Hope I'm done

Panhead · 06-28-2012, 09:43 PM

Well today I did what I hope is the last of the major mods to out Eagle SuperLite. So far we have done the following mods and now have a pretty well equipped 5er. The following is a list of the things we have done to make our trailer what I wanted to end up with from the beginning.

1. Samlex 1500 watt inverter and transfer switch
2. Changed all lights to LED panels.
3. Had square tube cross members welded between all the spring hangers to strengthen that area of the frame.
4. 2" Hitch receiver to the back end to mount a bike rack for our bikes or a carrier for my Honda Trail 90 should I decide to take either of those with us.
5. Installed a Dirt Devil central vacuum system (this is a great system)
6. Had the Ground Control electric leveling system installed. (another very cool "must have".

On the truck I have done:

1. B&W Companion hitch
2. Firestone Ride Rite air bags with on board compressor.
3. 37 gallon Transfer Flow in bed transfer tank.
4. Edge Insight engine monitor.

This should do it, other than miscellaneous nick naks here or there I hope I don't come across any more cool "gotta have it" toys that I just can't resist, I've pretty much blown through the kids inheritance. :hihi::hihi:

:big_grin:
Steve

Rob_Fla · 06-29-2012, 04:04 AM

Great Mods, we are looking at installing the Reico Titan Ground Control leveling system this fall, looks to be a great upgrade.

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 06:29 AM

What did you do for more battery power.... The 1500WATT INVERTER will be abit hungry power wise... In my working days a 1500WATT fully loaded down Inverter will only last about 35-40 minutes on a single 110AH 12VDC deep cycle battery. If you have a set of the 6V GC2s Golf Cart batteries installed this will only give you around 220AHs of capacity and will only operate a loaded down 1500WATT Inverter for just over one hour.

I have a hardwired 1500W and 600W Inverter, and a couple of 300W portable Inverters and found that having around 350AH minimum of battery capacity is nice to have. This is running on the assumption that I will be able to re-charge my battery bank daily in a two-three hour generator run time.

I am able to get my head above water by keeping my overall power consumption around 300WATTS in one day/night battery bank operation which brings my battery bank down to around 50% charge state (or 12.0VDC) the next morning and then re-charge the battery bank by connecting my Trailer 30A Shore Power Cable directly to my 2KW Honda generator using a RV30A-15A adapter. This allows my smart-mode converter/charger Trailer unit re-charge my battery bank back up to 90% charge state in a two-three hour generator run time... You are good to go for the next day/night battery run now...

This is how we manage our power when camping off the power grid and are very successful keeping the lights on when camping off the power grid.

Panhead · 07-02-2012, 07:29 AM

Hi Roy,

Well first of all we have 2 GC Interstate batteries rated at 232 AH and so far this seems sufficient. I only lit up one side of the trailer and primarily use only the TV, Sat receiver, computer and the odd cell phone charger and the like. I have also converted all the interior lighting to LED panels. The lights give off the same warm light as the incandescent bulbs and save a ton of AHs.

If the DW wants to use the Microwave, hair dryer, curling iron (yup she does that even when we are "camping") or whatever power hungry item I just fire up the genny for a few minutes.

I would have loved to go to 4 batteries and maybe a 2000 watt or even 3000, but battery storage becomes an issue, I would have to sacrifice the front storage compartment and seal off that area.

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 09:00 AM

One more comment than I will say you might be done haha.... What kind of converter/charger do you have aboard... If it is a smart-mode converter then you can re-charge your two 6V GC2 batteries in as little as two-three hours by connecting your 30A shore power cable directly to the generator using a RV30A-15A adapter.

We are forever finding camp grounds that have generator use restrictions and they don't allow us to run our generator when we want to. They are usually from 8AM-10AM and then again from 4:30PM to 7:30PM in the early evening here on the east side of the US. This is why it is important to us to have the ability to re-charge our batteries back up to their 90% charge state when we are allowed to run the generators... If you don't have a smart-mode converter/charger system setup then that might be another good mod for you to consider.

