*CORRECTION* The Redodo battery does have an automatic cutoff, but not for the temperature, as we stated. We got some clarification from Redodo: Currently we have low-temp battery of 100ah and 200ah. And we will publish a higher capacity one, the 280ah low-temp battery in the near future. Other batteries including the 12v410ah have protection of the BMS board with over charge, over discharge, over current, short circuit and high temperature automatic cutoff. But don't have the automatic low-temp(0°C) cutoff. They DO have a battery coming out: www.redodopower.com/collections/low-temp-battery?ref=lu31nfkn Links to this video: *REDODO LITHIUM BATTERY* www.redodopower.com/?ref=lu31nfkn (Use discount code for 5% off): Untethered *GOVEE- temp sensors* govee.sjv.io/PyY7Qe *Find all GoVee products here (we have their underbelly lights, water sensors and temp monitor) *GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK* tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/goose-island *COPANO BAY RV RESORT- ROCKPORT, TX* www.copanobayrvresort.com *THE SHACK: ROCKPORT, TX* www.barbqueshacks.com/menu/ *WESTINGHOUSE POWER BOX* amzn.to/49pzNlZ *PROGRESSIVE DYNAMICS CONVERTER* amzn.to/42MFtEj
Glad to see the battery is working out. I just installed (2), 100Ah LiTime Lithium batteries to replace the (2) AGM's that were at the end of their life. I did have to change out the standard WFCO 9855 to a 9855 AD (Auto Detect) so it would charge the new Lithium batteries. Keep us informed on how the Redodo does. Safe travels!
Nice! We are pretty happy with the upgrade so far! We plan to push it further in due time, but we have to balance having what we need for work, so we’re easing in to it. I’m pretty excited to see what it does.
we boondock the majority of the time and we use 600 watts of solar panels a 3000 watt inverter. we have a generator for emergencies but I haven't had to use it for over two years since installing the solar. we run our whole trailer on the Inverter
That’s incredible! I commend anyone that is brave enough to do it. I guess we’re a little overly cautious but I do plan to push this thing a bit and see what it can do. You never know when you’ll need it or when something might happen.
400 Ah is great. You can put it to better use. We have a 2000 W Xantrex inverter/charger. It is hooked up to everything except the A/Cs and the fireplace. It is nice to run the coffee maker and the microwave off of the inverter. On a sunny day, the inverter won’t charge the batteries. That is done by the solar panels. We don’t have a big system. Just 400 W of solar and 200 Ah of Li. I am intrigued by your Redodo battery
I'm happy to see a review on a realistic level,the battery with enough power for a couple of days and ability to put a charge in it is what most RV's need. The ability to keep the refrigerator running smoothly is a big plus. I bought a new couples travel trailer last spring and the first time dry camping the 84 AH lead battery lasted 4 hours and was dead,got replaced by the battery mfg. under warranty, the RV dealer wouldn't even return my phone calls. It will be replaced with lithium.
Oh my goodness!! We love this 12V fridge, but I bet people that boondock a lot, hate it. No surprise on how much it pulled. There’s a lot of stress that can come with it for sure!That’s scary too, if it pulled the lead acid all the way down. We think one of ours was shot after the first time we got below 50%. Good luck in your search! It’s not a huge discount, but there is a small on in the description and comments if you’re looking at Redodo. Good luck in your search!
Thanks for the video. Great content and good info. Love your dogs. I’m a pencil and paper guy too, but a gizmo freak too. It all has to make sense and be cost effective too. Need and want are like a Venn diagram, with some intersecting parts, but mainly two different things. Some advice from an old, fat, long haired graybeard? IMHO… lose the train horn. It might be fun, but about as useful as a hairnet for a hog. Stay safe, be well and have fun!
Now that you have a 400 ah battery. You will see better recharging from more solar panels. You don’t have to go crazy on amount of panels. Having between 400 and 800 watts of solar panels can make a huge difference. Solar panels are about $100 per 100 watt solar panels doing it yourself. Which is not really hard to do. If you’re interested watch this fellow who teaches how to install solar on vans. Trailers are the same. EXPLORIST life is his you tube channel. Real valuable information for the normal person. We boondock many weeks at a time in Arizona. We don’t have a generator. We enjoy your channel. Safe travels
Thank you! Our biggest fear, is getting stuck without power while working, but I think we have a lot of room to play with this one. We will be pushing it more and more..cautiously. :) I have a feeling that once we get comfortable with going off-grid a bit more, more solar may be in our future. We just want to see what this baby does! :)
Great video! The big tree is very impressive. Goose Island is a great place to visit in that area. We went there several times when we stayed in Rockport. Safe travels!
Thank you! Our camper neighbors were excited about some of the beautiful and cheap camping they had there. If we hadn’t begun a chase for someone’s lost dogs, we would have taken a look at them. Ha!
