I coudl get those up there, but they would cover my vents and air conditiner. With solar, I'll probably look at either 100 or 200 watt panels, possibly flexible, to fill the gaps on the roof without covering my other equipment.
My second suggestion is to take the bed off and make a custom bed with lock boxes for storage. With this suggestion you could carry more fuel ⛽️ by extending the custom bed
That project is on my wish list. I really want a flatbed to customize, but it's not in the budget right now. For now, I'll just keep thinking about it :D
Hey Scott. I subscribed several months back and have been following the videos you and Sasha put out for a while now and really enjoy them. Thanks for the great content and the excellent job you guys do putting them together. If you've already answered my question to follow, I apologize in advance. I'm wondering if you could share the name of the company you worked with to custom design and build your batteries? Like you, I have a truck and a camper for boondocking and I have the same issue you had with needing more power for my rig and limited space to utilize. I'm hoping I can find a company that can help me build exactly what I need. Any help you can send my way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and keep the great videos coming!
Thanks for subscribing and watching our videos. Unfortunately, I can’t share where I get the batteries from. I’m currently under agreement with another company regarding the batteries, so I’ve been quite on them. Detail will be forthcoming in the future, but for now…. I have to 🤫
Scott, starlink offers a ground pole mount 2x44, which you can cut to fit to mount to the back of your camper and then add an extension pole. the 88 inches is plenty to reach just below the roof line. the mast is 1.3 inches in diameter, the weight is 9.2 lbs, and the dimensions for the new square dish are 19x22. so you would not need to wait to put solar panels on the roof. the downside is that trees can drop your signal because of obstruction. also the rollout for starlink has had delays because of chip shortages and there needs to be more satellites, most likely late 2022 will be a better time to buy the dish.
Thanks for the specifics. I was really hoping things would go as planned, but the delay has be rather disappointed. There are other factors delaying our solar build that will become clear in the coming months. I still have plans for Starlink, but I'll just have to wait until its ready.
Wow. The best just keeps getting better…….. But curious about something. You’ve added some weight it’s seems, how much? Also with the additions how much living and or storage space did you have to give up? Finally, how long do you plan on keeping your camper? The reason I’m asking is all the work you’ve put into this will again have to be done in a new camper if you decide to get a new one, and that’s allot of work you put into it.
The batteries are about 70 lbs each, so 280 lbs, plus inverters, cabling, chargers, etc, i'm going to guess 350 lbs. But, I was replacing the the factory batteries, 2 6 volt agm batteires. They were about 75lbs each. So maybe a real total of 200 lbs. Our office build also added some weight, not sure how much, probably 100 lbs. I'm not sure how long we will keep the camper. We do like it, but are always looking for new opportunities. I'd be happy to have something new to play with, but we do love our Cirrus.
Wish I could see how ya hooked up your AC and Microwave off your batteries. Recently got a 820 2022 model, but hardly anything is wired for the inverter.
My understanding is the 820 comes with a 1k inverter. So it wouldn’t be enough to run the microwave or A/C. Upgrades would be necessary. Also, I took advantage of space that’s not available on the 820. If you can send me a message on Facebook or email I can record a quick video tour and show you how it’s setup.
That’s a great idea!!! Webbing like that is super strong and thin, I’m pretty much out of space so that would be a great safety system. Thanks for the idea!
With adding new batteries to an existing battery bank, aren't you worried about the older batteries being pulled from more, than the newer batteries? Or is that not a thing? I head that was a thing, and it's stopped me adding more batteries to my 300ah lithium system. 1200AH is AWESOME lol.
That's a great question. From my understanding, it's not good to mix new and old lead-acid batteries, but lithium is much more tolerant. Their charge efficiency stays very solid over time and they don't need to float. They do lose capacity over time, but that doesn't really affect their charging characteristics. When I joined them up, the old batteries had about 50 cycles on them. I ran them separately and together and they seemed to perform equally in both cases. I do have them wired in parallel pairs so I can easily separate them if needed. I'd like to hear more about the potential problems with the old and new lithium batteries if anyone has some input!
I don't have a link... They aren't a secret, but they are my own design and not on the market. Selling them becomes a very complex process, one that I have not solved yet. I also have another major design change that I'm working on. So in essence, these are just prototypes. I might have a link for them someday, but nothing yet... 😔
Interesting and very neat - just wonder why you never did a 48v system to keep the wiring thinner - you can get DC to DC chargers and a step down for 12v - I have 320amhr on 12v in my rig and use a Renogy too
Simplicity! If I needed a bigger setup, I might consider it. But for now, 12v has been enough. Granted, I’d like smaller cables, but I didn’t want to deal with step down converters and replacing my inverter. Huge investment of time and money over time, to change to 24 or 48v would require replacing some expensive components. But I agree, higher voltage would be nice. If I ever move to a 3k inverter, I’ll probably switch then.
I was thinking about you Future Solar, Hence you could make a rake that would pull out from underneath the bed area that would cover the truck windshield when the truck is not in motion. Ergo, Perfect location 🤙👍👋🙏
One of the drawback of lithium batteries is potential damage caused by charging at temperatures below freezing. Some manufacturers are developing batteries with internal heaters to help. How are you mitigating this issue when you're in the cold weather? Especially when you're charging from the truck?
