during the daylight hours. 24 hour consumption is about 5.7 KWH.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp hours of AGM in two battery banks 12 volt batteries, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.
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