Deep Cycle Battery Test

I have just set up the van with a new battery system in preparation for our trip to the Ocean Road in November and Eyre Pen in December. For those who are interested, I will give the details of our set up and the results of a battery test I am doing.

We have a 2005 16.5 Jayco Freedom Outback Pop Top (preparing for life after work). To date, we have been limited to two nights at a time “free camping” because we only had a 60 Ah THUMPER deep cycle battery and 60 litres of water.

Not wanting to spend the dollars for solar or a generator, I have made a bit of a compromise by buying an additional 100 Ah deep cycle battery and another 60 l tank. We are caravaners, not serious outback travellers (no apologies) so we are not looking to be endlessly self-sufficient. We are hoping to get three days in the bush before heading for a shower and 240V.

I am running a test to see how many days we can have away from power. Here is our set up.

Water - 120 litres
Running two adults
Power – 1 x 60 ah deep cycle battery plus 1 x 100 ah deep cycle battery and 1 x inverter
Running – lights, 40 litre Engel, 18 litre Waeco, Dometic three way fridge and a TV/DVD
Gas – 1 x 9kg and 1 x 4.5kg bottles
Running - Coleman combo hotplate/BBQ and a Weber BabyQ

The test is for power only.

The forecast is Min 8 Max 18 for the next three days.
5 October 3pm / Batteries are fully charged reading 13V

I will run the Waeco 18 l for 24 hrs a day, the lights for 3 hrs a day.

I will post the results when the batteries are dead.

Cheers

Skull