My BMS has low temperature charge protection. It won’t allow a charge below 34f ( I chose that temperature for an extra margin of safety). Also, our batteries are inside the camper and we live in it full time, so they never get cold. I can install a heating pad that works with the BMS. But I haven’t needed it yet.
I'm in MN with a four-season 5th wheel and have money down on a Cirrus 820. What I'm most concerned about is the winter times when the rigs are not used (winterized) but plugged in for battery maintenance. I suppose it would be best to remove the batteries or invest in the auto warming or just stick with the tried-and-true lead acid for this part of the country.
I could. With the current BMSs, I could draw 480 amps from them. With the new BMSs that I have my eye on, I’d have 800 amps available. Granted, I’d never do that without a regulator of some kind.
I’ve never seen any get so excited about batteries 🤓. I have to admit tho it’s obvious you know your stuff. How’s the weight balance? Did you calculate that in or just go with what you had? Was it even a consideration? I would think you’d need airflow across that Alde radiator-after all that’s the idea of a radiator to dissipate heat. Hope it works out for you.
Thanks. The weight was considered! I moved our extra water jugs, about 18 gallons to the drivers side, that offsets the extra 2 batteries for the most part. The passenger side is a little heavier from the factory, and adding my office setup added a little weight. I’d like to get on some scales to see how far off it really is.
Really like this video and others you've made thanks for the information keep up the excellent work. Wanting to buy one of these camper's are they good for the Cold.
Thanks. We've been in temps in low teens and it performs well. There's always a little condensation in the morning to deal with, but that's pretty common, especially with aluminum framed campers.
Re: battery security... Since batteries are inside a metal container, I would also wonder how securely mounted they are inside the container. Are they prismatic or cylindrical cells? How many in parallel? The more cells in parallel, the more contact points there could be. Battery weight is a huge momentum issue in a front end collision. Mine (35 Nissan Leaf packs) are through bolted together with 4-50" long, 3/8 thread rods and then the whole assembly is bolted inside a 3/4" steel square tube frame which is encased in aluminum and bolted to the truck frame under the camper. I have a fuse right at the point the cable exits the case. My battery weighs 300lbs and I have gone to this effort because the mass alone has big destructive capacity in a front end collision (horizontal movement). IF it moves, the potential for a short induced fire is very high. Any short will likely create a fire. A battery fire, once it gets going, is NOT likely extinguishable so if it happens, your truck and camper are likely to be a total loss. If insurance finds you negligently created the potential for the situation, the may well leave you high and dry. I suggest you may need to re-evaluate the threat it presents and develop a means of addressing it with the probability/severity you perceive.
@@stevehericks5764 Thanks for the good thoughts. It's a 4s3p configuration with prismatic cells. These are prototypes and I'll soon be switching to a 4s1p setup with 300 AH prismatic cells. The case design is a good starting point, but I have lots of changes coming. Right now, they are a tight fit and surrounded with high density foam and fiberglass board. When I put the cover on, the foam is compressed by 1-2 mm as I secure the cover. The cells themselves aren't going anywhere inside the case. Granted, I still have some design changes coming that are now possible because of the space savings of the 300ah cells in a 4s1p configuration. As for mounting, while this does work, its not my favorite setup. I'd really like to design it into the camper, but that would mean cutting out some of the factory wood. I'll try to find some other solutions before I do that. I always appreciate your input!
Hey I’ve been watching you guys for a while so what do you think about the Starlink system being delayed, now that you were waiting for, how much longer is that going to be.
I'm mostly waiting for the mobile option. I almost bought a normal Starlink system, but in is current form, its too restrictive and difficult to move around. My hope is that things move along quickly. Our current internet setup works fine, but having Starlink would be a complete game changer for us!
Starlink, do you happen to know when they'll be coming out with a product that will work with RV travelers? Was just curious. As always, thank you for a great video. We appreciate the time and detail you put into it. We learned a lot, thanks again.
I keep hearing 3rd - 4th quarter of 2021, but possibly early 2022. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for it. I'm half tempted to just get the existing setup, but there are still too many issues with transporting it and getting back on the network. I'm trying to be patient... 😔
Wow... the algorithm hasn't shown me your guys' videos in over a month. Only found this scrolling down after one of kenny of all trades videos. Also, how do I find a data plan like that? I've looked all over and the damn cell companies I've seen have max 30gb caps, and is extremely expensive after that.
I'm glad you found us again! My data plan is through Mobile Must Have. When I signed up, it was $120/month for unlimited data. Then a 1TB cap was applied and shortly after that a 500 GB cap. These unlimited data plans are in a grey area and the cell companies are cracking down. At the same time, the prices have gone up. My $120 plan is now between $200-$400 per month. We also use our Visible phone plans which give us unlimited hotspot. The hotspot speed is limited to between 5-10 Mbps. It's enough speed to stream anything you want and use our computers without data restrictions. I have been pushing a lot of data over the Visible connections and they have been working well! I'm going to just stick with what I have for now, and get the Mobile version of Starlink when it come out... Soon I hope!
They aren’t for sale yet. I’m still working on that side of things. Shoot me an email at info@stonyboot.com and I’ll notify you when I have something ready.
