![]() That is not particularly conducive to getting anywhere….Ĭonsider the voltage meter to be essentially just a “guess gauge”, and not a gas gauge. Imagine if your car’s gas gauge was only accurate after you had been pulled off the highway for six hours. If the battery is not well rested, particularly if it is currently being used (even if just to power a light), the voltage reading is going to be off – and therefore nearly useless. ![]() That means no lights on, no charger connected, no solar running – essentially no use whatsoever. To get an accurate and meaningful voltage reading, your batteries must have been sitting idle for at least six hours, and preferably twenty four. The Oliver trailer includes a system status panel that will show you your battery voltage, and by keeping watch you can get a sense for how you are doing.īut there is a BIG catch. A fully charged 12V battery will read 12.73 V, at 50% capacity 12.10 V, and when you have just 20% left (critical territory!) 11.66 V. ![]() The simplest way to keep an eye on your batteries is via a voltage meter. Not good – particularly if you’ve invested in expensive AGM batteries. If you use the “lights are getting dimmer” method to tell that your batteries are running down, they will almost certainly be permanently dead within a year. This is particularly important when relying on solar, because you will rarely know for sure what state of charge the sun has left you with.īatteries will last longest if you never cycle them below 50% capacity, and going over 80% drained starts to seriously damage even the best “deep cycle” batteries. But if you are going to do any sort of serious camping without electrical hookups or a daily dose of generator, it is essential that you keep a close eye on your batteries. If you fill your tank up everyday and never drive further than to the corner store, this strategy can work just fine. Boondocking or “dry camping” in an RV without a battery monitor is like driving a car without a gas gauge.
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