BCM Community

Pretty self-explanatory. I am looking at re-engineering my battery bank & wanted some idea on how everyone else does it. Feel free to add any helpful comments.

TOM

What voltage?  I have 240 AH at 24 volts.  5760 watt-hours, obviously 240 AH at 12 volts nominal is half that, and things use power.

At least I think they do, been a long day...    :'(

Edit:  to your point, I have four six volt golf cart batteries, 240 AH each, wet cells for lower up front cost ($105 each I think), stacked to produce 24 volts for my 3000 watt inverter and so they can be bridged to the start batteries for charging and power on the road, and a Vanner to run up to 50 amps of 12 vdc, since most of my house systems are 12 volt, like interior lights, radio, fantastic vents, etc.

I voted 300 plus on your thing, since I think you were referring to 12 vdc house batteries.

Brian

Brian,

You are right. I was thinking in terms of 12 volts because most of the house stuff is 12 volts. I didn't even think about some people using 24 volts for the inverter & coach stuff.

I guess everybody should give it their best guess at what they have in 12 volt terms.

EDIT: so you have 960 AH @ 6 volts or 480 AH at 12 volts..... I think... :-\ :-\

TOM

We have 8 220 amp/hour Trojan 6 volt golf cart batteries wired in series/parallel configuration. This gives us a total of 880 amp/hours and since you should not discharge below 50%, we figure we have 400-440 useable.  Jack

If I understand correctly you have 440amp hours = 10 amp 120 volt load for aprox 4 hrs. Is this correct?   Bob

6 golf carts in series parallel 12 volts.  We use a lot of electric - coffee in a.m., 2 computers, freezer, satellite TV, satellite Internet.
We last almost all 24 hours, running genset about 2-3 hours usually in evening for showers (hot water heat).  we turn the inverter off overnite so save turning off all the phone chargers, printers, computers.  they all come on in the morning when we turn the inverter back on.

we have too much stuff to carry that's more important than 2 more batteries, and i don't need more weight.  No house to store a few extra things in any more. 

Just some extra comments to jog your thought process.  hth

Wow, you guys get so specific and complex. Now, me, I don't have a clue... and could care less. Got what I could afford (a few songs and some labor). 4 golf cart batts (couple years old but they work  :)).

Nellie

4 Series/Parallel 6 volt Deep cycle US Batteries 232 AH = 928 or 50% @ 464

I am like Nellie. I couldn't even vote because I don't know what all that jargon means. I have 4 golf cart batt. for house. Works pretty good. When they get low while goondocking, we start the gen.

JC

We have 3 Lifeline AGM 8Ds, 12 volt system.  But it really doesn't matter what anyone else has, what matters is how you intend to use the system.  For me the decision to put in AGMs was driven by my self knowledge.  I know I'm too lazy to do battery maintenance so that meant AGMs.  3 was all that would fit so that solved that problem.  For the way we use the bus it works.  We can run the ProHeat overnight in -20 weather and use about 30% of the bank doing that.  SWMBO can make espressos and toasted bagels in the morning and use about 20% of the bank.  When we stop for lunch on the side of the road we can nuke the leftovers or run the toaster oven for 10 or 20% use.  TV and VCR are pretty hungry - 3 hours in the evening will eat up 15%.  We never use more than the top 50% of the bank and in fact we have never drawn it down below about 58%.    

Six Golf cart batts.

We have 4 8D AGM. We do a lot of Boondocking.

Four 245AH 8D AGM = 980AH bank.

Jay
87 SaftLiner

Eight, 100 amp hr AGM's that I got free from a UPS we were dismantling at work and a 4000 watt Magnum 4024 inverter and a 12v Vanner.

we have  12  sams golf batts for the house,  3 groups of 4 @ 24 volts //2 8D for the engine start  //1 smaller 12 volt for the genny.....about $900.00 worth on a good day....with a trace inverter that runs everything and the w/drier... except the overhead airs and the 5 burner gagenau cook top...our bus is all electric

I have 2-8D Lifeline AGM batteries for a total of 510 amp/hours.  I also have a 2500watt Trace MSW (Modified Sine Wave) inverter that can power the plugs in the kitchen, microwave, primary 10gal water heater (the other water heater is wired straight to the power panel), bathroom heater, lights, etc.  I do not run any of the A/C's on the inverter.  Hence, like Geoff, when boon docking, just run the generator in the morning for coffee, toaster oven and warming up the water heaters (we take morning showers), and at night to top off the batteries.  About 2-3 hours a day of generator running.

Depending on my final refrigerator use in my truck, if I use the NovaKool, I'll use 4 L16 6vdc Lifeline AGM's for a total of 800amp/hours.  If I go with a Summit refrigerator, I'll use 6 L16's for a total of 1200 amp/hours.  Good Luck, TomC

Quote from: lostagain on January 31, 2011, 06:31:31 PM
I am like Nellie. I couldn't even vote because I don't know what all that jargon means. I have 4 golf cart batt. for house. Works pretty good. When they get low while goondocking, we start the gen.

JC

I totally understand all the battery talk, but--
What the heck is 'Goondocking'? Inquiring minds want to know LOL ;D

I have one 8D Lead acid for house and a 2200 watt inverter. Separate battery for Generator start. We're usually plugged in but when we do boondock I don't run the 7000 watt Kohler; instead i bring the little Honda 2k and run it a couple hours a day to charge the 8D. Everything is propane so we don't use much AC power.
Fred