charging battery on camper
Submitted: Sunday, Feb 01, 2004 at 01:07
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Member - Martin
Hi all i was wondering if someone can help,we have bought a camper trailer that is fitted with a deep cycle battery to run the lights and water pump etc it has an anderson plug fitted and i have been told to run a charge wire from my vehicle to the trailer to charge the battery while travelling. What i want to know is where do i run the wire from, i have a dual battery set up and i was told i could run it off the second battery but i dont see how that would charge the battery in the camper i thought i might have to run it off the alternator and if so is ten amp wire ok. The vehicle is a 3lt Patrol.
Reply By: smod - Sunday, Feb 01, 2004 at 05:35
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004 at 05:35
Martin, I assume you will also be running a fridge on 12v in your camper while you are travelling. Your camper if already wired with an anderson plug will probably be set up for this. You will need to run a heavy guage wire around (16mm2 which will be the same gauge as is on your plug on the camper) This size cable cable may seem to be rather large but in a 12 volt dc circuit voltage drop will be quite considerable and will be needed to properly charge your battery and run a fridge while on the move. If you are not running a fridge in the camper you wont need such a large wire. You can run this wire from your second battery through a 20amp circuit breaker to the rear of your patrol direct to a new plug. Install the circuit breaker as close to the battery as possible. You can get this cable, (anderson plug 50amp), circuit breaker , lugs, sleaving to protect the wire and any other gear from any good caravan supplies outlet. The cable is 2 core so run the negative directly to your second battery. You should have what is known as a smart solonoid on your patrol for your aux battery, ( common and a must for the 3lt ) when your car is running it wont put any charge into your aux batt. until the main is fully charged. When the main is charged the the smart solonoid switches over and runs charge to your aux and now your camper battery also. It might cost a few bucks to set it all up but if you do it right the first time then you wont have to do it again. Good luck!
smod.
AnswerID:
45021
Follow Up By: Member - Martin- Sunday, Feb 01, 2004 at 14:13
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004 at 14:13
Thanks smod i allready have the anderson plug so i will go to the caravan
shop tomorrow and purchase a 20amp circuit breaker and the wire. We are not at this stage running the fridge in the camper as it is in a slide in the rear of the car however i will wire it up to suit just in case.
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Follow Up By: smod - Sunday, Feb 01, 2004 at 17:58
Sunday, Feb 01, 2004 at 17:58
Martin, If you run the wire underneath the patrol then it would probably pay to get some of that flexable split wire casing and cable tie it
well under the vehicle to keep it away from anything that may cause damage. I ran
mine inside the car on the passenger side under the plastic foot plates where the existing wires are running. If you go this way you can exit the fire wall through the rubber seal where the other wires exit. you wont need to cut any more holes in the seal just put a bit of oil or grease on the wires and slide through the the existing flange next to the other wires, its a bit fiddley but does work,poke a small wire from the under bonnet through the flange as a feed wire. The other end can be run over the top of the rear wheel arch, which once you remove the seal around the back door ond open the small inspection cover at the back you will easily see through, and then exit through the rubber drain plug under the tail lights. If you cut a neat hole through the drain plug you can pass the wires through, add a bit of silicone and when its all finnished the plug can still be used (with the wires passing through) at some future time if needed, Hopefully never!
smod
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