Even 1000 watts of solar panels will charge that 410Ah LiFePO4 battery at the conservative pace of 0.2C (taking 5 hours to charge empty to full). And it's not as if charging at 0.25C or 0.3C (1500 watts for that battery) would seriously degrade the life span of the battery, or cause any problems. So, you can triple your 360 watts before even beginning to think of adding more battery to handle the solar output. You're all set for battery capacity, unless you want to dream up a scenario where you'll want to run an AC off it for a day or two. Once you want to run AC all the time, it will outrun any battery capacity if your solar input each day doesn't on average replace it. For sustainable AC, you need as much solar as will fit, and then size a mini split to use no more than your average daily solar input. Then accept whatever temperature differential that creates. Getting a super efficient (even better than the average Energy Star one) mini split is the only way to make a good attempt at sustainable AC. Something like the best small Fujitsu and Mitsubishi ones. They usually have the advantage of higher than usual efficiency when used as a heat pump for heating.
Good info! We’re on the lower end of the scale in terms of knowledge on solar. I’ve seen some folks with mini splits on their rig. I know a lot of people who have put them on their houses or workshops. They’re pretty awesome and cost effective. The key is the cleanliness of the install. I’ve seen some really good and some really bad setups. Thanks for the info on the panels!
Ya'll could last indefinitely on that battery with reasonable sunny days. Your system seems well balanced for what you need. I'm waxing my RV right now, I swear it grows a bit everytime I do this task😂.
Hehe still working on it! Cody had to fly out last week for work, so it got put on pause. 😊I wondered who would notice her new collar! She has already broken it though. Haha! She got it loose, chewed it up and now it won’t tighten. So I’m sure she’ll have another soon!
The Starlink sucks a lot of power. I put ours in sleep mode at night when we don’t need it. After you guys get out boondocking, you may find it’s much better than campground life.
Good idea! There’s no doubt that it’s better, or has a LOT of benefits! Cody has to have a lot of consistent internet and power for work, so we get nervous about putting ourselves in a situation where we may have to move mid-week, or get stuck without power. That’s really what keeps us tied to campgrounds more than we would like. When we were both laid off, we enjoyed the Harvest Host/Boondock life quite a bit more! It was NICE!
@@RVUntethered We never had any power issues with 400Ah of batteries. How many watts do you have in solar panels. The only time we had issues with Starlink was summer downpours in FL. We actually had more outtages in the sticks and bricks hard-lined internet. The good thing with solar systems is you can build as you want. Next you guys might want to look at something like a Victron Multiplus inverter. Wire that in so you can use all your outlets. No need to run an extention cord for the hair blower. Not to be a creeper, but I never noticed how beautiful your eyes are before the contacts. Safe travels.
We were camping at Mistletoe State Park and a family smoking chicken. The hubby had scraps, so he tossed them in a woody area behind another trailer. It was reported to the office, but nothing happened.
The woods I understand a bit more. But we’re talking concrete and grass sites. If the dogs don’t get ahold of them, I would think it would invite critters. Like leaving your trash out. Just odd to me!
Great video folks. That burger looked delicious. Have you thought about increasing the size of you inverter to say 2000/3000 watts and then plugging your RV directly into the inverter to give you access to your 120 plugs? I have seen a few videos of folks doing that. You would want to manage the usage but it would eliminate running extension cords around. Safe travels!
I haven’t but honestly this is the first I’ve heard of that idea! That would definitely shave some cost out of a needed upgrade. Now my wheels are turning 🤔
You will be surprised at how much power a 3000 watt inverter will eat. I just spent 21 days at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument testing and retesting my SolarFlex 600i L solar package and boy was I surprised at what used what power. Not done testing yet, but it will determine what if anything I add to my system. Cost effective is the key.
@Graybeard1405 3000w inverter running at max would take a ton of power in a hurry . Went with 2000watt runs a 1500watt device and still run light and tv ,water pump. No need to run 2 high loads at once . Just how we do it works for us . It's all in how much you want to spend sky is the limit .
Thank you for the suggestion! We address this in tomorrow’s video, because we thought it was great information! We are ALWAYS learning something on here! 😊
Great information. Many RVers don’t realize how much you can do with just the 12 volt system. It is very freeing! We only have 200ah and we can camp a full weekend even without sun. The sunlight is our friend though!
Thanks for the solar updates. Like ya'll, we don't plan on a lot of boondocking, but overnight stays without AC would be great, so we wouldn't need a lot of solar either. But unfortunately for us right now, most of our travel is during the summer since we aren't retired (5 years to go and counting!) and are limited on travel times. But, this is great info for the near future. Thanks for sharing.
Hey you guys welcome yo H-town.if you get a chance check out Brazos state park,you will like it. Ps:your wife passed the electronic 1 test now she can apply for our power company in Houston.starting $45 an hour 😂. Enjoying your videos hope to meet you on the road.
Haha that’s hilarious! We did stop in Houston, but I had to fly out for work and then we got sick, so it wasn’t an eventful trip. Haha! I think that’s twice that we have visited the place and haven’t really explored. Maybe the third time is a charm!
