Battery Wiring... RV/Camper Owners READ!

[cruiseroutfit]

So I am building my "trail trailer"... I have considered placing a battery on the trailer so I still have power to the lights (possible 12V cooler) while I am out wheeling...

Background:
Most I would run on the 12V trailer is small lights and a 12V cooler.
My Crusier currently has 2 batteries (one red top and a deep cycle Optima)

How would you go about wiring it so that it charges?

What minimum gauge wire would be safe to run? (it will be ~ 15ft from Alt to trailer batt)

Should I just run the 12V trailer off my existing 2nd battery, thus eliminating the battery on the trailer?

Thoughts/suggestions welcome...

 

[Maverick]

So I am building my "trail trailer"... I have considered placing a battery on the trailer so I still have power to the lights (possible 12V cooler) while I am out wheeling...

Background:
Most I would run on the 12V trailer is small lights and a 12V cooler.
My Crusier currently has 2 batteries (one red top and a deep cycle Optima)

How would you go about wiring it so that it charges?

What minimum gauge wire would be safe to run? (it will be ~ 15ft from Alt to trailer batt)

Should I just run the 12V trailer off my existing 2nd battery, thus eliminating the battery on the trailer?

Thoughts/suggestions welcome...

Time to go to camper world (or even online). I've gotta do the same thing with my TT...it has a battery but I'm pretty sure it's not charging off the burb, I need to rewire the hitch so that it's hot.

Deepcycle in the trailer sounds good though.

nite

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...Deepcycle in the trailer sounds good though....

A DC would be sweet and easy to wire up, but $$$... it will have to be a sealed battery, so I am looking at ~$100

This is the main reaon I just want to run off the Cruiser an forget the 12V while it is unhooked...

I won't need lights unless I am there (with my Cruiser)

I won't be gone long enough to worry about whats in the cooler (or will I?)

 

[jmaxj]

put a 7 blade plug on your truck and run the hot to your battery and it will charge it trickle like

 

[cruiseroutfit]

put a 7 blade plug on your truck and run the hot to your battery and it will charge it trickle like

Yeah, easy enough.. I already have my cruiser wired to the back with a 8 gauge charge wire.. I can hook it up under the hood to either the alt (if I run a batt on the trailer) or the deep cycle (if I just use the Cruiser for 12V)

I am just having a hard time deciding on the battery deal.. I really don't want to spend another $150 setting up a battery that gets used 5-10 times a year, and at that it is rare that I can't just use the Cruiser's power...

If I do run a 12V lead from my Cruisers deep cycle, should I also run a large gauge ground or will the one in my trailer light harness suffice (probably a 14 gauge)...

Funny I am in an Electrical Engineering class and could show the math on this stuff... but it is so much more reassuring to hear the real world info...

 

[jmaxj]

if you run the wire from your battery on your cruiser to a battery on the trailer even a cheap autozone one works fine for that holds a charge while parked and takes a charge while driving, or you could just wire up a switch on your trailer for your lights,cooler whatever and use your cruiser's battery for juice(easiest)

 

[cruiseroutfit]

if you run the wire from your battery on your cruiser to a battery on the trailer even a cheap autozone one works fine...

Yes, it is rather easy, just $$$... I have to run a sealed battery on the trailer... it will see too much bouncing for a normal auto battery.

 

[EZRhino]

Dude, put a crank pulley on your axle, and use a short belt to drive an alternator mounted to your suspension so it will charge itself!

OK, what about a solar array on the lid of the trailer? They can continuously trickle charge the battery (so long as the sun is out).

 

[jmaxj]

Yes, it is rather easy, just $$$... I have to run a sealed battery on the trailer... it will see too much bouncing for a normal auto battery.

not really when i used to install them we would go to state trailer supply and get what is called a sealed battery mount it is basically a plastic box outer with aluminum supports inside it has a tray for the battery and 4 brackets to bolt down the battery plus was insulated the battery would not move a bit, the only thing you have to do after mounting was to vent the battery.

 

[Caleb]

not really when i used to install them we would go to state trailer supply and get what is called a sealed battery mount it is basically a plastic box outer with aluminum supports inside it has a tray for the battery and 4 brackets to bolt down the battery plus was insulated the battery would not move a bit, the only thing you have to do after mounting was to vent the battery.

well, as a whole the regular autozone tye batteries dont take the bouncing around, it doens;t matter if they are strapped, boxed, sealed, whatever down because the WHOLE trailer is bouncing around more than they should...this is also why a lot of guys switch to a sealed battery in their rigs...

 

[mbryson]

I like the solar trickle charge idea......

 

[grinch]

I like the solar trickle charge idea......

Ide do a combo of what jmax said with the hot wire trickle charge...
And solar panal on the top.... Northern tools catalouge usually has good prices on these...