I am in pretty good shape now camping off the power grid doing what want to do (except air conditioning) and really enjoy our setup. I light it up just like we do at regualar camp grounds, watch full blown hig def HDTV everynight, play with my Ham Radio items, use all the lights we want to use and use 120VAC and 12VDC applicances when we need too. the next morning I am usually down to around 11.9VDC to 12.0VDC on the battery bank and ready for re-charge.

Those were my goals on beefing up our trailer setup and we are very much successful now doing it. Looking like you may be at that point as well now...

Everyone seems to think heck I will just do this one beef-up item and thats all we need to do. Sure didnt work out that way for us haha... We haven't been left in the dark yet "so far"

My next mod, since my battery banks are going to need to be replaced (over 5 years old now) is to split up the batteries into two banks. One bank on the trailer tongue and the other bank in the back of my truck bed. Want to use Trojan T1275plus 12V 150AH batteries which will give me 300AH in each bank. then I can run my radios in the truck when I need to or connect both battery banks together when camping back off the power grid with a whooping 600AH battery bank... All you need is more money I guess...

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 11:37 AM

If you got room for one or two batteries on the trailer tongue then you have enough room to do something like this...

This arrangement is a 48-inch side mount truck bed tool box and will handle four each GC2 6VDC batteries. The beauty here is the box will sit on top of the trailer tongue and you can go even alot longer or some widder to fit four bigger batteries... The box is also a LOCKUP box...

All of the cabling along with BLUE SEA fuse block and shunts can all terminate inside the pass thru storage area most of the smaller trailer like this has on the front of the trailer. The CONVERTER and INVERTER units can be vertically mounted on the inside wall in this area just a couple of feet away from the battery box. Your battery switch can also be mounted inside the battery box... Have worked with a few guys getting this idea setup on their trailer and they turned out very nice...

photo from google images

OurJayco · 07-02-2012, 11:50 AM

Hi Roy,
While the tool box is a great addition for a Travel Trailer, it does not work very well on a 5th Wheel. The mod that Steve has performed have been done on his Fifth Wheel Eagle.
I am in the process of doing the tool box mod on my JayFlight TT, but the wife makes me spend money on things she wants. One day I will get my tool box for the trailer!!!

Panhead · 07-02-2012, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoyBraddy

One more comment than I will say you might be done haha.... What kind of converter/charger do you have aboard... If it is a smart-mode converter then you can re-charge your two 6V GC2 batteries in as little as two-three hours by connecting your 30A shore power cable directly to the generator using a RV30A-15A adapter.

We are forever finding camp grounds that have generator use restrictions and they don't allow us to run our generator when we want to. They are usually from 8AM-10AM and then again from 4:30PM to 7:30PM in the early evening here on the east side of the US. This is why it is important to us to have the ability to re-charge our batteries back up to their 90% charge state when we are allowed to run the generators... If you don't have a smart-mode converter/charger system setup then that might be another good mod for you to consider.

I am in pretty good shape now camping off the power grid doing what want to do (except air conditioning) and really enjoy our setup. I light it up just like we do at regualar camp grounds, watch full blown hig def HDTV everynight, play with my Ham Radio items, use all the lights we want to use and use 120VAC and 12VDC applicances when we need too. the next morning I am usually down to around 11.9VDC to 12.0VDC on the battery bank and ready for re-charge.

Those were my goals on beefing up our trailer setup and we are very much successful now doing it. Looking like you may be at that point as well now...

Everyone seems to think heck I will just do this one beef-up item and thats all we need to do. Sure didnt work out that way for us haha... We haven't been left in the dark yet "so far"

My next mod, since my battery banks are going to need to be replaced (over 5 years old now) is to split up the batteries into two banks. One bank on the trailer tongue and the other bank in the back of my truck bed. Want to use Trojan T1275plus 12V 150AH batteries which will give me 300AH in each bank. then I can run my radios in the truck when I need to or connect both battery banks together when camping back off the power grid with a whooping 600AH battery bank... All you need is more money I guess...

I have the progressive dynamics converter/charger so I think we have this issue covered. I don't need the 15/30 adapter as I have the Honda 2000s with the companion with the 30amp socket and parallel kit.

Steve

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 04:07 PM

Guess I lost my head for a minute there...

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 04:28 PM

Have you ever tried to re-charge your batteries in a short two-three hour generator run time period...

