I thought I would start a new thread about the power options for a residential fridge installation.
I will also be installing a new Duo Therm induction cook top. I was thinking about removing the the propane tank and adding a new 8d and inverter. Is that overkill?
Would appreciate other ideas.
No, I have an all electric coach and love it. Would not go back to a propane coach.
115v cooktop I presume? One or two burner?
A fourth identical condition and capacity battery to raise your amp hours to 900 or more would be helpful if dry camping.
Unequal lenght cabling will vary the actusl usefulness of a remote fourth battery.
Rotation of the batteries to equalize their wear is always recommended.
If you camp pole to pole the fourth battery is probably not as needed.
Factory went with a 160 amp alternator and a 130 amp charger with three 8'd's
A bigger alternator is available but not a higher charge rate inverter/charger. Probably why busses use two inverter/chargers.
20% of the battery banks amp hour capacity in charge rate is from what I have read is considered a safe charge rate.
Roughly what Foretravel setup for three house batteries.
His coach should have A.H.
It is alway nice to have backup heat if your aqua-hot goes out. A stovetop will do that. I have a 1 burner induction cooktop, I put on top of the gas one. My wife prefers it to the gas. You can also install a 4th battery to increase your dry camping time, and a inverter just to power the fridge.
A small inverter for the fridge will reduce the parasitic loads that your big inverter has.
I have a 600 watt inverter just for the fridge and only run the big one for the micro etc.
Rick, it depends on how much time you want not plugged in and not driving and what you are using. If it is 5 degrees out and we are heading south in the winter there is a much different mix of equipment being used with different power needs than in the summer. My goal is an easy 16-24 hour unplugged overnight running the refrigerator, AquaHot, entertainment and lighting in the middle of January while heading to someplace warm with no generator needed.
My plan is to remove the LP tank and put in either two or four L16 size 6 volt batteries
http://www.atbatt.com/fullriver-dc1150-2-deep-cycle-agm-battery-903-l16.asp?gclid=CPjEoouiq84CFUUcaQoddwAKgw
wired in series and parallel to get 1150 amp hrs or 2300 amp hrs @ 20 hrs with a 1000 watt Magnum Pure Sine Wave (PSW) inverter to run the refrig and a few low power use outlets. This gets you away from having to age match to the existing batteries when adding a fourth and fifth (and sixrh and seventh). By isolating them you have two age sequences going and they don't have to be replaced all at once. If you are using an induction cook top that will run off the big inverter or the land line (as will the MW/Convection oven). I am keeping the gas cook top and going to a 2 or 5 lb refillable tank. One fill should last for months. You can run the LP gas stove on the green throwaway LP tanks. Not sure of the rules for that yet. A one lb bottle would last us a month. We have a single burner induction cooktop that is very nice. We use it outside often when we don't want to cook inside. (Red beans and rice tonight, for example)
I am adding switching to the circuit that runs all of the front overhead stuff to either run on land line, the main inverter or a small 400 watt PSW inverter which lets me shut off the big inverter and still be entertained.
I put in a new 240 amp Delco brushless alternator that will power a Sterling Alternator to Battery Charger (a very smart isolator). One side goes to the start batteries. The other side goes to a Sterling ZeroVoltageDrop Isolator (already in use) which will isolate the two house banks and provides more smart charging management. And I have a Sterling smart charger that charges the start batteries and the new L16 batteries when plugged in. And it can charge the original house batteries as well if you don't want the big charger on.
The new Delco is doing what the LN never did, actually fully charge the batteries under load while driving. After a couple hrs of driving the start and house batteries are at 100%. The Sterling A2B charger acts as a smart voltage regulator to more efficiently charge the batteries. With no voltage drop across the Sterling zero voltage loss splitter efficiency is improved and power is directed where it is needed.
A new 3000 watt inverter/charger that is much more efficient would be nice but the one I have works and all of the new parts I am adding will cost less (well maybe not if I go for four batteries.)
Lots of alternatives. Solar too. Some like gel batteries. What you choose to fit your needs will likely be different from someone elses. I don't think there is a perfect one size fits all solution but there is a great one for you out there. There are some folks here that have spent some time thinking about this and some great resources too.
I had a 2006 all electric Phenix that had 6 8d batteries for the house. In 2008 they went to 6 4d batteries for the house as a way to reduce weight and the overall capacity change was not that significant with 6 batteries. The coach does have a 360 amp alternator and a 3000 inverter. So converting to all electric can easily be done but you need to keep in mind total capacity and the length of time for the draw as well as the draw itself.
Wow, great stuff here and a lot to think about. Thanks for the replies.
For those that have removed their propane tank, do you think the weight of the tank is about what the weight of a new 8d and inverter would be? I want to keep the weight balance as close as I can to current setup. One concern I have about a stand alone battery/inverter is how to get the wiring to and from the new battery/inverter to the new fridge and engine compartment.
We have been using a True Induction MD-2B Mini Duo Portable Counter Inset Double Burner Induction Cooktop, 120V, Black and really like the 2nd burner. It will almost fit in the original stove's cutout.
I don't see an exact match but tank and propane is about 150 lb. tank alone maybe 80lb. Typical 8ds are 167 lb each.
The tall L16 size will get closer to the center. Your batteries are already in the middle. Have you done a 4 corner weigh? Good thing to think about wt balance.
Rick,
Did you find a way to make it fit?
Thanks,
Trent
Roger, that L-16 battery you reference is a 2 volt. I know that you know the ramifications of that difference to a 6 volt L-16.
If your budget allows you could look at getting lithium batteries, more amp hours and considerably less weight.