More "lessons" have come up

[RVMommaTo6]

It's amazing how much I didn't know that I didn't know! Lol, but seriously, you guys are the greatest. I think my first mistake was not coming on here right away, I searched manuals for a good hour first and not NO answers. I'm sure you're all right. We've been driving now for about 3 hours and everything looks back to normal. I didn't charge them while we were boondocking, I won't do that again. It was our first time boondocking in one place. We've spent nights here and there but were driving and on the move so this hadn't happened before. Now I know not to trust that LED panel so much. My batteries don't refill with water. I have 2 Marine batteries, group size 24MS. I'm not too concerned about them if they can get me a night or two boondocking at a time. I can charge them more often as well. I wasn't doing that. If they quit on me, I'll get new ones (asking here first of course) but if they can hold on a little longer, I'll wait on that.
And Gizmo, I have GOT to start taking your advice!!!

 

[SeilerBird]

You have only just begun to find out what you don't know. You have a lot more lessons to be learned. There is no way anyone can really be prepared for all the different scenarios that will come up. Pretty soon you will have lots of interesting stories to tell fellow RVers around the campfire.

 

[Isaac-1]

If you plan on doing much boondocking you may want to consider an economic way to recharge the batteries, many people use solar, though this can be expensive up front costing well over $1,500 for professional installation.  Another option is a small inverter generator like the Honda EU1000 or EU2200, or one of the import clones like the Harbor Freight  Predator 2000  which is much quieter and  more economic to run than the larger Onan generator you likely have on your coach.  The Honda EU-1000 only produces about 900 watts of power continuously, but also runs for about 3 hours at full load on half a gallon of gas, or 7 hours at 1/4 load, this can be great for battery charging, which is a slow process regardless of the source, taking about 6-8 hours to fully charge a half way depleted battery.


p.s. I am concerned about your battery type, is 24MS a group 24 Marine Starting battery?    If so it is the wrong type of battery for house battery use, you need a true deep cycle battery.  Starting batteries are designed for  large amounts of power to be drawn out over a short period of time (engine starting), not a small amount of power over a long time (deep cycle)

 

[Isaac-1]

Googling 24 MS comes up with this Wal-Mart brand marine starting battery  https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Lead-Acid-Marine-Battery-Group-24MS/105864134 , this would be ok for your coach engine starting battery, but for the house battery you need something more like https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Lead-Acid-Marine-RV-Battery-Group-24DC/180350522    though something bigger than a group 24 would be good if you have room for it to fit, maybe a group 27 or 29, or better yet a  pair of 6V Golf cart GC1 deep cycles wired in series to get 12V

p.s. note that ever start deep cycle above is not a particularly good deep cycle, just that it is a close relative to the 24MS you have now

 

[Back2PA]

An inexpensive volt meter (around $10) can be your best friend.  As already said, your batteries should not be taken below 12.0 volts, as that is roughly a 50% discharge.  Go below that too many times and they will die a quick death.  As 12.7 volts is a full battery and 12.0 is considered mostly discharged, you can see the importance of monitoring the status of your available 12 volt power.

X2. If you haven't used a meter previously they can seem daunting but they're really not. Set for DC voltage, a range above what you're dealing with. (The most 12V you'll see is about 14, so pick a range on your meter with a max of about 50. Some digital meters don't require this step.) Then, say late afternoon when you haven't been charging for an hour, and there are no heavy loads running (furnace, water pump) place the red lead to positive and black to negative on your batteries and read the voltage. Then reference the attached State of Charge chart.


Ironically, as you'll see on the chart, when a "12V" battery reads 12V, it's actually about 50% discharged, about as low as you want to go.


As was suggested by others, no matter how little you think you've used, I'd plan on running the generator every day for several hours, divided between morning and later in the evening. Adjusted upward based on voltage readings you get from your meter.

 

[Isaac-1]

To add one more bit of confusion to Scott's post there is also a thing called surface charge, where a recently partly charged battery charged battery may at first appear fully charged when taking a voltage reading.  This is sort of a phantom charge which quickly goes away after you connect a moderate load for a couple of minutes, or by waiting an hour or so after you have stopped charging to take a reading. 

 

[Back2PA]

To add one more bit of confusion to Scott's post there is also a thing called surface charge, where a recently partly charged battery charged battery may at first appear fully charged when taking a voltage reading.  This is sort of a phantom charge which quickly goes away after you connect a moderate load for a couple of minutes, or by waiting an hour or so after you have stopped charging to take a reading.

I already included the confusion  :

when you haven't been charging for an hour, and there are no heavy loads running (furnace, water pump)

 

[ArdraF]

Amanda, one of the things about batteries is that many "little" things are always on, such as the CO and smoke detectors, the TV "idiot" light, microwave clock, electronic charging devices, and such.  We call these phantom draws because they're always drawing energy from the batteries which runs them down.  As the others have mentioned, when boondocking it's always a good idea to run the generator for a while at night to charge the batteries.  Maintaining healthy batteries may be one of the most difficult things to learn and, unfortunately, it's a trial-and-error process.

