September 2020 Newsletter

[Paul]

Discuss the following newsletter here

https://mailchi.mp/6be5300b0aac/upgrading-your-batteries-for-dry-camping

[Paul]

The newsletter is now published! Thank you to DavidM for the article.

[stu1965]

excellent write up !

[campingwjoy]

Great article. I use a single 100 Watt solar panel to charge 2 deep discharge 12V lead acid batteries. We boon dock occasionally. We have gone couple of times for 5 days at a time. We attach our solar panel via a long (20ft or so) cord so we can move it to where the sun is.   This set up works great for us.  The solar panel charges the batteries to full during the day and we drain it down some at night. It worked well even when we were in Alaska with cloudy skies.

I did modify the refrigerator IAW an article on this site (probably 3 years ago). The fridge had no way to turn off the defrost heater in the door.  The modification cuts a wire inside of the fridge light cavity that permanently disconnects the defrost heater. According to the schematic, this heater runs on 12V and 24/7 and is a big drain on the battery.

We have traveled this way for 3 years and it works great.  The solar panel is made to fold up like a suit case. We store it the same place we put the table in our 21RBS.

Thanks again for the article,
Bill

[Chappy133]

Make sure your 7 pin plug has 12 V power going to it.  My Ford has the relay and fuse in a bag in the glove box that allows the power to go to the 7 pin.