Hola! from The Sunshine State

[ALuckyDuck]

Hey all,

Recently graduated from the University of Florida and began working as an OR tech at a nearby Hospital. Have never felt so stagnant in all my life. Fortunately i'll be moving to Denver, CO for graduate physical therapy school in the Fall. Classes start Aug 25th, So I plan to live out of my 2012 Ford Escape for the Summer.

My plan?
well...
Here's the long version... gofundme.com/HeadWest

In my preparation for this epic adventure, I came across this amazing website. When I'm not cleaning operating rooms, selling all my belongings online, or running with my pup Moon Shadow, I'm perusing every corner of this website. But I still have so many questions!

I'll be putting up some pics soon of the bed construction and insulation system progress. Also, I will be asking you guys tons of questions about the electrical set up in a few weeks!

Thanks!

 

[GotSmart]

I was thinking about asking people to fund me, but it is much more satisfying to work it out myself. In asking questions, I find out what I would have purchased was the wrong thing, and the right stuff comes along for bargain prices. You just have to know what bargains are really not bargains. (Like those batteries!)

Get used to being at the bottom. It seems to last forever, but suddenly you find that you are where you have been reaching for. Never stop giving it your best, and research to make sure your dream becomes reality.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Welcome from southern Arizona.

You're in the right place for answers about living on the cheap while enjoying the good life.

 

[ALuckyDuck]

I appreciate the warm welcomes..And Thanks for those kind words GotSmart. Good point about those batteries! I set my departure date for June 1st (whether the vehicle is ready or not), so I think there's a level of excitement and nerves that almost made me impulse buy them. I'll heed the advice and keep giving it my best.

So I may be better off with a larger battery huh? Any recommendations on what Amperage I should invest in?

Here are some key considerations...

-I've already decided that AGM batteries are the best option; I won't have access to distilled water, don't want the risk of explosive and toxic fumes near me and the pup, and AGM would best suit my plan to eventually rely on Solar (which I can't afford as of now)
-Space is not an issue, but I am on a low budget, especially since I hope to buy a smart charger and inverter as well.
-As of now I think drawing from the alternator is the most cost effective recharging source, especially since I will be driving FL->CA->CO and will be on the road for very long stretches once a week over the course of 2 months.
-I do not plan to leave the pup in the car unattended. We will spend our time together, mostly climbing and hiking, or finding a swim hole or shade when it's hot out but I'd like to have an inverter to get some 110V appliances running occasionally (laptop, rice cooker, large window fan)

Given my budget I'm having difficulty in deciding what's more important...Going for the highest Ah I can afford, or settling for a lesser Ah but getting a high quality charger and inverter?

Speaking of recharging...

I'd like to charge from the alternator while driving, and plan to install a battery isolator to safeguard my starter battery. BUT, if I'm gonna dish out serious $ on an AGM battery (as opposed to cheap flooded cell types), I'd like to preserve longevity with a smart charger. Can I multi-stage charge my house battery with a smart charger if my charging source will be the alternator during long drives? If so, then how?

Thanks for your help guys. Between work and trying to sell everything I own, I've noticed that I have too many questions and not enough time!

 

[rvwandering]

Welcome! You have a nice road trip planned out for the summer. One thing to consider - some of the parks will be very hot in the summer. Moon Shadow will not be permitted to stay in your car and he will not be allowed on many of the trails. Each park has different rules for dogs so you'll have to check each website. National Parks Site The information is a bit buried. Click on " Plan Your Visit" then "Things to Know Before You Come" and finally "Pets".

I'm curious about the Clean Up Project. Fortunately most of the national parks are very clean so it may take you a long time to fill two trash bags. It'll be interesting to see what you find.

 

[ALuckyDuck]

Thanks TonyandKaren, I just spent some time navigating through the nps.gov sites and am disappointed by the strict trail restrictions imposed on pets. I'm going to have to reconsider my route and possibly take my project in a new direction. If I want to live in nature and enjoy the outdoors with my pup, I may have to stay away from np's all together =/

 

[rvwandering]

LuckyDuck - try the national forests instead - National Forests Free camping is permitted in most of them with restrictions on the length of stay and distance from the road. To get a little more information click on a forest icon on the map, then on the left hand side of the page "recreation" , then "camping and cabins" then "dispersed camping areas" Camping is permitted in other locations besides the dispersed camping areas but it's a good start.

You can also camp on BLM lands - BLM Click on the map at the bottom right.

Moon Shadow will be able to go on all of your hikes and many of the forests and BLM lands are beautiful. You'll also be able to fill your trash bags very fast because our wilderness areas are not respected in the same the way as national parks. Very sad. :-(

 

[user 423]

Can I multi-stage charge my house battery with a smart charger if my charging source will be the alternator during long drives?

No. Charging off the alt. will be the same as for your starting battery. You would have to plug in somewhere to AC with a smart charger.

For only 2-1/2 months you could get by with a cheaper flooded battery. Walmart has the 27DC's for $80 or so and they are 105ah. As long as you get a good battery box and anchor it well, it would not pose a danger and you would probably only need to add water once.

https://vanlivingforum.com/Forum-Electrical-Batteries-Generators-Solar

 

[GotSmart]

RVBob will be by to share his knowledge on batteries and solar. I am still learning, and have budgeted about $700 for 1,040 ah not including the panels, wiring and accessories. My 4 flooded batteries (T145) will be mounted under my rig in a custom steel box I had manufactured. I sometimes go to overkill to make sure I do not get stuck. The solar will more than double my investment in my rig.

I asked about AGM batteries, and was told that it is not really cost effective for what we want to be doing. Living in a car will not give you much room if any for a battery.

https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Starting-the-build?pid=76396#pid76396

 

[vanguy]

^agreed. some people think the danger of gassing batteries is overblown, and i'm one of them. distilled water is preferred, but regular would work ok too. i've had my flooded batts. for 6 months now and haven't needed to add any water yet.

 

[akrvbob]

Here is a 12 volt to 12 volt dc to dc smart charger:
https://www.etrailer.com/p-CTEKD250S.html

It's very expensive but it is very high quality. It will also work as you solar charge controller so it works as two things. If you can afford it, it's the best thing you can buy.
Bob

 

[ALuckyDuck]

gsfish, both of those wonderful memories have long been extinct, although Krishna lunch is still going strong =)

akrvbob, thanks for the recommendation, that charger seems to be exactly what I need. I hope to afford it one day soon. Although, for now, I am still on the fence about installing an electrical set up in the first place. True, it would make the trip more comfortable, but would strain my budget for the next few months. I'll keep you guys posted !

Question:

Let's say I were to install the 12V to 12V DC charger and connect it to both my alternator and my solar. If I were to to go for a drive on a sunny day, would the charger simultaneously draw power from both the alternator and solar panels ? If so, what effect would a battery isolator have on that dual charging system? Would I be able to charge purely from solar whenever I hit the switch to isolate the batteries?

 

[akrvbob]

Chances are that few people here have heard of the Ctek and no one has seen one. I never have seen one. The rest of the world uses a lot of 12 volt stuff we don't so the Ctek is big internationally but rare here in the US. i believe it is made in Sweden and very popular in Australia.

I think you can either use aligator clips to the battery or hard-wire it. It doesn't go to the alternator as far as I know.

Your battery doesn't care how many power lines come in to it. So there is no problem with having a cable coming from your starting battery and another one coming from the solar panel. Neither will overcharge the house battery.
Bob

 

[blkjak]

welcome .... blkjak

 

[Pikachu711]

Welcome to the group ALuckyDuck!