Charlie LOVES water, but I think he was more interested in smelling things and finding stinky things to roll in. Since he has had some neck and spinal issues, he isn’t as adventurous in the water anymore. It got scary. So we either stay with him close, or he’s wearing a life jacket.
Yes, we wanted to share everything that we were using for power, since we all live differently. We only used the inverter because it was the only thing on the rv that could pull the straightener and power box, to recharge, without using a generator. In a true boondocking situation, that’s how we would do it, or we would start a generator.
Make sure your trailer converter says it’s compatible with lithium batteries. Other wise it will wreck your lithium battery. Lead acid converter chargers have the wrong charging profile for lithium batteries. Make sure the converter charger says lithium. Your converter is on the other side of the pass thru. Find the part number and go online to make sure it’s compatible with lithium. If it’s not compatible turn the converter off at the breaker until you get a lithium converter charger. I have 1600 watts of solar on my Grand Design. Good luck
In fairness, I don't think my back cabinets ever came open. But it gets rough in the back, so we have been putting them on the back walls. We use the silicon twist ties. The link below is what we bought last and have been using, because they were cheaper, but the name brands definitely hold up better. But this should give you other options to look at. I DO like this particular pack, because of how many sizes I got. I've been using the smaller ones to tie up cables and things for the desk. amzn.to/3OLQno0
Did you set up anything to charge the lithium battery while driving? Some purchase a DC to DC charger while some just don’t do anything and use their charge capability from their 7-pin vehicle harness (although I have read in some places this could potentially adversely affect your tow vehicle alternator). For what it’s worth, I have no experience or even an idea how a DC to DC charger works.
The DC to DC charger is on our radar, just not sure if we would really make good use of it just yet. Generally if we boondock, our next stop is a campground. So far, the trickle charge off of the truck has been enough. Our truck does have dual alternators, presumably for that purpose but we haven’t pulled the trigger just yet.
We haven’t. We get a trickle charge off of the 7 way cord and presumably some from the solar panel going down the road. DC to DC charging is on the radar, just not sure it’s a necessity for us…. Yet 😊
You can get battery blankets to keep the battery warm Which is good for the US But still wont work for say electric cars as it gets to -50 some winters here
I’m hoping we don’t put it in that situation too much, but that’s a good point! I’m sure we would spend some time with family around the holidays, so it’s not out of the question that we would see freezing temps.
IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW LONG YOU COULD BOONDOCK WITHOUT ANY SORT OF OUTSIDE POWER SOURCE (SHORE POWER AND GENERATOR POWER). COULD THE SOLAR POWER COMBINED WITH INVERTER OUTLAST YOUR WATER SUPPLY AND BLACK AND GREY TANKS CAPACITY?
It’s a good question! We plan to push it more, but we have to find a good balance between testing and making sure we don’t get Cody stuck without power, while he’s trying to work. Ha! I’m excited to see what it can do!
Just curious have you done a test on your battery when you pull the slides in we have have a class a and our slides are huge almost the full length of the passenger side we have a jayco precept 36 foot
What a great idea! We travel tomorrow, so I’ll try to remember to do that on camera. I’m a little nervous about doing it with the Schwintek, because I just don’t trust them. But let’s see what the others do!
FYI, I don't believe this battery has low temperature charge protection. Some of the solar charge controllers will protect against charging below 32 degrees F but will not protect against charging using your converter or generator when below freezing.
HMMM. Maybe I misunderstood the manual. I know that it has a protection cutoff for several things, but maybe I misunderstood the wording for the temps. Or didn’t take the converter into account. I have a message out to Redodo to see if I can get some clarification on it. Thanks for bringing this up!
I reviewed the website and even went back and watched a Review of this battery on UA-cam. He didn’t say so I messaged him and his response was no. Just don’t want you guys cooking a $1400 battery. I’ve seen people put blanket heaters around them with a thermostat that will turn the heater on when needed.
@@HomeOnWheels320MKS The Redodo battery does have an automatic cutoff, but not for the temperature, as we stated. We got some clarification from Redodo. They DO have a battery coming out that is a ‘low temp battery’, but it isn’t out just yet. Thank you for bringing this to our attention!
I just found your UA-cam channel a couple weeks ago. I have watching all of your previous posts, and have enjoyed them very much. No complaints here, but! Is there a way to post a picture on your comments? I don’t believe there is. Is their any other ways to get a photo to you. I have couple ideas for you, but don’ know of a way to send them with photos? I’m not tech-savvy!
Unfortunately, there is not a way to share them on here, but we do have a Facebook page and email. I have listed both below. facebook.com/RV.UNTETHERED?mibextid=hu50Ix Rv.untethered@gmail.com
Could you explain reprogramming the furrion battery monitor for the bigger batttery ? We are about to upgrade batteries and I was under the ASSumption that I would have to change that monitor as well. I would love to get by without doing that.
