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Using 12 volt power

When we are camped and hooked up to shore power should we be concerned about how much we use 12 volt lights or fans?  We pretty much use what we need to be comfortable and I have not previously given this much thought.  But I don't want to do anything that would reduce battery life over a long period of time.

We have 3 8D  AGM batteries and a 3,000 watt Prosine inverter/charger.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #1 –
Quote from: George Stoltz

When we are camped and hooked up to shore power should we be concerned about how much we use 12 volt lights or fans? We pretty much use what we need to be comfortable and I have not previously given this much thought. But I don't want to do anything that would reduce battery life over a long period of time.

We have 3 8D AGM batteries and a 3,000 watt Prosine inverter/charger.

When you are on Shore Power, your 12vdc comes from the Prosine inverter/converter/charger. You are not really depleting Battery cycles.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #2 –
Barry,

At the risk of displaying my near total lack of understanding of inverters, can I infer then that the 12Vdc is 110 ac converted to 12V?

Note to Kent:  there will be no mentions of my alma mater, please.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #3 –
Quote from: George Stoltz

Barry,
At the risk of displaying my near total lack of understanding of inverters, can I infer then that the 12Vdc is 110 ac converted to 12V?

Yes, Your converter/charger uses a step down transformer to change the 120 volts to about 18 volts before it goes through a wave rectifier, which converts the AC to DC.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #4 –
Actually, the 12V still comes from the battery bank - it is continuously recharged by the 'converter' section.
There is an 'inverter' section that can supply 120V from 12V, and a converter/charger section that recharges the battery bank.

Imagine your battery bank as a tank of water 10 feet in the air. The converter keeps it full. But you still draw water from the tank. You may draw a whole bunch or water quickly and draw the tank down a few inches, but the converter will fill it back up by increasing the pressure. which increases the flow rate..
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #5 –
Quote from: George Stoltz –
Barry,

At the risk of displaying my near total lack of understanding of inverters, can I infer then that the 12Vdc is 110 ac converted to 12V?

Note to Kent:  there will be no mentions of my alma mater, please.
Answer to question is, yes.
George,
      I'll give my shot at a simplified explaination. Sometimes different words will bring light to new or misunderstood concepts and you have to find the right combination of words that allow one to grasp it. (Well that's how it works for me anyway)

A converter "converts"--------------------------120 VAC to 12 VDC
An inverter "inverts" (reverses the above)------12VDC  to 120VAC
The "inverters" in most Foretravels perform the following three functions and are combined into one unit, (so they are actually an "inverter/converter/charger") and the charger function will keep your 12 volt batteries charged. (What Dave H. said)

              1.  Converter (120 VAC to 12 VDC)
              2.  Inverter    (12 VDC to 120 VAC)
              3.  Charger    (12 VDC-14VDC and up to 130 amps) to charge your batteries while hooked to shore or running generator power

Hope that helps. Good luck.
Rick

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #6 –
Rick, Dave & Barry,
Explanations are very clear and understood.  To bring the whole thing home, what happens if you remove all the batteries from the coach and plug it into shore or genset power?  Can you still get 12VDC? to the appliances in the coach?
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Peter & Beth –
Rick, Dave & Barry,
Explanations are very clear and understood.  To bring the whole thing home, what happens if you remove all the batteries from the coach and plug it into shore or genset power?  Can you still get 12VDC? to the appliances in the coach?
If you remove the batteries and are plugged into shore or generator power you will have 12 VDC throughout the coach. The "converter" portion of the "inverter" will be supplying the 12 VDC to the coach. The + terminal at the disconnected battery will also be "live". The batteries are storage containers.
Rick

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Rick –
Quote from: Peter & Beth –
Rick, Dave & Barry,
Explanations are very clear and understood.  To bring the whole thing home, what happens if you remove all the batteries from the coach and plug it into shore or genset power?  Can you still get 12VDC? to the appliances in the coach?
If you remove the batteries and are plugged into shore or generator power you will have 12 VDC throughout the coach. The "converter" portion of the "inverter" will be supplying the 12 VDC to the coach. The + terminal at the disconnected battery will also be "live". The batteries are storage containers.

That is correct.
Which is what I was referring to when I said "You are not really depleting Battery cycles."  8)
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #9 –
Barry & Dick,
Now that puts the final cap to the question.  Many thanks.
Peter & Beth Martin
No Forrest? What have you done?
MC# 15890 until Dec 2016; FMCA #F329677
Cincinnati, OH

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Chad and Judy –
I know this has undoubtedly been discussed endlessly, but we're looking at our options for upgrading the OEM monitor and cameras; read and side. Obviously, compatibility with the Audit 8T8 is desired. I'd love to hear from those whom have done this regards type of system, sourcing, installation, etc.


Aarrrgggghhhhh!  Chad:  you just hijacked my topic.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #11 –
Quote from: George Stoltz –
Quote from: Chad and Judy –
I know this has undoubtedly been discussed endlessly, but we're looking at our options for upgrading the OEM monitor and cameras
Aarrrgggghhhhh!  Chad:  you just hijacked my topic.

Yup - can't just respond to an e-mailed post or it goes into the topic of that post.

See this topic Email Notifications and Replies

Which says this:

1. Ensure that your email account is one and the same as in your ForeForum Profile.
 
2.  The new topic for each board needs to be sent to one of the following email addresses:
    a.  foretravel@foreforums.com        - will post a new topic in Foretravel Discussions
    b.  techtalk@foreforums.com            - will post a new topic in Tech Talk
    c.  renovations@foreforums.com      - will post a new topic in Renovations
    d.  classifieds@foreforums.com      - will post a new topic in Classifieds
    e.  firering@foreforums.com            - will post a new topic in around the fire ring
    f.  emailtest@foreforums.com        - will post a new topic in the email testing
 
3. Type in your email message editor the Topic Name of your query in the Subject line
 
4. Type your message and "Send"
 
5. You don't have to sign your name, the system already knows and adds it to your message on the ForeForum site if you have input a signature in your Profile.
 
6. A time saving step is to set up all the ForeForum email addresses in No. 2 above in your email system address book to make addressing a new topic in any board easier.

(Thanks to Barry for splitting out C&J's post and merging it with the relevant thread.)

Michelle
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320
 

Re: Using 12 volt power

Reply #12 –
Yes - but with a battery you would have a cleaner 12 volt to your loads. You should never try to use a charger without a 'sink'.
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT