New Voltmeter-Ammeter-Wattmeter for AGM batteries - Part 2

New Ammeter-Voltmeter-Wattmeter

September 15, 2017: Added short video clip

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Short video:

New Ammeter-Voltmeter-Wattmeter

See Part 1 for the background information about the AGM batteries in my roadtrek 210P:

http://roadtrek210.blogspot.com/2017/08/new-voltmeter-ammeter-wattmeter-for-agm.html

Why add a digital voltmeter-ammeter?
The decision to add a digital meter was easy. Then I proceeded to decide upon the type of meter. I had seen a FMCA Roadtrek Chapter Cyberrally post about how someone added a digital meter and I wanted to do the same.

Finding a meter wasn't all that difficult. A meter which stored "Ampere Hours" would have been ideal, but I opted for a digital voltmeter-ammeter-wattmeter. The selected meter also included adjustable alarm points for high and low voltage. That would be useful for monitoring low battery voltage, or a point at which I wanted to pay closer attention to battery draw.

I ordered the meter ($15.99 at the time) with DC shunt. I wanted to connect it directly to the battery so I could monitor battery voltage even with the battery disconnect "off". A switch and protective fuse was necessary. The parts list included:

1. Meter with 100A shunt
2. Off-On switch
3. Case for meter and switch (Case dimensions: 5-1/2" x 3-1/8" x 1-1/2")
4. 25 ft. 4-conductor cable
5. Automotive fuse holder (I used a fuse from my kit)
6. Miscellaneous connectors.
7. Note: for details, see the parts list at end of this post. 

The most difficult part for me was determining where to mount the meter. I had decided that I wanted a surface mount case, so I could remove the meter in the future and leave no trace. Determining how to run the 4/C cable was also a bit of a challenge. I decided to route it behind the fiberglass side panel, into the coach along side the door, then behind the side panel and exiting just below the 120VAC/12VDC power distribution center. This required the temporary removal of the rear passenger seat. Lots of screws.

Passenger seat removed, propane furnace exposed

With the passenger seat removed, it was possible to remove the side panel, and pull the cable behind the panel. I pulled the cable from the battery compartment to the passenger seat area, and re-assembled the interior panel. I left a foot lomg "pigtail" for connecting the meter.

Cable at Passenger Seat

I then mounted the rear of the meter case to the wall. I used 3M Dual Lock™ General Purpose Reclosable Fasteners. Note the female electrical connectors on the cable from the battery compartment:

Base of Meter Case

I assembled the meter in the case. Marked the case and cut the opening with a Dremel tool and cutting wheel. I used connectors so I can remove this if necessary. The "female" end goes on the cable from the battery compartment. The "male" end is in the meter case. This is so there should not be any exposed live parts if I pull the meter, even if the fuse at the shunt is intact.

Meter and Off-On switch in case

This is the front of the meter and switch, assembled in the case:

Front of meter case with Off-On switch

I mounted the meter to the case mounted on the wall:

Meter case mounted to the wall

This is the shunt, which was supplied with the meter. For the meter I purchased the shunt is connected between the negative battery post and the negative conductor. The shunt is rated 100A/75mV. The shunt is actually a precision resistor and the higher the current flowing through it, the higher the voltage drop across it. The voltage drop is 75 millivolts at 100 amperes.

Shunt

The shunt was installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. A right angle screwdriver is helpful for installing the wiring to the shunt (I used a phillips).

CAUTION - Installing the shunt requires removing the negative battery lead. Exercise great care not to short a tool from negative to the nearby positive terminal. DEATH OR INJURY CAN RESULT. Be sure there is no battery load when doing this procedure.

The shunt is connected directly to the negative battery post. The black (Negative) cable is connected to the other side of the shunt; the yellow arrow points to that connection. Three of the leads of the 4-conductor cable is connected to the shunt. The fourth conductor goes to the red (Positive) battery terminal.  I installed an automotive fuse between the positive battery terminal and the lead going to the meter. That is to protect the wire in the event of a short circuit

CAUTION - A properly sized fuse is necessary to protect the wire in the event of equipment failure or short circuit. Fire, damage,  injury or death can result from an unprotected circuit.

