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Forum
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RE: How to charge a battery as I'm driving?
Read this, for starters.
Try to use the good information and ignore the rest.
Almost ALL truck alternators can charge camper batteries; the degree of success depends on the setup. Charging through a standard 7-pin connector is not very successful. An independent charge circuit using a high amp, continuous duty solenoid, heavy gauge wire (2 or 4g), and fusing slightly greater than alternator output will provide strong charging current to camper batteries -up to 40 or more amps- at around 14 volts.
There is a lot of good information here that can be found by searching. Do Not Let Anyone Tell You That It Can't Be Done. I have personally keep 2 6v golf cart batteries fully charged for 2 months of heavy usage using ONLY alternator charging while driving.
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cewillis
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10/06/08 09:07am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Haynes Point Provincial Park & campground - Osoyoos B.C.
Great looking area. (I hope the publicity doesn't ruin it)
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cewillis
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10/05/08 09:08am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Yep...Another Battery Question
Here is another option - if you have the room and the $. 135 AH AGM
Two of them is series provides 270 AH. One is better than 2 of your existing ones.
As you can see, they have less stringent requirements.
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cewillis
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10/05/08 09:04am |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: a week exploring the Eastern Sierra in late September
Great pictures! That's a beautiful part of the world -- and you covered a lot of ground.
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cewillis
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10/04/08 02:38pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: recomend a slide in for a 2007 GMC 2500HD shortbox
Do you want hardside or popup?
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cewillis
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10/04/08 09:47am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Sealed AGM in your TC without it being in a battery box?
Thanks for the info all....
I was looking at the Blue top Group 31's with 150 Ah each.
Question. With two 6V @ 220 Ah each connected in series to get your 12v have a capacity of 440 Ah total, or only 220 since its connected in series????
2 6v @ 220ah connected in series = 1 12v @ 220ah
2 12v @ 150ah connected in parallel = 1 12v @ 300ah
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cewillis
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10/02/08 10:01am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Dodge/Outfitter Conquers the Alpine Loop - Part 1
Outstanding trip, report, and pictures. Way to go, Don.
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cewillis
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10/02/08 09:41am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Sealed AGM in your TC without it being in a battery box?
Another point about the charger is it cannot have a desulfation cycle or it will cook an AGM battery....Brian
In general, I agree -- but it depends on the desulfating voltage. For instance, my progressive dynamics 9245c, with charger wizard (who-ho!), uses 14.4v for both so called 'boost' mode and desulfating. 14.4 volts happens to be the max allowed voltage for my AGM batteries.
To close for comfort -- but so far, so good.
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cewillis
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10/01/08 05:30pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Sealed AGM in your TC without it being in a battery box?
Blackstx,
A true AGM battery is supposed to be able to be placed anywhere! There is not supposed to be any out gassing under any conditions. That is one of the nice things about them. You can even mount them upside down!
HamRad
Any position EXCEPT upside down for my 4 AGM batteries.
Might also be a good idea to protect the connections.
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cewillis
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10/01/08 12:46pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Raising & lowering TC with manual jacks?
I have read that you can use an electric drill, but how would one person get all four corners up evenly,(do you keep raising each jack a short distance, and keep going from jack to jack?) without breaking/bending off one of the jacks?
There you go.
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cewillis
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10/01/08 12:42pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Roof rack on Texson/Northstar
Yeah, hey whazoo, I was looking at your rack setup (again) how did you mount those rails to the roof?
Do you think that maybe he installed then with Photoshop?
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cewillis
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09/30/08 09:00am |
Truck Campers
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RE: above the Artic circle 2008
How did you do that?
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cewillis
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09/30/08 08:57am |
Truck Campers
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RE: My new shell and roof rack
I agree. It looks really nice -- and pretty hard beat the price.
But I don't think your link is working --
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cewillis
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09/29/08 05:55pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Tips for Boondocking in California
A couple of friends and I actually did that a few years ago. Actually 43 years ago!! 1965. We drove to L.A. from Sunnyvale in my '56 Chevy station wagon -- what a bomb. The distributer kept shorting out from metal dust generated because of a bent distributer shaft. Got to the area somewhat after mid-night, drove up into some 'hills' and parked for the night. We didn't bother anyone, and no one bothered us.
The next day - Saturday - we hit the beaches, Whiskey-a-go-go, and back to our prime 'camping' spot. Then back to Sunnyvale for our engineering jobs at LMSC.
Can't believe we didn't get arrested.
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cewillis
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09/29/08 05:51pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Recharging TC battery from Truck battery
Assuming your truck has a 7-pin electrical connection for towing, and assuming your camper has a corresponding plug (both common),
the internal connections look something like this:
http://www.rverscorner.com/wiring/solenoid.jpg width=800
The line labeled 'power' will provide some charging current to your camper battery when the truck engine is running, if all wiring is correct. Check the voltage at the power pin (center lug) of the truck socket with engine running. You should have about 14 volts. Then check the voltage across your camper battery with connections made, and engine running. Again, should be about 14 volts. The solenoid in the power circuit will disconnect the truck battery from the camper battery when the engine is off, to prevent discharging the truck battery.
This may be an adequate charge if your battery usage is low and/or if you drive a lot. In many applications, the charge is inadequate. If so, and if you have a good 100 amp+ alternator, as weasel4 suggests you could replace the power circuit with a separate, similar circuit using heavy gauge (2 or 4g) wire, a larger (100a) fuse or breaker, and a 100a, continuous duty solenoid. (you won't actually get 100a)
wwest's suggestion is more elegant in many ways, but may be more than you need.
All this has been explained better here several times -- however, my 1/2 hour of searching failed to find what I wanted.
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cewillis
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09/28/08 10:47am |
Truck Campers
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RE: How about this for a TC
How are you going to add an extended cabover???:W
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cewillis
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09/26/08 12:54pm |
Truck Campers
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RE: Charging circuit from TV to TT
For really successful charging, you need a 2 or 4 gauge charging cable, with solenoid disconnect, independent of the standard charge wiring (which is to small to carry any real amps without dropping most voltage)
The charge to your TT will depend on the relative state of charge of TV and TT batteries. The more discharged will pull the more amps. It does not depend on TV RPM if you have a decent alternator.
In addition to
The 12 volt side of life, searching in the Truck Camper section will find a lot of good info.
Given the above, then yes - you can charge the TT batteries by running by letting the TV idle.
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cewillis
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09/25/08 08:49am |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Tempest Batteries TR120-12A
Here's another option -- if not too tall for you.
135 AH AGM
They are working well for me, so far.
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cewillis
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09/24/08 09:38am |
Truck Campers
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RE: Electricity Going To T.O.U.
We've had something like that available in our area for a few years now. It's peak and off-peak, not day and night. Off-peak is about 1/3 the peak price per kwh. During Arizona summer, peak time is from 1pm until 9pm -- when air conditioners are used most.
I signed up more than a year ago, and by being just a little careful, the electric bill is about 40% lower.
Not that this has anything to do with camping --
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cewillis
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09/23/08 03:08pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Outfitter to the Center of the Earth (photoshop)
Dave, are those things on the front the boring tool option you mentioned? I'd be careful with those if I were you.
I've heard that people who buy that option sometimes accidentally rip themselves a --
WHAT A MINUTE! I can't say that here! (in fact, I may already be in trouble)
36 degrees at 9000 ft in the eastern Az mountains.
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cewillis
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09/21/08 05:11pm |
Truck Campers
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