72 100amp Dry camping recommendations ?

[cschuck3]

Looking to dry camp with a full load of 100amps for 3 days, I know this is excessive but I am to planning for the worst. I will use a diesel generator as backup if needed?


Recommendations
1. On batteries ?

2. Wiring ?

[Booyah45828]

100 amps of what? DC/AC 1ph/3ph 110/220? 100 amps isn't very specific as to your needs are. What are you all looking to power.

[cschuck3]

2 40-50" LED
Microwave
60g Air Compressor
electric powerwaster
Stove
Frig
Laptop
Outside lights


If this helps??

[brokedown]

Amps are a unit of current, not capacity. Please understand that your question as posed is like asking how much the color blue weighs.

[cschuck3]

Ok so lets say I want to run 35,000 watts for consecutively for 72 hours?

[Timelord]

Originally Posted by cschuck3

Ok so lets say I want to run 35,000 watts for consecutively for 72 hours?

You don't. You won't.

To say that is an excessive load is an understatement. On a standard 240v line connection, you would be pulling 150 amps. Your list of appliances is a relatively small load, though you do include an 'electric powerwaster'. While I suppose this might be a ~30kw resistive load bank specifically installed to give nature the middle finger...

In short, back it up a bit. Either you have some extremely unusual conditions going on, or you do not understand electrical load basics.

Be more clear with *exactly* what you are going to run. All of your appliances and such. Also, provide in detail the nature of this hookup you intend to use.

[bubb, the real one]

Just to answer the question, you can only drain a battery by perhaps 50% without damaging it, so if you want to use 100ah per day you would need at least 200 ah of battery, this will probably work if you never pull more than 5ah of DC power at any one time,

but then you need to realize that you cannot pull more than 10% of a batteries capacity at one time, which means a 100ah battery cannot handle more than a 10ah load without dropping below 11.5v which would shut down your device.but even a 10% drain might be too much for the battery,

a device that pulls 1amp AC will pull 10amps of DC

you can find various wire gauge charts online, just make sure it is a DC charge not a AC chart.

[cschuck3]

Yea is getting very confusing, Well to start I need a good running battery to start the engine, the other day the battery quit on me and the BUS has issues but I think it was not letting it warm up. I just started it and drove off. What is a Good batter Brand??

[Booyah45828]

Originally Posted by cschuck3

2 40-50" LED
Microwave
60g Air Compressor
electric powerwaster
Stove
Frig
Laptop
Outside lights


If this helps??

Sorry, forgot about this. You plan on running all of this at once?

1)The LED tv's might take 300 watts max (3 amp @ 110v).
2)The microwave depends on it's wattage rating. anywhere from 1000-1500 watts (15 amp @110v).
3)Air compressor and power washer depends on model, look at the machine and it should tell you power requirements.
4)Stove is a big consumer if it's electric, if it's propane it turns into a non-factor. Figure an electric stove will consume 10-15 kw. (40-50 amp @ 220v)
5)Fridge is probably 500-1000 watt depending on model. (5-10 amp @ 110v)
6)Laptop is near a non use.
7)Outside lights depend on how many, what style(led, flourescent, incandescent, etc)

You plan on living in this full time for 3 days? And plan on using battery? Planning on any solar?

I'll go to say that you could probably use battery power for the tvs, laptop, and possibly the exterior lights. But everything else will almost certainly require a generator to use. The battery bank size would have to be large just to power just the microwave for a few minutes. It would have to be the size of the bus to power the stove.

I'd get a gen set rated at 15kw and fire it up when needed. Then use a half dozen battery bank to power the light stuff using the generator to charge it when low. That will give you plenty of overkill for what I think you're wanting to do. Just remember you're not going to be able to run the stove, microwave, and pressure washer all at once.

[Booyah45828]

I sell deka batteries. They're made in the states and come with a 3 yr 100% warranty. I have had 0 problems with them when used properly.

There are cheaper options out there with various pricing and warranties that you can compare and contrast.

[cschuck3]

Thanks, for answering my question, I seeing that I might need to back more power conservative when I select my electronics. So the over all goal is to basically have a few of my toys pulled with my BUS, and stay the weekend without any issue, and use enough power to not have to watch what I'm doing, I can use propane for the stove and fridge/battery also correct? I'll add Solar power charging later, and I need the ability to add more batteries later also to expand the length of time and or amount of power I can use.

1. What batteries can support my application?

2. Which batteries monitors and switches do I need?

3. Size of Inverter?
-Anyone used a " 6000 WATT PURE SINE INVERTER CHARGER 24 VDC TO 120/240 VAC " ?

4. You can add my Bunn Ultra 2 SS/Black Frozen Margarita Maker to the mix also

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by cschuck3

4. You can add my Bunn Ultra 2 SS/Black Frozen Margarita Maker to the mix also

Amps‎: ‎12 Amps
Capacity‎: ‎6 Gallons
Capacity per Compartment‎: ‎3 Gallons
Number of Bowls‎: ‎Double
$1,999.00 - ‎In stock

We gotta party sometime.

[cschuck3]

I bought the Bunn Ultra 2 SS/Black Frozen Margarita maker already, I also have a Emerson 12 bottle wine cooler I'll be running also.

Emeson Wine Cooler
Model NO.: FR966T
120V AC 60HC
Power: 70W (@77f ) I like mine at 55f
Power Consumption 0.8kwh/24h (@59f)

[PNW_Steve]

I would suggest that you take the power consumption rating (watts) on all of the devices that you want to run at any given time and add them all up.

When you have that total number, multiply it by 1.3 and that will give you a generator size with a little headroom.

Then, go out and buy an 1800 rpm water cooled diesel generator to run it all.

The last one that I set up, we built a "soundproof" enclosure for it and it was quieter, under load, than the Honda EU3000i that I use now.

Hot plate, compressor and margarita machine are all perfect examples of loads that are really tough to run from batteries & inverter. Simply because they consume so much power that you would need huge solar, batteries and inverter to run them.

[cschuck3]

It is possible use solar to charge batteries in day time to run batteries for the BUS block heater?? and if not enough have the generator auto turn on? keeping the engine block warm while I snowmobile or ski?

[PNW_Steve]

Any item that runs a decent size electric motor or an electric heating element is a tall order when it comes to running on battery.

I would suggest a generator and look into using coolant from the (running) generator to assist with heat.

Or:

Get a Webasto or similar coolant heater. They are diesel fired and can heat your bus interior as well as preheat your engine block.