Shunt installation and automotive fuse on positive battery terminal

With the installation complete I threw the "Off-On" switch to the "On" position.

I checked the display using a precision digital VOM. I measured the mV at the shunt and calculated the meter reading. The meter agreed.

Meter Setup
The meter has alarm points and some options:

1. Set backlight off or on. The default is "on".
2. Set voltage alarm threshold. The meter includes both "high" and "low" voltage alarms. These are set independently. The presence of an alarm flashes the backlight alternating "off" and "on". I set the low voltage alarm at the 50% DoD level for my coach batteries.
3. Set the measuring range. This meter will work with a 50A/75mV shunt or a 100A/75mV shunt. I set this to match the installed shunt, which is 100A/75mV.
4. Energy reset. The meter will accumulate and store kilo-watt hours (kWh). This value can be reset to zero.  

Meter Limitations
The meter is a DC meter. This means that the ammeter measurement is polarity sensitive. The meter as connected can only measure discharge current from the battery across the shunt. When charging the meter displays 0.00 amperes. However, by reversing the connections it is possible to measure charging current. I tried this and it works.

It was interesting to watch the Tripplite inverter/charger step through the charging levels. I may add a DPDT switch for this purpose, but it is completely optional. I've monitored the Tripplite by watching the AC current; as the Tripplite throttles back the AC current decreases. However, other 120VAC loads will mask that.  It is also possible to pull the compartment cover over the Tripplite and observe the charge state LEDs:

Green = Full Charge

Detailed Parts list, my cost $36.45 plus tax and any shipping:

1. MICTUNING DC 6.5-100V 0-100A LCD Digital Display Ammeter Voltmeter Multimeter Volt Watt Power Energy Meter Blue with 100A/75mV Shunt, Part No. MIC-DVG-015.
2. Serpac black plastic case, model 151i, BK.
3. Rocker switch, Philmore No. 30-882.
4. 4-conductor shielded cable, 24 AWG. (Use #22-24 AWG; smaller AWG is easier to pull).
5. Insulated terminal disconnects, male and female (from toolbox, not included in price total).
6. Fuse and fuseholder to protect the wire from the meter to the (+) positive battery terminal. Size of the fuse is determined by the size of the wire. 

New Voltmeter-Ammeter-Wattmeter for AGM batteries - Part 1

Earlier this year I replaced the AGM batteries in the Roadtrek with new AGMs. I decided against lithium (LiFePO4) batteries for the time being. For one thing, I hadn't decided which real estate I would give up. I wasn't sure I'd put them in the battery compartment as it is outside the rig and uninsulated.

I've posted on social media (G+ and FB) that I wasn't happy with the 4-point L-F-G-C "idiot light" arrangement in the Roadtrek, in particular because I discovered that the "G" or "Good" indicator was illuminated even when the batteries were below 50% depth of discharge (DoD).

What was my issue? It was about battery life and capacity. To get optimal life from AGM batteries most experts recommend not allowing the battery to regularly fall below 50% state of charge (SoC). The "G" or "Good" LED extinguishes below that level. The "F" or "Fair" light on the Roadtrek is below that. A simple plug-in digital meter was an option and one can be purchased for between $5 and $15. Here's one:

12V Plug-in digital Voltmeter

Our rental rig had such a simple meter, and I could plug one into the rear cabinet above the entertainment center in our 210P, which had a cigarette lighter for the 12V amplified antenna. I added a "Y" connector for this purpose. However, I also wanted an ammeter and a wattmeter, but I didn't want to spend the amount necessary for a Trimetric and I wanted something easy to install.

Here's the 12V connector I used to install a "Y" cable. That allowed me to connect a meter in addition to the 12V TV antenna amplifier. But viewing the meter in this location isn't very convenient.

