Dry Camping Checklist & LED Lights

[Roger Rempe]

We have been full time RVers for the last two years and love it so much that we recently traded in our 34' Airstream for our roomier 2006 Monterey. I have a lot to learn about motorhomes!
We will be spending time out West this season and plan on doing some boon docking on BLM land. My rig has an Onan 8000 genset and four AGM house batteries. I would appreciate any suggestions or even a checklist that some of you may have for what I need to turn on and off when we set up camp. Thinking about replacing the interior bulbs with LEDs and was wondering if there is a good vendor to purchase from.
I just joined the Beaver Club and am very impressed with the forum and how helpful with info the members seem!  
Roger

[Jerry Carr]

Hi Roger, I would like to welcome you to the club, I know you will enjoy your new Beaver. I have converted my rig over to all LED lighting and did this more for safety then for battery life but for those that dry camp you will see this benefit. I have purchased my lights from Donald Chin at EEZRV Products located in Quartzite AZ  www.eezrvproducts.com 510 91 5397.  He has a good selection of light to fit any fixture plus he stock the "warm whites" . I don't like the look of the cool white bulbs they are to bright for me. I have found Donald willing to work with me on pricing but you will need to ask.

[Larry Dedrick]

Roger,
We have also replaced all of our lighting with LED.  We purchased our bulbs on Amazon.  I too will watch this thread as we will be doing our first dry camping ever this year...although we are newbies to all of it as we are on our first real trip in our new to us Beaver.

Thanks,
Laura

[David T. Richelderfer]

I have been researching buying LED lamps too.  I looked at EBAY last year and found buying direct from China through EBAY to be much cheaper.  The problem is to enjoy the "much cheaper" aspect I would have to buy 100 lamps per order (cost was about $80 per order - 80c per lamp, as I recall).  Also, I am not familiar enough with LEDs to know what specifications to order - softness rating, brightness rating, how many SMDs per lamp, etc.  I would want a softer, dimmer light in most places, but would want a soft but brighter light over the dining table, over the kitchen, over reading areas, etc.  Thus, I would need to place two orders to get two different types of lamps.  My coach would take 55 LEDs just to replace the overhead ceiling lamps found throughout the coach.  I have not purchased yet... thinking I would want to go together with another coach owner so as not to have a drawer full of extra lamps.

But this is what I'm thinking of...  http://www.ebay.com/itm/100x-G4-LED-Warm-3000K-White-6000K-Light-6-5050-SMD-12V-1W-Non-polar-Bulb-lamp-/190959014948?pt=US_Light_Bulbs&var=&hash=item2c760b5424

This item on EBAY allows for two lamp specifications and for varying lamps per order...  just what I am looking for...  "I THINK," but I'm still not sure.

[Bill Sprague]

Roger,

Welcome to the club!

I don't have a checklist.  You asked for suggestions, so I assume you may be new to having an Onan.  My suggestions are left over from a dry camping seminar provided by Monaco and Onan several years ago.  Seminars like that would take an hour or so, but I'll try to give you the high points in a few paragraphs.  

Onans love to be run and hate to be unused.  Even when you are not dry camping, find excuses to run it frequently with a load on it.  Once a month for a half hour is minimum.  An easy way to create a load is to put one A/C on cool and the other on heat pump.  The reasoning is that the brushes and other electrical components need use to stay healthy.  It helps the fuel system too.

To help your batteries last as long as possible, try to run them in the top 30% of their capacity.  Avoid the bottom 30%.  That is hard to measure, but the inverter/charge controllers can be set to help.  It can be programmed to quit inverting at a relatively high battery voltage.   The various ways to measure state of charge electronically don't work perfectly, unless you remove the battery from the system and have it "at rest".  

My experience is with wet cells and you have AGMs.  Be sure you have your inverter/charger set for that.

Batteries do not charge quickly.  They are even slower in the top 10%.  My goal is to aim for charging to start at about 60% and stop at about 90%.  If I leave the genset on longer, nothing is hurt.   Generally,  I seem to run the generator around 90 minutes in the morning and another 90 minutes at night.  If the microwave is needed for more than a few seconds or a hair dryer is needed, I'll start the genset.

There are only two mistakes than can cost money. One is not running the genset often enough.  The other is to leave dry camping with discharged batteries.   The engine alternator will do it's best to charge them.  It was made to charge a couple chassis batteries on truck after a brief draw for starting.  Add four deep cycle batteries in a state of discharge and the alternator will overheat and have early failure from over work.  

If you camp near others, or find diesel exhaust unpleasant yourself, consider buying Gen-Turi.  Camping World and Amazon have them.  On Amazon there are some pictures and even a video.  (http://www.amazon.com/Camco-44461-Gen-Turi-Generator-Exhaust/dp/B000BUU5XG/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1402497718&sr=1-1&keywords=gen+turi).  Many brands send exhaust out the back.  Some even send it skyward.  A Beaver design flaw is that the genset exhaust points directly at your neighbor's front door in typical row parking while dry camping.  A Gen-Turi fixes that.

If you have questions, post them here or phone.  