I’ll paste a link here from the Grand Design owners forum so I don’t steer you wrong 😂. This worked well for us! gdrvowners.com/forum/operation/electrical/110366-furrion-battery-monitor-reset
We have a Reflection 260RD with the factory installed solar panel, converter and battery. Inverter prepped and the 12volt refrigerator. Wondering if you can post a picture of your set up and what inverter you purchased. Are you happy with your current setup?
Hey Nancy! I can get you a picture but UA-cam doesn’t allow photos in comments. If you could shoot us an email at howdy@rv-untethered.com so I’ll have your address I’ll send one over. My setup is really basic. I just mounted a 700w Renogy inverter on the wall in my front bay (under the fifth wheel) and wired it straight to my batteries. In reality about all I use it for is to run Starlink when we’re off grid but it suits our purpose and we’ve been very happy with the Renogy inverter.
HMMM. Maybe I misunderstood the manual. I know that it has a protection cutoff for several things, but maybe I misunderstood the wording for the temps. Or didn’t take the converter into account. I have a message out to Redodo to see if I can get some clarification on it. Thanks for bringing this up!
@@DustyDreamer The Redodo battery does have an automatic cutoff, but not for the temperature, as we stated. We got some clarification from Redodo. They DO have a battery coming out that is a ‘low temp battery’, but it isn’t out just yet. Thank you for bringing this to our attention!
@@RVUntethered I didn't think I had read that it was and didn't want you to think it would stop charging and your battery get damaged. They cost way too much to let them get damaged. I am looking forward to getting one and putting a tank heater on it to keep it warm.
Cody, do you have soft starts on your A/C's?? That saves tremendous amount of draw on kicking on and off.. . They're expensive but worth it I believe...
My wife and I go to Emerald Cove Campground in Earp California right on the Parker Strip and every time we go there there's chicken bones on the ground and my dog is trying to eat them. I wonder the same thing, why is everybody throwing chicken bones on the ground 👍🇺🇲
No subscription required for Govee. It does require WiFi, which we have in spades. The temp monitors allowed us to cut off our Waggle subscription. We loved it, but it was getting spendy. Plus, we have so many Govee products that we like. 😊
We didn’t have to on this ‘test run’, but further into the video, we do find out how many amps various things will pull, such as the furnace. It’s huge!!
We partnered with Redodo for this battery and a discount code (in the description if you decide to go that way), but I had been researching them for a long time. I just can’t afford Battle Born. Plain and simple. Redodo had a ton of great reviews and a lot of people in the various rv forums seemed to have great luck with them. I figured between the price point and their reputation, it was a good one to try. I was the one to reach out to them for a partnership, after I had researched it and knew that I wanted it. We are excited to see what it can do!
Yes! They are so scary because they can splinter so easy! I think she threw it all up and a few days worth of food. She has seemed good since then, so think we dodged a bullet! 🙂
*CORRECTION*
The Redodo battery does have an automatic cutoff, but not for the temperature, as we stated. We got some clarification from Redodo:
Currently we have low-temp battery of 100ah and 200ah. And we will publish a higher capacity one, the 280ah low-temp battery in the near future. Other batteries including the 12v410ah have protection of the BMS board with over charge, over discharge, over current, short circuit and high temperature automatic cutoff. But don't have the automatic low-temp(0°C) cutoff.
They DO have a battery coming out:
www.redodopower.com/collections/low-temp-battery?ref=lu31nfkn
Links to this video:
*REDODO LITHIUM BATTERY*
www.redodopower.com/?ref=lu31nfkn
(Use discount code for 5% off): Untethered
*GOVEE- temp sensors*
govee.sjv.io/PyY7Qe
*Find all GoVee products here (we have their underbelly lights, water sensors and temp monitor)
*GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK*
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/goose-island
*COPANO BAY RV RESORT- ROCKPORT, TX*
www.copanobayrvresort.com
*THE SHACK: ROCKPORT, TX*
www.barbqueshacks.com/menu/
*WESTINGHOUSE POWER BOX*
amzn.to/49pzNlZ
*PROGRESSIVE DYNAMICS CONVERTER*
amzn.to/42MFtEj
Cody: everything has to make financial sense…..
Angela: errr excuse me mister …… train horns???? 🤣
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
You win the internet today!
His excuse is that it was a lost bet!
😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
You guys make your adventures so much fun to watch. Happy National Dog day to your sweet doggies! 💛
☺️Thank you!
Good to know about solar. It is easy to get deep in the weeds. I think right sizing and a small generator is the ticket.
Agreed!
Agreed!
Glad to see the battery is working out. I just installed (2), 100Ah LiTime Lithium batteries to replace the (2) AGM's that were at the end of their life. I did have to change out the standard WFCO 9855 to a 9855 AD (Auto Detect) so it would charge the new Lithium batteries. Keep us informed on how the Redodo does. Safe travels!