Location of simple plug-in digital meter connector:

12V Connector in rear compartment

Installed and functional digital meter:

New Digital Meter

Battery Life Issues
All of this is really about getting full value and maximum capacity from the batteries. As AGM batteries age, they will lose capacity. Such batteries have specifications based on specific conditions, such as an ideal temperature of 77F. AGM batteries operate on chemical principles, and chemistry is influenced by temperature.

I had noticed that, after 4 years the batteries in the Roadtrek didn't seem to be able of providing the desired voltage for the time I wanted to use them "off the power grid". That indicated a loss of capacity.

The entire point of adding a digital voltmeter-ammeter is to get a better idea of the condition of the coach batteries. Even better than battery voltage is specific gravity, but that can't be readily determined. Below is a table for my current batteries which provides some idea of the life of the batteries when discharged repeatedly to certain levels of DoD (depth of discharge). As can be seen, the 50% DoD provides about 1200 charge-discharge cycles. Decreasing to 80% DoD provides a life of about 700 cycles. Avoiding DoD below 50% provides a good compromise between battery life (cycles) while providing adequate capacity.

The problem we face is that to extend battery life we either use them less (fewer cycles per year means more years of service before reaching end of life). Or, we can reduce the DoD. As noted in the table below, if the DoD is only 20% it is possible for a battery to provide 3600 charge-discharge cycles. Of course, to achieve only 20% DoD requires much less use of the available battery capacity.

Why Measure Battery Volts and Amperes?
How long can we run things in the coach on batteries and avoid discharging the batteries below 50% DoD? The ammeter and voltmeter with the tables for our batteries can be an aid to this.

For example, my batteries can provide 18.33AH for 12 hours. However, that is to 100% discharge, which is what I want to avoid. 50% DoD will allow a draw for only about half that time, or about 18.33AH for 6 hours.  Or, I could reduce the load and extend the time. If I really need to run solely on batteries for 12 hours, my batteries can provide about 9 amperes per hour:

                                           220AH/12H = 18.33A
                                           18.33A x 50% = 9.165A

The times are approximate. If we have an ammeter we can determine what the actual current draw on the batteries are. If we have a voltmeter. we can determine the state of charge of the batteries.

Battery Life and Charge-Discharge Cycles

Depth of Discharge - New AGMs

Using the Voltmeter
The digital voltmeter will provide an indicator of the state of charge (SoC) of the batteries. "OCV" is open circuit voltage, or the state when the batteries are not connected to a load:

Relative State of Charge @ 77F - New AGMs

Note that SoC tables may vary. Here is a "typical" AGM table, which differs from the chart above.

Typical AGM battery SoC table

Battery Life 
Taking care of batteries and extending their life will obviously reduce costs. They are expensive. 220AH of AGM batteries is about $450 to $600. However, the other desireable thing is capacity. I want to be assured that the battery is capable of providing the amperes I need for as long as I need them. A battery with reduced capacity may not be able to do that.

Capacity is the ability of a battery to deliver the amount of power it was designed to do. Over time, battery capacity will decrease. As the battery nears end of life, it's capacity will diminish significantly. The batteries I have are designed to provide 25A @ 460 minutes  (7.7 hours) when new. As the batteries lose capacity, they will provide 25A but for shorter periods of time. And as the battery discharges, the voltage will decrease. A battery with diminished capacity will experience more rapid voltage fall-off. DC power is volts x amperes. As the voltage diminishes, so does the power if the amperes are constant.

While extending battery life does reduce operating costs, I am more interested in having the desired capacity available to me.  My batteries are rated 220AH. That means that they can continuously provide about 18 amperes for 12 hours, if they can provide full capacity (see notes):

220AH/12H = 18.33A.

Real World Capacity
The capacity achieved is based on battery condition, ambient temperature and other factors.

As noted above, the 12 hour rating for my AGM batteries is 18.33A.

