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Welcome back to Toddโs Two-Minute Tech Tip Tuesday, brought to you by the National RV Training Academyโthe largest hands-on RV training academy in America!
This week, Iโm here with Tony, and weโre tackling some of your most pressing RV questions. Tonyโs going to help by reading out your queries, and Iโll be answering them right on the spot. Letโs jump right into it!
Question 1: Running Your Propane Generator While Driving
RVing the Crossroads of Life asks:
“Todd, I know what your instructions are on traveling with the propane on. My question is on hot days: is it okay to turn an Onan 5500 propane generator on in one AC? Your opinion is appreciated.”
Great question! When itโs hot outside and you need to run your air conditioner, absolutely go ahead and use your generator. Itโs essentially an internal combustion engine, similar to your truck, and is designed to be safe while running. The main concern when it comes to propane is actually with your refrigerator or water heaterโif these are running on propane while youโre driving, the flame can be blown out by the wind, potentially causing damage or a fire hazard. But for your generator and AC, youโre good to go!
Question 2: Storing Lithium Batteries for Winter
Chad Haney asks:
“We just bought a 2024 Momentum 320G toy hauler with 660 watts of solar pre-installed and want to convert to the 300Ah 12V Big Beard lithium battery. Iโm planning on doing a lot of boondocking this winter in Arizona. We live in Minnesota. How do I store the battery for the winter? Should I use a trickle charger or just unhook it?”
With Big Beard lithium batteries, you have a few options. These batteries are self-heating, so you can leave them on, and theyโll take care of themselves in colder temperatures. If you decide to store them, simply turn them off by pressing the button and ensure the light goes out. For lead-acid, gel, or AGM batteries, using a trickle charger is a good idea to keep them maintained. Extreme cold affects all batteries, so if you plan to store them where it gets very cold, make sure to keep them as warm as possible.
Question 3: Running AC Off Batteries Without Shore Power
Gary Merrill asks:
“Iโve got a 2024 Dinet 3400 KD, and the dealer said I could run AC on the two 300Ah batteries, but when I tried, the Firefly shed the load. How many amp hours do I need to run the AC at night without shore power or a generator?”
This is a great question about power supply and demand. Hereโs the breakdown: most RV air conditioners use around 1,400 watts per hour, especially at night when itโs cooler. A single 300Ah lithium battery can provide approximately 3,600 watts of power (300Ah x 12V). To keep your batteries healthy, we recommend using only about 90% of the batteryโs capacity, which gives you around 3,000 usable watts per battery. With two batteries, you have about 6,000 watts available, which translates to roughly four hours of continuous AC use. Adding a third battery would extend this to about six hours. The โload sheddingโ youโre experiencing might be due to the inverter’s capacity or the Firefly system managing loads automatically to prevent overuse.
Question 4: Solving Low Water Pressure in One Faucet
Mechanic Mark asks:
“I have a 2024 Dinet 3400 KD, and everything works great except the lavatory faucet, which only gives a trickle of water. What could be causing this?”
If youโre experiencing good water pressure in all faucets except one, the issue is likely localized. Start by checking the aerator on the affected faucet; these can get clogged with debris or mineral build-up. If that doesnโt solve the problem, look for a kinked line under the sink or along the plumbing leading to the faucet. Itโs less likely, but there could also be an obstruction somewhere in the line itself.
Question 5: Running an Inverter While Plugged Into Shore Power or Generator
RVing with Bandit asks:
“I have my inverter turned on and decided to start the generator or plug into shore power. Is it dangerous or bad for my equipment if I forget to turn the inverter off before powering up using these other 120V AC sources?”
If your RV is wired correctly and has a transfer switch (common in most factory installations), then thereโs no problem running the inverter while also using shore power or a generator. The inverter should have a pass-through function that automatically lets the incoming 120V power pass through when available, switching back to battery power when itโs not. Just be sure your system is set up properly to avoid any issues.
Wrapping Up
Thatโs it for this weekโs Tech Tip Tuesday! We covered a lot of ground today, from using generators while driving to managing power for boondocking. Remember, if you have any questions, leave them in the comments below, and weโll get to them as soon as we can.
Stay tuned for next weekโs tips, and donโt forget to subscribe so you never miss an update. Thanks for watching, and happy RVing!
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