The Plan. Will this work?

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Sooeycute

Sooeycute

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
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Location
Florida
My plan is to remove the electric fireplace, which seems to be a complete waste of space for a boondocking camper, and make that my battery compartment. I will install the battle born 270 AH dragonfly in that compartment.

I assume the solar controller will be installed there too with a remote Bluetooth control mounted on the wall nearby. The wiring for the solar panels will come through the roof directly above the compartment through a previously installed entry port.

There is a dedicated 15 amp receptacle in the compartment for the fireplace. My plan is to disconnect the converter presently in use and put a 60 amp Progressive Dynamics converter in the new battery compartment and use the furnace 15 amp receptacle for power.

I will also install a switched 2000 watt converter in that compartment. The fireplace is directly behind my outdoor kitchen. There is presently a receptacle there that I would modify for use with the inverter and I would add one in the battery compartment for occasional indoor use. My understanding is I don't want to come directly off the battery with the converter because the battery monitor won't pick up the load. More research on exactly how to wire the inverter up.

Anyway the plan is coming together slowly. Any advice will be appreciated.
 
SeilerBird said:
All your batteries will have to be within one foot of each other. Otherwise the wires to connect them would be huge.
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Only one 270 AH battery
SeilerBird said:
I am sorry, I am just waking up and did not read your post correctly. Are you moving the battery close to original location?
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No it will be in the center of the rv. Where the electric fireplace is now. About 4' from the electrical panel
 
Rob&Deryl said:
Why move it?
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I want that $3000 battery inside the camper not on the tongue.

It also will reduce the tongue weigh over 100#.

Shorter runs to solar panels and to the electrical panel.

New battery will be directly over the trailer wheels. Better weight distribution.
 
First with the 270 AH Battle born right next to the inverter the cables from there to other batteries can be smaller.

2nd you mentioned a Progressive Dynamics Converter. Make sure it's the one they developed for use with Battle Born batteries.

And 3rd. I'd consider more amp hours.
 
John From Detroit said:
First with the 270 AH Battle born right next to the inverter the cables from there to other batteries can be smaller.

2nd you mentioned a Progressive Dynamics Converter. Make sure it's the one they developed for use with Battle Born batteries.

And 3rd. I'd consider more amp hours.
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No more batteries. Just that one.
 
Sooeycute said:
No more batteries. Just that one.
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Uhmm . . agree with John that 270 A lithium is not much. If you are in any cold weather and need the furnace, you'll draw down the battery pretty quickly. Why Battle Born? If you have physical space, I'd suggest at least 400 A hours - like maybe two (2) 200 Ahour lithium batteries from LifeBlue, which are solid, well performing batteries used by many professional installers. Then again, maybe your RVing style only requires battery usage for very short periods of time. And a couple of days of clouds/rain will wipe out solar charging, (can be compensated for if you'll have a generator). I'd plan to have reserves if at all possible.

Linda
 
Dreamsend said:
Uhmm . . agree with John that 270 A lithium is not much. If you are in any cold weather and need the furnace, you'll draw down the battery pretty quickly. Why Battle Born? If you have physical space, I'd suggest at least 400 A hours - like maybe two (2) 200 Ahour lithium batteries from LifeBlue, which are solid, well performing batteries used by many professional installers. Then again, maybe your RVing style only requires battery usage for very short periods of time. And a couple of days of clouds/rain will wipe out solar charging, (can be compensated for if you'll have a generator). I'd plan to have reserves if at all possible.

Linda
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woa.. hold up a minute.. you said nothing about a 2000 watt inverter when I estimated your panel watts and capacity.. your budget should fit 300 A/hr lead acid ok and should be no issue with lithium at 270.
the inverter changes the ballgame considerably.. what do you intend to power with that beast, and for how long ?

FYI Linda, the furnace load has already been factored in along with other loads.. 270 is more than adequate for his proposed consumption.. the inverter changes all that however..
 
Oh if I install an inverter it will be switched off when not in use. It will not be tied into the campers electrical system. I would like to have it for occasional use for charging my power tool batteries. Handy to have on occasion. If I install it I would just set up 1 inside and 1 outside outlets.
 
Lithium was mentioned by someone else but I never saw what kind of batteries you plan to use. If you use lead acid batteries they need to be well vented to the outside.
 
Wow, no one said anything about the reducing the tongue weight 100lbs thing? Better watch that, you could induce handling problems by doing that.
 
Old_Crow said:
Wow, no one said anything about the reducing the tongue weight 100lbs thing? Better watch that, you could induce handling problems by doing that.
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Trust me I weigh my tongue. I need to reduce tongue weight. Have some pretty heavy stuff in the forward storage compartment. I try to distribute the weight in the camper to get 10 to 15 percent of gross weight on the tongue. I am under gross vehicle towing capacity close to 4000#. I have been on the ragged edge in the past and don't intend to be there again.
 
Glad to hear that. At least you're aware of the possible problems.
I've pulled a trailer or 2 that was loaded incorrectly, it can be a scary thing. I actually traded for a 5x8 utility trailer that I had to add around 85lbs to the tongue weight just to get it to pull correctly when empty. Also had to watch the way I loaded it when doing a dump run.
 
I had rather be tongue heavy than tongue light. Tongue light will put you in the ditch. With those short utility trailers load the weight to the front. I see some scary loading at home depot and Lowes.
 
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