Wind is hit or miss, just like anywhere. Given the size of the unit and the erratic nature of the wind, I have decided not to try it. However, if I were to setup somewhere with a steady supply of wind, I'd love to give it a try!
I should have probably noted that the small sailing wind turbines just start to generate at 8mph and don't get to half capacity till about 14mph. They peak out at about 17mph (all from memory when I investigated). They do very poorly in gusty wind and that is what most wind is close to the ground. That is why the market for these is mostly at sea... I think it as simple as saying if your OK with being where its sunny, , go solar, if you're OK with being where it's windy, get a wind generator...... The answer, in these terms, should be obvious.
I have, I'd love to get my hands on something like that. But since ours is still working fine, I can't justify spending the money to replace it. Advantages would be greater efficiency and less power loss. Using an inverter means that 5-15% of power is wasted in the form of heat due to the inversion process. Running DC devices directly off of DC is always a more efficient, and produces less heat. With battery technology coming along, I see DC A/C systems becoming more popular.
@@JoJoRocks5 I did, they look great! Much less power draw than our current setup. Right now, it's a little out of my price range, but if I were to build a rig in the future, I'd really like to integrate a system like that into the camper.
Thanks. I wanted to place the terminal fuses on the batteries, but I just didn't have enough space. That would protect your main power distribution, but you still want to fuse each additional circuit after that. Sometimes fuses are built into the devices you are connecting to, like most inverters.
@@Stonyboot yes I should have written all cables downstream of the batteries are protected. I will use fused individual circuits. If you look at Everlanders channel Jason has built an innovative solar array on a camper roof.
The ABYC battery fuse standard is 'within 7 inches (cable run) from the battery'... They offer no slack for installation difficulty.... My preference is before the cable can come in contact with a grounded surface.... Since your surfaces are largely wood or metal that is un-grounded because it's mounted to wood, I'm sure what you've done is fine.
High output alternators would be fantastic! In my dream setup, I'd have a HO alternator setup to charge my house bank. More power and less worry about burning it out! I have the factory Dual 220 Amp alternators, but I'd love to look at better options! Do you have any suggestions?
@@rexnhogz Those do look nice! If I could pull like 200 amps continuously, I would completely change my charging system. However, I have bigger projects coming in the following months, so I won't be making any changes like that yet. Thanks for the tips!
I guess I made the comment on heat to soon so it sounds like an excessive heat problem. I would put a hole in the side of the Camper to exhaust the heat outside and thematically controlled. Now you mentioned 3000 watt in inverter but I only have 200 watts Lithium. Remember I said I couldn't run the toaster buts that's because I don't have it installed correctly.
The only time we have too much heat is when its warm out and both DC-DC chargers are running. I just open that compartment if we plan to drive more than an hour, I also have a fan to install at some point soon. 2 100 AH lithium batteries can probably support up to 200 amps of discharge, so the 3k watt inverter should work, but not at full capacity. If I remember correctly, you said a breaker/fuse was tripping. All of your wires and fuses should be selected based upon the load required to run your devices. Did you ever get it figured out?
I thought you were trying to sell your camper? We might visit Florida again in the future, but we have a lot to see out west first. I'd be happy to go over your setup sometime.
@@Stonyboot yes it is for sale but I always do things as if I'm keeping it and I like it to be right. I just talked with my little love bud Alison and asked her if she would like to go and see our son Kevin in Austin Texas in two weeks. She said ok. She's leaving for Minneapolis on Thursday and when she comes back we're going. This will be our 1st trip together in the Camper. She couldn't go with me in August because of the blood clot in her leg. So when I asked her about going she said ok. We have not seen our son in almost two years. So anyway if someone wants to buy the Camper they will have to wait. Cross your fingers she could change mind.
Well done, Scott! Clear, concise & upbeat- all in one video!? I'm genuinely impressed, and- not a single swear word was used. You probably should have opened showing your hands though- I'm sure they were all cut up from hand tool mishaps (well, mine certainly would be!) & then a quick flash over to Sasha (say 'Moose & Squirrel') to see how angry she was with you after destroying the camper for days in a row! BUT, the end result is awesome & 1,200AH is massive overkill for 98.6% of your viewing public. Conversely, very few would venture into 300Lbs of dead weight as well. I'm awed with the effort...
That's for the great comment! To my surprise, I didn't have any major injuries. Sasha is pretty tolerant of these projects and really enjoys the extra power and what it does for our life. But it does get pretty cramped in there when we are both trying to work on stuff :) They are overkill for most people, but it's pretty nice for us. We have the ability to charge all of our stuff including our e-bike batteries without running the generator. It's been really nice!
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it! There's a fine line between too fast and too slow. If you go the question and answer section at 9:42 it's pretty relaxed 😎
Damn brother, this was an amazing setup and video. You lost me at black licorice candy though 🤢. 🤣. I too was curious about the batteries. Damn, to think you actually designed your own batteries because my question was going to be those are awesome how much did they cost 🤣😂. Keep hitting home runs with these videos brother. I gobble up this content man
Thank you for the kindness! I hate black licorice too, HOWEVER, this stuff is different. It's the perfect mixture of sweet and whatever flavor black licorice is. Normal black licorice is pretty hard to like. I'll talk more about the batteries soon.
