Jayco PUP power consumption

[Waunakee]

We have been using a 1999 Jayco 10UD popup once a year since buying it new. We camp once a year, for 8-10 days straight in June, at a particular state park campsite having some electric hookups. With the increasing popularity of the park, it appears that 2023 may be the first time in 23 years that we will not be able to reserve an electric site.

I am looking for alternative ways to have power at a non-electric site, and I'd like to get the opinions of others who are more knowledgeable and experienced in doing so.

1. Our furnace/fan draws 3.4 amps at 12VDC (i.e., 40.8 watts). Even given the cool nights near the Canadian border, I estimate from past experience that the furnace/fan is actually only on perhaps 25% of the time at night, or maybe two hours of actual run time each night. I assume that if we purchased a 100 amp-hour lithium battery, we would be able to draw the battery down to 20 amp-hours without harming it. In this scenario, the daily usage for the furnace/fan would be only (2 hours)(3.4 amps) = 6.8 amp-hours. Question #1: Is this a correct assessment?

2. Our refrigerator is capable of running on propane, but we've never done it since we have always had electric hookups. The manual says that it draws 11.7 amps at 12VDC, or 140W. I really don't know what percent of the time it is actually drawing this much current. If I assume that it draws it 50% of the time (i.e., 12 hours/day), this would consume (12 hours)(11.7amps) = 140 amp-hours each day which means that the battery wouldn't even power the refrigerator for half a day. Question 2: Does anyone have any idea what the daily amp-hours a small 2.4 cubic foot refrigerator like this might draw, assuming the outside temperature averages about 75 degrees during the day and perhaps 55 degrees at night? Maybe I am way off in my assumptions, and the refrigerator doesn't really draw down the Lithium battery any more than the furnace would?

We are quite willing to minimize the use of lights if necessary, and if really necessary operate the refrigerator on propane. I can think of two alternatives:

Option 1: Buy a 100 amp-hour Lithium battery and use it only for the furnace, which if my assessment above is correct, would give us 11.7 days. We might even consider buying a second one to take along for added insurance, or if it is reasonable to also use the battery to power the refrigerator and a few lights.

Option 2: Although the campground doesn't allow the use of generators, I don't think that running a small Honda EU2200i generator (2200W maximum, 1800 watt continuous rating) during the mid-day, in conjunction with a typical automotive battery charger, to recharge the Lithium battery for a short while would bother anyone, since they are so quiet (57 dB at 23 feet; normal conversation is 60 dB). Question 3: Any idea how long this would take to charge the Lithium battery? If the generator can put out 1800 watts of power at 120VAC, is it providing (1800 watts/120VAC) = 15 amps, and therefore, at best, I could recharge a battery at a rate of 15 amp-hours each hour that the generator runs?

We're not comfortable using a small propane heater in the popup at night, so that's not an option for us.

Question 4: What has been your experience, what would you suggest, and is there another option to consider?

Sorry for the lengthy post, but having a source of electrical power is important to us so that we can continue to use our popup when we can't get an electric site.

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

[Grumpy]

You probably have a 3 way fridge. 120, LP and 12 V that is the reason it is showing the high current draw for 12v. Being that old the propane side probably has a pilot light and will not consume any power when on gas. Consequently your only power draw would be the furnace and the 12v ceiling light if you use it.

[Jagiven]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

You probably have a 3 way fridge. 120, LP and 12 V that is the reason it is showing the high current draw for 12v. Being that old the propane side probably has a pilot light and will not consume any power when on gas. Consequently your only power draw would be the furnace and the 12v ceiling light if you use it.

X2, I would recommend running the frig on propane at home. If it has not been used, you may have spider webs in the flame chamber and/or the air mixture tube. May need a good blowing out with compressed air.


As for generators, a Honda 1000, is ultra quiet, way quieter than the 2200.

Another option is a 200 watts of portable solar cells. Just make sure they point at the sun

[RogerR]

I have a fridge that runs on AC or propane. It has a manual spark igniter that you push a button. If you have that or one where you have to light with a match they don't use 12 volts at all while on propane.
Recent experience at Great Sand Dunes NP with snow and near freezing temps at nigh and partial shade. My new Renogy 100 amp battery and 200 watts of solar brought me back up to full charge every day, including one cloudy day. We used furnace and lights to keep warm and never dropped below 70% over night.
I did mount battery inside the camper to prevent cold being a problem at night and safety.

My son in law and I mounted his new lithium on the tongue and replaced his converter with a lithium capable one. Then if you needed a genny all you would do would be plug in the camper.

Sams club has a westinghouse 2200/1800 watt inverter for $ 349 that would also run your AC if allowed and needed. A lot cheaper than Honda and should last long enough. Sale ends July 4.
A 100 watt portable solar with built in charger would almost certainly bring you up to near full every day as an alternative to a generator.


Renogy has a 100 watt kit for $228. You can get a discount with a referral or 7% and maybe a new customer discount.

[OnTheGo]

It's been awhile but we used to travel with 2 12v batteries, a generator, and a 12v charger. On the few occasions we weren't allowed to use a generator, we were able to find a 120v AC outlet and use the charger. With permission, we used outdoor outlets in the campgrond office, rest rooms, and pavillions.

I can't remember how many amp hours we had on our Group 24 battery but it was less than 100. Our furnace fan (battery) made it through the night at near freezing.

If the campground has a no generator policy, I wouldn't count on being able to use it. If your going to be somewhwere else during the day bring it with you.

Solar lanterns can be inxpensive, small, and last a long time. Good lick.

[RogerR]

Forgot to mention. Your 1999 lights are probably bulbs running at an amp per hour each. Switch bulbs to LED ( many threads on this) and that will save about 80 to 90% of you lighting amps.

You can even buy complete LED fixtures to replace yours if they and old and yellowed for pretty small prices.

[Old and soft]

Take a set of jumper cables and charge the battery with your tow vehicle. I do this every deer season for 7-8 nites. Been doing this for about 23 years now. I idle the truck for about 3 hours every evening while enjoying adult beverages and cooking dinner.
If it is cold enough for the furnace in my old tent camper, it would run all nite. Used 15 lbs of propane every 2 nites, including 2 pots of coffee every morning. Repleced the battery every 5 years unless it failed early. Group 27 deep cycle.