How long will the batteries/propane last?

We are going camping in yosemite for 4 days with no hook ups, my wife asked me how long the battery and propane will last if we are pretty careful.

I told her that I did not know, so anyone know? I have 2 12 volt batteries and 2 20 gallon propane tanks.

Brent

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by hwork50

We are going camping in yosemite for 4 days with no hook ups, my wife asked me how long the battery and propane will last if we are pretty careful.

I told her that I did not know, so anyone know? I have 2 12 volt batteries and 2 20 gallon propane tanks.

Brent

You won't have any issues with propane. 2 full tanks should last a couple weeks using the fridge on propane and the furnace (unless it's really cold).

Batteries, however, is a different issue. It depends on the age, condition and size of the batteries. What size and age are your batteries?

I can get 3 or 4 days on a pair of group 24 Interstate RV/Marine batteries if I never use the furnace and we keep the use of lights to a minimum.

We usually have five adults, so I run the generator for about an hour each day.

I have 2 6-volt Interstate batteries (232 AH rated capacity). This past weekend, I left house with 100% charge, I drove for 90 minutes and arrived at campsite with 97% capacity remaining. I left campsite about 60 hours later and capacity was still above 70% SOC. We ran the heater quite a bit all 3 nights because we like it toasty but we still had 20% of capacity we could have used if we needed it. Your mileage may vary. We don't use lights much, though. I would estimate that a light is on for less than 1 hour per day as we go to sleep when it gets dark and wake up as soon as sun comes up.

How do you know how much charge your batteries have? We will not be using lights much as we have a baby with us and she will sleep at 7 pm.

I think we will be good to go.

Thanks

Brent

Originally Posted by hwork50

How do you know how much charge your batteries have?

I installed one of these http://www.xantrex.com/web/id/273/p/1/pt/5/product.asp

Where did you mount that linklite? Is it pretty easy to install and all?

Thanks,

Brent

The installation isn't too painful. The only wrinkle is that it takes some depth (3-4") to install it. There isn't much depth behind the panel in front of the sink except where the heater control is located since the sink doesn't extend that far right. I was motivated to have a reversible installation so I opted not to drill a new hole somewhere like next to radio. I removed the cable jack closest to the towel rack, moved the heater control to the vacated cable jack location, and mounted the LinkLite where the heater control used to be. It is also nice because it is easily readable when you first open the door.

I can't see not having some kind of true battery monitor installed if you are going to do any amount of dry camping. It is also very helpful for understanding the effectiveness of your TV charging rates, parasitic loads, etc. I don't know why they don't offer this up as an option straight from the factory to be honest. I certainly get more value out of the LinkLite than I do the A/C, the awning, the hanging cabinets, or the second propane bottle. I can't endorse it enough. I liken it to how once you have a DVR, you wonder how you ever watched television without it. It has made the generator I bought right after buying the TM virtually obsolete. Since installing the LinkLite, my generator has been used once. That use was to loan it to another camper to charge up his monitor-less trailer after he ran his battery down in one day of camping.

Maybe you could send me a pic? I am not real good with that sort of stuff, but maybe I could figure it out. I know that I also live in CA. as I read some of your other posts and have kids that are 7, 4 and 1.5. I am right there with you as far as camping and hanging with the fam as much as possible. This time will go quick so we might as well enjoy it. We camped in our front yard in the TM for a trial run, it was fun.

This weekend we are going to San Mateo in SC, I live like 3 miles from it so it is not really camping.

Should be fun. Where do you like to camp that is not already totally booked.

Brent

Originally Posted by hwork50

Maybe you could send me a pic?
...
Where do you like to camp that is not already totally booked.

Aarrgh, I just rolled the rig back into the garage. I don't see getting motivated to roll it back out until perhaps the weekend unless the wife wants me to get an early jump on packing it for next trip. I don't have any pictures of the install. You can download the user/installation guides and such from the Xantrex website. My photos aren't going to show much more except for the trivial cosmetics.

We booked up mainly in nearby state beaches this year because we didn't plan on upgrading the TV until next year. You have to book those up well in advance. We have been able to add last second trips to National Forest locations in Los Padres (Paradise and Wheeler Gorge). Both were a lot of fun and had quite a bit of vacancy. Start browsing ReserveAmerica and keep your fingers crossed. Interestingly our recent trip to San Simeon State Beach was to a campground reportedly full but there were a number of vacancies apparent when we arrived and during our stay. There must have been a lot of no shows.