Dry camping and heat

[bassknuckles]

Just got a new PU with every option you can think of its a 1996 Coleman Shenandoah it going to take me a month of reading to figure out how to use everything. Anyway I will be going dry camping next weekend because I am unable to get a spot with a hookup.  It is suppose to be cold so I would like to use the heater (attached to the gas).  Since I won't have a water hook up.  How do I do this? I guessing I need to put water in the holding tank but how much do I need for three nights of camping? (we will not be using the water for drinking or anything else) Also will the heater draw from the holding tank automatically or is there a switch somewhere to swith between the hookup and holding tank.  I have found the switch for the pump but don't know if there is another swith.  Anything wlse I need to know?  Thanks.

[fritz_monroe]

The switch for the pump is how you get it to pull from the holding tank.  Fill the tank and throw the pump switch.  The pump will fill the water heater first.  It will then turn on and off to keep a certain pressure in the line.  It's a demand pump.

As for now much you need for a weekend, only you can tell that.  We use the water for cooking and washing, but usually not for drinking.  We tend to go through about 15 gallons a weekend.

[bassknuckles]

If i'm only gonig to use the propane heater for heat only, not to make hot water do I still need water in the tank or can I run the heater without water.  Thanks.

[ForestCreature]

The heater (furnace) doesn't need water, just propane and a charged battery to run. Running it all the time could leave you with a dead battery, we just run our furnace at night while we are inside the camper and turn it down to about 55-60 while we sleep.

The water heater needs water of course! that will draw the water as you use it just like the house water heater. for a weekend I'd fill the water tank up, you can always drain what you don't use.

[bassknuckles]

Ok, I ran the heater with just the battery, and the blower killed the batterry in 20 minutes.  Going to charge the battery now, since I don't know when the battery was given a good charge last.  Should I just plug the PU in to a 110 outlet and let it charge that way or should I unhook it and use a "real" battery charger?

[tlhdoc]

I would recommend unhooking the battery and putting a regular battery charger on it.  Good luck on the camping trip.  Where are you going?

[Gone-Camping]

Considering what you are planning on doing, if I were in your shoes... I'd not only upgrade the battery, but buy 2 of them. The trailer probably has a small Group-24 RV/Marine battery. At best I'd upgrade to a pair of Group-27's... or even better would be a pair of Group-31's... Now if you really want some staying power you could convert it over to a pair of golf cart batteries, but we'll save that for another post at another time...

Second thing you need to do is understand how to charge those batteries to get max life out of them. They are DEEP Cycle batteries, so they not only used for a slow constant discharge, but the recharge should be slow and long too... I wouldn't exceed 2 amp charge power and leave it on for 24 hours....give it a good deep charge. Do this with BOTH batteries either seperately or if you have 2 chargers you can do them at the same time. Make sure your charger is automatic so it knows to reduce charge power as the batteries get near peak.
 
One battery isn't likely to last you more than a night, and that is if you don't use the heater too much or too long! When sleeping turn it to low and use a good sleeping bag!!
 
I'm not an expert by any means, but if you want a better understanding of batteries and how to maintain them etc... then click on Marks 12v Side of Life Website and you'll get an education!!

[tlhdoc]

Second thing you need to do is understand how to charge those batteries to get max life out of them. They are DEEP Cycle batteries, so they not only used for a slow constant discharge, but the recharge should be slow and long too... I wouldn't exceed 2 amp charge power and leave it on for 24 hours....give it a good deep charge.  
 
I'm not an expert by any means, but if you want a better understanding of batteries and how to maintain them etc... then click on Marks 12v Side of Life Website and you'll get an education!!

Cliff you might want to double check the best way to charge your deep cycle battery at the website you recommended.
 
 
"The life of your batteries will be longer and happier if you charge them correctly. The best chargers on the market are 3-stage chargers. Use of a good quality 3 stage charger will significantly improve your battery's performance and lifespan. These chargers can be purchased separately or are included as part of many of the better quality inverters. When using a 3 stage charger, battery charging takes place in 3 basic stages: Bulk, Absorption, and Float.


Bulk Charge - The first stage of 3-stage battery charging. Current is sent to batteries at the maximum safe rate they will accept until voltage rises to near (80-90%) full charge level. Voltages at this stage typically range from 10.5 volts to 15 volts. There is no "correct" voltage for bulk charging, but there may be limits on the maximum current that the battery and/or wiring can take.

Absorption Charge: The 2nd stage of 3-stage battery charging. Voltage remains constant and current gradually tapers off as internal resistance increases during charging. It is during this stage that the charger puts out maximum voltage. Voltages at this stage are typically around 14.2 to 15.5 volts. Float Charge: The 3rd stage of 3-stage battery charging. After batteries reach full charge, charging voltage is reduced to a lower level (typically 12.8 to 13.2 volts) to reduce gassing and prolong battery life. This is often referred to as a maintenance or trickle charge, since it's main purpose is to keep an already charged battery from discharging."

[bassknuckles]

Thanks everyone.  I think I got it all figurred out.  Going to be camping at Wildwood State Park (long island NY) this weekend.  It's not suppose to be real cold so the sleeping bags shouldd be good enough.  Just called the park and they said I could check for cancelations on Friday and then switch sites if one is open.