Skip to main content
Topic: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 amp ad (Read 720 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 amp ad

Yahoo Message Number: 1220
Just installed the Pro-fill battery watering system for the two Costco
6V golf cart batteries in our Jayco Greyhawk. What a cool product!
Battery access on the Greyhawk is pretty decent with the slideout
tray, but this makes it much easier to maintain the batteries.

Also, happened to pickup a Marinco 50amp to 15 amp adapter. Basically
allows me to run the fridge and the lights when we have the MH parked
in front of the house while we pack for a trip. While plugged in this
way, do you know if the house batteries will be charging? I imagine
it would.

Re: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 am

Reply #1
Yahoo Message Number: 1222
Rich, we've used to pigtails since back in 2003-4. First we had only 30 amp and got a 30 to 15 to run things on the pad at home and at the occasional campground that only had 15 amp. When we got the 50 amp service on trading to the Journey, I had to get a 50 to 30 pigtail.

Then we added the 50 amp service out of the pool shed**but the MH cord would not reach. So I used my 30 amp extension but had to get a reverse 50 mail to 30 female to plug in the extension, then back to a 30 to 50 at the other end of the extension. This only gave me 30 amps at the MH of course. Then I broke down and bought the 50 amp extension cord (30 ft) and now we are 50 amps all the way.

When did you get the 6V golf car batteries? Are you happy with them. We too only have the one house battery that came with the MH and since we don't dry camp in the Greyhawk (or at least haven't to date) have found that adequate. I'm sure one night of dry camping and the gennie would be running a lot. I didn't want to add another 12V Interstate since then I'd have an old one and a new one and everything I see says "don't do that." So, I figured sometime in the future I'd get two 6V and then make darn good and sure I connect them the right way to get 12V out of them. Not being an electrical bug, I have to approach anything electrical with extreme caution. :)

We are moving to the Windsor area across from Detroit sometime after July 16 and will no longer have a pad next to the house or any room at all for the MH. There is a Jayco trailer dealer a half mile away (talk about luck) and it appears we will pay $50 per month to store the Greyhawk there. I'm not pleased with the idea of leaving keys though. All winter I lifted the hood and disconnected the battery at the remote connection (one day I might find a kill switch for that location) and that seemed to work as the battery didn't run down too much with the various power drains gone. I'm going to disconnect the battery at the dealer as well and turn off the house battery at the switch by the house entrance door. (which makes one wonder why Jayco didn't put in a kill switch for the chassis battery). Our Journey chassis batteries (2) drained so quickly when we were parked in Florida that we had to keep a Battery Minder on them. When we got the Ambassador it had a kill switch for the chassis batteries (2 again) and that worked well. Went the entire winter without having to charge them. Winnie has since had to add a chassis battery kill switch since there are so many parasitic power drains.

Don

**We had 100 amp service to the pool shed as the original owner had a electric pool heater and we found that putting the 50 amp outlet in the shed was not very expensive since it did not have to be weather proof as would have been the case if it had been outside.



On 14-Jun-08, at 2:14 AM, rich_panganiban wrote:


Re: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 am

Reply #2
Yahoo Message Number: 1230
Hi Don,

I installed the two 6V golf cart batteries in March and they are a
noticeable improvement when dry-camping. We don't do a lot of it,
but it is much better than running the generator every hour to keep
the single 12v battery charged. As a matter of fact, if you were
closer I would give you the 12v Interstate battery I took out. The
batteries fit in the battry tray quite nicely, I only had to add a
#4 gauge jumper lead to connect them. Also, I was surprised to find
that the batteries came strapped down with a backpack-style strap
(1" webbing and a plastic buckle). Of course, the plastic had
totally disintegrated. So I replaced it with a metal buckled
strap. Turn out very nice.

Thanks for the info on the pigtail. I was pretty excited to find
one that had the Marinco twist end that comes with our coach so I
wouldn't have to get a bunch of adapters.

How is your Greyhawk holding up?

Regards, Rich Panganiban.



