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HDRider

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    Advantage Planners

    in Campgrounds & Parks

    Posted

    I read this article this morning and thought it would be good to share with the group.

     

    Eighteen parks broke annual visitation records in 2021, according to National Park Service data. One — Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas — saw record visitors last year.  Overall visits to national parks jumped by 5% in 2022 versus the year prior, to 312 million recreation visits. 

    • Some of the most heavily trafficked parks have instituted advance reservation systems to address congestion in popular hikes and roads. A few require reservations for full park access.
    • They include: Acadia, Arches, Glacier, Haleakalā, Rocky Mountain, Yosemite and Zion National Parks.
    • The free permits and reservations generally come with a processing fee of $2 and up.

    https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/10/national-park-trips-you-may-need-advance-reservations-and-permits.html

     

     

     

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    Using a generator solely for charging the Ollie batteries

    in Ollie Boondocking

    Posted

    9 hours ago, Frank C said:

    The charge voltage value you entered is incorrect.  The batteries do not charge at 120 volts.  120 volts is the nominal AC (alternating current) shore power input voltage to the trailer.  The battery charger converts that AC voltage to DC voltage (direct current) for charging the batteries.  Lithium ion batteries charge at around 14.25 to 14.7 volts DC.  Enter that value.   Charging current (amps) is equal to the charging wattage divided by the charging voltage.  THEORETICALLY 2000 watts available divided by a 14.5 volt DC charging voltage is 138 amps DC, but the batteries and/or the battery charger have a charge current limit setting.   So they typically do not allow that high of a charge current.   For example, the BattleBorn batteries I’ve been considering for an upgrade have a maximum charge current limit of 50 amps DC.   So at a 14.5 volt DC charging voltage that means it’ll only be using 725 watts.  A 2000 watt generator is overkill for just charging batteries, but overkill is good, it means the generator won’t be working as hard. 

    I don't know what to do with this statement, "the batteries and/or the battery charger have a charge current limit setting.   So they typically do not allow that high of a charge current."

     

    You helped reinforce my self professed ignorance on this subject.

     

    I like this much mo better!  At 14.25 volts it is  an estimated charge time: 1.5 hours

    Trying to understand recharging the batteries

    in Ollie Boondocking

    Posted

    On 4/26/2023 at 1:51 PM, Steph and Dud B said:

    Yes, they have a separate charge controller.

    How could the generator go through the same (or maybe an altogether different) charge controller as the solar panels?

     

    I would like to see the generator charge the batteries as fast as it could.  It is my understanding that lithium can take a very fast charge.

    Jump to unread

    in Welcome To The Oliver Travel Trailer Forums

    Posted

    18 hours ago, Steve Morris said:

    In the menu and under forums, as well as a button near the top right is "Unread Content", which shows a list of all threads that are new since your last visit, or unread in general. When this list is presented, there is a large ball or star to the left of the thread title. Clicking on this takes you directly to the first unread post. The ones with stars are threads that you have participated in.

    My typical forum visit (on my desktop) is to poke the Unread Content button, and then once the list is presented, I'll Command-Click (right-click?) all of the balls or starts I'm interested in reading. This opens them all up in new tabs. Once done, I mark all threads as read if I skipped any, so that I'm caught up for the next visit.

    That's it!  A little different, but that IS it.  Thanks

    • Like 1

    Jump to unread

    in Welcome To The Oliver Travel Trailer Forums

    Posted

    On 4/20/2023 at 7:44 AM, Ollie-Haus said:

    If you hover over the activity button in the nav bar at the top, you will have a row pop up that has "unread content" in it. 

    I was asking about going to what I have not read in a specific thread

     

    This is how our forum here shows what is not read

    image.thumb.png.6b0fba2c3282946a56ddaf1ec5bc45a3.png

     

    Here is how iRV2 forum does it.

    image.png.73a6209e0fee625f1164b84cf4e623e2.png

     

    It is a very common function in other forums.  I do not think the Oliver forum has the function.

    Generator Reviews

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    40 minutes ago, Frank C said:

    Thanks for the info.   But some of that is either misleading or wrong.  Harbor Freight is an American company but the Predator generators are built in China and imported, like almost all HF products.   Companies will use wording like “designed in USA” (Apple does this a lot) to give a more positive impression.  

    image.thumb.jpeg.5e29dc25d7dcaefb1da90fef494c7daa.jpeg
     

    Thanks for setting the record straight.  I really questioned the accuracy myself.  That is why I posted two articles. 

     

    Buying real US products is important to me.  I try very hard to avoid products made in China, or products made by Chinese companies if I can.

    • Like 3

    Generator Reviews

    in Mechanical & Technical Tips

    Posted

    I thought some of you might like reading this.