Nice! We are pretty happy with the upgrade so far! We plan to push it further in due time, but we have to balance having what we need for work, so we’re easing in to it. I’m pretty excited to see what it does.
we boondock the majority of the time and we use 600 watts of solar panels a 3000 watt inverter. we have a generator for emergencies but I haven't had to use it for over two years since installing the solar. we run our whole trailer on the Inverter
That’s incredible! I commend anyone that is brave enough to do it. I guess we’re a little overly cautious but I do plan to push this thing a bit and see what it can do. You never know when you’ll need it or when something might happen.
Welcome to H-Town. The restaurant capital of Texas.
😊
400 Ah is great. You can put it to better use. We have a 2000 W Xantrex inverter/charger. It is hooked up to everything except the A/Cs and the fireplace. It is nice to run the coffee maker and the microwave off of the inverter. On a sunny day, the inverter won’t charge the batteries. That is done by the solar panels. We don’t have a big system. Just 400 W of solar and 200 Ah of Li. I am intrigued by your Redodo battery
That WOULD be nice! I think the only things that we really miss are the microwave, the coffee pot and Ang misses her hair dryer and straightener.
I'm happy to see a review on a realistic level,the battery with enough power for a couple of days and ability to put a charge in it is what most RV's need. The ability to keep the refrigerator running smoothly is a big plus. I bought a new couples travel trailer last spring and the first time dry camping the 84 AH lead battery lasted 4 hours and was dead,got replaced by the battery mfg. under warranty, the RV dealer wouldn't even return my phone calls. It will be replaced with lithium.
Oh my goodness!! We love this 12V fridge, but I bet people that boondock a lot, hate it. No surprise on how much it pulled. There’s a lot of stress that can come with it for sure!That’s scary too, if it pulled the lead acid all the way down. We think one of ours was shot after the first time we got below 50%.
Good luck in your search! It’s not a huge discount, but there is a small on in the description and comments if you’re looking at Redodo.
Good luck in your search!
Thanks for the video. Great content and good info. Love your dogs. I’m a pencil and paper guy too, but a gizmo freak too. It all has to make sense and be cost effective too. Need and want are like a Venn diagram, with some intersecting parts, but mainly two different things. Some advice from an old, fat, long haired graybeard? IMHO… lose the train horn. It might be fun, but about as useful as a hairnet for a hog. Stay safe, be well and have fun!
Bahahahaha! 🤣
Now that you have a 400 ah battery. You will see better recharging from more solar panels. You don’t have to go crazy on amount of panels. Having between 400 and 800 watts of solar panels can make a huge difference. Solar panels are about $100 per 100 watt solar panels doing it yourself. Which is not really hard to do.
If you’re interested watch this fellow who teaches how to install solar on vans. Trailers are the same.
EXPLORIST life is his you tube channel. Real valuable information for the normal person.
We boondock many weeks at a time in Arizona. We don’t have a generator.
We enjoy your channel.
Safe travels
Thank you!
Our biggest fear, is getting stuck without power while working, but I think we have a lot of room to play with this one. We will be pushing it more and more..cautiously. :)
I have a feeling that once we get comfortable with going off-grid a bit more, more solar may be in our future. We just want to see what this baby does! :)
Great video! The big tree is very impressive. Goose Island is a great place to visit in that area. We went there several times when we stayed in Rockport. Safe travels!
Thank you!
Our camper neighbors were excited about some of the beautiful and cheap camping they had there. If we hadn’t begun a chase for someone’s lost dogs, we would have taken a look at them. Ha!
Even 1000 watts of solar panels will charge that 410Ah LiFePO4 battery at the conservative pace of 0.2C (taking 5 hours to charge empty to full). And it's not as if charging at 0.25C or 0.3C (1500 watts for that battery) would seriously degrade the life span of the battery, or cause any problems. So, you can triple your 360 watts before even beginning to think of adding more battery to handle the solar output. You're all set for battery capacity, unless you want to dream up a scenario where you'll want to run an AC off it for a day or two.
Once you want to run AC all the time, it will outrun any battery capacity if your solar input each day doesn't on average replace it. For sustainable AC, you need as much solar as will fit, and then size a mini split to use no more than your average daily solar input. Then accept whatever temperature differential that creates. Getting a super efficient (even better than the average Energy Star one) mini split is the only way to make a good attempt at sustainable AC. Something like the best small Fujitsu and Mitsubishi ones. They usually have the advantage of higher than usual efficiency when used as a heat pump for heating.
Good info! We’re on the lower end of the scale in terms of knowledge on solar. I’ve seen some folks with mini splits on their rig. I know a lot of people who have put them on their houses or workshops. They’re pretty awesome and cost effective. The key is the cleanliness of the install. I’ve seen some really good and some really bad setups. Thanks for the info on the panels!
Ya'll could last indefinitely on that battery with reasonable sunny days. Your system seems well balanced for what you need. I'm waxing my RV right now, I swear it grows a bit everytime I do this task😂.
You may be right! We are easing in to putting it to some hard tests! But it’s coming!