Re: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 am

Reply #3
Yahoo Message Number: 1231
Hey Don thanks for the information about the Marinco adapter for
50 amp down to 15 amp, I looked but couldn't find it , do yoou have the
part number so we can order one also ..........great idea for just a quick plug in for
refrigerator to cool it down and not use the propane
thank again

rich_panganiban wrote:

Re: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 am

Reply #4
Yahoo Message Number: 1237
Hi Gary, here is a link to the adapter:

http://marinco.com/scpt/ProdPage.php?loadItem=115A_Marinco%
20Shore%20Power

Hope that helps. Rich Panganiban.

--- In KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com, Gary Myers
wrote:
Quote
Hey Don thanks for the information about the Marinco adapter for
50 amp down to 15 amp, I looked but couldn't find it , do yoou
have the

Quote
part number so we can order one also ..........great idea for just
a quick plug in for
refrigerator to cool it down and not use the propane
thank again

rich_panganiban wrote:

Hi Don,

I installed the two 6V golf cart batteries in March and they are
a noticeable improvement when dry-camping. We don't do a lot of it,
but it is much better than running the generator every hour to
keep the single 12v battery charged. As a matter of fact, if you were
closer I would give you the 12v Interstate battery I took out.
The batteries fit in the battry tray quite nicely, I only had to add
a #4 gauge jumper lead to connect them. Also, I was surprised to
find that the batteries came strapped down with a backpack-style strap
(1" webbing and a plastic buckle). Of course, the plastic had
totally disintegrated. So I replaced it with a metal buckled
strap. Turn out very nice.

Thanks for the info on the pigtail. I was pretty excited to find
one that had the Marinco twist end that comes with our coach so I
wouldn't have to get a bunch of adapters.

How is your Greyhawk holding up?

Regards, Rich Panganiban.

--- In KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
, grandriver125@
wrote:
Quote
Rich, we've used to pigtails since back in 2003-4. First we
had
only 30 amp and got a 30 to 15 to run things on the pad at home
and at
the occasional campground that only had 15 amp. When we got the
50
amp service on trading to the Journey, I had to get a 50 to 30
pigtail.

Then we added the 50 amp service out of the pool shed**but the
MH
cord would not reach. So I used my 30 amp extension but had to
get a
reverse 50 mail to 30 female to plug in the extension, then
back to a
30 to 50 at the other end of the extension. This only gave me
30 amps
at the MH of course. Then I broke down and bought the 50 amp
extension cord (30 ft) and now we are 50 amps all the way.

When did you get the 6V golf car batteries? Are you happy with
them. We too only have the one house battery that came with the
MH
and since we don't dry camp in the Greyhawk (or at least
haven't

Quote
to
date) have found that adequate. I'm sure one night of dry
camping and
the gennie would be running a lot. I didn't want to add another
12V
Interstate since then I'd have an old one and a new one and
everything
I see says "don't do that." So, I figured sometime in the
future I'd
get two 6V and then make darn good and sure I connect them the
right
way to get 12V out of them. Not being an electrical bug, I have
to
approach anything electrical with extreme caution. :)

We are moving to the Windsor area across from Detroit sometime
after
July 16 and will no longer have a pad next to the house or any
room at
all for the MH. There is a Jayco trailer dealer a half mile
away (talk about luck) and it appears we will pay $50 per month to
store
the Greyhawk there. I'm not pleased with the idea of leaving
keys
though. All winter I lifted the hood and disconnected the
battery at
the remote connection (one day I might find a kill switch for
that
location) and that seemed to work as the battery didn't run
down too
much with the various power drains gone. I'm going to
disconnect the
battery at the dealer as well and turn off the house battery at
the
switch by the house entrance door. (which makes one wonder why
Jayco
didn't put in a kill switch for the chassis battery). Our
Journey
chassis batteries (2) drained so quickly when we were parked in
Florida that we had to keep a Battery Minder on them. When we
got
the Ambassador it had a kill switch for the chassis batteries
(2

Quote
again) and that worked well. Went the entire winter without
having to
charge them. Winnie has since had to add a chassis battery kill
switch since there are so many parasitic power drains.

