Hi Guys,
Here's a second short note from Site @1 Rollins Pond CG - NYS DEC -
July 2007.
A passing camper asked me how do we keep our batteries charged?
Simple answer: Solar panels
We're here for a week of no-hookups RVing with our 1989 32'
Airstream. Our two deep cycle marine batteries are fully charged each
and every day, rain or shine, clouds or sun.
Since the day we bought these batteries they have been fully charged
every single day. Our Airstreams are rarely connected to a utility
pole for electricity.
The small batteries in our electronic toys, i.e. Macintosh laptop,
Verizon telephone, screw driver, walkie talkie radios, Makita drill,
flashlight and Kodak digital camera are recharged as needed from our
two deep cycle marine batteries through a Inverter (1300W).
This inverter also enables us to operate small 110 volt appliances
for short periods of time, i.e. vacuum cleaner, grinder for coffee
beans, blender for Margaritas.
All our 12 volt appliances, i.e. water pump, fluorescent lights,
fantastic fan, leveling jack, am/fm and CB radios are operated by the
two deep cycle marine batteries.
A digital Solar Guard meter (located inside a cabinet on the wall)
shows the status of charge in our two batteries.
The camper asked if this was standard equipment on Airstreams.
Answer: No.
I told him how I had experimented with four different combinations of
deep cycle marine batteries and solar panels in four previous
Airstreams. This time I opted for the bigger 75 watt solar panels (4)
on the roof of our Airstream.
These panels are laid almost flat on the roof (slightly higher at the
roof's center). I don't tip up the panels manually to catch the ideal
angle for sunlight nor do I park north/south for maximum solar benefit.
The panels just lay there quietly and do their job superbly. No
special accommodations are made when hail storms are forecast. The
only maintenance I do is with a spray bottle of window cleaner once a
month or more.
If the camper had wanted to know more, I would have told him:
Inside the Airstream, the six factory installed incandescent lights
alongside the vanity mirror in the bathroom were using too much 12
volt power so I replaced them with two 18" fluorescent lamps. There
are 5 remaining incandescent lamps in our Airstream, i.e. the outside
spotlight, a light in each cargo compartment, a bathroom shower stall
ceiling light and an outside step light. Each of those lamps is used
so seldom that I haven't replaced them with fluorescent lamps.
The interior eye level "outside step tell-tale light" (LED built-in
above the door) is our most economical lamp and is obvious whenever
the outside step lamp is on.
There is one and only one 24/7/365 electric draw in the entire
Airstream. It's the permanently active carbon dioxide alarm that
consumes a miniscule amount of 12 volt power.
With the Inverter, we use a 110 volt grinder each morning for coffee
beans, a 110 volt vacuum cleaner for the carpet (occasionally) and
the built-in charger for two gel batteries in Sandie's electric wheel
chair once a week.
The four solar panels have been exceptionally responsive to
recharging our two deep cycle marine batteries. Each day by dusk,
they are fully re-charged at 13.99 volts (the solar guard kicks in at
14.00 volts to avoid overcharging the batteries) and ready for
another day of satisfying our electrical needs.
We began using solar panels in the 1980s and started staying at
boondock locations without electric hookups. Recently, we have cut
back to being part time full timers, part time Snowbirds and part
time restorers of hurricane and water damaged homes. We're especially
thankful for our freedom from an electric outlet for power.
How many years do we expect our solar panels to last? Simple answer:
I don't know.
Do we worry about our catalytic heater consuming breathable oxygen in
our Airstream when we don't use 12 volt power for our propane
furnace? Simple Answer: No.
Several generations of feline friends have enjoyed our catalytic
heaters while they slept on the floor soaking up the CAT's radiant
heat. Ventilation has never been an issue for us nor our cats. In 50
years of traveling with cats and dogs, all lived to ripe old ages and
all slept in front of a catalytic heater hundreds of nights. Cracking
a roof vent and window does the trick for us.
Our other trailer (1967 22' Airstream Safari) has had three small
solar panels on the roof for more than 20 years. Those panels were
purchased "used" from Atlantic Richfield Oil Company after they used
them an unknown number of years. How long will they last? It's been
more than 30 years so far - and they're still going strong.
This week, our son and DIL are using the '67 22' here at Rollins
Pond. The two deep cycle marine batteries in that Airstream are fully
charged each and every day. Our son is using the 1300 Watt inverter
to recharge his PDA, cell phones and an iPod.
A propane lamp was added to our '67 22' recently (for light and heat
redundancy). Although the batteries provide 12 volt power for lights
at night, the propane lamp provides a softer light and also takes the
chill off in the morning (50+ degrees). The 6500 BTU catalytic heater
in the '67 22' has been on vacation all this week.
This is the first time our son asked to go "boondock camping" with us
at a NYS DEC CG for a week - AND - he asked to use some of our
"toys" (1975 Mercury, 1967 Airstream, 1976 Sunfish, 1965 Michi Craft
Canoe). He even found a 1971 Ocean Kayak Classic Scupper which I
"fetched" and we have that with us, too.
I hadn't realized how much he enjoyed camping at Rollins Pond when he
and his sister were younger. Now, he wants his wife and children to
have a similar experience. So far, it looks as though this is a fun
and memorable experience for them. He and his family will fly back to
New Orleans later next week.
Back to the subject line. The two deep cycle marine batteries in our
two trailers have done their jobs flawlessly and recharged everything
we threw at them - all week long. That's not too shabby if I do say
so myself.
More later,
Terry