Where are you…I need mine waxed! 😆
Great information on solar, surprised at the little draw on the battery. Small ceramic heater when it’s really cold..
Perfect, thank you!
Any news on the train horn? We liked Eris' collar.
Hehe still working on it! Cody had to fly out last week for work, so it got put on pause.
😊I wondered who would notice her new collar! She has already broken it though. Haha! She got it loose, chewed it up and now it won’t tighten. So I’m sure she’ll have another soon!
The Starlink sucks a lot of power. I put ours in sleep mode at night when we don’t need it. After you guys get out boondocking, you may find it’s much better than campground life.
Good idea!
There’s no doubt that it’s better, or has a LOT of benefits!
Cody has to have a lot of consistent internet and power for work, so we get nervous about putting ourselves in a situation where we may have to move mid-week, or get stuck without power. That’s really what keeps us tied to campgrounds more than we would like.
When we were both laid off, we enjoyed the Harvest Host/Boondock life quite a bit more! It was NICE!
@@RVUntethered We never had any power issues with 400Ah of batteries. How many watts do you have in solar panels. The only time we had issues with Starlink was summer downpours in FL. We actually had more outtages in the sticks and bricks hard-lined internet.
The good thing with solar systems is you can build as you want. Next you guys might want to look at something like a Victron Multiplus inverter. Wire that in so you can use all your outlets. No need to run an extention cord for the hair blower.
Not to be a creeper, but I never noticed how beautiful your eyes are before the contacts.
Safe travels.
@@rickphillips4966We just have a small 370w solar panel.
We were camping at Mistletoe State Park and a family smoking chicken. The hubby had scraps, so he tossed them in a woody area behind another trailer. It was reported to the office, but nothing happened.
The woods I understand a bit more. But we’re talking concrete and grass sites. If the dogs don’t get ahold of them, I would think it would invite critters. Like leaving your trash out. Just odd to me!
Give the doggies a cheeseburger. ;-) Another fine video. RV Living is just that simple. Take care.
Ha! They would’ve taken it! 😆
Look at you getting all "electrical"! It makes my heart all warm and fuzzy! 🤣🤣
Where’s that electrical guy when you need him? 🤣
Great video folks. That burger looked delicious. Have you thought about increasing the size of you inverter to say 2000/3000 watts and then plugging your RV directly into the inverter to give you access to your 120 plugs? I have seen a few videos of folks doing that. You would want to manage the usage but it would eliminate running extension cords around. Safe travels!
This is how we do it 2000 watt renogy 10 gage cord to 50amp into camper everything works and it's cheap.
Soft starts on ac and it also Runs well .
I haven’t but honestly this is the first I’ve heard of that idea! That would definitely shave some cost out of a needed upgrade. Now my wheels are turning 🤔
You will be surprised at how much power a 3000 watt inverter will eat. I just spent 21 days at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument testing and retesting my SolarFlex 600i L solar package and boy was I surprised at what used what power. Not done testing yet, but it will determine what if anything I add to my system. Cost effective is the key.
@Graybeard1405
3000w inverter running at max would take a ton of power in a hurry .
Went with 2000watt runs a 1500watt device and still run light and tv ,water pump. No need to run 2 high loads at once .
Just how we do it works for us .
It's all in how much you want to spend sky is the limit .
Thank you for the suggestion! We address this in tomorrow’s video, because we thought it was great information!
We are ALWAYS learning something on here! 😊
Great information. Many RVers don’t realize how much you can do with just the 12 volt system. It is very freeing! We only have 200ah and we can camp a full weekend even without sun. The sunlight is our friend though!
Thank you! Nice!
We look forward to testing it out some more!
Thanks for the solar updates. Like ya'll, we don't plan on a lot of boondocking, but overnight stays without AC would be great, so we wouldn't need a lot of solar either. But unfortunately for us right now, most of our travel is during the summer since we aren't retired (5 years to go and counting!) and are limited on travel times. But, this is great info for the near future. Thanks for sharing.
The countdown is on!! 😊
Those whoooping cranes are big!!! Great video:)
HUGE!!
Up here they are whooooping cranes with a hard o and not as much h in it….lol
Ha! We tend to say it like we got when we were kids…. Whoopins! 😁
Hey you guys welcome yo H-town.if you get a chance check out Brazos state park,you will like it.
Ps:your wife passed the electronic 1 test now she can apply for our power company in Houston.starting $45 an hour 😂.
Enjoying your videos hope to meet you on the road.
Haha that’s hilarious!
We did stop in Houston, but I had to fly out for work and then we got sick, so it wasn’t an eventful trip. Haha! I think that’s twice that we have visited the place and haven’t really explored. Maybe the third time is a charm!
Looks like the dogs were interested in the birds. 🤣 Charlie doesn't like the water? Glad the battery is working out for you!
Charlie LOVES water, but I think he was more interested in smelling things and finding stinky things to roll in. Since he has had some neck and spinal issues, he isn’t as adventurous in the water anymore. It got scary. So we either stay with him close, or he’s wearing a life jacket.