I like the Renogy battery monitor. I just wish they had Bluetooth. I enjoy watching it recalculate the remaining battery life after putting a big load on it.
I agree. Thats why I’m looking at the Victron unit. Bluetooth is nice since we do everything with our phones anyway. I also liked to watch the time remaining change and try to guess what it will be when I turn something on, haha 😂
Great video, subscribed! Looking forward to some more details about the batteries, the company you used and the process to spec and design them. (of course what they might cost as well) Safe travels!
Do you have a high idle on the truck? If so, could you use the high idle to act as a generator via the DC-to-DC charger? Would it be an efficient way of charging instead of the generator or solar?
I do have a high idle, integrated into the cruise control system on our Cummins. While it’s possible to do this, it’s very inefficient. Running a large engine just to spin the alternators and charge at 1000 watts isn’t cost effective and would be detrimental to the engine. I only charge while driving. If I need power to run my AC or recharge our batteries, I’ll run my much more efficient Honda generator. When I get around to adding solar, that will really help extend our battery power. The real limitation for us regarding solar, is roof space. A purpose built, inverter generator is much better to run than your trucks engine. And personally, I’m looking forward to adding solar so the generator will only be needed to run the air conditioning.
Agreed, but that presents other problems for us as well. We have 3 laptops, each with different voltage requirements, my storage array has another set of requirements. Our ebike batteries are also different voltages. I’m a perfect world, I’d go DC for everything. But the added cost and complexity made it less appealing. My 10% loss at 200 watts means that I’m sacrificing about 20 watts of power. Easy to compensate for that. What I real want is a DC air conditioner!!! Any thoughts on that?
Haha, not really, total electrical load is about 200 watts with everything on. Granted that varies a bit, but that isn't nearly enough to warm the camper up. Our Alde keeps us nice and toasty though!
@@Stonyboot you mentioned custom.. but by Who? What company? Do they have specific model that they modified.. That's such a great idea. Never knew a company would do that
Hi I have been watching a whole lot of your videos lately and enjoying them so much. This is something that I've wanted to do for quite a while but it's hard to save up enough funds to do so. I wanted to tell you that I was in Harbor Freight today and saw the black sine wave inverter which is a marine inverter I guess but there are so many more that are sine wave now in Harbor Freight made by Jupiter at a very nice savings. Many blessings to you and your wife and have safe trips.
You're knowledge on this subject is truly impressive sir.
Thanks for checking it out, it’s always a work in progress 😁
IMHO best youtube channel for truck camper mods. Just got a 2022 cirrus 820 last month, first mod paper towel holder is done lol, next is lifepo
Thank you, we appreciate it!
And the blinking eyes nice effect. Your a movie star. Great editing and even better information.
Thanks, I try to be mostly serious with a little silly mixed in.
Nice truck👍
Thanks, we love it! It's amazing how well it holds up even hauling all this weight full-time.
Appreciate the video, ur info is awesome. It shows u can rundays and only do some charging. I’m gonna look see if u have a generator video
Nice rig. I recon you could get 2 x 400w panels on there so 800w of solar is gonna be happy days for your air con!! :D
I coudl get those up there, but they would cover my vents and air conditiner. With solar, I'll probably look at either 100 or 200 watt panels, possibly flexible, to fill the gaps on the roof without covering my other equipment.
My second suggestion is to take the bed off and make a custom bed with lock boxes for storage. With this suggestion you could carry more fuel ⛽️ by extending the custom bed
That project is on my wish list. I really want a flatbed to customize, but it's not in the budget right now. For now, I'll just keep thinking about it :D
For thermostatically controlled fans I would look at RV refrigerator fans.
Thank you, I'll look into them!
Just learned about weight, make sure your careful with your cog and wet weights.
Yeah, we are still in good shape. A little heavier in the front than I want, but we will rectify that when we can reorganize our stuff.
Who was the battery supplier and what do they cost per battery?
I'll be making another video to go over the batteries specifically! Stay tuned.
Hey Scott. I subscribed several months back and have been following the videos you and Sasha put out for a while now and really enjoy them. Thanks for the great content and the excellent job you guys do putting them together. If you've already answered my question to follow, I apologize in advance. I'm wondering if you could share the name of the company you worked with to custom design and build your batteries? Like you, I have a truck and a camper for boondocking and I have the same issue you had with needing more power for my rig and limited space to utilize. I'm hoping I can find a company that can help me build exactly what I need. Any help you can send my way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and keep the great videos coming!
Thanks for subscribing and watching our videos. Unfortunately, I can’t share where I get the batteries from. I’m currently under agreement with another company regarding the batteries, so I’ve been quite on them. Detail will be forthcoming in the future, but for now…. I have to 🤫
Scott, starlink offers a ground pole mount 2x44, which you can cut to fit to mount to the back of your camper and then add an extension pole. the 88 inches is plenty to reach just below the roof line. the mast is 1.3 inches in diameter, the weight is 9.2 lbs, and the dimensions for the new square dish are 19x22. so you would not need to wait to put solar panels on the roof. the downside is that trees can drop your signal because of obstruction. also the rollout for starlink has had delays because of chip shortages and there needs to be more satellites, most likely late 2022 will be a better time to buy the dish.
