Installing Extra batteries in a KW W900?

Deep cycle's are best, I get 11-15 hrs before having to charge. The fridge pulls alot of juice, the microwave will also.

 

I've been watching this thread...

This is something that I am planning on doing, just waiting for the capital funds needed to initiate it. I even had conference calls with other O/O's on this forum discussing the very idea & figuring the pro's & con's.

On my Volvo I have a additional battery tray under the passenger side. I plan on sliding 4 deep cycle batteries into that tray. I plan on running jumpers from the truck batteries to the deep cycles with a battery isolator in between the battery packs.

There are many isolator's you can choose. I have choosen to use the Perfect Switch Power-Gate Single Rectofier.

http://www.perfectswitch.com/power-gate/battery-discharge-controllers/single-rectifier-isolator/

This paticular isolator will allow the truck batteries & the deep cycles to charge at the same time while the truck is running. It will also allow power to be drawn off the deep cycles to start the truck if you need some extra starting power.... But it will not pull power off the truck batteries when your running a power load off a inverter.

I intend to install a 4500 watt Sunforce Pure Sine Wave inverter hook directly to the deep cycles. It can be had for any where between $600 to $800 online & should create enough power to run everything you intend to run simutaneously for a period of 10 hours or more.

As for appliances, I plan on buying a dorm fridge & microwave, electric frying pan, crock pot, electric blanket & so on. In the winter time when it is safe to shut the truck off without gelling up, you can purchase a small space heater to heat the cab of the truck. Shouldn't kill the 4 deep cycles in the 10 hour break.

In the summer time, you can roll your windows down & install window screens to keep the bugs out. If you need more air circulation, then buy a oscillating fan.

Estimating kinda high, but for roughly $2000.00 this can be done (and that is figuring in the costs of all the appliances I intend to purchase). And for the other $6500.00 saved from not buying a apu.... $6500.00 will buy a lot of batteries. Plus you don't have the fuel & oil use of a apu or the other maintnance that a apu needs.

 

Oh... And JD.

I spoke with BW9 last night... I'm not sure what kind of trailer your looking to pull or if your going to do a power only gig. But I thought I'd give you a couple leads if you don't have any yet...

here is a old Swift trailer for $5000.00. It's something to get started with.

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2494320


Or if your going to do flatbed, contact Texarkana New Holland. I drove by there last Sunday & they had a bunch of nice looking flatbed trailers in their lot with a banner that said $2000.00 down $500 a month for 16 months.

 

the only draw back would be the summer time--i tried it with the oscillating fan--and windows open--at one time in ga it was 116 in the sleeper--had to bail and get a hotel room (ac was broken)--but with a red truck it may be better--this was in black trucks--and they were an oven
but the single room portable ac unit might be an option--not sure how much they would bring down the batteries

 

And if it comes down to that... He can go to an RV dealer & buy a roof mount AC unit like what you see on campers & some big trucks.

 

Your correct. I have 4 deep cycle batterys that will last 11-15 hr powering a fridge,printer,laptop,ect. I also have a small heater, plug it in and those batterys won't last 4 hrs.

 

Here's something you might want to consider, RV'ers that want to maximize their battery capacity use 2 6 volt golf cart batteries to replace a pair of 12 volt deep cycle batteries. The difference of course being series vs. parallel hookups. So if you have room for 4 batteries, you could put in 2 pairs of 6 volt batteries. I'm not sure what the difference is in total amp hours, but it is significant.

 

Hey Red, it seems you are attempting to do a similiar set up to what I had. If you are trying not to idle in the summertime, below 80 degrees. Look at the "Fantastic" Rv vent fans, I had one in my tractor and it is reversible so you can crack the windows and it will push the warmer air out the roof of the sleeper and draw air in from the cracked windows creating a somewhat comfortable environment if it isn't too hot or humid.

 

The difference being that the golf cart batteries are true thick-plate deep cycle batteries and most 12V "marine" batteries you can buy are not truly deep cycle--they are combination starting/deep cycle.