jcussen
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Posts
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Posts posted by jcussen
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3 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:
I'm told most holds and forwards are managed at the sorting centers these days rather than the end point PO. The carriers receive trays of mail presorted in route order.
I thought the same, in my case it does not work. It must be held at the local post office. I know this is my case, because my regular carrier will leave my mail at the local post office, but the subs will delivery when he is not working. If I get off vacation early, I just go to the local office and pick it up, so appears the carrier is responsible for it, and I generally use ""hold" for two weeks at most. I also do the "hold" on line, and give one of the yellow forms to the local post office and one to my regular carrier. But to no avail, this has been going on for the last 8 years, and when I talked to my local postmaster, he said too much contract labor was involved, but I live in south Texas, so maybe we are a little behind the times. But I cut a mail slot in the front door, so not so much a problem now.
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1 hour ago, bigjim said:
Unless that is another thing that changed since I worked for them that is on your carrier. You may have a regular carrier which -usually- makes things go better but you could have a sub that is a regular carrier that is not assigned a specific route.
You are right, appears I am getting two or 3 different carriers every week. Is there not some sort of "hold mail" at the local post office that determines which mail should be held or should be delivered? Seems like a poor system if the sub does not get the same instructions as the regular carrier. Plus the fact that any normal carrier should say to him or her self, there is a weeks worth of mail sitting out here in the open, so maybe I should check into it. I have since put a slot in my front door so at least I will get the mail when I return home.
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49 minutes ago, RV_ said:
jcussen, coming here to tell about new successes in tech and what is being worked on still informs a lot of folks. I am getting to the point of just asking the naysayers to show me why it won't work. "Because it didn't last time the naysayers tried" is really getting old, as are the naysayers!
Have you seen the new ranges and under 2 second 0-60 times of the new Model S Plaid? Tesla is now the fastest vehicle made, period.
https://cleantechnica.com/2021/01/28/tesla-model-s-plaid-quickest-car-ever/
And my fast but not that crazy fast AWD two motor long range Model Y still shocks noobs who have never been in one. It cost less than a Mercedes big engine SUV by ~ half! mine costs ~51k now!
Agree, was side by side with a new corvette yesterday, he was a little ahead of me when light changed, But his face was something to see when he looked across at about 90 mph and saw a 4 door sedan right next to him😀 My 3.1 sec 0-60 is pretty fast, so the Plaid at 1.9 sec is crazy fast.
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True, but even if they do have to have a driver, for say a string of 20 trucks, that driver will still have to follow the FMCSA guidelines, which allows for plenty of charging time.
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
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5 minutes ago, Mark and Dale Bruss said:
That would be a normal fuel stop that picks up 1200 miles of diesel?
But how many hours can he drive a day legally?
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Yeup, its the future, Tesla's Megacharger, will be able to refuel a Tesla Semi for 400 mile of driving in 30 minutes, faster than a normal truck fueling stop.. Not today, but very possible in the future.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-semi-megacharger-charging-port-close-up-look/
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Most current Tesla cars are expected to last at least 500000 miles before major battery degradation. Newer models are expected to go about 2000000 miles and can be recycled after that.
https://electrek.co/2019/04/16/tesla-battery-recycling-system/
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2 hours ago, chief916 said:
Jcussen, I've looked at Renogy, Dekota and Battle Born. Are they not all the same? Or is it just a matter of preference?
Probably a matter of preference. but still differences
Bought my battleborn's 7 yers ago and had no problems at all, plus free shipping and no tax. Mine have showed no degradation I can notice, but I normally keep SOC between about 50 and 90& SOC
About battleborn, have heard of one battleborn battery failure, and company immediately sent him one, and prepaid his return
But do check Wil Proswe on UTUBE, he point outs the pros and cons of many lithium batteries. offen with a full teardown on many.
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As DesertMiner posted above, 200 amps for up to 30 seconds, better to run two battleborn's for any prolonged use of a microwave.