In the real worlds AGM battery capacity does gradually decline, and by 700 cycles capacity decrease to 50-60% is usual. That means that the above number will gradually decrease:

• New AGM battery (80-100% capacity) = 18.33A for 12 hours
• Battery after 400 cycles (80% capacity) =  14.7A for 12 hours.
• Battery after 700 cycles 50-60% capacity = 9.2A for 12 hours

Lithium batteries also have a gradual reduction in capacity, but generally a 220AH battery:

• Lithium battery after 400-500 cycles (80% capacity) = 14.7A for 12 hours. 

Note: The above numbers are based on battery manufacturer published data and this information does vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. It is important to realize that battery data is usually under ideal conditions such as 77F temperature. AGM battery capacity decreases as battery temperature decreases and can perform (charge and discharge) over temperature ranges of (-)4F to 104F. Lithium batteries generally can operate with charging temperature of 32F-113F and discharge temperatures of (-)4F to 140F. Electric vehicle and experimental data indicates that high environment temperature could accelerate the aging of LiFePO4 batteries, while low temperature could reduce output power capability. Data suggests normal life can be achieve if operated in the range 50F to 104F.
However, it is important to check with each manufacturer for their specifications.

Battery Life based on Depth of Discharge
A well maintained AGM (absorbent glass mat) battery has a life of 6-8 years. Average life has been stated to be 3-5 years. If not maintained, that will diminish to 2-4 years. Note that it really is charge-discharge cycles that are the limit. Battery manufacturers assume a certain number of such cycles in a year. That assumes optimal temperatures of 77F and that the batteries are immediately charged to 100% immediately upon the end of the discharge cycle.

For example, with 50% DoD my batteries are designed to provide 1200 charge-discharge cycles:

1. If used every day, a battery will experience 365 cycles per year.  Under such use, the batteries have a service life of 3.2 years. 
2. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every other day, or about 180 times a year, the same batteries could provide a service life of 6.7 years. 
3. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every three days, or about 120 times a year, the same batteries could provide a service life of 10.0 years. 

 For example, with 80% DoD my batteries are designed to provide 700 charge-discharge cycles:

1. If used every day, a battery will experience 365 cycles per year.   Under such use, the batteries have a service life of 1.9 years.  
2. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every other day, or about 180 times a year, the same batteries could provide a service life of 3.9 years. 
3. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every three days, or about 120 times a year, the same batteries could provide a service life of 5.8 years. 

How does one "maintain" a maintenance free battery?

1. Recharge as soon as possible after use - preferably within 24 hours.
2. Recharge the battery properly.
3. Use a "smart" charger.
4. Battery should not be charged if the core temperature reaches 120F (49°C).
5. Avoid discharging below 50% SoC (state of charge).
6. When recharging, recharge to at least 80% SoC before beginning another discharge cycle. 
7. Charge to 100% as often as possible. 
8. Avoid heat; heat shortens battery life. Each 15°F (8C) rise in temperature reduces the life of the battery in half.
9. Know the correct state of charge (SoC). Knowing this will help to extend overall cycle life. A battery monitor is worthwhile and use one that is accurate.  

Battery Cost 
There is a cost to overtaxing batteries, as noted above. Best case is a battery with 50% DoD, and that yields 1200 cycles under best conditions. As noted above:

1. If used every day, or 365 cycles per year or a service life of 3.2 years.  The cost is $140 per year ($450/3.2)
2. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every other day, or about 180 times a year, the same batteries could provide a service life of 6.7 years. The cost is $67 per year ($450/6.7).
3. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every three days, or about 120 times a year, the same batteries  could provide a service life of 10.0 years. The cost is $45 per year ($450/10).

 For example, with 80% DoD, which provided more AH, but sacrifices battery life:

1. If used every day, a battery will have 365 cycles per year.  At 80% DoD, my batteries are designed to provide 700 cycles.  Under such use, the batteries have a service life of 1.9 years.  (Cost is $236 per year)
2. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every other day, or about 180 times a year, the same batteries with a life of 700 cycles could provide a service life of 3.9 years. (Cost is $115 per year).
3. If a charge-discharge cycle occurs every three days, or about 120 times a year, the same batteries with a life of 700 cycles could provide a service life of 5.8 years. (Cost is $78 per year).