ArdraF

 

[Arch Hoagland]

You have now earned your merit badge in battery charging.

Next.....

 

[RVMommaTo6]

I've now earned my battery badge along with my clogged toilet badge, my fuses badge, my dolly towing badge, my dump station badge, and my steering column badge. Lol, I feel like I'm almost ready to start this trip....

 

[Arch Hoagland]

It would be interesting to get a vest and make small badges to pin on it. As time goes by you'll be able to sit around the kitchen table and tell the grandkids how you and your children earned them.

We have a 2 foot by 4 foot map of the United States over our fireplace with a metal state pin of each state where we've been. 

We also have a large paper map of the United States and marked the route we took on our first long trip all around the U.S.

You are making some GREAT  memories!

 

[RVMommaTo6]

We have a map and I'm mean enough to make them journal every night

 

[SeilerBird]

This is why we recommend a short camping trip in your driveway before departing on the big trip after buying the RV. You still have a lot of merit badges to go. Wait until one of your slides refuses to move back and and you are stuck where you are.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

I figured a three day trip from Florida to NY and then staying in it on weekends at our property was pretty good, we practiced dumping and filling and driving etc, but it's kind of like with owning a house, there's always something more to work on. 

 

[John From Detroit]

Battries are a numbers game
As some have said many devices use power all the time Fridge. if on, Water heater if on. A/C's may if they use remote controls (not if they are wired)  and a host of other stuff.

Light of ourse. a 1141 uses about 1.5 amps an 1136 two amps.

Well the batterie have got to provide

A group 24 holds about 75 amp hours 20 usable
A group 27 or 29 just under/over 100 and about 25 usable
A group 31 is around 130 and 33 usable.

A pair of GC-2 Golf car batteries in series 220 amp hours 110 usable.

NOW you now why we like those batteries.

Solution is to provide some charge then hit the generator switch again.  HOW TO POVIDE SOME CHARGE.. On many Motor homes there is a BOOST or AUX START or Emer Start button. ON some it works both ways  Both providing "House battery" power to crank the main engine and "Chassis" power to crank the generator.


Option 2. Start main engine and then in about 3-5 minutes try the generator.

 

[Joezeppy]

...I'm mean enough to make them journal every night

Hopefully they will look back on it one day and appreciate it. My wife kept a journal on our trip to Yellowstone back in 2007 and made our girls (11 & 13 at the time) do it, too. They've actually dug out the notebooks and read them a couple of times over the years since then sparking good memories. Now your 10 months is different than our 3 weeks so hopefully they'll willingly keep it going.

 

[SargeW]

I figured a three day trip from Florida to NY and then staying in it on weekends at our property was pretty good, we practiced dumping and filling and driving etc, but it's kind of like with owning a house, there's always something more to work on. 

Here is something that I tell all the new RV'ers I meet all the time.  Don't worry about not knowing everything. Nobody is born knowing all the things that they will learn about using and living in an RV. We were all newbies once, even pro's like Gary!  The smart thing is exactly what you are doing, asking questions, doing research, and being positive. You will be fine.

 

[BIG JOE]

Here is something that I tell all the new RV'ers I meet all the time.  Don't worry about not knowing everything. Nobody is born knowing all the things that they will learn about using and living in an RV. We were all newbies once, even pro's like Gary!  The smart thing is exactly what you are doing, asking questions, doing research, and being positive. You will be fine.

) ) Excellent advice.. and so Dang True. We're ALL in this together.

 

[TonyL]

Whilst I know others may dismiss The batteries from Walmart, they do sell the Maxx marine/RV battery. 100$ each and a 2 year warranty For the 29 size. May be a good solution as your intended trip is for less than a year and it won't stretch your budget as far as the more dedicated RV batteries will. Totally agree with the other posts, either run a generator each night when dry camping for a few days, or a portable 160 watt solar panel might be a good investment if you have the space to store it.
Happy travels

 

[BIG JOE]

Whilst I know others may dismiss The batteries from Walmart, they do sell the Maxx marine/RV battery. 100$ each and a 2 year warranty For the 29 size. May be a good solution as your intended trip is for less than a year and it won't stretch your budget as far as the more dedicated RV batteries will. Totally agree with the other posts, either run a generator each night when dry camping for a few days, or a portable 160 watt solar panel might be a good investment if you have the space to store it.
Happy travels

) And there's a certain amount of comfort knowing.. WalMart's are almost everywhere.. should you have an issue. (?)

(We have 2 group 29 Maxx's in our FW. they've served us well.. going on 3 years.)