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Old 11-19-2011, 10:04 PM   #1
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planning a trip...

so, Im planning a 2+ week trip to CA/AZ from Iowa in January. camping, snowboarding, mountain biking, road biking, dirt biking, supercross, road racing my BMW at a trackday, fun... my quig isn't really set up to stay in but I plan on it with a sleeping bag and air mattress. I have a generator and I would like to set up a house battery system in conjunction with the starting battery. Id like to be able to have my norcold fridge running, maybe an electric blanket, stereo/tv going but that's about it. what do I need, specifically and can I put a battery or 2 in the under storage box if i have one made?

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Old 11-19-2011, 10:40 PM   #2
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Re: planning a trip...

If you want something portable or temporary, they make these battery boxes for portable use that have handles, external hook up lugs, and some have battery fuel type gauges built into them. Use an AGM type battery that fits. I'd separate the 12 volt start system with the new spare battery system you tie into. Look at a high amp battery switch made by blue sea that can isolate or tie the banks together. With a manual switch, you just need to remember to separate at night and connect when driving to charge back up.

Iv'e built several like this for my scopes but also have found pre made models
Battery box

Or you can just install a standard house battery system with a good separator like a blue sea 7622. Automatic and can be used to jump start the vehicle provided its set up corectly. Most RV places should be able to build this for you. Personally I don't like batteries inside but I have several in my garage
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Old 11-19-2011, 11:30 PM   #3
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Re: planning a trip...

thanx so much... also, where to camp??? central CO, western CO or E. Utah (maybe moab) for the first night... like to find a free spot but I will take about anything. I might go south because of the weather but not sure yet. thanx.
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Old 11-19-2011, 11:37 PM   #4
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Re: planning a trip...

also found a 15 watt solar panel for sale locally like this... good/bad/?


http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... sNum=50530


I might just go to a local RV place and see what they think or can do.. thanx again.
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Old 11-20-2011, 12:09 AM   #5
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Re: planning a trip...

any place I "need" to see??? I know it's not the best time to go into remote areas but whatever...ha
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Old 11-20-2011, 12:38 AM   #6
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Re: planning a trip...

Anything less than 60 watts is more of a battery maintainer for storage and no good for suppling power to a refrigerator or reasonably fast charge to low batteries. Your best charger is the vehicle or generator.

As far as camping, there are people on the site that know more about Colorado and Utah. I stayed at a nice first come first serve camp along the Colorado river in Moab...there is a bunch of them there that cost under 10 bucks a night if I recall.

Great Basin NP is a fantastic mid-way spot to camp between Utah and Nevada. You could go south from there to Arizona then back up through Death Valley and back over past lake isabella into the central ca valley

For camping out here in Ca you can check my my site but many areas are closed off to winter. Most any western sierra foothill lake will be nice at that time of year. Merced River Canyon is bad ass and close to Yosemite (visit my site)

Ski sites are on most all the major highways up into the sierra's west slope between 80 and 41 plus a few on the east. It will be cold. 80 will probably be the only pass open depending on the snow pack. Otherwise you'll have to go down south to get over.

Figure out a basic route and post for help in the trip section and you'll probably get a bunch of suggestions.
Good Luck.

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Old 11-20-2011, 07:07 AM   #7
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Re: planning a trip...

Not a cheap way to go, but then again adding house batteries aren't cheap either. Very flexible setup too.

http://www.goalzero.com/shop/p/63/Extreme-350-Kit/6:1/


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Old 11-20-2011, 10:42 AM   #8
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Re: planning a trip...

Free camping: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo/rec ... esert.html.

This is right in the heart of classic Fruita/Grand Junction mountain biking: http://www.gjmountainbiking.com/Images/18road.jpg.

I was there in June of last year. Didn't camp at that spot, as I rolled into Colorado National Monument first and paid up for 3 nights there before heading out the next day to bike and finding this spot right at the foot of the trails! Primitive campground but I would've stayed there without hesitation. Only thing is you'd be there in January...
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Old 11-23-2011, 10:03 PM   #9
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Re: planning a trip...

thank you! very helpful.

so, if you were going to wire your own battery with isolator.. what would you buy and how would you wire it? with shore power/generator. a schematic would be nice...


how bout this...

http://bluesea.com/category/1/productline/overview/329
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Old 11-24-2011, 12:00 AM   #10
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Re: planning a trip...

If it was me, I would step up to the ML series (magnetic latching) from Bluesea. Do a search on 'battery separator' and you'll find a lot of information comparing this and a few other options.
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