Notes: 
Ampere-Hours. An amp hour (AH) rating is a rating usually used on deep cycle batteries. It is an ampere rating taken for 20 hours. For a 100 AH rated battery a load may draw 100AH from the battery for 20 hours.For such a battery, that's about 5 amperes an hour. 100AH/20H  = 5A).

1. The total time of discharge and load applied is not a linear relationship. As the battery load increases the actual capacity decreases. For example, a 100 AH battery with a 100 amp load should provide one hour of runtime. But it won't. The capacity of the battery will be severely reduced.
2. Each battery manufacturer provides AH data under various loads. For example, here is the table for my batteries, with a final voltage of 1.75V per cell (3 x 1.75 = 5.25V, or a dead battery):
1. 20 hours = 220 AH
2. 10 hours = 210 AH
3. 5 hours = 190 AH
4. 3 hours = 175AH
5. 2 hours = 155 AH
6. 1 hour = 130 AH

Using the AH from the battery table, a rough guide for capacity can be determined. For example, 10 hours = 210AH. To achieve a 50% DoD, 210 x 0.5 = 105AH realized capacity. To achieve a 80% DoD, 210 x 0.8 = 168 AH realized capacity.  However, these figures are approximate and are based upon a new battery and 77F. The approximate condition (state of charge, SoC) can be determined with a voltmeter.

Using the above, the 10 hour ability of the batteries is actually about:

10 hours, 50% DoD = 105AH/10H = 10.5A.
10 hours, 80% DoD = 168AH/10H = 16.8A.

Note that the above information is in accordance with the battery data provided by the manufacturer of my batteries. The actual data will vary by manufacturer.

August 10, 2017 added and expanded "real world" battery life data.

Current Project - Adding a DC Voltmeter-Wattmeter

Updated August 4
I completed the install yesterday. I did install a fuse at the coach batteries. I'll post a more complete blog in the future on the details of the install. The meter works well. I set the low voltage alarm at 12.1V (about 50% depth of discharge, or DoD). The meter is very accurate. I measured the voltage at the coach batteries and compared to the display. I also measured the mV at the shunt and compared to the ammeter display (has a 75mV shunt). After charging the coach batteries I killed the AC to the coach and with the meter powered, the fantastic fan at speed 1 and an overhead fluorescent on, this was the display. The battery voltage is high because it has some surface charge:

Voltmeter-ammeter-wattmeter with voltage alarm

Updated August 1

Meter in Case, with DC power "Off-On" switch

Making progress. The cabling is in, the shunt is mounted, and I've wired the meter case. I should complete in another hour or so. However, today (August 1) it was overcast and so I worked on the travel trailer; I'm using Meguiar's® Fiberglass Oxidation Remover on the cap. Got about 70% complete before the rain came in. I'll be working on that for another couple of days, weather permitting. Can't do this in the sunlight, or the rain. After completing with the Remover I'll be using No. 45 Polish followed by No. 56 Pure Wax.

Today I wired the meter case, and assembled jumper cabling to extend from the coach batteries to the cable run to the meter.



Original Post, July 28, 2017:
Current project is to put a decent DC electrical meter into the 210P, to monitor the coach batteries.

The 4-LEDS (L-F-G-C) or "Low-Fair-Good-Charging" indicate G "good" at 11.95V, which is not good IMHO. I really don't know the point at which the G indicator goes out, and the F "fair" indicator is illuminated. I don't think I want to find out.

Why my concern? The 11.95V which the LED "G" indicates "good" charge level, is actually a 40% charge level (60% DoD, or "Depth of Discharge") for the AGM coach batteries. Why do I consider that to be a problem? To get best life out of the AGMs it is my understanding that one should not repeatedly discharge below 50%, although these batteries can be discharged 80% (11.66V). The bad news? Doing so repeatedly will shorten the life. How much? As much as 50%, or a 5-8 year battery will make only 2.5-4 years.

