Dry Camping@#$%^&*()!!!!???????

[bubblerboy64]

This has got me thinking a little. I have a couple Honda EU2000
generators from my days with travel trailers and such. They are very
fuel efficient and very quiet. I have two and when tired together in
parallel they would run my roof air no problem. I don't know how
much it would take to keep the batteries charged but you can set one
of these little Honda generators off some distance from the coach and
I don't think you would even know it was running. They weigh about
40 lbs and there is even a 1000 watt which goes 25lbs. You have
plenty of storage on these big rigs would this help out enough to be
of advantage? I was thinking of selling my generators but after
reading this I have concluded that might be premature.

John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC



>
> Kurt,
>
> The original question was posted to both this list and the other
> Wanderlodge list. I wrote a lengthy reply on the other list, but
made
> an off-hand remark on this list which apparently annoyed someone.
>
> I also mentioned in my second post that I had replied on "the
other
> list."
>
> Since I have an all-electric coach, as does the original person
> making the query, I felt that I had some experience with the issue
> and that I could provide some helpful information.
>
> In my case, the 6 model 4D AGM batteries will not supply enough
power
> to dry camp without serious to extreme power conservation. I made
> this discovery while camped in the California San Simeon State
Park
> in the "unimproved" camping area where no shore power was
available.
> It was last February and the weather was cool -- well, cold for CA.
>
> I ran the generator for a couple of hours at a stretch several
during
> the day -- and at meal times when it was necessary to use the
> electric cook top (it is not attached to my inverters). I then
would
> run the generator from the time dinner was prepared until the
> beginning of "quiet time" at 8PM. In the CA state park, quiet time
> extends until 10 AM. However, by 8AM, the batteries were seriously
> depleted. To preserve them I had to cut all power use until I
could
> start the generator.
>
> Lets just say it was darn cold and we had a cold breakfast. No
heat,
> no lights, no nothing.
>
> I replaced the batteries at a cost of over $2000 with 6 new AGMs.
> While the old batteries weren't that old, they had been
overcharged
> for about 6 months while in dealer's hands between the previous
owner
> and my taking possession. (Another reason I'm not particularly
> impressed with "dealer knowledge.") Apparently, the (non-standard
for
> BB of that era) Heart Link 2000-R battery controller had been
reset
> to the default condition, which was for wet cell batteries and was
> charging the AGMs at a too-high voltage (this continued for
several
> months after my taking possession until I learned of the problem
by
> reading and studying about the systems on my coach). After the
> experience I had at San Simeon State Park, I concluded that the
> batteries might have been damaged.
>
> This past summer, I was in Oregon at a cabinet maker having some
> custom work done on my coach. Unfortunately, the generator fan
failed
> on me and I was "dry camping" (in their parking lot) without any
120
> power. I turned off the inverters and shed as much load as I could -
-
> but the batteries still dropped down to a low state of charge in a
> relatively short time period. The Heart Link 2000-R does also
control
> charging from the engine alternator, so I was able to preserve the
> batteries by running the engine (470 HP DD Series 60 to provide a
> little electricity!).
>
> I have since concluded that my coach, as it is currently equipped,
is
> not suitable for lengthy dry camping situations, particularly when
> there are significant restrictions on operating the generator. I
can
> manage about a 12 hour "quiet time" (8pm-8am) without serious
> consequences -- but longer quiet times present a serious challenge
> and degrade the pleasure of the experience.
>
> If my coach had LP gas powering the refrigerator (primary drain on
> the batteries while off shore power), then dry camping would
likely
> be more manageable. However, I do like having the 24 cu ft home-
style
> Amana 2-door refrigerator. If I were to replace it with a new,
more
> efficient refrigerator, dry camping might be a more practical
> possibility.
>
> As for the salesman telling someone buying an all-electric BB that
> dry camping is "no problem", that strikes me, based on my
experience,
> as being rather less than the full truth.
>
> Pete Masterson
> '95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
> aeonix1@...
> On the road at
>
>
> <snip>
> >>
> > Ernie,
> >
> > If the question of DRY CAMPING was not posted on your website,
where
> > did I get the idea that a person wanted to know why the dealer he
> > bought his coach from said he would have a problem dry camping at
his
> > BBQ competions. I thought it was an interesting question.
> >
> > I will never forget to sign a post again Ernie I promiss
> >
> > KURT D. HORVATH
> > FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE, U.S.A.
> > 1995 WLWB 42
>