Thanks for the specifics. I was really hoping things would go as planned, but the delay has be rather disappointed. There are other factors delaying our solar build that will become clear in the coming months. I still have plans for Starlink, but I'll just have to wait until its ready.
Wow. The best just keeps getting better…….. But curious about something. You’ve added some weight it’s seems, how much? Also with the additions how much living and or storage space did you have to give up? Finally, how long do you plan on keeping your camper? The reason I’m asking is all the work you’ve put into this will again have to be done in a new camper if you decide to get a new one, and that’s allot of work you put into it.
The batteries are about 70 lbs each, so 280 lbs, plus inverters, cabling, chargers, etc, i'm going to guess 350 lbs. But, I was replacing the the factory batteries, 2 6 volt agm batteires. They were about 75lbs each. So maybe a real total of 200 lbs. Our office build also added some weight, not sure how much, probably 100 lbs.
I'm not sure how long we will keep the camper. We do like it, but are always looking for new opportunities. I'd be happy to have something new to play with, but we do love our Cirrus.
Wish I could see how ya hooked up your AC and Microwave off your batteries. Recently got a 820 2022 model, but hardly anything is wired for the inverter.
My understanding is the 820 comes with a 1k inverter. So it wouldn’t be enough to run the microwave or A/C. Upgrades would be necessary. Also, I took advantage of space that’s not available on the 820. If you can send me a message on Facebook or email I can record a quick video tour and show you how it’s setup.
Could you strap over the batteries with something strong like seat belt material screwed into the floor?
That’s a great idea!!! Webbing like that is super strong and thin, I’m pretty much out of space so that would be a great safety system.
Thanks for the idea!
With adding new batteries to an existing battery bank, aren't you worried about the older batteries being pulled from more, than the newer batteries? Or is that not a thing? I head that was a thing, and it's stopped me adding more batteries to my 300ah lithium system. 1200AH is AWESOME lol.
That's a great question. From my understanding, it's not good to mix new and old lead-acid batteries, but lithium is much more tolerant. Their charge efficiency stays very solid over time and they don't need to float. They do lose capacity over time, but that doesn't really affect their charging characteristics. When I joined them up, the old batteries had about 50 cycles on them. I ran them separately and together and they seemed to perform equally in both cases. I do have them wired in parallel pairs so I can easily separate them if needed.
I'd like to hear more about the potential problems with the old and new lithium batteries if anyone has some input!
Great set up but where is the battery link? You don’t consider them part of the power system or are they a secret?
I don't have a link... They aren't a secret, but they are my own design and not on the market. Selling them becomes a very complex process, one that I have not solved yet. I also have another major design change that I'm working on. So in essence, these are just prototypes. I might have a link for them someday, but nothing yet... 😔
Interesting and very neat - just wonder why you never did a 48v system to keep the wiring thinner - you can get DC to DC chargers and a step down for 12v - I have 320amhr on 12v in my rig and use a Renogy too
Simplicity! If I needed a bigger setup, I might consider it. But for now, 12v has been enough. Granted, I’d like smaller cables, but I didn’t want to deal with step down converters and replacing my inverter. Huge investment of time and money over time, to change to 24 or 48v would require replacing some expensive components. But I agree, higher voltage would be nice.
If I ever move to a 3k inverter, I’ll probably switch then.
Let's pray you don't have a fire, the monetary loss. Would be crazy.
Fire is always a risk with everything. Insurance helps, but it's never 100%
I was thinking about you Future Solar, Hence you could make a rake that would pull out from underneath the bed area that would cover the truck windshield when the truck is not in motion. Ergo, Perfect location
🤙👍👋🙏
Thats a great idea! I'll have to keep that in mind...
One of the drawback of lithium batteries is potential damage caused by charging at temperatures below freezing. Some manufacturers are developing batteries with internal heaters to help. How are you mitigating this issue when you're in the cold weather? Especially when you're charging from the truck?
My BMS has low temperature charge protection. It won’t allow a charge below 34f ( I chose that temperature for an extra margin of safety). Also, our batteries are inside the camper and we live in it full time, so they never get cold. I can install a heating pad that works with the BMS. But I haven’t needed it yet.
I'm in MN with a four-season 5th wheel and have money down on a Cirrus 820. What I'm most concerned about is the winter times when the rigs are not used (winterized) but plugged in for battery maintenance. I suppose it would be best to remove the batteries or invest in the auto warming or just stick with the tried-and-true lead acid for this part of the country.
Holy crikey, remote stick welding
I could. With the current BMSs, I could draw 480 amps from them. With the new BMSs that I have my eye on, I’d have 800 amps available. Granted, I’d never do that without a regulator of some kind.
I’ve never seen any get so excited about batteries 🤓. I have to admit tho it’s obvious you know your stuff. How’s the weight balance? Did you calculate that in or just go with what you had? Was it even a consideration? I would think you’d need airflow across that Alde radiator-after all that’s the idea of a radiator to dissipate heat. Hope it works out for you.
Thanks. The weight was considered! I moved our extra water jugs, about 18 gallons to the drivers side, that offsets the extra 2 batteries for the most part. The passenger side is a little heavier from the factory, and adding my office setup added a little weight. I’d like to get on some scales to see how far off it really is.