So I'm interested in knowing the DoD and a good voltmeter will tell me that. My 210P has the AGM coach batteries, and I replaced the first set a few months ago; they were about 4-1/2 years old.

Is there an alternative approach? I considered just adding meter jacks, but G would have had some difficulty with that, so I'm putting in a digital ammeter-wattmeter. Probably the most difficult was determining how and where to mount it, because routing the cabling is a real pain. After figuring it out I purchased the parts. Should be up and running in a few day, assuming I find some time to complete.

A malted and a smoothie

As we prepared to leave MI for a few days we stopped by the Beach Bucket on Red Arrow Highway before going into the Warren Dunes State Park.  I got a blueberry-yogurt smoothie at the Beach Bucket and G got a malted. Then down or up the road we went!

Summer Sunsets

No sunset is the same as the one preceding it. Here is a video of the July 22 sunset, with thunderheads over the horizon.

The weather at Latitude 41.901439

In the northern latitude where we spend about 7 months of the year, we find ourselves on the cusp of warm and cold fronts. That makes for some interesting weather during the warm weather months. One day it's 65F and the next it's 85F.

This, I have concluded, is why man invented air conditioning.

However, when those cold fronts move down from the north the skies turn clear blue, the humidity falls and the nights are very cool. On other days the fronts move northward, the humidity skyrockets to 85-90% and the thunderstorms commence as the front moves by.

A couple of days ago we were treated to a sudden shift in weather as a warm front moved northward. Rain began at about 4:00am and by 7:00 we not only had a significant downpour, but then we were treated to hail. However, a few hours later the sun dried it all out and we biked to the lakefront and discovered that the sun worshippers were at the beach. As this weather "tug of war" goes on, we also get some wonderful rainbows.

Krasl Art Fair

The Krasl Art Fair is underway. A beautiful, sunny and mild day.

00

A short video:

Campground visitors

Sharing the campsite with nature. Sometimes one has to watch where they put their feet. Guess we'll be eating lunch in today.

Yellowstone Seismic Activity

This morning a friend posted that she had been woken up by a 5.8 magnitude earth quake in Lincoln, Montana. That's about 250 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.  Yellowstone is on our bucket list. We'll do a northern trek to get to Yellowstone and beyond.

The USGS has an observatory in Yellowstone. Following image courtesy of USGS.

Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

"The supervolcano at Yellowstone National Park has been hit with more than 400 earthquakes since June 12. Researchers say it's nothing to be alarmed about, though....... In a statement to the Star Valley Independent, scientists from the University of Utah -- which monitors the volcano -- said the earthquake swarms are nothing new.  “This is the highest number of earthquakes at Yellowstone within a single week in the past five years, but is fewer than weekly counts during similar earthquakes swarms in 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2010.”

Here are a few links.

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/yellowstone/

https://watchers.news/2017/07/02/yellowstone-volcano-earthquakes-june-2017/

http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm

Sunsets on the Eastern Shore of Lake Michigan

Last glow of the setting sun

A couple of sunset videos. We walk to the lakeshore to view the sunset as do many others. However as the park closes at 10:00pm and it is dark, if we decide we will stay to full dark we will drive in. Takes a season pass, which is inexpensive.

Getting entertained in Three Oaks, MI

When travelling we look for local entertainment.  There are street fairs, county fairs, concerts, art fairs, classic car nights, and so on. There are bicycle events, garden and architectural walks. All kinds of activities.

 Many communities provide free, or nearly free concerts. There may be a request for a donation and we always comply. Compared to the cost of a first run movie, these events are really inexpensive. Other things to consider are local fairs. The Gem Show in Tucson comes to mind, as does the Krasl Art Fair in St. Joseph MI and the Sandwich Fair in Sandwich, IL. In the summer many communities have lots of outdoor activities. Some are free, and some charge a modest admission. Even the Gem Show has free venues.

Here are links to a couple of almost free events. One is an Open Mike which attracts various artist, and another is an outdoor concert. Both videos were made in Three Oaks, MI.