Good for you. Best decision going to lithium batteries.
Enjoy your travels.
Thank you! We’re excited to see what it can do!
You got to factor in power loss while using an extension cord for power! Great video, informative.
Yes, we wanted to share everything that we were using for power, since we all live differently. We only used the inverter because it was the only thing on the rv that could pull the straightener and power box, to recharge, without using a generator.
In a true boondocking situation, that’s how we would do it, or we would start a generator.
Make sure your trailer converter says it’s compatible with lithium batteries. Other wise it will wreck your lithium battery.
Lead acid converter chargers have the wrong charging profile for lithium batteries.
Make sure the converter charger says lithium.
Your converter is on the other side of the pass thru.
Find the part number and go online to make sure it’s compatible with lithium.
If it’s not compatible turn the converter off at the breaker until you get a lithium converter charger.
I have 1600 watts of solar on my Grand Design.
Good luck
You are right on! We did have to change out the converter, for better compatibility.
What do you use around the cabinet handles? Just ordered a 5th wheel and trying not to learn the hard way!😂. Love your videos!
In fairness, I don't think my back cabinets ever came open. But it gets rough in the back, so we have been putting them on the back walls. We use the silicon twist ties. The link below is what we bought last and have been using, because they were cheaper, but the name brands definitely hold up better. But this should give you other options to look at.
I DO like this particular pack, because of how many sizes I got. I've been using the smaller ones to tie up cables and things for the desk.
amzn.to/3OLQno0
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Great video!
Thank you!
Did you set up anything to charge the lithium battery while driving? Some purchase a DC to DC charger while some just don’t do anything and use their charge capability from their 7-pin vehicle harness (although I have read in some places this could potentially adversely affect your tow vehicle alternator). For what it’s worth, I have no experience or even an idea how a DC to DC charger works.
The DC to DC charger is on our radar, just not sure if we would really make good use of it just yet. Generally if we boondock, our next stop is a campground. So far, the trickle charge off of the truck has been enough. Our truck does have dual alternators, presumably for that purpose but we haven’t pulled the trigger just yet.
Another good video. Thanks
Thank you!
Great videos! 👍 when you upgraded to lithium batteries, did you do anything to your truck to accommodate charging lithium batteries while traveling?
We haven’t. We get a trickle charge off of the 7 way cord and presumably some from the solar panel going down the road. DC to DC charging is on the radar, just not sure it’s a necessity for us…. Yet 😊
Good, nice video
Thank you!
You can get battery blankets to keep the battery warm Which is good for the US But still wont work for say electric cars as it gets to -50 some winters here
I’m hoping we don’t put it in that situation too much, but that’s a good point! I’m sure we would spend some time with family around the holidays, so it’s not out of the question that we would see freezing temps.
Tell Roger Goodell about air pressure going down in cold temps.
BAHAHA. ouch
@@RVUntethered Love your videos. I'm building a system and I'm learning a lot from you. Thanks!
IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW LONG YOU COULD BOONDOCK WITHOUT ANY SORT OF OUTSIDE POWER SOURCE (SHORE POWER AND GENERATOR POWER). COULD THE SOLAR POWER COMBINED WITH INVERTER OUTLAST YOUR WATER SUPPLY AND BLACK AND GREY TANKS CAPACITY?
It’s a good question! We plan to push it more, but we have to find a good balance between testing and making sure we don’t get Cody stuck without power, while he’s trying to work. Ha!
I’m excited to see what it can do!
Just curious have you done a test on your battery when you pull the slides in we have have a class a and our slides are huge almost the full length of the passenger side we have a jayco precept 36 foot
What a great idea! We travel tomorrow, so I’ll try to remember to do that on camera. I’m a little nervous about doing it with the Schwintek, because I just don’t trust them. But let’s see what the others do!
FYI, I don't believe this battery has low temperature charge protection. Some of the solar charge controllers will protect against charging below 32 degrees F but will not protect against charging using your converter or generator when below freezing.
HMMM. Maybe I misunderstood the manual. I know that it has a protection cutoff for several things, but maybe I misunderstood the wording for the temps. Or didn’t take the converter into account.
I have a message out to Redodo to see if I can get some clarification on it. Thanks for bringing this up!
I reviewed the website and even went back and watched a Review of this battery on UA-cam. He didn’t say so I messaged him and his response was no. Just don’t want you guys cooking a $1400 battery. I’ve seen people put blanket heaters around them with a thermostat that will turn the heater on when needed.
The review is by Emily & Clark’s adventure.
@@HomeOnWheels320MKS The Redodo battery does have an automatic cutoff, but not for the temperature, as we stated. We got some clarification from Redodo. They DO have a battery coming out that is a ‘low temp battery’, but it isn’t out just yet.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention!
