Jack
Senior Member
We swapped one of the two bayonet bulbs in each light fixture with LED replacements . This has worked out very well. The LEDS alone are bright enough for cooking, short reading, and especially working on laptops, but we turn on the incandescents for serious reading. We seldom camp with "shore" power, so the LEDs draw of less than 10% of power lets us stay longer without having to recharge the battery. We've had these lights for about 2 years - new ones are brighter and have a fuller color spectrum.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5055
We have a Yamaha 1kw super-quiet generator (like the Honda, but a bit cheaper) that runs for about 6-8hr on it's .66 gallon tank of gas. These puppies aren't cheap (> $600) but combined with the IOTA IQ Smart Controller, we can camp for more than a week and still run laptops and the furnace. Our next step is to get a tap put on the truck gas line so we can refill the generator from the truck. We do not like the idea of carrying a small gas tank around. The generator is also quite clean. We travel with it inside the camper and do not have any problem with fumes (after letting it cool down). The Yamaha also has a 12V output, so you can even start the truck if you kill it's battery.
http://www.wisesales.com/YamahaGenerators.html?referrer=GoogleAW&gclid=CPGsqsGLipACFRtHYAodURe8sg
The IQ Smart Controller is a necessary add on. Alone, the IOTA trickle charges the battery, so it takes hours of generator time to recharge the battery. The IQ Smart Controller provides controlled charging - fast to start with and then tapers off to trickle. The IQ does not seem to be the most sophisticated charge controller and therefor may not be the kindest battery charger, but at $30 for it and $60 for a new camper battery, it did not seem cost effective to replace the IOTA with a $200 converter to save a few months of battery life.
http://www.rvupgradestore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=261
On the subject of electricals, we also added, like many others have, an inverter (Xantrex 450W ). It's close and tied to the battery. We used 8 gauge braided wire to minimize voltage drop and line loss. It's quite adequate to handle two wide-screen laptops.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5055
We have a Yamaha 1kw super-quiet generator (like the Honda, but a bit cheaper) that runs for about 6-8hr on it's .66 gallon tank of gas. These puppies aren't cheap (> $600) but combined with the IOTA IQ Smart Controller, we can camp for more than a week and still run laptops and the furnace. Our next step is to get a tap put on the truck gas line so we can refill the generator from the truck. We do not like the idea of carrying a small gas tank around. The generator is also quite clean. We travel with it inside the camper and do not have any problem with fumes (after letting it cool down). The Yamaha also has a 12V output, so you can even start the truck if you kill it's battery.
http://www.wisesales.com/YamahaGenerators.html?referrer=GoogleAW&gclid=CPGsqsGLipACFRtHYAodURe8sg
The IQ Smart Controller is a necessary add on. Alone, the IOTA trickle charges the battery, so it takes hours of generator time to recharge the battery. The IQ Smart Controller provides controlled charging - fast to start with and then tapers off to trickle. The IQ does not seem to be the most sophisticated charge controller and therefor may not be the kindest battery charger, but at $30 for it and $60 for a new camper battery, it did not seem cost effective to replace the IOTA with a $200 converter to save a few months of battery life.
http://www.rvupgradestore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=261
On the subject of electricals, we also added, like many others have, an inverter (Xantrex 450W ). It's close and tied to the battery. We used 8 gauge braided wire to minimize voltage drop and line loss. It's quite adequate to handle two wide-screen laptops.
