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Battery upgrade
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furpod View Drop Down
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Points: 966 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote furpod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2019 at 12:29pm
If I was going full time, I would also carry a small generator. There WILL be times of low sun and high 12v usage. Trying to travel with the weather can help some.

We carry and use a 120watt GoPower portable panel set and controller. We are happy with it. Cheaper options exist. I won't go into how it happened, but we lucked into our panel set brand new for $125. Otherwise I would have a different, (less expensive) set. 120watts to maybe 200 watts, is a good match for a pair of GC2's.


BTW, SC has some great state parks, we spend a couple weeks every winter at Huntington Beach SP, and we really likes Croft SP. None we have been in have disappointed.
Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB
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Oliver View Drop Down
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I was talking with a friend, and he said he would just add another 12v Marine battery like the existing one. Cheaper, he said. Is that a good idea, or should I go with two 6v golf batteries?
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furpod View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Oliver Oliver wrote:

I was talking with a friend, and he said he would just add another 12v Marine battery like the existing one. Cheaper, he said. Is that a good idea, or should I go with two 6v golf batteries?


Adding a second, matched battery, will double your available aHs from what you have now.

Your stated goal was to stay off grid as long as possible. Going with dual GC2's will quadruple what you have now. Totally your call.
Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB
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Oliver View Drop Down
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Points: 321 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oliver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jun 2019 at 5:11pm
I have ordered the white battery case. When it comes I will go to Batteries Plus and get two GC batteries. They said they can tell me how to wire it up. I'm taking a picture of mine. In your picture I can't tell what's going on in the lid? And which wire is for solar? And what solar do I need?
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Points: 321 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oliver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jun 2019 at 5:11pm
Furpod, what is going on the inside of the lid? I just ordered a box like that. It looks like it is wired into the lid. Does the lid come like you have pictured? Or do I need to make some mod?
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I wired in a battery cutoff switch.

for our solar, I just hooked straight to the batteries from the portable panel. Your Pod should have a "solar on the side" plug. It is already wired to the battery. When you look, you should see you battery connections have 2 wires on each post (3 on the positive if you have a power tongue jack) the larger wires are the trailer wiring, the smaller two are wired to the solar on the side.








Solar on the side connector:
Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB
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Oliver View Drop Down
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Points: 321 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oliver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Jun 2019 at 5:10pm
Why do you have a battery cut off switch..? how is it wired and used? I wonder if I need one.
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furpod View Drop Down
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Because your Pod will always use SOME power, even when you have everything.. off.

So if your trailer sits for a month it WILL drain your battery(ies). That is very bad for them. So when the camper had to sit for a couple months, (doesn't happen often) we can disconnect the batteries with the turn of a key. We actually store at home now, with full hook ups, so it's a non issue for us at this point.
Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB
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Points: 321 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Oliver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jul 2019 at 9:46am
Ok..I'm using mine full time. So I really don't need to turn in all the way off. If I did I can just disconnect right? And it'll save me doing all that extra neat work you did! BTW do you only have one gas tank?
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furpod View Drop Down
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Yes, you can just disconnect one lead and it accomplishes the same thing.

We had dual 5 gallon tanks mounted most of the time, ran dual 7.5's for winter trips.

Current camper mounts 3 5's.. little weird configuration, but it works.. LOL.
Mark, Susie, Micah, and The Maggie.
'11 RP177(sold) '17 Lance 2295FurPodsMods
'17 Ford F250 CCSB
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