Really like this video and others you've made thanks for the information keep up the excellent work.
Wanting to buy one of these camper's are they good for the Cold.
Thanks. We've been in temps in low teens and it performs well. There's always a little condensation in the morning to deal with, but that's pretty common, especially with aluminum framed campers.
Great video. Lots of wonderful information. It is so good that I listened twice to absorb it all. Thanks. RS
Thanks for checking it out 👍
Re: battery security... Since batteries are inside a metal container, I would also wonder how securely mounted they are inside the container. Are they prismatic or cylindrical cells? How many in parallel? The more cells in parallel, the more contact points there could be.
Battery weight is a huge momentum issue in a front end collision. Mine (35 Nissan Leaf packs) are through bolted together with 4-50" long, 3/8 thread rods and then the whole assembly is bolted inside a 3/4" steel square tube frame which is encased in aluminum and bolted to the truck frame under the camper. I have a fuse right at the point the cable exits the case. My battery weighs 300lbs and I have gone to this effort because the mass alone has big destructive capacity in a front end collision (horizontal movement). IF it moves, the potential for a short induced fire is very high. Any short will likely create a fire. A battery fire, once it gets going, is NOT likely extinguishable so if it happens, your truck and camper are likely to be a total loss. If insurance finds you negligently created the potential for the situation, the may well leave you high and dry. I suggest you may need to re-evaluate the threat it presents and develop a means of addressing it with the probability/severity you perceive.
@@stevehericks5764 Thanks for the good thoughts. It's a 4s3p configuration with prismatic cells. These are prototypes and I'll soon be switching to a 4s1p setup with 300 AH prismatic cells. The case design is a good starting point, but I have lots of changes coming. Right now, they are a tight fit and surrounded with high density foam and fiberglass board. When I put the cover on, the foam is compressed by 1-2 mm as I secure the cover. The cells themselves aren't going anywhere inside the case. Granted, I still have some design changes coming that are now possible because of the space savings of the 300ah cells in a 4s1p configuration.
As for mounting, while this does work, its not my favorite setup. I'd really like to design it into the camper, but that would mean cutting out some of the factory wood. I'll try to find some other solutions before I do that.
I always appreciate your input!
Hey I’ve been watching you guys for a while so what do you think about the Starlink system being delayed, now that you were waiting for, how much longer is that going to be.
I'm mostly waiting for the mobile option. I almost bought a normal Starlink system, but in is current form, its too restrictive and difficult to move around. My hope is that things move along quickly. Our current internet setup works fine, but having Starlink would be a complete game changer for us!
Starlink, do you happen to know when they'll be coming out with a product that will work with RV travelers? Was just curious.
As always, thank you for a great video. We appreciate the time and detail you put into it. We learned a lot, thanks again.
I keep hearing 3rd - 4th quarter of 2021, but possibly early 2022. I'm on the edge of my seat waiting for it. I'm half tempted to just get the existing setup, but there are still too many issues with transporting it and getting back on the network. I'm trying to be patient... 😔
Wow... the algorithm hasn't shown me your guys' videos in over a month. Only found this scrolling down after one of kenny of all trades videos.
Also, how do I find a data plan like that? I've looked all over and the damn cell companies I've seen have max 30gb caps, and is extremely expensive after that.
I'm glad you found us again! My data plan is through Mobile Must Have. When I signed up, it was $120/month for unlimited data. Then a 1TB cap was applied and shortly after that a 500 GB cap. These unlimited data plans are in a grey area and the cell companies are cracking down. At the same time, the prices have gone up. My $120 plan is now between $200-$400 per month.
We also use our Visible phone plans which give us unlimited hotspot. The hotspot speed is limited to between 5-10 Mbps. It's enough speed to stream anything you want and use our computers without data restrictions. I have been pushing a lot of data over the Visible connections and they have been working well!
I'm going to just stick with what I have for now, and get the Mobile version of Starlink when it come out... Soon I hope!
I couldn't find the link for your batteries
They aren’t for sale yet. I’m still working on that side of things. Shoot me an email at info@stonyboot.com and I’ll notify you when I have something ready.
Would you like to test rv propane quick connect or suv doorstep ?
I might be open to that, please email me at info@stonyboot.com with details 👍
Do you run in to much wind in where you camp? If so have you ever considered a wind generator?
Wind is hit or miss, just like anywhere. Given the size of the unit and the erratic nature of the wind, I have decided not to try it. However, if I were to setup somewhere with a steady supply of wind, I'd love to give it a try!
If there was enough wind around to get effective wind generation.... You should move because you will not be enjoying the outdoors.
Argreed, my least favorite weather condition is wind!!!
I should have probably noted that the small sailing wind turbines just start to generate at 8mph and don't get to half capacity till about 14mph. They peak out at about 17mph (all from memory when I investigated). They do very poorly in gusty wind and that is what most wind is close to the ground. That is why the market for these is mostly at sea... I think it as simple as saying if your OK with being where its sunny, , go solar, if you're OK with being where it's windy, get a wind generator...... The answer, in these terms, should be obvious.
Have you considered a DC air conditioning system? What would be the advantages?
