Best elec. Setup?
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Almost There
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The other choices are generator or shore power.
I live for 6 months of the year where solar is useless (northern latitude, forest with annual forest fires and heavy tree cover), so I depend on a generator and a properly sized battery charger to keep my battery system in good health when I'm not plugged in to shore power such as at a campground or home.
In the winter when I'm in Arizona I use a too small solar system supplemented by generator/charger.
Note that not all generators are created equal - generally you can have cheap and loud or fairly pricey and quiet. Your neighbors will appreciate the quiet....
Most of us have all three sources of charging batteries since even a few days of cloudy weather can leave you with not enough solar to keep the batteries happy - either that or a warm fridge...
I live for 6 months of the year where solar is useless (northern latitude, forest with annual forest fires and heavy tree cover), so I depend on a generator and a properly sized battery charger to keep my battery system in good health when I'm not plugged in to shore power such as at a campground or home.
In the winter when I'm in Arizona I use a too small solar system supplemented by generator/charger.
Note that not all generators are created equal - generally you can have cheap and loud or fairly pricey and quiet. Your neighbors will appreciate the quiet....
Most of us have all three sources of charging batteries since even a few days of cloudy weather can leave you with not enough solar to keep the batteries happy - either that or a warm fridge...
Some will call it crazy but I think it is very clever. Mount inside and use while driving
https://occupation-of-independence.blogspot.com/2016/01/what-if-you-almost-need-generator.html
https://occupation-of-independence.blogspot.com/2016/01/what-if-you-almost-need-generator.html
Almost There
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I'm one of the ones' that will call it crazy!
It would have been much simpler for him to beef up the wiring between the solenoid and the trailer rather than hooking up an inverter to his engine battery and then running an extension cord to a battery charger in his travel trailer to charge the house batteries.
AND he plans on only running it for 20 minutes...that's a sure plan for batterycide....
Sorry but just because some one CAN do it doesn't mean it's a wise thing to do!
It would have been much simpler for him to beef up the wiring between the solenoid and the trailer rather than hooking up an inverter to his engine battery and then running an extension cord to a battery charger in his travel trailer to charge the house batteries.
AND he plans on only running it for 20 minutes...that's a sure plan for batterycide....
Sorry but just because some one CAN do it doesn't mean it's a wise thing to do!
I have run heavy battery cables ( which are not cheap ) to the bed of a pickup truck and I would imagine you could do that with a couple Anderson connectors between the truck and trailer but using a vehicle's alternator for heavy duty charging does shorten it's life and decrease fuel milage. I think now that Ryobi offers a small light weight generator that runs on either large or small propane bottles I would get it if it produces enough power to run your smart charger.
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squire said:
That's "One-of-Us"...…….KaBLOOnie is an active member here...…………………..
If you're putting out DC at a high enough charging voltage and high amps in the first place
there's no need to invert to AC then convert back to DC with a puny charger.
If you need higher voltage use a DCDC charger or converter.
Or maybe just heavier wiring will be enough.
KISS rules
there's no need to invert to AC then convert back to DC with a puny charger.
If you need higher voltage use a DCDC charger or converter.
Or maybe just heavier wiring will be enough.
KISS rules
Trebor English
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Power companies use high voltage transmission lines to deliver power with less loss. Using 120 volts to deliver the watts does that at 10 times the voltage, 1/10 the amps, 1/10 the cable loss.
If you want the extension cord, the charger, and the inverter anyway for other purposes then there is no additional cost.
If the batteries are in the same van as the alternator rather than in a trailer, just a fat wire might be good enough.
If you want the extension cord, the charger, and the inverter anyway for other purposes then there is no additional cost.
If the batteries are in the same van as the alternator rather than in a trailer, just a fat wire might be good enough.
Trebor English
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An isolator switch to connect the house battery to the alternator will prevent the fridge from draining the starter battery. I have a disconnect switch to keep the vehicle from discharging the starter battery.
My Ford Windstar has very unfriendly electrics. For example, every time a door is opened or closed a 30 minute cycle is started. Two computers wake each other up from the low power sleep mode. Then four relay coils are energized. They supply accessories like the air conditioner blower motors and the radio. For normal car use there is no problem. Get in, drive, get out, repeat twice daily, works fine. To stay in one place without driving several days runs down the starter battery. A week of parking with opening and closing doors requires disconnecting the vehicle.
My Ford Windstar has very unfriendly electrics. For example, every time a door is opened or closed a 30 minute cycle is started. Two computers wake each other up from the low power sleep mode. Then four relay coils are energized. They supply accessories like the air conditioner blower motors and the radio. For normal car use there is no problem. Get in, drive, get out, repeat twice daily, works fine. To stay in one place without driving several days runs down the starter battery. A week of parking with opening and closing doors requires disconnecting the vehicle.
Yes, although the waste involved in DC-AC-DC conversion sticks in my craw, I have to admit it's irrelevant with ICE energy sources.
Problem is when people start doing that from solar-sourced power, usually every watt-hour counts there.
Or god forbid from battery-to-battery. . .
Problem is when people start doing that from solar-sourced power, usually every watt-hour counts there.
Or god forbid from battery-to-battery. . .
Trebor English
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement energy sources?
lenny flank
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Other than solar, there are three basic alternatives: (1) shore power, (2) a house battery charged by your alternator, or (3) a generator.
Which of those is "best" depends on various things such as how much power you actually use each day (probably the most important factor), what's your budget, and who will be installing it.
I stick with solar. But my electricity needs are pretty minimal, and I travel with the weather and always move to the sun.
Which of those is "best" depends on various things such as how much power you actually use each day (probably the most important factor), what's your budget, and who will be installing it.
I stick with solar. But my electricity needs are pretty minimal, and I travel with the weather and always move to the sun.
I found out after five days of no sun on a road trip last year that having just solar was not enough. Solar works great when the sun is shining but a few days of no sun can leave you drained. I now use a combination of solar and a Voltage Sensing Relay hooked up to the starting battery.
When I drive the VSR puts lots of extra amp hrs into my house battery. But because my vans alternator does not put out a high enough voltage to meet my battery specs it probably won't ever get it to more the 80-85% charged. But thats where the solar works so well. My charge controller is set to the right voltage to get the house battery to 100%.
So with the two working together this system has worked out very well. I do have a cut off switch if I want to separate them but for the most part I just let this system run and it works great. It's no different than picking to use solar and a generator or solar and shore power. Unless you are always going to a camp ground then it seems me that having at least two ways to charge you battery is much better than having just one way.
When I drive the VSR puts lots of extra amp hrs into my house battery. But because my vans alternator does not put out a high enough voltage to meet my battery specs it probably won't ever get it to more the 80-85% charged. But thats where the solar works so well. My charge controller is set to the right voltage to get the house battery to 100%.
So with the two working together this system has worked out very well. I do have a cut off switch if I want to separate them but for the most part I just let this system run and it works great. It's no different than picking to use solar and a generator or solar and shore power. Unless you are always going to a camp ground then it seems me that having at least two ways to charge you battery is much better than having just one way.
