Update We Did It!

Sweeney do you know offhand if I could get the parking brake added on? I would do that at the next CICO if its possible. Thanks in advance.

 

Thats a question for CI. I wouldn't imagine it is an impossibility. It is money very well spent, in my opinion.

We have 2 or 3 campgrounds we have had to avoid simply because the sites are so unlevel. In the past we wouldn't disconnect the trailer just to have a solid anchor point. This puts these sites back into our rotation.

Though --- one should ALWAYS chock the camper and all those caveats.

 

I would advise Lithium, furnace, and no solar.

I took #1098 out last week to a disbursed campsite in northern CA with no services. Lows were 27-37F. The furnace uses more power than you think it would. Battery consumption the first night (37*) was 50% on the lithium using the furnace and a 12-V electric blanket up in the roof top tent. The fridge likely did not run at all at night.

Using a portable 120W solar panel, we were able to sustain battery levels between a low of 19% and a high of 60% the rest of the trip. The thing I don't like about the mounted solar on the trailer is that the panels are not adjustable, and non-deployable -- meaning, the trailer needs to be in the sun. Less than ideal in the middle of summer. Cary can help you with putting the correct solar adapter on your extension cable for your portable panel.

Mine is an Elecaenta panel which, when folded, fits in one of the larger under bed storage bins with a little encouragement. I wanted to test it out before buying a second to run in parallel to double the output ... because at just $149 on Amazon, it seemed a bit too good to be true. I'll be buying another today. This set-up is much more flexible, fixable, replaceable, and far cheaper than the factory solar option.

Good luck!

 

That's the 120w version? No battery charge controller, but we use the CI's internal optional controller?

Fitting in the storage bins is a big deal for me! I don't like to be working around the stuff that comes out only sometimes... I've really liked the look of the Renogy folding 100w, but it would have to live in the tow vehicle when it's not in use. Ugh.

 

Thanks Derek D!
Welcome! Sounds like another western/wide open spaces camper making the most of the CI, and with rooftop tent!

I believe you are the first here publicly reviewing real world consumption on the new heated lithium...correct?
If so thank you for sharing!

Your post is a good example of a "high power use-case" that makes the LiON in CI the default option, and tempting me on early replacement on my current AGM with the heated LiON as the best solution for my needs too.

I have read in past posts the furnace fan uses a fair amount of power. As does the Fantastic Fan if left on all day or night. My Dometic CF35 will drain the AGM in CI if used in freezer mode at say15 degrees F, in ambient temps of 90f or above...in four hours, so the Dometic goes in my Tow Vehicle (tv) where I can park that in shade, run the AC as needed...and power it with a separate house battery in the TV. This is the old school dual battery idea from jeeping and offroading vehicles...

Fwiw, I got the 126w rooftop solar option added later at The Nest to go with a new flooded cell battery, on my used but new to me 2010 560 Ultra SUV
for the nice advantage of charging by solar while in camp
but mostly while driving down the road...saves the CTEK from working my car alternator via that long line from car battery thru hitch wire harness to the back.

I'm also towing with an AWD wagon so keeping the CI as aerodynamically slick as possible keeps the mpg up. I'm still working on "KISS and leave stuff behind" per the old hands here advice......cargo box on TV is next...

I also wanted to see how the rooftop panel did on short stays in RV storage without the cover - before the CI I had an old tent trailer where I set up a 50W panel to be a battery tender, to two AGMs,
and in my first test on CI naked in the storage lot the 126 rooftop did great of course, battery 100% at all times thanks to enough sunny days in SoCal storage...

Solar on roof cant do much if any under the CI cover, of course, but I was surprised to see how much sunlight made it thru the single tent fabric of my NB12x12 set up to cover part of the CI, as a screen room aft of galley, in a couple places while parked in partial shade in full sun in a couple places...

But those were also low power uses...carefully testing without over- draining the 70ah AGM...

So, now I'm noodling on...(edit; thread jack!)
...

Yes, It is true the spam can heats up in full desert sun, (see owners manual suggesting a tarp in really hot areas)
so your idea for a portable on a long extension into the CI side panel is a good idea, while keeping the CI in the shade...

and I'm about to try what you're doing: adding an external 100w panel with a 25' extension to where that panel can be propped up in the sun, while the trailer is parked in shade under a tarp, or desert trees that can be sparse or tricky to get under while boonbocked, (see pic)

or in desert area campgrounds where the hosts insist you stay on the pad...in the sun, under tarp.

The one thing to consider (and perhaps you can answer if you got the TriMetric with LiOn battery?

Is whats the MAX power in you can add- you want no more than your solar controller can manage- my CTEK is 200w, IIRC...
126w on the roof flat is obviously not as efficient as the same propped up at 90 degrees to the sun. And unless you are on the equator, panel specs are gonna be less in actual performance...even propped up.

And there is resistance in your extension cable depending on wire gauge, connectors...so IMHO ya just gotta test as you go...

I've used two older 100w folders in parallel into a standalone litium sogen (72 ah made by same company as makes the CI lion) and the built in battery controller is not maxed out, due to less than spec actual real world amps in...
So now I'm wondering if I can replace those two old folders and cables with one high efficiency folder plugged into the CI, like you...maybe 150w...and not max out the CTEK in actual use or fry the new LiOn battery if I can source that and drop in myself...(to all; Cary can give a name of national distributor if you wanna DIY the conversion vs wait in line at The Nest)


Sorry for the enthusiastic babble here- more pics please!

Keep us posted and if you haven't already seen "dirty6" posts on teardropping with a roof top and kids, you gotta go there!

So many great family memories!
Glamp On!
Hope to see you on the trails...

 

Yep ... uses the CI controller, if equipped. The lithium package includes an upgraded controller, which handles up to 300W of solar.

And yes, it is the 120W panel. I'm going to get another to have up to 240W.