I have, I'd love to get my hands on something like that. But since ours is still working fine, I can't justify spending the money to replace it.
Advantages would be greater efficiency and less power loss. Using an inverter means that 5-15% of power is wasted in the form of heat due to the inversion process. Running DC devices directly off of DC is always a more efficient, and produces less heat. With battery technology coming along, I see DC A/C systems becoming more popular.
Look at "Mabru" DC air conditioner the guy a genius
@@JoJoRocks5 I did, they look great! Much less power draw than our current setup. Right now, it's a little out of my price range, but if I were to build a rig in the future, I'd really like to integrate a system like that into the camper.
Great system. I'm thinking of placing the large fuse right at the battery terminals. My logic is everything down stream is protected?
Thanks. I wanted to place the terminal fuses on the batteries, but I just didn't have enough space.
That would protect your main power distribution, but you still want to fuse each additional circuit after that. Sometimes fuses are built into the devices you are connecting to, like most inverters.
@@Stonyboot yes I should have written all cables downstream of the batteries are protected. I will use fused individual circuits. If you look at Everlanders channel Jason has built an innovative solar array on a camper roof.
The ABYC battery fuse standard is 'within 7 inches (cable run) from the battery'... They offer no slack for installation difficulty.... My preference is before the cable can come in contact with a grounded surface.... Since your surfaces are largely wood or metal that is un-grounded because it's mounted to wood, I'm sure what you've done is fine.
@@stevehericks5764 That was my determination too. I wanted to install terminal fuses, but I just didn't have enough clearance.
For the batteries use 1/2 inch angle iron have someone weld it in a box shaped holder it'll be stronger than aluminum
A high output alternator like we use in car audio wont give you faster truck charging?
High output alternators would be fantastic! In my dream setup, I'd have a HO alternator setup to charge my house bank. More power and less worry about burning it out! I have the factory Dual 220 Amp alternators, but I'd love to look at better options! Do you have any suggestions?
@@Stonyboot #1 Mechman. JS Alternators,DC power. Depends on the application. My JS was 500 bucks and Runs an 8k subwoofer setup.
@@rexnhogz Those do look nice! If I could pull like 200 amps continuously, I would completely change my charging system. However, I have bigger projects coming in the following months, so I won't be making any changes like that yet.
Thanks for the tips!
@@Stonyboot a alternator is is massive noticeable difference
what solar package and Starlink cable management are you installing on the Kingstar?
I guess I made the comment on heat to soon so it sounds like an excessive heat problem. I would put a hole in the side of the Camper to exhaust the heat outside and thematically controlled. Now you mentioned 3000 watt in inverter but I only have 200 watts Lithium. Remember I said I couldn't run the toaster buts that's because I don't have it installed correctly.
The only time we have too much heat is when its warm out and both DC-DC chargers are running. I just open that compartment if we plan to drive more than an hour, I also have a fan to install at some point soon.
2 100 AH lithium batteries can probably support up to 200 amps of discharge, so the 3k watt inverter should work, but not at full capacity. If I remember correctly, you said a breaker/fuse was tripping. All of your wires and fuses should be selected based upon the load required to run your devices. Did you ever get it figured out?
If your down in Florida were in Palm Coast I would gladly pay you to show me what I need to do with my hook up on the 820.
I thought you were trying to sell your camper? We might visit Florida again in the future, but we have a lot to see out west first. I'd be happy to go over your setup sometime.
@@Stonyboot yes it is for sale but I always do things as if I'm keeping it and I like it to be right. I just talked with my little love bud Alison and asked her if she would like to go and see our son Kevin in Austin Texas in two weeks. She said ok. She's leaving for Minneapolis on Thursday and when she comes back we're going. This will be our 1st trip together in the Camper. She couldn't go with me in August because of the blood clot in her leg. So when I asked her about going she said ok. We have not seen our son in almost two years. So anyway if someone wants to buy the Camper they will have to wait. Cross your fingers she could change mind.
@@terrylarkin690 That sounds like a special trip! I hope everything goes well!
Well done, Scott! Clear, concise & upbeat- all in one video!? I'm genuinely impressed, and- not a single swear word was used. You probably should have opened showing your hands though- I'm sure they were all cut up from hand tool mishaps (well, mine certainly would be!) & then a quick flash over to Sasha (say 'Moose & Squirrel') to see how angry she was with you after destroying the camper for days in a row! BUT, the end result is awesome & 1,200AH is massive overkill for 98.6% of your viewing public. Conversely, very few would venture into 300Lbs of dead weight as well. I'm awed with the effort...
That's for the great comment! To my surprise, I didn't have any major injuries. Sasha is pretty tolerant of these projects and really enjoys the extra power and what it does for our life. But it does get pretty cramped in there when we are both trying to work on stuff :)
They are overkill for most people, but it's pretty nice for us. We have the ability to charge all of our stuff including our e-bike batteries without running the generator. It's been really nice!
Thanks for the answer! :)
😊
Re-edit. you're giving me seizures jumping around. Couldn't watch anymore......
Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it! There's a fine line between too fast and too slow.
