Lizards posted:

Oops! sorry. Yes I did mean trailer. Put it down to being a senior grumpy digger.

Running a deep cycle in the back of the hilux connected to a dual system and have just purchased an AGM 120 a/hr which will be located in the camper trailer.

I suppose I am trying to set up a trickle system to top up the AGM whilst on the road.

Have just purchased a honda 1kva and have an itelli-charger for those days when stationary

Member - JohnR (Vic)&Moses posted:

Mick, had Lizards looked up geberators he could have found the references but David has it sorted anyway. Alternately he could have searched for generators.

Lizards posted:

Hi Mick

currently running dual setup in the back of the hilux and 2nd battery (a wet cell 110 a/hr) provides power on the road for 3 way and waeco 50 and Lights, shower, other small stuff where 240 not available.

2 fridges - 3 way on gas in camp away from 240. Battery on trailer (AGM 120 a/hr) will run Waeco 50 when 240 not available. I would like to trickle charge this battery on the road from the alternator as I have honda 1kva for charging. Looked at solar. My reading tells me the battery in the trailer will need special wiring and plugs for trickle charge on the road

Cheers

David

Mainey (WA) posted:

David,
by 'special' do you mean "thicker" cable and quality connectors to eliminate voltage drop ??

If you connect the trailer battery direct to the vehicle Aux battery via an Anderson plug at the tow bar, in parallel, it will charge only when the Aux battery is charged by the Alternator.
It (or they) can also both be charged by the Genny when required, while camping.

Why did you not use Solar ?

Lizards posted:

Hi Mainey

Yes, that is correct.

I already have a deep cycle in the back of the hilux and want to have trickle charge to both when on the road.

Found out about the anderson plug the other day and am trying to get the specs right so I can run start and deep cycle batteries through the one isolator in the engine bay; ie do I need a separate battery isolator for the battery in the trailer? I don't want one deepcyle pulling from the other. Have a waeco isolator outlet as well which will go into the trailer.

Did consider solar but as most of the trip in 2009 will be ion the tropics decided to go the honda 1kva. Can borrow solar panels if I must.

Cheers

David

Mainey (WA) posted:

David, No you don't need a second battery isolator, they are only used to disconnect the Cranking battery from the storage batteries so the Cranking battery is always fully charged and not used independently to run the fridge.

Just connect 'thick' cable to the first Aux battery posts and then to the trailer battery posts, via the Anderson plug and use a decent fuse at each (+) terminal of each Aux battery.

When you have the two Aux batteries connected via the Anderson plug you will then have double the battery capacity, so yes you do want "one deep cycle pulling from the other" that way they will last much longer because you are only drawing a small amount of power from each battery, not a lot from one and nil from the other.

Buy the Anderson plug and cable at the same time/place and tell them you want the thickest cable that will fit the Anderson plug to avoid voltage loss.

Why not 'borrow' the solar system asap and test the benefits for yourself.

The big difference between Solar power and a genie is usability.

With genie;
you have to connect it to charge the battery when it gets low, about every second day with a 100ah DC battery, you don't run it all day to maintain charge in the battery.
Disadvantage; added work setting up daily, noise, smell, unhappy neighbours, cost of unleaded fuel, safe storage of genie and also fuel.

With solar;
the Aux battery remains fully charged because the fridge is powered direct from the solar system during the day, and the battery power is only used at night, because no solar power is going to Aux battery. The Aux battery is again fully charged well before lunch next day to continue to run all the accessories again next night, with-out any human intervention at all or further cost involved.

Mainey (WA) posted:

David,
I always advise to earth back at Neg (-) terminal of Aux Battery
OR
the same bolt the (-) Aux battery terminal uses as an earth, to effectively complete the electrical circuit, any other place is at best only 2nd best.

The "waeco coolpower raps 12v outlet to run fridge in camp away from 240" is situated-> 'where' in Vehicle or in Trailer ??