I just found your UA-cam channel a couple weeks ago. I have watching all of your previous posts, and have enjoyed them very much. No complaints here, but! Is there a way to post a picture on your comments? I don’t believe there is. Is their any other ways to get a photo to you. I have couple ideas for you, but don’ know of a way to send them with photos? I’m not tech-savvy!
Unfortunately, there is not a way to share them on here, but we do have a Facebook page and email. I have listed both below.
facebook.com/RV.UNTETHERED?mibextid=hu50Ix
Rv.untethered@gmail.com
Could you explain reprogramming the furrion battery monitor for the bigger batttery ? We are about to upgrade batteries and I was under the ASSumption that I would have to change that monitor as well. I would love to get by without doing that.
I’ll paste a link here from the Grand Design owners forum so I don’t steer you wrong 😂. This worked well for us! gdrvowners.com/forum/operation/electrical/110366-furrion-battery-monitor-reset
@@RVUntethered thanks, appreciate it.
We have a Reflection 260RD with the factory installed solar panel, converter and battery. Inverter prepped and the 12volt refrigerator. Wondering if you can post a picture of your set up and what inverter you purchased. Are you happy with your current setup?
Hey Nancy! I can get you a picture but UA-cam doesn’t allow photos in comments. If you could shoot us an email at howdy@rv-untethered.com so I’ll have your address I’ll send one over. My setup is really basic. I just mounted a 700w Renogy inverter on the wall in my front bay (under the fifth wheel) and wired it straight to my batteries. In reality about all I use it for is to run Starlink when we’re off grid but it suits our purpose and we’ve been very happy with the Renogy inverter.
I didn’t think the battery had low temp cut off on it. I’m hoping it does.
HMMM. Maybe I misunderstood the manual. I know that it has a protection cutoff for several things, but maybe I misunderstood the wording for the temps. Or didn’t take the converter into account.
I have a message out to Redodo to see if I can get some clarification on it. Thanks for bringing this up!
I really want one. I hope it does but I can’t find it in the site where it says low temp cut off. Please let us know. I hope so!!
@@DustyDreamer The Redodo battery does have an automatic cutoff, but not for the temperature, as we stated. We got some clarification from Redodo. They DO have a battery coming out that is a ‘low temp battery’, but it isn’t out just yet.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention!
@@RVUntethered I didn't think I had read that it was and didn't want you to think it would stop charging and your battery get damaged. They cost way too much to let them get damaged. I am looking forward to getting one and putting a tank heater on it to keep it warm.
How much solar do you have on the roof to charge the battery?
It is a small panel, with 370w.
My husband wants to know…where is the horn?
Haha! Coming!
Cody, do you have soft starts on your A/C's?? That saves tremendous amount of draw on kicking on and off.. . They're expensive but worth it I believe...
Ha! I have one in my basement that I haven’t put on! 😁 I have been called out!
@@RVUntethered smh!!!!
@@GregPrince-io1cb😂
My wife and I go to Emerald Cove Campground in Earp California right on the Parker Strip and every time we go there there's chicken bones on the ground and my dog is trying to eat them. I wonder the same thing, why is everybody throwing chicken bones on the ground 👍🇺🇲
Right?!! That seems like such an odd thing to me!
Does the govee require a subscription, or is it just Bluetooth?
Great video. I love them furbabies.
No subscription required for Govee. It does require WiFi, which we have in spades. The temp monitors allowed us to cut off our Waggle subscription. We loved it, but it was getting spendy. Plus, we have so many Govee products that we like. 😊
Do you run the furnace at all? Mine pulls about 90W (7A) so depending on how many hours it runs it can make a pretty big impact on the battery.
We didn’t have to on this ‘test run’, but further into the video, we do find out how many amps various things will pull, such as the furnace. It’s huge!!
I'm curious about what got you to pick Redodo over others ? I'm looked to add 1 big lithium battery myself .
We partnered with Redodo for this battery and a discount code (in the description if you decide to go that way), but I had been researching them for a long time.
I just can’t afford Battle Born. Plain and simple. Redodo had a ton of great reviews and a lot of people in the various rv forums seemed to have great luck with them. I figured between the price point and their reputation, it was a good one to try.
I was the one to reach out to them for a partnership, after I had researched it and knew that I wanted it. We are excited to see what it can do!
Yea I agree the Battleborn is out of my league also,I was leaning towards LiTime but after watching your video I'm back to researching.
@@RickLeonard-c4gI saw some advertisements on it, but I’m not really familiar with that one.
Good luck in your search!
@@RickLeonard-c4g We have heard from Redodo to say that they have a ‘low temp’ battery coming out in the near future. I found that pretty interesting!
How much solar do you have
Just a single panel that’s 370w.
What size inverter does your camper have.
750w
C4YT GodBless
Chicken bones are dangerous for dogs, as they splinter. Upset stomach, a spoon full of can pumpkins.
Yes! They are so scary because they can splinter so easy!
I think she threw it all up and a few days worth of food. She has seemed good since then, so think we dodged a bullet! 🙂
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