Acorn Theater Open Mike Night:

Three Oaks Music in the Park night:

Keeping cool in summer heat

Well, it is that time of year again, and the sun is beating down on some of us. One challenge is to keep cool, and keep that refrigerator running. A couple of years ago we were trekking in TX and hit 103F heat. We really weren't prepared.

We've done a few things to help us. Some are the same things others have done and based on my observation, some are not.  Of course, one thing is to park in the shade if possible. However that may be easier said than done. So if we have to park in full sun, then what? How to keep our Roadtrek from becoming a sauna?  The Duo-Therm Cool Cat heat pump works really well, but it does need some help when the sun is bearing down upon the front of the RT.

Here's a few things we have done to aid us in keeping cool in our RVs.

Reflectix
A bubble wrap reflective foil in windows has been a big aid, particularly in the Roadtrek, our class B. That has a large front window which simply seems to pull the heat into the vehicle. Reflectix has been very helpful. We use it in all windows except the side entry in summer and fall/winter trekking. Glass has a R-value of about 0.1 which means almost no insulating value. I understand that Reflectix has an R-value of 1.0. I understand the Roadtrek has an R-value in the walls of about 4.5. Anything we can to to improve the insulation is a good thing.

Screens
The Roadtrek came with side entry and rear entry screens. When the outside temperature is acceptable, if we can get better airflow that is an aid. However, we prefer to close the side door. I fabricated a magnetic held screen for the front side window. These can be purchased, if one prefers. The goal is to get the interior temperature down to the exterior without the use of air conditioning. We open the side window a couple of inches and use the Fantastic Fan, or open the rear door which has a full interior screen.

Fans
Our RVs have roof fans. These include Fantastic Fans. That's helpful for pulling warmer interior air out, and drawing in cooler outside air, when it is available. Or, after a shower, these fans can move moisture laden air to the outside, reducing interior humidity.

However, we also use a 12V DC fan in the Roadtrek, We found one that sits on the shelf above the side door. It has side air inlets and variable speed. Very helpful to move air around in the front of the RV, particularly if the vehicle is facing the sun.

A small 120VAC fan is also useful. This we use in the travel trailer to move the air around. Got a small 8 inch diameter Vornado which is also variable speed.

Create Shade
If one can't park in the shade, the next best thing is to create it. Many rigs have an awning, and if possible one might be able to orient the position of their RV so they get some benefit. Creating partial shade is easier than it may seem. We use several sun screens to aid us. One we fabricated from a roll of Coolaroo material. We hung that one the side of the TT which gets a lot of afternoon sun. It made quite a difference. We purchased a triangular piece and we position it as necessary with the Roadtrek. Usually to the front. I use a couple of expandable metal tent poles and 1/8 inch green nylon rope with tent stakes to get it into place. A 36 inch wooden dowel holds the front up to keep it off of the vehicle. I use aluminum carabiners to attach the sail to the tops of the poles. This allows me to quickly drop the sail if the wind comes up, or when evening approaches. The lines are strung to stay in place and hold the poles up with the sail dropped.

Here's the Roadtrek with awning extended, reflectix in the front window and the coolaroo sun sail up.

When not in use the sun sail folds conveniently and with the tent poles goes easily into the side storage compartment of the Roadtrek.

The travel trailer gets a lot of side sun in the dining/living slide. We hung a piece of coolaroo fabric. I used the coolaroo lacing kit to clean up the cut fabric ends. A custom wooden clamp the full length of the top keeps it in place. I fabricated a spacer to keep the upper area of the shade off of the side of the trailer. The spacer is made from a chromed shower rod and foam pipe insulators. That space is important to keep an air gap along the entire length of the shade. 

I use a couple of clamps designed for that purpose on the bottom with a bungees at a slight tension to hold the bottom out from the RV.  I attached the bungees with 1/8 nylon cord to a couple of bricks.

Cover the Roof Vents
A Maxxair vent cover is nice. It keeps the sun from directly striking the lid of the roof vent and it keeps bugs and birds away from an open vent. We added one to the Roadtrek.

