03/03/2024
Here is an update on my Sebring trip using Newell coach 1718 and its new lithium set up created and installed by Solar Energy Systems in Nappanee, IN. The goal was to use the coach as intended and not rough it trying to stretch out battery usage. I wanted to get a good idea of what a real-world experience would look like.
I left home and unplugged on Wednesday morning 2/21 and plugged back in on Monday morning 2/26 when I got back to Nashville. Trip mileage was 1498 miles and got 6.0 miles per gallon. I had a minor problem with the chassis batteries not charging correctly, I’ll explain below. When I parked in our camping spot for the rest of the race weekend, I had 50-amp service 10 feet away from the shore cord. I just pretended it wasn’t there (but there just in case I needed it).
2/21 – First leg leave shop at 5:05am, battery bank was full at 99.9%, drove 749 miles ,13 ½ hours stopped 2 times for comfort and once for fuel. Ran the salon heat for 2 hours in the morning. Arrived Sebring, FL at 7:35pm. Battery bank remained full at 99.9%. I was impressed that the 500W alternator on the Cummins X-15. It was able to trickle charge the battery bank and keep it topped up regardless of having to use the heater along the way.
It got down to 39 degrees that night in the staging lot of Sebring International Raceway. It was nice and toasty in the coach all night with the heat running. Woke up the next morning with 88.7% power left in the battery bank.
2/22 – Ran the heat and aqua hot in the morning. Met with Andrew Steele and shot his video inside the coach https://youtu.be/8l0H_I5kMjE?si=PCXjzKPSPX5fA4xs . Ran the salon air (two air units) off and on all day. 68% power left in the battery bank. I always shut the air off when I left the coach for an extended time. The salon air cools the coach down quickly when needed.
2/23 – Ran the heat and aqua hot in the morning. At 55 hours off the plug the battery bank was at 49%. I decided to run the generator for 1 hour to see how much power it would put back into the house batteries. 10% is what went back in giving me 59%. I ran the salon air for an hour and the bedroom air (1 unit) for ½ an hour. At 8:30pm battery bank was at 54% at 63 hours off the 50A plug only using 1 hour of generator time.
2/24 – 3:50am (I have a bad habit of waking up in the middle of the night and checking the control panel). The chassis batteries have dropped to 12.2 volts, so I fire up the generator to charge them. Battery bank was at 46%. Ran the generator for 1 hour, batteries charge increased to 58%. At this point we have been off plug for 72 hours. In the evening (6:00pm) the chassis batteries dropped again to 12.2 volts. Battery bank was at 39% after running air conditioning off and on all day. Started the generator and charged everything for 2 hours. Battery bank was at 55%. As it turns out, the system is supposed to merge when the chassis batteries reach 12.6 volts, but that wasn’t happening. I turned on the AGS that was set to start the generator at 12.3 volts…...but that only reads house battery voltage which was singing along at 13.6 volts. With the coach plugged in, the system merges, also when the engine runs, and if the generator is running both chassis and house batteries merge. It’s just a software thing to work out and a quick fix. I’m glad I was monitoring it, if not we could have had dead chassis batteries when it came time to leave.
2/25 – Race day. Again, chassis batteries at 12.2 volts, house batteries at 50%, I start generator and run for an hour. The house batteries are charged to 60%. Our drivers finish 4th and 5th in the race at 12:30pm (see video link) https://youtu.be/_UN1a8pZYQo?si=kRvVf_8S4NEc0w0p . I’m rolling out of Sebring Raceway at 1:37pm. Batteries at 53.7%. This will be a good test for the alternator. My goal is to get up the road on I-75 about 6 hours. Sundays are great for using large rest areas because the truck traffic is light and there usually are plenty of spaces for everybody. I guessed right on a huge rest area just south of Macon, GA. I drove straight to it. This spot puts me 2 ½ hours south of Atlanta, if I get going early, I’ll beat Monday morning traffic! Batteries were charged to 54.1% so I gained a little energy before shutting down.
2/26 – Hit the road at 2:30am. House batteries at 49%. I love driving early in the morning, light traffic just set the cruise control and go! Ran the heater for a couple of hours. Made it home by 8:00am. House batteries at 50%, Chassis batteries at 12.8 volts.
So to summarize I ran this coach 123 hours (5 days) without plugging into 50amp shore power. Ran the generator for 5 hours over those 5 days. Pretty impressive. Besides the chassis battery voltage issue, things went well and I’m happy with this system! The coach literally thinks its plugged into 50amp shore power as it runs off house batteries!