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1 hour ago, Chad Heiser said:
I have done a lot of research on lithium batteries and that is the first time I have ever seen a claim that lithium batteries need to be vented like they claim. I would be curious to see their source material for that.
I would too, only way my battleborn's could vent is if the battery case was actually broken, but pretty sure the BMS would shut them down before that stage was reached.
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10 minutes ago, chief916 said:
Looking to change out the SLABs on my toy hauler and travel trailer. Been thinking bout lithium batteries. Any info about them AND recommendation would be appreciated. I know nothing about them but have heard they're way better than what I have now.
thanks
Some good info here. https://battlebornbatteries.com/
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Agree with John, I went with the Victron dc-dc charger, nice thing about it is , auto disconnect, will seperate your banks at 13.2 alternator output voltage, so pretty much hands free and the ability to set up your output voltage. I used 14.4 constant voltage as per Battleborn specs.
My 30 amp charger will actually output [according to my Victron battery monitor] about 32 amps. As John said, that is a real 30 amps until the batteries are full. No more bulk, absorption, float etc, When batteries full, it just disconnects. On my sprinter, use the dc-dc charger and 390 watts of solar, and seldom have to turn the converter on to charge the batteries.
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21 minutes ago, bigjim said:
C'mon man, we are mostly a bunch of goofy old people, you're just gonna have to get used to us.😄 Tip don't pull your hair out when we frustrate you or you will quickly be bald.😜
😀😀 I am too. Too much time on my hands.
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1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:
We've been doing out since 2006 and there has never been a time that I couldn't drive a few miles and get internet access if we didn't have it at the coach. When in Baddeck, Nova Scotia, I took the laptop with me to the local library, where for a donation, you plugged into their ethernet line and downloaded email, paid any bills that I hadn't paid ahead of our entering into Nova Scotia, and that was it.
You are tilting at windmills - so go ahead. Tilt away. It is apparent that all of the forces in the universe are aligned against you and you alone are the beacon fighting for a return to what use to be.
Yes , never had an issue and that way I never foget or pay the wrong amount... ESPECIALLY if I’m out in the boonies or forget to check "
Wish people would read every post before commenting, my reply was to the post above. I read it as saying if he cannot get internet or forgets to check, but still uses autopay. Not tilting at windmills, just do not have the blind trust in technology that you do. But as Kirk says "do what you are comfortable with" and I will do the same.
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21 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:
During a month's time you don't have internet? Don't you ever go near a town to get access? When you get groceries or fuel? How are you getting it now for your posts?
Actually, I am in the merchant marine, and am ofen without internet for months at a time. My post was for a theoretical rv'er that did not have internet access, say a person that camps in an area without cell phone or wifi access. Just don't like to see people that say, not possible, meet a guy in Oregon, that lives in a trailer with no wifi or cell service, I guess he could drive to some town and park next to a Starbucks with his laptop though. I am at home now so no problem, just pointing out auto pay is not for everybody. I don't take internet for granted.
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1 hour ago, Barbaraok said:
I see every bill in detail. I look at our electric usage in the winter DURING the month, I know how how much it is going to be, and in the summer, since we have power turned of at meter, it is the monthly charge for the account. The other auto pays that we have are subscriptions that don’t change during during the year. Alll other bills, like credit cards, I will review before paying and those I pay from bank account. What utilities bill do you expect to pay if fulltiming?
If you had read my post, I mentioned "no internet access" How can your review your bills before paying them without going online, or actually receiving a paper bill? I am not full time, but travel a lot so still have a S&B so do have utility bills. The point I am trying to make is, would you use autopay if you had no idea what the bank would withdraw out of your account and just relied on the biller being honest? I know I have made agreements with Directv for a certain monthly charge for a year, only to find the price jacked up after 6 months. If I had no internet access and the ability to see my bill online or be at home and see a paper bill, the bank would just pay that increased amount, no questions asked.
