Question about charging while driving

[Matty Van Halen]

my GMC van has an inverter built in to the dash.  the label on it says 150 watt max. 

 can i plug a battery charger into it and charge my deep cycle battery while driving? the label on my charger says its 70 watts. 

 heres the link to it  

 https://www.amazon.com/Energizer-EN...r=8-3&keywords=energizer+12v++battery+charger

 

[B and C]

The maximum input amperage is 0.9a at 120v. (for the 4 model)

SICK_DEALS Seller · May 10, 2017

Somebody else will have to do the math...

 

[highdesertranger]

it should work but you aren't going to get much charging done with that. it's a maintainer. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

The much better way would be some large cable with an continious/isolator relay connecting your vehicle battery to your house battery using your vehicle's charging system, which won't burn up anything, except your alternator will wear a little more as it is working harder to charge two batteries as it puts more charge into your house battery.

 

[Matty Van Halen]

The much better way would be some large cable with an continious/isolator relay connecting your vehicle battery to your house battery using your vehicle's charging system, which won't burn up anything, except your alternator will wear a little more as it is working harder to charge two batteries as it puts more charge into your house battery.

yes, I think you are right. that would be the correct way to do it. Ill have to look into it to see if thats something i can do myself or if i shpuld take it to a pro. I dont even know who would do this kind of work. any recommendation?

 

[bullfrog]

It should be easy for any mechanic's shop. I would suggest using military style battery post connectors(you will need 4) after you have determined where you want your house battery to be mounted and insure a fuse(1 heavy duty) and isolator relay are mounted as close as possible to the vehicle battery. I would run a positive cable (usually red colored) from the relay to the house battery positive battery post military style connector and a negitive cable (usually black colored) from the negitive post connector of the vehicle battery to the negitive post connector of the house battery. Then all that is left is to run a wire that will have power (12 volts) only when the ignition is on from the fuse box to the positive side of the control circuit of relay and depending on how the relay completes the negative circuit, insure it is grounded to the negitive vehicle battery post with a wire from the negative post on the control relay circuit or if grounded through the metal relay housing, it's mounting bolt. Should take about 2 hours labor especially if parts are on hand. A lot of the cost will depend on how long the cables need to be.

 

[B and C]

Be sure a CONTINUOUS duty solenoid is used, not a starter solenoid. A starter solenoid will burn out under continuous duty operation.

A better connection would be to put the positive cable to the alternator-fuse-cable-solenoid-cable-fuse-house battery. You need a fuse at both ends of a positive cable connecting batteries and or charging sources. A fuse based on the size of cable used for both positive ends. Cable size will be determined by cable length. There are calculators out there for cable size-length-voltage drop.

Carry a spare fuse or two.