Try this run down your two GC2 batteries to around 11.5VDC then hookup to your 2KW generator setup to your shore power cable connection and run it for a three hours... then let your batteries sit for a few minutes then read them. They should be up to around 12.6-7 VDC if your smart mode PD converter/charger has kicked into 14.4VDC charge mode for you... Your PD4655 or 9260 model should throw around 50 AMPS or so at your two GC2 batteries at first and then start dropping back and at the end of the 14.4VDC run in about two hours it should be giving them around 6-10AMPS. Then the PD unit should switch down to 13.6VDC mode and continue charging for another hour to seal in the 90% charge state. when the batteries settle down from the 13.6VDC rate then they should read steady at 12.6-12.7VDC. This tells me I am at 90% charge state.

You can run many cycles doing this method of running the batterty down and recharging back up but after a week or so you should go all the way up to a 100% charge state. Your PD converter should also go into desulf mode every 19 hours or so and burn off the deposits on the core by running 14.4VDC charge for about 15 minutes every 19 hours or so...

Got to take care of those nice GC2 batteries you have there.

I run the PD9260C 60AMP converter/charger in my OFF-ROAD POPUP. Best move i ever made... My power center is a WFCO 8900series Power Distribution Center but i use the PD9260C as the converter/charger module which is mounted just a few feet away from my battery switches..

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 05:00 PM

This is where my next camping off the power grid is going to be if I can get another camper to go with me... With todays economy like it is just isn't a good idea to go by yourself anymore in these out of the way places like this... This is up on the George washington Forest west of Harrisonburg VA on the VA/WVA mountain road line. Its near a place called FLAGPOLE Knob which is fed by a forest trail road.... My OFF-ROAD POPUP does great going down these trails until you meet someone coming the other way hehe...

My spot is just off the area in this neat clearing and has a rocky steam close by...

Doesn't get any better than this... My OFF-ROAD POPUP is going to look right at home here where your big ole fifth wheel might look a bit out of place...

I love getting back into places like this up on the mountain around here....

photos from google images...

**Crabman** · 07-02-2012, 06:25 PM

Great spot Roy. I saw on the news there was a fire in the GW forest.

Panhead · 07-02-2012, 07:09 PM

That's a nice looking spot, out and away from everything. About as rough as we get is Forrest Service CGs here in California, there are many and some in some pretty rugged country. There is one on the back side of Bear River Reservoir with about 10 sites that is about 3 miles down a gravel road that I'm going to take the 5er to but first I'm going to drive there without the trailer just to do a recon to make sure there is a site and that I can actually get in it. These are mostly first come first serve.

The Distribution center on our trailer is all Progressive Dynamics. I have not had the opportunity yet to do a full charge off of the genny, We have only been out about 5 times since getting this trailer and so far all but one had hookups.

Steve

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 07:10 PM

Crabman - They said you could see or smell some smoke all the way to Washington DC from it... Hopefully some of these storms we just had will wash down a bunch of the forest up there...

The lone ranger secret hideout is up that way too - probably a helo stared the fire haha...

Gonna make me mad when I finally get to go out this season and they all have fire bans in place...

My home camp spot at Westmoreland State Park in VA had a ban for open fires one year but allowed the use of charcoal grills so a bunch of us campers all got together with our charcoal grills in a circle and had a great time haha... Always a PLAN-B.

RoyBraddy · 07-02-2012, 07:22 PM

PANHEAD - This is why i love I am allowed to keep my trailer here at my house instead of in some storage area somewhere. Can get to play with all these mods and check everything out before getting way back there in the woods and find it doesnt work like you thought.

I too will do a RECON trip... part of getting out... I still have my 99TJ jeep just wanting to go another trip. Not too many years back this was the way to go tent camping around these parts. Also when I lived in Phoenix AZ... Jeep and 5x8 trailer will go anywhere... Even down the middle of the Salt River that runs thru the Phoenix area. No water in it unless it rains in the North Mountains... Talk about having some fun... I have pictures of my jeep days but they are not on any public forum - i did find this one that really looks familar right down to the the four-inch raised rail around the trailer with a hinged lid... I almost think it migh be the one I actually used out in AZ back in the mid 70s...

photo from google images

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