Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Stuff that goes in your Chinook but isnt really part of your Chinook.
A Rooney
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by A Rooney »

I did forget to post that the Kodiak does have an automatic cutoff at 20% left,it does charge outrageously quick via alternator, it is lithium ion (nmc? )and is shipped ground not usps in my case Fedex with Hazmat.
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Blue~Go
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by Blue~Go »

That sounds similar to what you'd have with the BMS (battery management system) on a LiFPO4 house bank. The BMS would typically cut off at ~20% (i.e. 80% DOD). So you can't accidentally go past that without noticing. Sort of like the ol' LVD except it actually cuts off at a useful point (vs. a point where your batteries are already wheezing and gasping).
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A Rooney
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by A Rooney »

Tangent to the Kodiak query;My favorite theory on early civilization is that it began to provide for the brewing of beer and ale.In the same regard some might also take note of the harnessing of electrical power and its application to the refrigerator.in deference to the backpacker or cross country bicyclist,it is the automobile and by extension the Recreational Vehicle offer the most complete package of mobility to the modern Nomad.
My inquiry into powering a remote cabin....garners info that can be of interest possibly to Chinook owners.Setting aside for the moment questions of economics.
After reading Scott's post on the 110 refer thread,i investigated energystar mini refrigerators at various box stores (that 4.4 magic chef has a $26 a year rating) I went instead with a 3.2 cu ft model by igloo that lists a $22 a year rating.Powering involves 2 different values,battery capacity,and solar recharging capability.My next Trial will engage the Kodiak in its daily powering of the refrigerator....and if a single 160 watt panel is capable of recharging said kodiak by days end.Scott has posted success with 200 ah fla and a 200 watt panel (if i recall correctly)so i am obviously paring that down and of course the long summer days and solar exposure of the desert southwest,must be factored in.Rooney 2001 Premier
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Blue~Go
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by Blue~Go »

Just as another sample, I've been powering a 1.7 quart DC type refrigerator (which I keep on 30ºF) 24/7 for just two years now. It's one of the cooler-shaped ones, so even though it's small, it probably "counts" as larger because there is virtually no insulation. I very rarely plug in (one a year maybe), have only combined with my alternator a couple of times, and never run the generator -- so it's pretty pure data in terms of solar panels/batteries. I have 200 watts of ground panels. I do have a larger battery bank (for future plans), but that doesn't really come into play as I don't take it below around 80% (which would mean it's down by around 100 amp hours, thus it could be a more typical 200 amp hour bank without going below 50%).

I do also tend to be in sunny places (if it rains for a week, I'm not hanging around), but on the other hand one of my favorite winter boondocking spots is in a canyon where the sun "sets" at 2:30 p.m. That's a short solar day, and I've spent 14 days there many times in winter.

Upshot is, I have had no problems keeping my batteries charged, by which I mean getting back to 100% most days, and never getting anywhere near 50% (I think the lowest I ever got was 70%, and that was during a time when I didn't have the panels out for a couple of days, so kind of bad data). I expect to do as well or better with my "real" installed refrigerator/freezer, which will be 4.7 cu. ft, but which will have better stock insulation plus added insulation (same compressor - BD35).

I don't see why an AC refrigerator would necessarily be any different, as long as you include the inverter inefficiency and tare load into your calculations. Aside from that (not that it's nothing) watts is watts.

Here's an interesting (but single) data point: My oft-featured buddy started off with the same absorption refrigerator many of us have. Once we went through his solar power system and rooted out some (big) inefficiencies, he decided he'd like to switch to a compressor refrigerator. Okay great. But during the time period where we were re-building the compartment/insulating/installing (and there was an extra week or two because he had to get a new door from the refrigerator mfgr), he ran a 1.3 cu. ft. cooler-style compressor refrigerator (same BD35 compressor, but tiny volume, and very little insulation). So he ran that as his primary refrigerator for a few weeks. You could see the hump in his solar data from the new load (previous refrigerator ran on propane). Then, when we put in the permanent 5.3 cu. ft refrigerator/freezer (same BD35 compressor, but better factory insulation and gobs of additional insulation), his consumption went down in the charts. Sweet! And he stocks ice cream, so he keeps the freezer darned cold (zero-ish). The insulation clearly made a difference.
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A Rooney
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by A Rooney »

A couple notes,while i wait to set up my solar panel and refrigerator.the kodiak led battery meter runs one blue 4 green,3 amber and 2 red,the included manual notes charging by way of car charger 4 hrs. So it shouldnt surprise me that the 15 amp fuse blew on my honda,repeatedly till i replaced it with a 20.The chinook bottom 12v blew even tho it was a 20 however for some reason the upper 12 v outlet also a 20 worked fine.Point being when the battery is depleted it consumes alot of amps.....so I will
Talk to the company tommorow to get their take on this.I dont particularly care to replace blown fuses with ones of higher amps as they are sized to the wire generally and are there to prevent that wire from heating up and burning.Rooney
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Blue~Go
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by Blue~Go »

I hope I'm not taking this too far off track. But along the lines you are talking about, in case it's useful info:

As you likely know, that lithium batteries can accept charge VERY quickly (more quickly than AGM's, and much more quickly than flooded cells). So, for example, with the Victron BMS (battery management) that is designed for vehicles, they have a separate terminal for attaching the alternator-in cables. That terminal has a way to limit the charge current that the lithium batteries can take. You choose the appropriate number of amps within a large range of options. I was looking at this with interest for an outboard powered boat, as the alternator is very small (actually not even a real alternator, more of a regulator/rectifier) and only puts out a very small number of amps. Yet I need to make use of it to help power instruments (i.e. charge the house bank) when underway on days of no solar. It would be VERY easy for the lithium bank to suck the life out of the alternator/burn it out. But with the Victron BMS I could decide how to limit that terminal so as not to damage the alternator (yet still let some charge through).