[Roy Warren Co-Admin]

Roger,
If you contact Donald Chin, tell him you are a Beaver.  After he has given me a price, I remind him that I am a Beaver and he then gives me a discount.  Good luck.
When dry camping, I use the auto-gen feature and set the battery voltage to 12.2 volts for start-up and to 95% for shut-down during the day.  In the evening, I set the shut-down to absorption.  I always have quiet hours set from 10:00PM to 7:00AM.  I sometimes get a gen-start failure in the early morning because quiet hours won't let the gen-start function work when the battery voltage gets below 12.2 volts.  It does start right up at 7:00.  Normally if the generator runs until 10:00PM and is at absorption, I don't get the gen-start failure.
Enjoy your new Beaver.  Good luck.
Roy Warren

[Bob Stone]

Roger, I have been boondocking over the winter months for several years, the last two in my new to me Monterey. I've changed all the halogen lights and will be swapping out the florescent with strip lights this fall. I purchase all the LEDs, dimmers and remotes on Ebay at considerable savings.
For me, considering how long they're turned on, electricity consumed by lights is minimal compared to the televisions, satellite receiver and pumps and fans associated with the Hydra Hot.
Rather than routinely run the 8000 watt Onan on a regular basis just to charge the batteries I had been using a 2000 watt Honda generator and a good quality 40 amp external charger. If you use the charger capability of your inverter refer to the 'Electrical Grounding' House Calls article in April issue of Family Motor Coaching.
In January I added three 140 watt solar panels to the existing 100 watt panel for a little more than 500 watts total. I now infrequently require the generator. Shopping around I was able to purchase these three new panels for about $600 and installed them with assistance of neighbours.
I use a 40 gallon water bladder and sewage tote to haul water and waste. The only time I have to move the Beaver is to replenish the propane for refrigerator and stove.
If you have any specific questions, PM me directly. During the winter months look me up at Senator Wash/ Imperial Dam BLM, LTVA, adjacent to Yuma Proving Ground.
Bob

[Joel Buchan]

Roger,
Solar is your best investment. Solar = Fredom. I do not go from park to park.

[Bill Sprague]

R......I [have] been using a 2000 watt Honda generator and a good quality 40 amp external charger. ....

Which 40 amp charger?   Thanks.

[Bob Stone]

Lowes has a Stanley charger model #4009 which has served me well.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_328624-89606-BC4009_0__?productId=3275901

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Dave,
re LED lamps; the LEDs you are looking at are not replacements for the halogens in your puck lights. With only 6 LED, the brightness will only be around 100 lumens. Your halogens run about 270-300. The ones in your link are white, not the warm white you want for most lighting in the coach.  To get warm white you want to target a color temperature of 3000k or less. The good point about the LEDs you linked to is that they are non-polarized, since Beaver did not take polarization into account when they wired the 12v light circuits.

I converted all my ceiling and bath/bedroom rope lights to LED and am getting ready to do the under-counter units. After some trial and error on eBay I arrived at this LED for the puck lights. It's about as bright as the halogens and provides a  pleasant atmosphere. I get them for just over $1 per.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/380696483311?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 BTW, I've had very good luck with this specific vendor.

However, they are not a simple "plug and play". To get the 300 lumen brightness, 12 5050 LEDs are needed. This results in the diameter of the PC board disk being too wide to fit in the puck socket. I reduced the diameter by removing excess PC board material outside the LED. This worked with no problems. The contact pins need to be clipped as they are too long. Then finally you have to switch the leads on some of the sockets to get the correct polarity. Sounds like a lot of work but not really that bad.

 When shopping for LEDs; don't believe the lumen ratings. In almost every case the brightness of a 250 lumen rated LED was noticeably dimmer than a 200 lumen rated halogen. There are LEDs that are brighter than the 5050 version. I tried one that gave out good brightness but the glare was unacceptable.

For the dining area and bath that use dimmable candelabra bulbs, I opted for the units at Lowes / Home Depot. They are a bit pricey but work very well.

If you are looking for rope light replacements, I've been very satisfied with this vendor. Be sure to get the 3/8"dia rope in warm white/precut if replacing the ceiling units.
http://platinumlightinginc.com/index.html

Good luck on whatever you decide.
Steve

[David T. Richelderfer]

Steve - As they say in Hawaii, "Sank you vely mutch."

If I order 60 lamps, then I can replace them all and have a few spares.  My guess is the wattage savings on my batteries will be substantial.

By what means did you reduce "the [puck] diameter by removing excess PC board material outside the LED" - a Dremel, fingernail clipper, side cutters,...?  How many lamps do you suppose I will render inoperable by customizing their size?  lolol

[Roger Rempe]

Thanks for the great feedback everyone! Sure gives me some good info to consider.
I'll take the genset out today for a "test drive". I assume that I'll need to disconnect the shore power and turn the AC loads on after starting? I know that when I purchased the Beave at LazyDays (near Tampa, FL) this February the service techs had it running. However, I checked the coolant and the reservoir appeared empty so, I filled it yesterday with some 50/50 ethylene glycol.
For dry camping I need to make up a check list that reminds me to shut down the auto satellite tracking, auto leveling for the airbags, etc. Perhaps some ghost lights.
Noticed this website and have been in contact with the parts person. He recommends http://www.m4products.com/g4-6-5630-side-ww-warm-white-elite-series-smallest-g4-t3-samsung-5630-leds-side-pins/ for the pod fixtures. And http://www.m4products.com/921-10-5630-nw-natural-white-elite-series-wedge-base-with-brighter-samsung-5630-leds/ for the vanity lights. Both are dimmable. A bit pricey but, in line with other vendor's cost. Tempting to buy the cheaper ones but, I'm not sure that I want to take a chance on tryin' to make them fit.  

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Dave,
I used the mild wheel on my bench grinder. Sander or Dremel would also work. Didn't lose any by this method. If you are going to use a handheld device, recommend placing LED in vise or other suitable holder to immobilize it. You can remove material right up to LED chips but don't touch them. Also, after clipping leads to length, you may need to touch them with a file to remove any burrs. They are square rather than round so afford a tight fit in socket.
Steve

[Stan Simpson]

I just cut mine to size with the wire cutter from my electric kit.

Safe travels all,

Stan