     

    Here are some of the top generator brands made in the USA. 

    1. Generac 
    2. Craftsman 
    3. Kohler 
    4. Briggs and Stratton 
    5. Cummins 

    https://thesavvycampers.com/where-are-champion-generators-made/

     

    While the generator brands mentioned below do not have their headquarters in China, many of them still produce at least a few components overseas.

    1. Kohler – Kohler is a very reliable generator brand with its headquarters in Wisconsin, U.S.A. The brand has manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin and other states to account for high demand.
    1. Generac – Generac generators are proudly made in the United States, more specifically Wisconsin at their many manufacturing facilities. 
    1. Onan – Elkhart, Indiana, is the epicenter of production for Onan generators, but in 2010, Onan outsourced the production of engines and other parts to China. Like so many other brands, the sticker will say made in the United States, but certain parts likely get produced in China. 
    1. Honda – Honda is one of the best generator brands you can purchase, and they are made entirely in Japan. Japan has a reputation for producing reliable and excellent small engine products, and their generators are no exception. 
    1. Champion – Champion generators are made and designed in America, but their engines get produced in China. Like many other brands, Champion will say that they undergo production in America, but this isn’t completely true. 
    1. Pulsar – Pulsar generators are great products and get produced in Ontario, Canada. Pulsar generators are comparable to some of the top brands in the U.S. and Japan and have a much-deserved reputation of excellence. Their base of operations isn’t in the United States, but they’re still American-made. 
    1. Westinghouse – Westinghouse is one of the oldest manufacturers of electronics and generators in the world. They are based in the heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and produce thousands of products, including generators. 
    1. Craftsman – Craftsman generators, like the parent company Generac, is an American-based brand that produces excellent generators. Craftsman is a more affordable version of Generac, the leading manufacturer of generators in the world. 
    1. Predator – Predator generators are an American product that gets produced by the American tool manufacturing company Harbor Freight Tools. While they have a reputation for producing cheap but decent tools and products, generators are no exception. They come at a lower price and will have a quality and lifespan that reflects that price. 

    https://pickgenerators.com/generators-made-in-china/

     

    • Like 3

    Trying to understand recharging the batteries

    in Ollie Boondocking

    Posted

    Q - How long would it take a 2000 watt generator to recharge 390 amp hour battery?

    A - The time it would take a 2000 watt generator to recharge a 390 ampere hour (Ah) battery depends on several factors, such as the charging efficiency, the condition of the battery, and the charging rate.

    Assuming a charging efficiency of around 80%, which is a reasonable estimate for most lead-acid batteries, we can calculate the charging time using the following formula:

    Charging time = Battery capacity (Ah) / (Charging rate (A) x Charging efficiency)

    To determine the charging rate, we need to convert the generator's wattage to amperage, using the formula:

    Charging rate (A) = Charging power (W) / Charging voltage (V)

    For a typical 12-volt lead-acid battery, the charging voltage is around 14.4 volts. Thus, the charging rate of a 2000 watt generator would be:

    Charging rate (A) = 2000 W / 14.4 V = 138.9 A

    Plugging in the values, we get:

    Charging time = 390 Ah / (138.9 A x 0.8) = 3.5 hours

    Therefore, it would take approximately 3.5 hours, or 210 minutes, for a 2000 watt generator to fully recharge a 390 Ah battery, assuming optimal conditions and a charging efficiency of 80%. However, in real-world situations, the actual charging time may vary depending on factors such as the temperature, the state of charge of the battery, and the type of battery chemistry.

    • Like 1

    Trying to understand recharging the batteries

    in Ollie Boondocking

    Posted

    I explained my lack of understand of electricity in this earlier thread.  Long story short, I am an e-dummy.

    But yet, I persevere.  Using ChatAI

     

    Q - How long would it take for 400 watt solar panels to recharge 390 amp hour battery

    A - To calculate how long it would take for a 400-watt solar panel to recharge a 390-ampere hour (Ah) battery, we need to take into account a few factors, such as the efficiency of the solar panel, the weather conditions, and the charging controller used.

    Assuming a charging efficiency of around 80%, which is a reasonable estimate for most solar panels, we can calculate the charging time using the following formula:

    Charging time = Battery capacity (Ah) / (Solar panel power (W) x Charging efficiency)

    Plugging in the values, we get:

    Charging time = 390 Ah / (400 W x 0.8) = 1.22 hours

    Therefore, it would take approximately 1.22 hours, or 73 minutes, for a 400-watt solar panel to fully recharge a 390 Ah battery, assuming optimal conditions and a charging efficiency of 80%. However, in real-world situations, the actual charging time may vary depending on factors such as the weather, the angle and orientation of the solar panel, and the state of charge of the battery.

     

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