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Agree John, just trying to see any benefit of a isolated house system {like you say, if he truly has one}. Seems like using a heavy steel frame equivalent to a 100/0 cable , would be easier than running separate negative cables...When I did my second alternator output test with two 50% SOC battleborn's, amprobe measured 130 amps on the alternator positive lead, this is probably 30 amp chassis load and 100 amp battery charging load. 130 amps out of a 160 amp alternator at idle speed just seems a little excessive to me. Might work for a year or two, but sprinter alternators are expensive.
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42 minutes ago, Wkjordan2 said:
Yes , never had an issue and that way I never foget or pay the wrong amount... ESPECIALLY if I’m out in the boonies or forget to check
Good for you, I don't have the confidence in cell phone companies, utility companies credit card companies etc., that you do, to pay a bill without looking it over first. Had a water line break underground one time and my bill doubled, luckily I saw the bill and corrected the problem before I could be billed for the same amount again the next month. Auto pay without seeing a real bill could have turned into a disaster.
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26 minutes ago, oldjohnt said:
Kevin, obviously the ONLY way to transfer current to your Battleborn Lithium DC batteries is to use TWO Conductors, Pos and Neg, so if you use cable for the POS current conductor you could use EITHER cable orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr sure the RV's conductive iron frame for the NEG current carrier.
Personally I prefer use of two matched copper cables instead of copper cable for one and the RV iron frame as the other, even though the iron frame could serve as the NEG current conductor BUT THATS JUST ME (retired electrical engineer).
To your specific question
"should I run a ground from the Battleborn batteries to the chassis?"
Welllllllllllll there needs to be a conductor for the NEG current and the frame could serve as such, but if you use a cable (my choice) YESSSSSSSSSSSSS I would do as their diagram seems to indicate and also bond it to the RV frame/ground.
The Li BIM wiring diagram BIM-LI225-Quick Guide.pdf (netdna-ssl.com) shows its two main POS connector post/terminals connect to the Chassis and Coach batteries respectively using presumed "cable" and it indicates the NEG of the Coach and Chassis batteries are connected using a presumed "cable" WHICH INCLUDES A GROUND SYMBOL.
WHAT SIZE OF CABLE YOU ASK
It appears the Li BIM is rated for 225 Amps THEREFORE I would recommend use of a conductor having a minimum ampacity of 125% of 225, or 281 Amps.
CAVEATS:
1) While it appears from the diagram
BIM-LI225-Quick Guide.pdf (netdna-ssl.com)
the contacts are rated for 225 Amps and I don't envision anywhere near that amount of current flow
2) I DO NOT (Unless its one heavy duty high current unit which if a diesel it may be??) envision the engines alternator or engine battery and charging system (unless a bigger diesel RV) supplying that much (225) current into your Battleborn Lithium batteries
3) One OTHER method to use the engines alternator to help charge lithium house batteries WITHOUT DAMAGING THE ALTERNATOR and TO SUPPLY THE PROPER CHARGE FOR LITHIUM BATTEIRES is use of a DC to DC Charger suitable for Lithium battery charging
SUMMARY if your engines alternator battery and charging system are suitable for supplying 225 charging amps into tour Battleborn Lithiums it appears the Li BIM is rated for that amount,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,If that much current is transferred (diagram indicates 225 amp contacts) I would use 281 amp rated copper cable for BOTH the POS and NEG conductors,,,,,,,,,,,The diagram includes a universal Grounding Symbol on the NEG cable so do as they say.
I just don't envision your Sprinter Van alternator and charging system having that much current capacity but no harm in using that much higher rated isolation manager GO FOR IT !!!!!!!!!! Just be sure you do NOT overcurrent or overheat your alternator !!!!!!!!!!! If the Li BIM is designed to charge the Battleborn Lithiums PROPERLY and NOT damage a smaller alternator again GO FOR IT.