I think this is kind of the same concept you are looking at? (Albeit with our much more robust Ford alternators.) That is, if I got the correct gist of what you were saying.
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A Rooney
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by A Rooney »

Blue,yes you got the gist......although i dont think the hungry kodiak would burn up a car or ford alternator,i am more concerned that the 12volt outlet wiring might heat up and cause wiring damage.The lithium (nmc)battery technology if i understand it is whats used in some hybrids,so by design to greedily feed from an alternator,however not by way of a 12 volt outlet but something more direct and with robust gauge wiring.I will investigate the bme,but am thinking of perhaps seeing if the chinook added fuse panel under the steering wheel has large enough wiring for me to wire and fuse a 12 v terminal to it.The kodiak i purchased from Inergy i was told 5th generation so i realize like our original discussion that rather be fleshed out and complete...buyers are somewhat beta tester guinea pigs.Althoughi dont see this as a fatal product flaw,it is a definite issue and one that is not addressed by the company in the small supplied user manual.Rooney 2001 premier
A Rooney
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by A Rooney »

So i did hear back from inergy,and they confirmed my experiences with the car charger and 1000 watt microwave.Not sure why that claim was made or why the blown fuses is not an issue openly addressed in say the back of the manual/instructions.In other kodiak/rooney news the power went out yesterday for 7 hours up the hill from me,it was pretty cool to walk the kodiak up the hill and plug in their big refer till the power returned,no issues the kodiak performed well and pints of hagen daz were saved from an early demise.Rooney 2001 premier
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Blue~Go
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by Blue~Go »

Although an early demise might have been fun (break out the spoons!) :D
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Re: Kodiak Inergy,battery +

Post by A Rooney »

Overdue update,i actually tried another Ac fridge.this one smaller a Haier rated at $24 energy Star and have run it without incident several months.On a good solar day,i have had no issues But if there are continuous clouds my ability to recharge is limited.I bought a 160 watt panel,but it arrived with cracked glass which they gifted me and replaced....I covered the cracked panel with clear plastic and used both.So a single cloudy day I can survive power wise but not get back to 100℅ a second cloudy day and I have problems powering.this has occurred twice during the past several months.Although my panels are fixed I use them as if they were portable and moving them with the sun does make a difference.though the charge light comes on with the sun,the brief time I gain enough solar to run the fridge and recharge the Kodiak on top of that draw occurs between 10 am to 2pm more or less a slight gain a little earlier and until 3 or 4.So the uptake is I ended up buying another panel to increase my ability to recharge on overcast days.in addition to the fridge I use the Kodiak to recharge phones and led lights,and portable Bose.My general take on things has changed dramatically as a result.Firstly,my belief now is that You do want extra capacity both in Solar panels and Batteries to run an Ac fridge comfortably without resorting to the generator or shut downs.So (my opinion now) a third battery Is Not a waste or overkill but a prudent asset to survive extended cloudy days Boondocking.Solar panels Without an Ac fridge 150 watt and with the more the merrier.Although the Kodiak purports to let you add on a lead acid battery,after talking with their tech I have doubts.A from what I garner there is no charge system the added battery just Equalizes with the Kodiak which is designed to top at around 12.6 and will run the inverter to 10 volts.So you can't connect an extra battery with cells that read 13.1 without danger to the lithium battery,and youwould have to manually disconnect the add on battery at 12 volts or diminish it's life.There is no automatic low voltage cutoff or warning.in addition by charging off the lithium ion the voltage varies and the batteries I am familiar with SLA prefer or require constant voltage charging.Inergy tech support on questioning (not literature)admit that an add-on battery will never get topped off and also will have a short life.....there suggestion? Go to Costco and buy the cheapest battery you can....None of the above being Rooney compatible.....I did buy an extra 85 amp hour ago ssun extender battery(which is made by Concorde) but have not as yet had need to use it.Once I did get the 3rd panel I used the rice cooker during the day with the fridge(power use at 30 amps peak)without diminishing any battery...strictly on the solar panels...So my take is plently of power without add-on battery during Sun but cautious use at night.This is a cabin situation,not mobile and I am supplying my experience,as it may be adapted to that application.Eventually I do intend to be with the Kodiak...and even though I have had no issues with my coach 210 ah,i like the comfort of Extra Capacity and the advantage of Ac without resorting to the generator,plugin or wiring in an Inverter and remote to the Coach Batteries.That works for me,and am not advocating that strategy to others,but reporting to the group my"impressions" to add to the knowledge base for others to make us of or not as they will.Rooney
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