dbhost
Super Active Member
So I thought I had this sorted, but suffered a failure that I would rather not repeat.
My "system" was an Everstart jump pack and a Harbor Freight Tailgator 2 stroke 700 running watts generator.
I live in Costal Texas.
Assuming you aren't living under a rock, you know we got hit with a massive ice storm, and public utilities companies that failed massively to prepare for winter weather, knocking power out, for nearly 4 days.
And to top it off, the HF generator did NOT want to start below the freezing point. Why I do not know.
My jump box which normally lasts me 2 nights, didn't even get me 1 hour this time. Apparently my wife wanted her phone charged and forgot I used the thing for my CPAP.
So I ran to Oreilly Auto Parts, and grabbed a deep cycle battery, a 12V power port, and some alligator clips to make the battery connection.
It worked, and powered my CPAP, a little travel unit with a 12v cord, for the remaining 2 nights. I went to top it off with my smart charger on wall power and it basically showed nearly no need for any charge, and I have no idea how much charge the battery actually had after sitting on the store shelf for a couple of months.
This leads me to my questions.
I want to build an electrical center for the battery since I don't have one.
I need to know basically how to set up the circuits.
I want to be able to top the battery off with a trickle charger / battery tender off of Shore Power or generator, OR off of solar.
I am not under any illusions that solar can reliably power AC or heat, but my long term goal for electrical is to be able to...
Due to the non starting issue of the HF generator, combined with a need for more power, AND fuel efficiency (The HF generator drinks gas relative to 2KW 4 stroke models), I am planning on upgrading to an AiPower 2000 peak watt Inverter generator which in theory should run my AC and charger.
Any help you could offer sorting this out would be greatly appreciated.
My "system" was an Everstart jump pack and a Harbor Freight Tailgator 2 stroke 700 running watts generator.
I live in Costal Texas.
Assuming you aren't living under a rock, you know we got hit with a massive ice storm, and public utilities companies that failed massively to prepare for winter weather, knocking power out, for nearly 4 days.
And to top it off, the HF generator did NOT want to start below the freezing point. Why I do not know.
My jump box which normally lasts me 2 nights, didn't even get me 1 hour this time. Apparently my wife wanted her phone charged and forgot I used the thing for my CPAP.
So I ran to Oreilly Auto Parts, and grabbed a deep cycle battery, a 12V power port, and some alligator clips to make the battery connection.
It worked, and powered my CPAP, a little travel unit with a 12v cord, for the remaining 2 nights. I went to top it off with my smart charger on wall power and it basically showed nearly no need for any charge, and I have no idea how much charge the battery actually had after sitting on the store shelf for a couple of months.
This leads me to my questions.
I want to build an electrical center for the battery since I don't have one.
I need to know basically how to set up the circuits.
I want to be able to top the battery off with a trickle charger / battery tender off of Shore Power or generator, OR off of solar.
I am not under any illusions that solar can reliably power AC or heat, but my long term goal for electrical is to be able to...
Due to the non starting issue of the HF generator, combined with a need for more power, AND fuel efficiency (The HF generator drinks gas relative to 2KW 4 stroke models), I am planning on upgrading to an AiPower 2000 peak watt Inverter generator which in theory should run my AC and charger.
Any help you could offer sorting this out would be greatly appreciated.