Live without a generator?

[youknowwho]

With the LED lighting I'm planning and a few other greener/efficient options I'm planning like black PVC on my roof for hot water, a 3 way fridge and a new battery bank I think I could go off grid for a month. Summer, spring and fall. Winter is a little harder.

As far as using a generator and running a battery charger there are some limitations there. I have a Coleman gen. and 2 smart chargers. The coleman has ruined 3 of the smart chargers. They don't do well with modified or square wave. I buy them at Wally world so it's easy to exchange. So basically unless you have a really good gen. there not that important in my opinion.

[Hartley]

Running the main engine just to charge batteries is a terrible waste
of engine hours and maintenance dollars.

Of course if you don't mind spending $12,000 each time to repair or rebuild the main engine then I guess your plan might work. Simple fact is YOU DON"T idle a Detroit ( or Fast idle ) without creating a problem big or small sooner or later.

Besides any respectably sized battery bank will take 3 plus hours to get a good charge going. Running the Detroit at any idle speed for that long is just silly.

Oil changes: $150.00 each, Cooling system maintenance "never ending"
wear on belts and hoses and that $500 alternator taking a dump is enough
reason to get a good generator even if you only use it occasionally.

Your neighbors will bring out the tar and feathers after the first 20 minutes.
The noise, stink and puddles of oily goo dripping out the slobber tubes will
change your mind quickly no matter even if the fuel is free...

Sorry, I have seen it all and would be installing a diesel generator even if the rest of the coach wasn't finished or even running. Makes Good Sense to do it right the first time and get over it....

Dave..

Besides you will need a generator to keep the 4-way flashers going when the rest of the rig breaks down.

[buswarrior]

Hello.

You need to do some math before you go one step further.

What loads are you expecting to run? How much power do you need to have filled up in your theoretical battery bank, how fast will you use up half of it, (find out why I said half) and how long to recharge with the available options.

Then price the costs per watt, per amp hour, of the various ideas, and the path will become clearer, quickly.

Go do some "living off the grid" reading. Tons and tons of it on the 'net.

The alternative energy store has some stuff to read and tons of product/manufacturers/models to compare prices.
www.altenergystore.com

I doubt you'll be sad if you buy a well known water cooled diesel generator in the 7-8k size, and get that Trace 4024!  Nothing says you have to run it all the time or often, but when you need it, you got it!

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[Charles in SC]

I am curious how you plan to use your bus. If you will be driving it 3-4 times a week you are either going to be traveling in it a lot or driving it to work, maybe both. If you plan to be on the move that much how are you going to have it near your shop to finish it. It is hard to set up a shop inside and take it with you. If you have the lifestyle that permits it you might just follow the good weather so you do not need heat or air. One other thing is that I would not recommend buying this type of vehicle without having extra cash in the bank for the things the prior owner did not know were wrong with it. There have been plenty of folks that have full timed in busses with no power over the years but they had different comfort levels than me. Good luck and keep us posted.

[JimC]

Paul,
You have been given some very good advice from the ones that have been there, and done that, or tired that. One of the nicest things about this board is that when you ask a questin like you did, you get some very educated responses.

To answer your question I say NO, you can not boondock for any length of time without a generator. I would not think of going more than a few days without one. I have a 1,270 pound forklift battery in mine and I can last 3 days without re-charging. I had to do that once at a state park that would not allow generators and I could not relax the whole time worrying about the state of charge in the house battery.

I say you would be way ahead of the game if you listen to the people on this board and set it up like the tried and true. SURE, you can do it other ways, but the best practices have been worked out by the experts years ago. You will be much happier with a generator to recharge the batteries, plus it allows you to run air conditioners and heat water at the same time. You get all the comforts of home by charging the batteries once in the AM and once in the PM.   

By the way, that looks like a really nice rig for the money.
Good luck,
Jim