RJCorazza wrote:
My 6.2l gas engine uses 0.5gph at idle without load, and 1.2gph at 1500rpm high idle. Well thought out wiring mod - I like the anderson connectors, which is also how I connect up a 12 fuel transfer pump on my older F150.
My thoughts on TV charging are that it is great to have the truck charging as a backup or emergency plan, but I wouldn't do it on a regular basis. Not because of idling concerns or fuel consumption, but because of the wear and tear on the intermittent duty alternator.
Using a vehicle engine to charge would also be my choice as Backup plan "B"..
Not so much for concern of fuel consumption but "wear and tear" of the over all VEHICLE. My 2013 F250 cost me $45K not including taxes, interest and insurance.. It is one heck of a expensive item to run solely for charging up RECREATIONAL USAGE BATTERIES..
When something breaks on said vehicle it is NOT CHEAP to get the vehicle repaired.. If you have to have vehicle vehicle towed to a garage or dealer that costs and then the cost at the dealer is over the top.. not to mention the loss of use of that vehicle..
As an example last winter, we had our older truck in the dealer not once, not twice, not three times but FOUR times.. Each time it was a MIN of $800 labor plus parts.. We spent nearly $4000 on a 6yr old vehicle.. and they still didn't fix the ORIGINAL problem it went in for..
I ended up having to research on the internet to find the fix and fixed it myself..
I am still fixing after affects of the dealers bungled repairs, just had to replace oxygen sensors this winter since one of the bungles attempts resulted in raw fuel being dumped into the cylinders which poisoned one of the cats and eventually took out the o2 sensors..
You are more than welcome to do as you wish but to me a portable gen is a far wiser and cheaper solution, can be replaced easily..
I would personally suggest some solar panels and a small gen and you most likely will find very little need to run your vehicle engine for battery charging..