If you go the question and answer section at 9:42 it's pretty relaxed 😎
Damn brother, this was an amazing setup and video. You lost me at black licorice candy though 🤢. 🤣. I too was curious about the batteries. Damn, to think you actually designed your own batteries because my question was going to be those are awesome how much did they cost 🤣😂. Keep hitting home runs with these videos brother. I gobble up this content man
Thank you for the kindness! I hate black licorice too, HOWEVER, this stuff is different. It's the perfect mixture of sweet and whatever flavor black licorice is. Normal black licorice is pretty hard to like.
I'll talk more about the batteries soon.
I like the Renogy battery monitor. I just wish they had Bluetooth. I enjoy watching it recalculate the remaining battery life after putting a big load on it.
I agree. Thats why I’m looking at the Victron unit. Bluetooth is nice since we do everything with our phones anyway.
I also liked to watch the time remaining change and try to guess what it will be when I turn something on, haha 😂
Great video, subscribed! Looking forward to some more details about the batteries, the company you used and the process to spec and design them. (of course what they might cost as well)
Safe travels!
I’ll be doing an update video soon covering the batteries. Stay tuned!
Awesome , thats a lot of juice man ! Thanks for the super great detail ... ~peace~
It’s been nice to have the capacity! I just need more solar. Someday :)
Do you have a high idle on the truck? If so, could you use the high idle to act as a generator via the DC-to-DC charger? Would it be an efficient way of charging instead of the generator or solar?
I do have a high idle, integrated into the cruise control system on our Cummins. While it’s possible to do this, it’s very inefficient. Running a large engine just to spin the alternators and charge at 1000 watts isn’t cost effective and would be detrimental to the engine. I only charge while driving. If I need power to run my AC or recharge our batteries, I’ll run my much more efficient Honda generator.
When I get around to adding solar, that will really help extend our battery power. The real limitation for us regarding solar, is roof space.
A purpose built, inverter generator is much better to run than your trucks engine. And personally, I’m looking forward to adding solar so the generator will only be needed to run the air conditioning.
DC to DC converters for Laptops and for that Storage would help you waste less power as that inverter wastes lots of power
Agreed, but that presents other problems for us as well. We have 3 laptops, each with different voltage requirements, my storage array has another set of requirements. Our ebike batteries are also different voltages.
I’m a perfect world, I’d go DC for everything. But the added cost and complexity made it less appealing. My 10% loss at 200 watts means that I’m sacrificing about 20 watts of power. Easy to compensate for that.
What I real want is a DC air conditioner!!! Any thoughts on that?
Scott with all the added electronics I would bet your Alde heating system is not running much. A lot of heat genetated
Haha, not really, total electrical load is about 200 watts with everything on. Granted that varies a bit, but that isn't nearly enough to warm the camper up. Our Alde keeps us nice and toasty though!
Subscribed! I am now doing an installation of a couple of 300AH lifepo4 batteries alongside my AGMs in my Sprinter van. Happy travels! Mike WG7D
Good luck and enjoy the power!!!
Are you keeping the LiFePo4 and AGM separated?
@@Stonyboot yes separate for now,but they are able to be connected together if need be in the future.
The batteries are marked "This side up" but you have them on their sides. Is that going to be a problem?
The stickers were mostly decorative. While the batteries shouldn’t be upside down, any other orientation is fine.
Are the batteries available to purchase?
Minisplit AC would be a great addition
Beautiful rig and solar set-up …. Are you for hire. ???
Thank you. I don't really do RV work, since I'm just an amateur. You can email me at info@stonyboot.com and let me know what your looking for.
You didn't mentions which brand model batteries you have
I like the video
I did. They are my own design, so no brand or model yet.
Thanks for watching!
@@Stonyboot you mentioned custom.. but by Who? What company? Do they have specific model that they modified..
That's such a great idea. Never knew a company would do that
Thank you
Who makes the batteries?
A video about your dc-dc charger instal would be nice. Very curious about getting all the wires to them.
Here you go:
Part 1: ruclips.net/video/6G4mnerqXPY/видео.html
Part 2: ruclips.net/video/7FCoTN8P0-0/видео.html
@@Stonyboot thank you!
No problem!
Great video. It was all I could do to muster up the courage to cut s 5” hole in the floor to mount a diesel heater. Great job!
Thanks! I hate cutting things, but a couple holes were needed! A diesel heater sounds like a fun project, what model did you use?
Stonyboot an Esbar D2.
@@darylhawkins4658 Thanks, I'll google it!
I have no idea what your talking about
P P P Power. Just my battery system :)
I'd get in a lot of trouble
😂
I just use a computer fan.
I have a large computer blower fan that I’m going to test. It’s it a normal muffin fan, but more of a centrifugal blower, just tiny.
@@Stonyboot That may work. Worst that could happen is it doesn't and you will have to upgrade. Good Luck.
lost me
😢
Hi I have been watching a whole lot of your videos lately and enjoying them so much. This is something that I've wanted to do for quite a while but it's hard to save up enough funds to do so. I wanted to tell you that I was in Harbor Freight today and saw the black sine wave inverter which is a marine inverter I guess but there are so many more that are sine wave now in Harbor Freight made by Jupiter at a very nice savings. Many blessings to you and your wife and have safe trips.
Thanks for the info and for watching our videos. I’ll look up the inverter.