New batteries

[scrubjaysnest]

I thought there was a thread already started on this but can't seem to find it.
Bill feel free to move.

As we started our thrip this year I put in two new Exide batteries. We have been 10 days so far without charging them. They are indicating between 90 to 95% charge remaining. As time goes on I'll update how these do.

They are the 12 volt 105 aH stowaway. The best price I could find was Tractor Supply @ $90 apiece.

These have more weight to them then the Yokum's, 95aH that I replaced.

A note here; we tend to use a lot less power then most.

[scrubjaysnest]

Ran the heat some yesterday morning and the 400watt inverter all day. That is about the heaviest load we put on the batteries at any one time. Also had the solar panels out. Full charge at the end of the day with partial shade. The batteries are working great so far. They will get a better test when we get to Bear Tree CG in the Mt Rogers RA. Sites are almost full shade. Should be there about a week.

[tentcamper]

Sounds like you sized that system right. Let us know how it works out with the shade.

[scrubjaysnest]

Went ten days at Beartree CG with the solar panels. They got pretty good sun as the trees mostly hadn't gotten the leaves yet. Full batteries the whole time we were there. Ran on batteries only two days at Cumberland Gap and a two hour trip to Bandy Creek in the Big South Fork RA had them fully charged.

[scrubjaysnest]

Checked the batteries after seven days of usage; level at 82%. These seem to do a much better job then the previous Yocam batteries we had. Very please so far. We see how they do at Saddle Lake since we will be using the water pump there.

[scrubjaysnest]

Used one solar panel for the 7 days we were at Saddle Lk CG, it got about 2 hours a day of good sun and batteries remained charged even with the additional power usage for the water pump.
Batteries are at 90% after 7 days here Hardin Ridge. No water pump usage as the fresh water tank is empty again.

[scrubjaysnest]

Spent ten days at Sleeping Bear Dunes, with both panels hooked up we got just enough light in a full shade site to keep the batteries topped up. This included using the inverter to charge laptops every few days. Current draw was about 3 1/2 amps when doing both laptops for around two to two and half hours. The latest suggested panel size on the Northern AZ Wind and Sun site is 80 to 100 watts of panel per 100aH of battery.

[scrubjaysnest]

After two months dry camping without moving the new batteries are really doing great with about 4 good hours of sunlight on the solar panels. Been getting about two days of full cloud cover at a time but one sunny day has been making up for it fine. This trip is the first extensive use of solar and we are very pleased. 39 this morning when turned on the heat and it cycled 5 times which is a lot of power usage for us. Nice sunny day ahead so should make that up fast.

[scrubjaysnest]

Just a little update on how are batteries after a year are doing......great.
Even though I feel we were a little marginal on solar this winter in full sun( 4 1/2 amps per battery), open circuit test voltages never indicated below 60% soc. That includes our worst case which was at Stubblefield where we went 5 days with about 4 hours of sun. It was wet, rainy, and temps during the day ran in the 40's and 50's so needless to say the heat cycled a lot. It was supplemented with the Mr. Heater Buddy which helped reduce power use. The down side is we went through a lot of propane. We had one bottle that was bad gas as far as the Buddy was concerned. It wouldn't run on it. The bottle works fine on the grill.

After looking things over after the trip I'm not sure picking up a 3rd solar panel does much for us. Right now there are refurbished Kyorcea 120 watt panels for between $115 and $120. Tempting but I think getting the remote temp probe for compensation will do more for us at less cost.

[tentcamper]

Scrubjaysnest, Sound like the solar has been working well with the new batteries? Thanks for the information.