Dual House Battery Banks-Any reason to keep it

[phil4501]

Today, I am installing a new temporary battery bank in my coach. It is a quick fix as I am trying to get my family camping to keep the entusiasm level up as I fix the other systems one by one. This will also be our practice battery bank, to experiment and upgrade on, and get tinto the 12v swing of things.

The coach is all electric at this time, converted by Liberty in 1975. 2way frdge 12v/110v, 110v hot water heater, 110v heating, and 220v stove. The house bank is currently split into two seperate systems, probably one for the fridge, one for the lights and the rest.

We boondock 90% of the time usually 3 to 5 days at a wack. I was going to tie them together into one bank of 6 6volt batteries.

Should I leave it as 2 seperate systems at first, and then combine them or just do it now. The history and mfg. date  of the batteries are all identical.

I realize this is set up for resort camping and that will be changing soon. I know I will be the loud guy for a little while with my air cooled diesel generator needed to boil water. But we need to use it now.

[Dallas]

Phil,
I can't see any reason not to combine into one large bank, unless maybe they were running 2 inverters, and that maybe entirely possible with the AC loads you mention.
Now here's a thought, instead of running the noise maker to cook, why not set up a primus propane stove? Or even a propane Coleman? That way you won't annoy the people who matter most.... Mama and the kids?
Save the Genset for recharging or heating up the water heater.
Dallas

[phil4501]

No inverters at this time that I know of. We do cook outside exclusivly so far, I was just a little gun shy from the other boards and trying to head off the "you can't boondock in that" posts.

[Dallas]

Gee Phil,
You can boondock in anything.
When I was about 21 I built a trailer from a '60 Studebaker pickup bed and axle, built a Plywood box on it installed an Ice Fishing wood stove and lived in it for weeks at a time when I was working in the woods.
It wasn't a Fleetwood 45' Diesel pusher, but I got along.
Hehe, I can see my wife in that thing!
I'd be single.
Dallas

[phil4501]

Dallas...This is a big step up for us from tent camping while living in Alaska, we did own a sticks and staples for about a month until I found a suitable coach. That did spoil everybody a little.

One big bank it is, I will do it now.

[ChuckMC9]

This is very likely not relevant, but I did read somewhere that it was not uncommon for many factory conversions to have both 24 & 12v house systems, so perhaps that's what you're encountering...?

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Phil,

Get rid of that 220v stove.

Princess has a nice 2 burner 110v that would enable you to boil something at nite and not fire up the noise box!

Than by eliminating the 220v appliance you could plug into park power if you choose!

Nick-

[phil4501]

It is two 12 volt systems on one converter.

I will be upgrading the stove soon. I figure will end up settling on "propane for stove only" once I talk my self out of the diesel stove. I could use some help in that dept. if anyone has any diesel stove horror stories, even second hand ones.

[DrivingMissLazy]

Is this a land yacht or a water yacht? The only reason I have heard for using a diesel stove is that generally propane is not allowed on board water yachts. LOL
Richard

[phil4501]

Richard, it's a land yacht. It just rubs me the wrong way to have that big ol' tank taking up valuable bay space just for the stove/oven. Oh, well the wife wants a 1950's trailer stove to go with our mid-century type theme.

Battery Bank is done

Thanks again for the help

Phil Zisakis

[darrenayres]

I'm surprised at any suggestion to add propane to a coach that is currently all electric. I've used both all electric and propane coach's and would take the electric option every time!

[phil4501]

Well nobody suggested propane, that was kind of the direction I was dragging myself in. A 110v stove was suggested, how much power does an electric range use anyway?

I'll start a new thread since the battery bank is complete

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Phil,

I have the 2 burner 115v Princess, the larger burner draws 1500w- the smaller 1200w.

Nice flat glass surface too!

www.boatersworld.com
http://www.boatersworld.com/product/337410716.htm

Nick Badame