Don

**We had 100 amp service to the pool shed as the original owner
had a
electric pool heater and we found that putting the 50 amp
outlet in
the shed was not very expensive since it did not have to be
weather
proof as would have been the case if it had been outside.

On 14-Jun-08, at 2:14 AM, rich_panganiban wrote:

Just installed the Pro-fill battery watering system for the
two Costco
6V golf cart batteries in our Jayco Greyhawk. What a cool
product!
Battery access on the Greyhawk is pretty decent with the
slideout tray, but this makes it much easier to maintain the
batteries.
Quote
Also, happened to pickup a Marinco 50amp to 15 amp adapter.
Basically
allows me to run the fridge and the lights when we have the
MH parked
in front of the house while we pack for a trip. While
plugged in

Quote
this
way, do you know if the house batteries will be charging? I
imagine
it would.




------
Quote
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.3.0/1503 - Release Date:
6/14/2008 6:02 PM


Re: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 am

Reply #5
Yahoo Message Number: 1282
I took, sort of, the same course that you did with the golf cart
batteries - while dry camping in the winter, my original 12volt
batteries would not last the entire night... I sleep using a CPAP
machine that I run off of the inverter. I would not use the heated
humidifier because to the higher amperage draw of the heating element,
and still I would awake at 4 or 5 in the morning because the of CPAP
turning itself off (the furnace on the MH would still be working, but I
guess the CPAP is more sensitive to voltage).

I removed the two 12v batteries from the slide out tray and replaced
them with 6v batteries. I also sectioned off a section of the next
compartment and added two additional 6v batteries. I wired all the
batteries together and made up a voltmeter to permanently install in
the compartment to, more accurately, monitor the batteries.

I also installed the battery fillers - what a great invention. They
sure make keeping up on battery water less of a chore.

Now I can go day, in the winter, without having to fire up the
generator to recharge the batteries.
, "rich_panganiban"
wrote:
Quote
Just installed the Pro-fill battery watering system for the two
Costco 6V golf cart batteries in our Jayco Greyhawk. What a cool product!
Battery access on the Greyhawk is pretty decent with the slideout
tray, but this makes it much easier to maintain the batteries.

Also, happened to pickup a Marinco 50amp to 15 amp adapter.
Basically allows me to run the fridge and the lights when we have the MH parked
in front of the house while we pack for a trip. While plugged in
this

Re: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 am

Reply #6
Yahoo Message Number: 1285
Thanks Rich. I guess I am a bit too far away. :)

32SS is holding up reasonably well. We like it, just don't like all the little things that seem to go wrong and demonstrate shoddy workmanship.

I've been pondering whether or not I should do something to the suspension but at this time I'm going to hold off until I'm convinced.

We were hoping to use it a lot this summer but with a move coming up and our new granddaughter curtailing out son's racing, that may not be the case.

Don


On 15-Jun-08, at 12:46 PM, rich_panganiban wrote:


Re: A couple of recent purchases: Battery watering system & 50-15 am

Reply #7
Yahoo Message Number: 1288
Hi Don,

I've been contemplating the rear suspension on the Greyhawk as well,
and have been considering having the rear springs upgraded. I think
the overall ride is fine, but it's when you hit a big bump that it
feels like the rear end is "bottoming out" it's suspension. The
impact seems to be really sharp. The rear of the coach always
looked a hair too low, and raising it a bit may be the solution.

As far as quality goes, I couldn't be happier with Jayco. Sure
there are little issues here and there that need to be addressed,
but I really went in with the expectation of having to do some
handywork around the coach. Obviously we are fortunate because we
haven't had any major issues to this point.

Also, I can't say enough great things about the service we've gotten
from our local Jayco dealer, Richardson's RV. They've gotten us in
within a week of me calling (one instance the next day), and have
done the work in a timely fashion. Even when we had them upgrade
the window coverings to day/night shades after the originals were
damaged after the coach was broken into at the storage yard.

On the other hand, I've been having a hard time finding a Chevy
dealer who is able to handle the service on our motorhome. Just a
couple of small issues I wanted to have taken care of before the
warranty runs out.

Anyways, good luck with the upcoming move.