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Tech => Tech Help => Topic started by: Plstkr on April 02, 2017, 10:28:32 PM

Title: Charging my Zero FX with my Winnebago Era
Post by: Plstkr on April 02, 2017, 10:28:32 PM
I'm new to the forum, but have had my Zero FX for 2 years and I love it. I would like to take it with me when I camp off the grid, but I'm very rusty on electricity. I have 2 31 AGM batteries and a 2500 watt Onan generator as well as a 2500 watt invertor.
If I'm not running the generator while charging the bike will I run the risk of depleting the house batteries?  I've heard that going down to 50% or below will ruin the AGM batteries. If I plug the bike into the invertor while traveling will the engine alternator keep up?
I hope there's someone out there with knowledge or experience since taking the Zero camping would be awesome.
Thanks
Title: Re: Charging my Zero FX with my Winnebago Era
Post by: Shadow on April 02, 2017, 11:21:50 PM
From memory, AGM battery is deep cycle but if you leave them at 50% state of charge or less they degrade quite a lot more. Storing a half-depleted AGM battery for a month can really affect its capacity. I have a 36Ah 12V AGM for a small solar power system to use while car camping. It has lost quite a lot of its capacity from this kind of abuse though it still functions to jump start an ICE vehicle and as a 12Vdc source, just not as much overall capacity.
Title: Re: Charging my Zero FX with my Winnebago Era
Post by: Plstkr on April 04, 2017, 01:34:56 AM
Thanks for the info. I think I'm going to experiment and see what happens. You can't beat the quiet ride of a Zero when in the woods.
Title: Re: Charging my Zero FX with my Winnebago Era
Post by: Starpower on April 04, 2017, 10:10:17 PM
The Zero's charger will draw 1300W (about 92A at 14.2V), your RV would need a min. of a 150A alternator to keep up with the RV and Zero. I've had no problem charging mine off of a 2000W Honda genny and genny direct (or via inverter) is your best bet. I don't know what battery you have in the Rv or Zero but it is unlikely that the RV has more than 4.5kWh. Volts x Amps = Watts
Title: Re: Charging my Zero FX with my Winnebago Era
Post by: KrazyEd on April 04, 2017, 10:32:26 PM
The FX only draws HALF the power of the bigger bikes.
a 2500 inverter will work perfectly. I run my house
off of solar panels and batteries and charge my
Zeros ( FX and SR ) using an inverter. You will have
to be aware of the voltage in the battery during
charging. As far as 50% goes, an AGM battery fully
charged is 13.8 volts. At 12 volts it is 50%, so don't
think of 50% being 6V. Running the generator should
also do fine, but kind of defeats the purpose of
electric propulsion. You could do this with solar
panels charging the batteries as you charge the
FX but would probably need the entire roof of your
motorhome covered in panels. You might also
bring / create an adaptor for the plug. Some
people have issues with Zero Chargers and
some A/C outlets. I believe that my FX
charger is okay but my SR sometimes has
issues with Chargepoint systems