John T
Not sure why Kevin seperate's his two 12 volt systems, every van conversion and motorhome I have seen use a common ground for house and start systems. My sprinter van alternator puts out 160 amps, his three battleborn's could conceivably take an 300 amp charge, The BIM will connect for 15 minutes and disconnect for 20 minutes to let alternator cool. The problem I had with a BIM, is that at idle, the alternator gets very little cooling because of the alternator fan running at low speed. I measured my alternator temp with engine idling with direct connection from alternator to lithium batteries, and alternator casing went from ambient to 250F in less than 5 minutes, and of course, the lithiums will never fully charge on the 13.2 to 13.7 volts the alternator puts out. The DC-DC charger will limit the amps going to your lithiums, to protect the alternator, but more importantly, will provide the necessary 14.4 volts to bring your batteries to 100% SOC.
Believe AM Solar uses DC-DC chargers exclusively for all its big solar conversions. Good video
https://www.victronenergy.com/blog/2019/10/07/careful-alternator-charging-lithium/
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Wow a lot of indignation on auto pay. I realize that you can check online your bills and payments and make sure it all balances, but I just use e-payment from my bank instead of auto pay, only takes a second. Here's a scenario: You are camped out in the boonies and have no internet access and no way to check your bills and payments, would you still have confidence in auto pay?
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A lot of people are using dc-dc chargers. This what I used on my Sprinter Class C with lithium house batteries. Easy to wire, I used 10 gauge for the ground. Just alternator/start battery positive on one terminal, and house battery positive on the other one.
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14 minutes ago, 2gypsies said:
I don't agree with these warnings. As always, everyone should take responsibility of monitoring their bills. You should do this while on AutoPay or whether paying yourself.
We have our AutoPays set up so they notify us via email in plenty of time - about a month in advance - with a due date... just like if you would receive a regular bill.... so there are no surprises.
I just looked at our credit card statements....one has a closing date of Jan 12 and the payment is due Feb. 9. The other has a closing date on Jan 6 and payment is due Feb 2. So we have about a month after receiving the email to prepare for the AutoPay.
For the Annual bills I keep a list of them so I know when they're coming up. No surprises.
We don't keep an amount to the penny in our checking account. There's always extra as a cushion.
We've done AutoPay for many years with absolutely no problems.
I have stayed in places where I have not had internet, so can't really monitor my bills, so autopay could pay an erroneous amount without my knowledge. When traveling, I just set up my bank to e-pay a little bit more than my regular bill, that way I will probably have a credit balance when I return. But everybody should do what they are comfortable with. Read a story in Houston a couple of years ago where a billing computer mistake added an extra 0 to everybodies water bill.
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31 minutes ago, docj said:
What intrigues me about the Clarity is the hydrogen fuel cell version which, at present, is only being sold in CA. IMHO an easy to refuel fuel cell vehicle would be an excellent option.
Agree it would be an excellent option, but problem is, there are only 44 hydrogen filling stations in the US, and 42 of them are in California. Another problem is producing it and shipping to filling stations. Could be produced fairly cheaply with excess wind and solar power in non-peak periods, but believe it would be an uphill battle against EV/hybrids, because electricity is already available almost everywhere.There are almost 80000 charging outlets, at 25000 charging stations in the US and of course, home charging for many. I personally charge my EV with solar panels on my roof, pretty simple setup, not sure what the cost would be to have them power a hydrogen generator to fill a fuel cell.
https://muchneeded.com/electric-vehicle-charging-network-statistics/
US Postal Service
in Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle
Posted
No free weekly newspaper where I live, I get a daily subscription paper. which I cancel when I go on vacation. BTW, I am lucky to get the paper thrown close to end of my driveway. The mail used to go into a mailbox next to my front door, and when it was full, thrown on my front porch. A pile of mail on your front porch is also a good indicator that no one is home.