FC Batteries

[GARY MINKER]

Here is a handy voltage chart for setting feeder wire on fire. There is a 10% and 3% drop chart. The 2500 Watt inverter can draw upwards of 270 amps on this nice piece of 1/0. Smoke will follow shortly. The 4/0 is a great idea. Inverters are touchy about voltage drop and the 3% chart us best plus 1 gauge for adding a safety fuse. Never run primary cable without a fuse near the source. Big wire charges better too Gary 85pt40 --- On Fri, 2/19/10, Dorn Hetzel wrote: From: Dorn Hetzel Subject: Re: [WanderlodgeForum] FC Batteries To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, February 19, 2010, 8:23 AM My 77FC35 is a diesel, but seems to have originated with 4x6v batteries in a compartment at the far front left, next to the engine area. The previous owner replaced the 4x6v with 2x12v, which work ok. We replaced the original battery boilers (chargers) with a nice Xantrex 2500 watt inverter charger that takes good care of the batteries, and also powers some dedicated outlets I installed along with it for when we are going down the road and want some 120vac. I ran dedicated 1/0 from batteries at the front back to the Xantrex midway down on the left. I am planning to add some separate house batteries, but haven't yet decided where to put them. The "house" batteries will go closer to the Xantrex and get wired in with one or more runs of 4/0, to encourage the inverter to draw power from them first. We never ever camp under circumstances where we have to run the generator (not for technical reasons, but because my wife cannot stand hearing it ), we either camp where there is power, or we get by on the batteries, so I am actually considering removing the generator so I can use the space and weight for a huge pile of batteries. This would also let me re-use the generator gas tank for additional diesel capacity. Haven't done it yet, but definitely thinking about it. (it doesn't hurt that the generator needs some substantial repairs to be fully reliable anyway) I think if I do this, I will buy one of those nice tiny honda 1500w or so generators for emergency battery resuscitation and so-on. If fuel cells weren't so crazy arsed expensive, I would put in 1000w or so of fuel cells to charge batteries silently and put a rack for the H2 gas on the back of the bus Regards, Dorn Hetzel 77FC35 Hogansville, GA On Fri, Feb 19, 2010 at 1:35 AM, georgeseagle <gnburke@gmail. com> wrote: On my 1977 FC, (4) 6 volt batts. are used for starting & house duties. I think I would like to add a separate batt or batts for starting only. Has anyone had a FC with a gas engine, and changed theirs over, or know of anyone that has? When did BB start using separate starting /house batteries on any FC? Thanks, George Burke 1977 FCSB Charlotte