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Camper
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Apr 23, 2011, 8:33 AM
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Run fan overnight?
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Hi. I have a 2010 Ford Transit Connect van with a 2.0 L 4 cylinder engine. I occasionally use this van for camping, but it doesn't really have enough opening windows to prevent condensation from forming. For that reason, I would like to run a fan during the night. Do you think I could operate a 12 volt, .8 amp, 10 watt fan for say eight hours and still have enough battery power to start the van in the morning?
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Apr 23, 2011, 10:08 AM
Post #2 of 11
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Re: Run fan overnight?
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Probably not. You would need an awful strong battery to survive that. You might want to look into a solar or electric trickle charger since it will be nighttime hours. Maybe get a second, deep cycle battery just for that. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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zmame
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Apr 23, 2011, 11:24 AM
Post #3 of 11
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Re: Run fan overnight?
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Most camper vans with have a separate deep cycle battery and isolation module, power inverter (for 110V) and 12v outlets. What it does is when your van is running it will charge the battery slowly, then when you shut off the van it will isolate that battery from the rest of the vechical so you can run accessories. It's expensive and difficult to setup, but worth it if you use it as a camper a lot. You can get deep cycle battery and battery box some trolling motor battery boxes will come with a trickle charger.
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Camper
Novice
Apr 24, 2011, 1:17 PM
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Re: Run fan overnight?
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Okay, so probably good advice, and sure there are certainly other solutions available to purchase, but bear with me, and just out of curiosity: Eight tenths of an Amp for eight hours is 6.4 amp-hours. The battery is supposed to be good for 50 amp-hours. So that would leave 43 amp-hours, or 87% of the rated capacity remaining after a night of fan use. I guess the question then becomes - How much is required to crank and start the car? I'm sure that depends on temperature and several other factors, but there must be a ball-park guess on what is required. Any comments?
(This post was edited by Camper on Apr 24, 2011, 1:20 PM)
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Apr 24, 2011, 3:09 PM
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You already have our comments. If you choose to try to use your calculator to prove us wrong, then go do it whatever way you want. Why ask the questions if you think you have all the answers? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Camper
Novice
Apr 24, 2011, 7:26 PM
Post #6 of 11
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Re: Run fan overnight?
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Sorry if I offended you. I was just looking for a bit more technical explanation, rather than a quick generality. Thanks anyhow.
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Hammer Time
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Apr 24, 2011, 7:30 PM
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You must be an engineer............................... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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zmame
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Apr 24, 2011, 8:05 PM
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Re: Run fan overnight?
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A car battery is rated 50a 1hr which means you can run a car @ 50a for 1hr untill it's dead.. I would say its often less then that. .8a(800ma) will kill the battery enough that it won't start. Automotive usally max 50ma(give or tAke). transpots w/multiple batteries are 250ma.
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Camper
Novice
Apr 25, 2011, 12:05 PM
Post #9 of 11
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Re: Run fan overnight?
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No I'm sure not. But I am interested in how things work and why..
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Camper
Novice
Apr 25, 2011, 12:10 PM
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Re: Run fan overnight?
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Thanks for the reply. Are you saying that a car will generally draw about 50 Ma while running, or starting, or what?
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Hammer Time
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Apr 25, 2011, 12:22 PM
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No, he is saying that is the maximum parasitic draw allowed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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