However, the previous owner of our TT didn't install these covers and it has three roof vents. While on the roof I noticed that the covers were showing some distress after being in the sun for about 6 years. We also noticed a lot of heat in those areas during hot sunny days. One can install a insulator.  Camco has one which has a bright aluminized surface, which can be pointed up. These aren't very convenient if one wants to open the vent lid frequently. However, in cool weather we use one in the bedroom to keep the heat inside and provide some insulating value.

I decided to cover the vent covers with heavy duty aluminum foil. That reflects the heat away from these covers. It really made a difference in the travel trailer. I used a tube of exterior silicone caulk and after applying a bead on the edges, sides and in a pattern along the top I simply placed the aluminum foil and smoothed it into place. I trimmed the foil and folded the edge under the vent cover lid.  The travel trailer has 10 windows and frosted glass in the doors, so we get ample light even with the vents opaqued.

Camco vent insulator, aluminum side up:

Refrigeration
Our Roadtrek has a Dometic 3-way absorption type refrigerator. When we first encountered 103F we were on a site with the refrigerator side of the RT in full sun. The refrigerator had some difficulties keeping things sufficiently cold.

We had one of those battery operated fans and it was useful. An internal thermometer mounted on the top shelf told us the real condition inside. I did some research and read the Dometic manuals about "Power Ventilator Installation" and concluded that improved ventilation would be helpful. I added two very low power 12V DC fans and a thermostat with an in-line fuse.

Refrigerator interior fan

Ventilation Fans

Refrigerator Thermometer

An Evening at the Acorn Theater - Open Mike Night

The joys of trekking include all of the things one can do and see.  Here's a compilation video made during open mike night at the Acorn Theater in Three Oaks, MI.

We really enjoyed the evening and we have seen several performances in the recent three years. We aren't in Three Oaks on the right nights it seems, but yesterday we were and G suggested we go. It was a lot of fun. Great artists. Wow! And, we really like the theater, too.  I've included a link to the theater's social media page.

G's performance is at 26:53.

https://www.facebook.com/AcornTheater/

Quetico Provincial Park

I put up a video about a slightly different kind of trek over at YouTube. At one time I was a youth leader and as an adult I learned to backpack and canoe. I never had the opportunity in my youth. As part of my volunteering I went with a group of boys into Quetico Provincial Park in Canada. We canoed 90 miles on that trek. But the sons and I were never able to do this together. Some years later when I was asked by the elder son what I'd like to do together, I said "Let's plan a trek to Quetico."  So we did.

Here's a short video of that trek. G did not accompany us on this one.

West Coast Trek - Videos

A few years ago we learned that Bill and Rosemary were planning a trip to Los Angeles to handle a matter. Now Bill had spoken many times about a desire to visit the Columbia River Gorge and yet he had never gotten there. We discussed this and I suggested that they consider a trip through some of the national parks to the Columbia River and then back south along the coast. I suggested that they take a train north from LA and we'd pick them up in San Francisco or Oakland. 

I began planning a route, with overnight stays, generally manageable daily distances and so on. After we decided upon the nightly budget (for this trek we were to stay in motels) I began looking at all of the possible staying points along the route. That was one of the more difficult things because for some legs there were few motels, hotels or dining spots. I decided it would be necessary to tailgate at various points so G and I planned on coolers, ice and transporting food for lunches and snacks. 

After three or more months of planning we were set. 

I've finally put together some video segments of this trek and posted it on YouTube. Enjoy. 

Part 1. Yosemite and Bodie:

Part 2.This segment includes Lassen Volcanic Park and Crater Lake:

Part 3.This segment includes the Columbia River, Vista House and numerous waterfalls:

Part 4. This segment includes the Oregon coast:

Part 5.  South on the Oregon Coast, to California.  

Part 6. This segment includes more of the coast and California to San Francisco:

Note: Updated May 27, 2017 to revise description of Part 5 and add Part 6.