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Elite Veteran
  
Location: Oceanside, CA | I'm interested in upgrades and relocations of these items. What you have done that worked better on your coach.
All 4 of my house batteries and a lot of the cabling is shot (I expected it as it's been sitting for years plugged in) so it's time to look at options for AGM batteries and newer technology inverter/chargers.
I'm also going to move the two rear house batteries forward (it will be an offset for the extra weight the Duramax/Allison combo will add in the rear), has anyone explored other locations for battery mounting?
The tiny 1000w inverter under the passengers seat isn't going to be enough particularly when boondocking and the future addition of solar panels.
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Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Should be a battery compartment in front of the pilot's seat with a cover over it. Got 2 - 6/volt Trojan's ("Trojan-Man!" in mine with a Progressive Dynamics 45-amp inverter with a Charge Wizard watching things.
Real happy with it.
Terry
#846 |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Terry,
Where did you mount your inverter? I want to do AGM batteries in that spot for sure to keep any gassing out of the inside of the coach.
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Veteran
Location: Soquel, CA. | Here is a link to some full-time folks who have been working with lithium batteries for a few years and they a pretty great solar system too. Check out the other links on their site too:
http://www.technomadia.com/lithium/
They should be a good resource for all kinds of things and at the very least, a good jumping off point.
Greg Miller
#708 |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Victoria, BC. Canada | Mine has the 'J' style interior so its under the forward navigators seat, on the left if facing forward. There's a fuse panel under there, too.
Too many damn fuse panels in these things - GOTTA' CONSOLIDATE!
Good luck with the work.
Terry |
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Expert
Location: Cottage Grove, OR | andy1canada - 2015-09-23 10:12 AM Should be a battery compartment in front of the pilot's seat with a cover over it. Got 2 - 6/volt Trojan's ("Trojan-Man!" in mine with a Progressive Dynamics 45-amp inverter with a Charge Wizard watching things. Real happy with it. Terry #846 I believe what Terry has is a converter and not an inverter as it converts 120v to 12v and not the other way around (which would be an inverter). I have the same unit but as a 65 amp unit. FMC did not equip the coaches with inverters originally but a number of people have added them. I am very pleased with the Progressive Dynamics unit as it is a three stage unit and all has been good since I got it. Originally the coaches only had two house batteries under the floor under the drivers feet. If you have more they were added later go to the newsletter section of this site and read the article written by Frank Borrman describing where and how he placed two batteries under the coach in front of the differential |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | I do have two additional house batteries (6volt) mounted along the frame rail in between the engine and the generator, that is a good spot for batteries but the duramax needs two starting batteries and I'd like to use that spot for those. I don't like the passenger side fully aft position for the current starting battery as I want to keep the heaviest items as close to the center of the coach as possible. I'll take a pic of the battery set up tonight and post it..
Stephen, thanks for the info on the Progressive Dynamics unit, everyone seems to default to the Xantrex units, but, I feel they are charging a premium for their name. I've also read good things about this Aims unit: http://invertersupply.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products... |
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Extreme Veteran
Location: Ignacio Colorado | I have seen extra batteries mounted in a fabricated box that was behind the front bumper. Cummins 5.9 installation so adding the extra weight up front was a consideration. Don't know if Frank did this one too as I think he did the Cummins installation. The coach belonged to Gene, may he RIP.
My #100 coach has 2 extra 6 volt batteries mounted in the right rear corner above the starting battery. It also has a swing out corner grille for access. You have to open the right side grille before opening the corner. Neat adaptation. |
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Administrator
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado | some years ago a friend dropped a highend invertor on my porch and ran. when i finally installed it, i moved the domestics to a sealed, vented box under the forward dinnette bench seat (next to front right wheel well). i could not keep the batteries charged and the diagnosis was the inverter was always drawing current, and has since been disconnected. i've also subsequently replaced the wet cell batteries with sealed 12v in series, never had an issue again.
if anyone wants the inverter, make an offer, or just pay shipping |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Medford, OR | I've read on here somewhere an owner using the "void" area under the step as you enter the cockpit from the kitchen. In #184 when I pulled the nasty carpet out, I think (if I remember right), you could pull up the plywood floor in that step up and use it for storing something??? |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | dkarnath - 2015-09-24 7:14 AM
I've read on here somewhere an owner using the "void" area under the step as you enter the cockpit from the kitchen. In #184 when I pulled the nasty carpet out, I think (if I remember right), you could pull up the plywood floor in that step up and use it for storing something???
I'll investigate that, it's a nice centered spot. |
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Administrator
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado | i meant in PARALLEL. Sorry, team, I get those two switched all the time, and thanks to Smoke Bomb for questioning my comment. Two 6 in serial is 12
Now, Bill, get out of my head. When you do, I will send you the specs and we can talk dirty
JIm |
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | this picture makes me believe there some usable space up front for batteries..
http://www.fmcowners.com/mbbs22/photos/show-album.asp?albumid=42&ph...
Edited by LCAC_Man 2015-09-24 9:16 PM
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Contributor
Location: Cupertino, CA | Jim, my inverter in 386 has an on/off switch installed between the batteries and the inverter in the power line, ensuring no juice goes to the inverter (as long as I remember to turn it to off!) |
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Veteran
Location: Oslo Norway | Len There is very limited available space behind the dash. But if you look at other pictures in my galleries you will se how i mounted my batterybank and charger/inverter up front. Stay cool Kjetil
Edited by Duramaxer 2015-09-25 12:58 AM
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Elite Veteran
Location: Oceanside, CA | Kjetil,
I'm still working my way through your gallery pics...lots of good reference material there...Thanks! |
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Batteries and Inverters
