Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlD
The 100 amp rating of the battery is just the maximum current the battery can handle and shouldn't be use to determine the wire size.
|
The 100ah rating is indeed the maximum that the battery should be charged or discharged, and given that this is a 1995
scamp in the year 2021 it absolutely SHOULD be used to determine wire size.
As I thought I mentioned, my intent is to boondock with this with my daughter. In 2021 we now have modern electric cooking appliances and air conditioners which can draw large loads.
Quote:
The wire size is based on the load and the rating of the charger. The wire size is OK for your trailer, however you should get a LFP charger with a maximum charge current of 20 amps or less. You should also put a fuse on the terminal of the battery and size it for the wire gauge, in your case 20 amps.
|
In fact, the charger is already a 45 amp unit so there is that. It was in the
Scamp when I purchased it. It is the same Progressive Dynamics unit that ships in the modern
scamp 19'. So the wiring is already undersized for current reality.
Second, the wiring probably is (supposed to be) based on the charger used, however the right way to build an
electrical system is to:
1) Determine what you will use the system for
2) Calculate the watts used for every appliance you intend to use
3) Decide how long you may be off grid or without sun
4) Spec a battery system to handle that watts rating for that number of hours
5) Build a battery system of required size
6) Select a battery charger that will eventually charge the battery system
7) Select a wire size between the AC Charger and the batteries to match or preferrably exceed charger's current
8) Determine how many
solar panels of what size you intend to use while boon docking. More than you think you need.
9) Determine the total amps at full sunlight the panels will generate
10) Select one or more PV charge controllers that will handle the current provided by the panels
11) Select a wire gauge between said controllers and the battery system to handle THAT load
12) Select an AC Inverter to handle the largest appliance you will be plugging in
13) Mount that as close to the batteries as possible, then select the wire gauge required for the inverter.
14) More DC wiring as required for the other actually very reasonable DC loads.
None of which is done in the scamp original wiring.
The original wiring is based on a hand full of
lights and a couple of pump / fans. That is fine given THEIR normal intended usage but that may or may not be what anyone else intends to do, certainly not my intended usage.
Quote:
For example, I used one of these but the smallest fuse is 30 amp, so you would have to find something different:
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...608450&sr=8-11
It is good to put a LFP battery inside the trailer to keep it warmer in cold weather because they should not be charged below freezing.
|
Yes, inside is good. Plus it gets it closer to the high current action.